Wicked Desires

chapter 31

The villa was bathed in a golden glow, the soft flicker of candlelight casting delicate shadows across the walls. The rain outside continued to pour, but inside, the air was thick with something far hotter—something electric.

Reyansh carried Kriya effortlessly up the grand staircase, his grip on her unwavering, possessive. Her heart pounded in her chest, her breaths shallow as she held onto him, unsure if it was the warmth of the room or the way his fingers pressed into her skin that was making her dizzy.

Reaching his room, he gently nudged the door open with his foot, stepping inside before softly kicking it shut behind him. The quiet click sent a shiver down her spine. Carefully, he set her back on her feet, his hands lingering at her waist as if reluctant to let go.

Kriya swayed slightly, overwhelmed by the intoxicating mix of emotions surging through her. Her wet dress clung to her skin, the fabric cools against her heated body. But what truly made her breath hitch was the sight before her.

Reyansh stood in front of her, his soaked white shirt moulding to his chiselled frame, outlining every ridge of muscle, every hard plane of his body. Droplets of rainwater trickled down his sharp jawline, disappearing into the open collar of his shirt. His dark hair, damp and tousled, made him look even more impossibly handsome.

He wasn't doing anything—just standing there, watching her with an unreadable expression, his piercing gaze locked onto hers. But the intensity in his eyes sent a wave of warmth coursing through her veins.

Kriya swallowed hard; her throat suddenly dry. The air between them was growing heavier, charged with an unspoken need neither of them dared to put into words.

The crackling fireplace behind him cast a soft glow on his face, making the sharp angles of his features even more pronounced. He took a slow step toward her, his presence suffocating in the best way possible.

"You're shivering," he murmured, his voice low and rough.

Was she? Kriya wasn't sure anymore. The only thing she could focus on was the way he was looking at her—as if she were something precious, something he had no intention of letting go.

His fingers grazed her cheek, tracing the curve of her jaw before slipping down to her collarbone, featherlight yet searing against her skin. Her breath caught in her throat, and she wasn't sure if she should step away or lean into him.

Everything was getting warmer—her cheeks, her skin, the very air between them. The heat of the fireplace was nothing compared to the fire blazing inside her.

Reyansh's lips parted slightly, as if he were about to say something, but instead, he let his hand drop to her waist, pulling her closer—so close that she could feel the warmth radiating from his body, the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Kriya felt like she might faint.

Not from the heat.

But from him.

Kriya felt her breath hitch as Reyansh's fingers tightened around her waist, his touch sending a shiver up her spine despite the warmth radiating from the fireplace. His gaze never wavered, dark and intense, pulling her in like a force she couldn't resist.

The soft glow of the candlelight flickered around them, casting golden halos on their damp skin. The storm outside raged on, the rhythmic patter of raindrops against the glass only amplifying the tension that coiled between them.

Reyansh lifted a hand, his fingers tracing a delicate path from her cheek down to her lips, brushing over them in a touch so featherlight it made her knees weak.

"Kriya..." his voice was husky, barely a whisper, but it carried the weight of something unspoken—something she wasn't sure she was ready to hear.

She wasn't sure she was ready for any of this.