Last Chance [Extra #2]

Part 40

It's never too late to discuss things that are important to someone. It's extremely important to clear up the possible misunderstanding before it occurs.

That's why Celosia didn't allow Cassian to get lost in his thoughts as he watched her lie on the bed with a pain relief patch on her back. "Don't look at me like that, I don't blame you one bit."

"I hurt you. I knew I'd hurt you, I told you to stop me," he bemoaned in despair, reaching out to touch her but stopping midway, afraid of hurting her even more.

"I'm not a fragile glass doll, Cassian, so don't treat me like one."

"But-"

"Stop it!" Celosia finally lost her patience and got up to face her fiancé properly. "I agreed to everything you did to me, I even enjoyed it, but you're sitting here like it's the end of the world that you gave me a few bruises here and there. Well, if you're that hurt about this, then perhaps we shouldn't do it again," she teases, earning a horrified look from Cassian. He seemed terrified by the prospect of never being able to be intimate with Celi.

"Please no," he muttered under his breath, his strength leaving him with a single long sigh.

"I'm jesting, Cassian," Celosia chuckled at the heartbroken look on Cassian's face. Deciding to save him from his misery, she once again healed herself, erasing all traces of the kiss marks Cassian left on her.

He didn't like it.

"Cassian, this is confusing. When I'm covered in your marks, you despair over bruising me, but when I heal them, you're discontented that they're gone. I won't know what to do if you're like this."

Cassian only let out a deep breath, as confused by his irrational behavior as Celi. "It pleases me to see those marks on you, but the fact that you can hardly move breaks my heart. I don't want to cause you such pain. I'm confused about this as well, Celi, which is why I asked you to stop me if you're uncomfortable."

"But I'm not. It's you who's worrying too much," Celosia smiled at her cute puppy. He was adorable when he sulked.

It was understandable that he was confused, though. He didn't have much experience with women, except for being engaged to the so-called Elizabeth, who eventually left him for the Crown Prince, so all of this must have been new to him. Celosia, on the other hand, had more than enough experience with men, having been married eighty times before. It made her a little indifferent to intimacy, but for the sake of dying by Cassian's hand, she was willing to put more effort into their relationship.

With that thought in mind, she sat upright in front of Cassian and spread her arms invitingly. He didn't hesitate and rushed to embrace her, pulling her into his lap and smothering her with affection. "It's alright, Cas," Celosia assured, kissing Cassian's neck lightly. "If you're that worried about the marks, you can just leave them on me now, just like I'm going to do with you," she added, gently sucking on his skin, leaving a mark that would last a long time.

Cassian, much to Celi's surprise, was a quick learner, and easily understood what she was trying to teach him. He pressed his lips against the soft skin of Celosia's neck and sucked on it insistently until a dark bruise formed there.

He was satisfied with the outcome. Last night, he left countless marks on Celosia's body, but in the throes of passion, he hurt her a little too much, so once she healed, her marks disappeared as well. This one, however, was harmless and merely showed everyone that Celosia was his alone.

It satisfied him immensely. Even the dark possessive feeling he had towards Celi dissipated when he saw his mark on her.

"Are you happy now?" Celosia grinned when she saw Cassian's eyes brighten considerably. He was so easy to please - let him give her a hickey and he was good.