Chapter 166: No Escape For You

Alec and Lauren stayed out until midnight. They had a stroll in the downtown streets and watched people set off firecrackers in the sky. It was a memorable night for Lauren. One, because it was the first time she was able to attend such a festivity. Second, because the person she was with was Alec.

"Why did you light some scented candles?" Lauren asked while she and Alec were having their bath when they went back to the mansion. Alec was behind her, his legs spread apart, while she was sitting in between them.

She played with the bubbles of soap on her palm. "I know you don’t like scented candles, so I don’t have them in our room. I only use them whenever I take a bath."

"I had Riley buy some things for us while we were away. I had them bought for you because I know you’re used to bathing with scented candles," he replied and planted a gentle kiss on her shoulder. Riley was the man Vincent sent to aid them.

"Now you are becoming husband material," she taunted. A small smile formed on her lips. "Months ago, never in my wildest dreams did I think I could make Alec Everston fall head-over-heels for me. Look where we are now."

Alec rested his chin on her shoulder, and Lauren felt how his body vibrated against hers when a low chuckle escaped his throat. She shivered beneath the warm water.

"You sound so proud. Must be a big achievement on your part, huh?" he taunted back. "Tell me. Does it make you feel so special? Does it... make your heart flutter in the slightest bit?" He sounded playful, but Lauren didn’t miss the hopefulness in the latter question.

"It does," she said, speaking the truth. "I am still a woman, Alec. It’s a usual thing that women’s hearts flutter whenever notable men take interest in us. It boosts our self-esteem just like how you, men, have a boost in your egos when you have plenty of women fawning over you."

"Some women are indeed fawning over me, but I feel nothing about it at all. I’m afraid I cannot relate," Alec said nonchalantly. It was the truth. He never took pleasure in having many ladies try to win his heart before. He had a vicious reputation as a warlord, but despite that, ladies from well-known families were so blinded by his looks and power that they could not care less if they threw themselves at a ruthless predator.

"Now you sound a little arrogant. I wonder if you got that from Vincent." At the mention of the man’s name, she remembered Vincent was in Evardin and doing the King’s duty. "Did you not receive any missive about what’s happening back home? Vincent must be doing well in filling your post."

"I suppose he is. Don’t worry about it. You know what you need to think about? Your well-being. I would appreciate it if you would tell me everything about yourself from now on. What you feel, what will make you feel better, whenever you are in pain... I want to know it all, Lauren," he whispered with his breath against her neck. "I want you to be as transparent as you can. I want you to trust me."

"I trust you," Lauren huffed. She closed her eyes as she leaned against Alec’s chest. She felt him kiss her hair.

"Then let me protect you. I don’t want you to hesitate if you should ask for my help or not. I know why you didn’t tell me about your condition. You must have thought you would just be a burden," Alec said the latter part coldly as if he didn’t like saying it.

"And I am not being one?" She looked down at the bubbles of soap, and her smile curled into a bitter smile. "I may have used you to climb to the top, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care what happens to you, Alec. You are the King of our land. You shouldn’t be here with me in the first place. Your priority should be the kingdom. And I am not a fool to not think what could happen to you once my strange existence reaches the ears of the Supreme House."

"So you care about me? You are worried that something undesirable will happen to me, yes?" Here they go again with his selective hearing. Lauren couldn’t help but sigh.

"It is called humanity. Of course, I would care if I caused someone’s demise."

"No. You are worried because it is me," he insisted like he wouldn’t accept any other explanation aside from that.

"Well..." Lauren found it hard to find the right words for a retort. She only ended up in silence, which made Alec smirk against her hair.

Lauren left the bath first when she felt she was beginning to feel a little too sensitive to Alec’s touches. She stood out of the tub without looking at Alec, even though she could feel his eyes all over her. She put on her robe and stepped out of the bathroom.

She felt her cheeks fluster and how her heart was beating wildly. She stood in front of her vanity mirror and wiped her hair with a towel as she calmed herself. Alec told her back in the south district that there would be no deals between them from then on. Did it mean the deal about ’no kissing and no making love unless she promised to stay’ was off?

When Alec went out of the bathroom with just a towel loosely hung around his waist, Lauren muttered a curse in her mind. Drops of water trickled down his torso as he combed his damp hair with his fingers, the muscles in his arms flexing with his every little move.

"Why don’t you wipe my hair for me, wife?" One corner of his lips rose when he noticed she was staring at his body.

"I can see that you have complete limbs, dear husband. Why would you rather have me do it?" She withdrew her gaze like it was nothing at all. She stopped wiping her hair and threw the towel on Alec’s chest. The ghost of a smile on his lips annoyed her. "What are you smiling about? Wipe your chest and get dressed."

She was about to walk towards the closet when Alec blocked her way. "A little distracted, aren’t we?"

Lauren took a deep breath. She tried to come up with a witty reply that could shut Alec up like she usually did to people whenever she wanted to end the conversation, but she found herself lost in Alec’s steely eyes staring down at her like she was some goddess he was serving. It was a shame, she thought, for a man like him to love someone so deeply like this—someone who could end up dying one of these days.

"A prey can never outrun its predator, love. So you should never run away from me. Don’t run to the opposite direction. Run toward me. I would like that more."

As she took small breaths, Lauren felt as though she were breathing fire. Alec was simply staring at her, but her mind had gone somewhere else. She wanted to taste his lips again. Those sultry pink lips that seemed so soft and warm against hers... she couldn’t help desiring him.

But this time, she acknowledged it wasn’t just lust. It couldn’t be just that. Before she met Alec, she had been surrounded by men. She wasn’t very wholesome, but she never gave herself to anyone before him. It meant Alec was the only one who could evoke those desires in her. With him, there was a sense of security and warmth.

Lauren tiptoed and wrapped her arms around Alec’s nape. She could not help it any longer. She kissed him, and she felt how his lips curled against her own.

"Does this mean you are tying yourself to me forever?" Alec whispered in the middle of the kiss; his hands were around her waist.

"You said there would be no deals between us? So I thought the ’no kissing and making love’ deal was off," she said breathily, feeling intoxicated by the brief kiss they shared.

"Right," he nodded with a dark smile. "There is no escape for you anyway."

"That doesn’t sound so much like a threat."

"I suppose," Alec hummed as his hand went to untie the ribbon of Lauren’s robe. His eyes glimmered with desire when he lowered his gaze to her chest he was slowly unveiling in front of him.

When the robe fell on Lauren’s feet, she released a shuddering breath, her pulse quickening. The way Alec’s crimson-rimmed eyes stared at her nakedness made her feel butterflies in her stomach. Her insides twisted, and she could feel the part between her legs throbbing in anticipation.

"Sit on the bed," he demanded, and so she did.

She stepped back, and within a few steps, she felt the bed behind her. She sat with her legs dangling on the floor, her eyes never leaving him.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read