𝐂𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐲 𝐕𝐨𝐰𝐬

Chapter 38

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"She had always imagined love to be soft, gentle. But this? This was raw, overwhelming, terrifyingly real."

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Aamirah felt the weight of his gaze like a burning imprint on her skin. Her heart pounded against her ribs, a frantic rhythm that mirrored the storm inside her. Slowly, hesitantly, she lifted her eyes to meet his. What she saw there stole her breath—raw, unyielding desire, but beneath it, something even more dangerous. Possession.

Her lips parted slightly, an unconscious reaction to the sheer force of his presence, but his gaze had already dropped to them, to her lips. She knew what he wanted. Knew it before she even realized she had lowered her gaze to his lips in response.

A shiver ran through her, but she did not move away. And then, before she could think, before she could question, her head moved in the slightest of nods. A surrender.

That was all the permission he needed.

Osman closed the distance in one swift, deliberate motion, his hands gripping her waist as he crushed his lips against hers. The force of it knocked the air from her lungs. She barely had time to gasp before he tilted her head, deepening the kiss. His lips were rough, demanding, moving against hers like a man who had waited far too long. His experience lips danced with her inexperienced one on a slow tone.

Her fingers clutched at his shirt, her grip small, desperate, trying to ground herself. But he was relentless. His hold on her waist tightened, pulling her up effortlessly on her toes, his palm splayed possessively across her lower back till it reachs her arse. The heat of his touch, of his grip, burned through the thin fabric, making her shiver.

Her mind went blank.

She tried to focus on the kiss, on the way his lips moved, the way he dominated her mouth with unrelenting hunger—but his hands were doing something else entirely. They roamed, traced, claimed. His fingers curled into her hips, pressing her so close she could feel every ridge of his body against hers.

Then, just as she thought she could keep up, a sharp nip at her lower lip sent a jolt down her spine. It didn’t hurt—it was a warning. A demand.

“Open your mouth,” he murmured against her lips, his voice dark, commanding.

But she couldn’t. She couldn’t even process his words, let alone obey.

His patience snapped.

A sudden, sharp smack landed on her arse sent a shock through her body, a sharp gasp finally breaking free from her lips. Heat flooded her cheeks at the unexpected act, but before she could react, his lips were on hers again, seizing the moment as she involuntarily parted them.

This time, there was no hesitation. He took his chance—capturing her mouth again, this time with even more ferocity.

His tongue slid past her lips, claiming, conquering, stealing the last remnants of her resistance. His kiss was punishing, a silent rebuke for her defiance, and yet she felt herself unraveling beneath him, her body betraying her as she melted into his grip.

She tried to push at his chest, but he didn’t even register her feeble attempt. She was nothing against his strength, fragile in his hold. The realization sent another shiver through her, a mix of fear and something she didn’t dare name... maybe something so unholy.

He took what he wanted, pushing deeper, his tongue claiming her with a possessiveness that left no room for doubt. She tried to breathe, tried to make sense of the way he tasted—warm, heady, something darkly addictive—but it was impossible.