"YOU WERE MINE, YOU'RE MINE, AND YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MINE, " he declared, his voice a low growl as he thrust deeper into me.
"Ahh, I h-hate you," I managed to gasp, the intensity of the moment making it hard to think straight.
"SAY THAT AGAIN AND SE...
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The air between us was thick, a dark pull that I couldn't escape. The more I resisted, the tighter his grip seemed to become-binding me to him in ways I didn't fully understand. And yet, despite everything, despite the humiliation, the punishment, and the torment, I found myself gravitating toward him. The danger of Darius was undeniable, and the way he looked at me... like I was his entire world. His obsession.
I lay in bed that night, my mind racing with thoughts of him. I should have been planning my next escape, dreaming of freedom. Instead, I found myself thinking of his hands, the way they touched me-possessive, controlling, yet somehow protective.
What kind of madness was this?
The door creaked open, and my heart skipped a beat. I didn't need to turn to know it was him. His presence filled the room like a storm, and I could feel the weight of his gaze on my back.
"Aurelia," his voice was a low rumble, dripping with dominance, laced with something darker. "Look at me."
I froze, my body stiffening. There was something about the way he spoke, the way he commanded me, that made my blood rush with both fear and something more. I hated it -hated how my body responded to him against my will.
Slowly, I turned, my breath catching in my throat as I met his gaze. He stood by the door, his tall figure cloaked in shadows, his eyes dark and intense, locked on me with an unwavering focus that made me feel like prey trapped in the jaws of a predator.
He moved toward me, slow and deliberate, his steps calculated, each one a reminder of the control he held over me. I should have recoiled, but instead, I found myself rooted to the spot, unable to tear my gaze away from him.
"I don't like the way you look at me with fear," he said, his voice softer now, but still carrying that dangerous edge. "You should know by now, Aurelia, that I won't hurt you unless you deserve it."
My chest tightened, and I sat up, pulling the blanket closer to me as if it could shield me from the weight of his presence. "Then why do you keep doing this?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Why do you make me feel so... so trapped?"
A dark smile curved his lips as he stopped by the edge of the bed, his fingers brushing lightly over the sheets, so close to my hand. "Because you are trapped, little one. You belong to me, and I will never let you go. But you're not a prisoner in chains-at least, not physical ones. You're bound to me by something far deeper."
I swallowed hard, my heart racing as he leaned down, his face inches from mine. His breath was hot against my skin, sending shivers down my spine.
"You feel it too, don't you?" he whispered, his voice dripping with confidence. "That pull between us. The way your body responds to me, even when your mind screams to fight. You're mine, Aurelia. And the sooner you accept it, the sooner you'll find peace."
I shook my head, my heart pounding in my chest. "I don't want to belong to anyone," I whispered, but the words felt hollow, as though they no longer held the conviction I once thought they did.
