The disbelief and frustration in his words cut through the haze of alcohol clouding my mind.
I swallowed, heat rushing to my cheeks. “I never said I wasn’t.” But I couldn’t bring myself to meet his gaze, feeling exposed under his intense stare.
What was the truth, anyway?
Here, in this new life, I was a virgin. But in my last one, I had endured countless nights with Jaxon—some willingly, others… not so much. It made me think. Painful memories rose like phantoms, and I forced them back down, pulling myself to the present.
This was supposed to be my escape.
“You said that guy—” he started, his brows drawing together.
Before he could finish, I leaned up, capturing his lips, desperate to drown out the questions, to bury the past. "I’m not here to talk about him," I murmured against his mouth, my voice barely a whisper. "I’m here to forget him." I broke away, catching my breath, and his eyes searched mine, wary yet intense.
I let out a bitter laugh, pressing my head back against the pillows. “I’m sick of Alphas thinking they can run my life,” I said, feeling my voice shake. “It’s exhausting. And for once, I want to make a choice—my choice.” I looked back at him, daring him to challenge me. “Does me being a virgin really matter to you?”
His hand traced a light path down my arm, and I shivered, feeling both vulnerable and strangely emboldened. He cocked his head, his expression softening slightly. “Shouldn’t you save this for someone you actually love?”
The words hung between us, making my chest tighten. I had saved it, hadn’t I? I had given everything to Jaxon once, every ounce of trust, every shred of love I thought I had, only to have him tear it all apart. With each memory, I felt that familiar ache, that hidden scar that no amount of time could heal.
“Believe it or not, I did,” I whispered, swallowing hard. “B ut... sometimes, love was just another form of torture.” and the worst part was that at the time I was being tortured, I thought I was being loved.
The memory surged forward, unbidden, my voice breaking, pleading as he ignored my cries, his weight pressing down on me, too much, too rough, leaving me desperate to escape. “Stop, please… please—”
“Hey,” a low voice cut through the fog, and I jolted, eyes snapping open. His hand cupped my cheek, pulling me back to the present, back to safety. I blinked, staring up at him, my mind struggling to shake off the painful memory. “What’s wrong?” His voice was soft, and I realized he’d tilted me upright, my face just inches from his, close enough to see a thin scar that cut through his eyebrow, which had earlier been hidden by his ruffled hair.
I felt my lip tremble. How was I supposed to explain this to a stranger? That the person I once loved had broken me in every possible way? That every touch, every word of affection from him had become twisted into a nightmare? Yet here I was, with someone I barely knew, and somehow, it felt safer than I had ever felt with Jaxon.
“Everything’s wrong,” I murmured, my voice almost breaking. “I just... I just want control. Over my life, my body, all of it.” My words trailed off as I looked away, the weight of it all heavy on my chest.
His eyes flickered with hesitation for a moment, and then softened, something understanding flashing in their depths.
“I understand,” he murmured, surprising me. “Forget him. Tonight, I’m the only one you answer to. Just tell me if you don’t want something, and I’ll stop.” His tone was low, steady, the words simple yet powerful.
How long had I waited, yearned, for someone to say that? For Jaxon to say that? Yet here I was, hearing it from a stranger.
He gave a knowing grin, leaning down close enough that his breath tickled my skin. “Now, princess, let’s not lie to ourselves. You didn’t mean it,” he said, his tone soft but teasing. I couldn’t even argue, my silence answering for me. He captured my lips again, his fingers interlacing with mine, and I felt a heat that wasn’t just from his touch but from the way he looked at me—like I was something he wanted, something worth savoring.
“Now,” he whispered, his gaze intent, “ready for the main course?” His eyes flickered golden, and before I could stop myself, the words tumbled out.
“Your eyes… they’re beautiful.”
He paused, a chuckle escaping him, soft and unguarded. “Yeah? Want to drown in them?” he teased, his smile widening. I felt my face grow hot.
Then a realization hit me once again with a jolt, this was a stranger, and I was… I was letting myself go completely.
“Oh my god…” I stammered, the words tumbling out unplanned. “Condoms. Do you have—condoms?”
He smirked, looking at me with a mixture of amusement and something deeper. “Finally realized?” he teased. “You know, you should be thanking the universe. I'm one of the good ones. You’re really careless, aren’t you?” His eyes sparkled, and I gave a small, sheepish nod.
He rose up on the bed in a fluid motion, pulling his shirt off with ease, leaving me to gape. Jaxon was fit, sure, but this man… Steal was cut from marble, his broad shoulders tapering to a perfectly sculpted torso. And when his jeans slid down, revealing the rest of him, I couldn’t help the shocked whisper that escaped.
“There’s no way… that’s going to fit.”
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