Chapter 64

“Yes,” Kaiden replied, his voice steady, though there was an underlying weight to it.

I couldn’t help the bitter smile that tugged at my lips. It wasn’t real-not truly. I turned my gaze away from him, lifting my eyes to the sky. The stars were so far away, as if they existed in a different world-one that had nothing to do with the mess of emotions swirling inside me. A strange, hollow ache spread through my chest, a blend of hurt and something far sharper: jealousy.

It didn’t make sense. There was no future between Kaiden and me-not really. I wasn’t foolish enough to believe that we could be anything more than two people tangled in the chaos of family drama and broken pasts. So why did hearing that he still loved Rubina make my heart feel like it was suffocating? Why did the weight of his words feel like a punch to the gut?

I tried to shake it off. I shouldn’t feel like this. After all, he was never mine to begin with. But the disappointment inside me -quiet, persistent-was hard to ignore.

I forced myself to breathe, to push down the ache that was threatening to overwhelm me. But Kaiden’s voice shattered my attempts at control.

“I still love her,” he said, and there was something softer in his tone now, like he was confessing more to himself than to me. “But you asked the wrong question.”

I blinked, confusion creeping in. My throat had tightened due to his confession about his feelings for Rubina, but still I managed to speak. “What?”

“Why don’t you try asking if I’m still ‘in’ love with her?” Kaiden suggested, his voice softer now, but there was something almost daring at the same time in his tone.

“Are you still ‘in’ love with her?” The words tumbled out faster than I could control them, as if I was pleading for something -anything-that might tip the scale in my favor.

Kaiden didn’t hesitate. “No,” he replied, his gaze steady. “I am not ‘in’ love with her.”

“He is not ‘in’ love with her.” The voice inside me echoed, a quiet reassurance that I didn’t know I needed.

His eyes softened, and my heart skipped a beat when he added, “Though I am still in love… with someone else.”

“Who?” Again, the question came out in a rush. I was even afraid to breathe, afraid to miss the answer, as if my life is dependent on it.

“There is… this girl,” Kaiden murmured, his voice drifting into a quieter tone, as though he were trying to find the right words, or maybe reliving a memory. His gaze turned toward the sky, and I followed his eyes, noticing how the soft light of the evening seemed to catch the edges of his features, turning him into something almost ethereal.

“She’s a little introvert in front of the whole world,” he continued, his voice distant but still warm. “But she doesn’t even think twice before speaking in front of me.”

My lips curled up slightly. I knew who the girl was. Though I wasn’t 100% sure, it was 98% positive that he was talking about me. After all, I am his introvert. He calls me by that name. And no one dares to talk bluntly in front of him, except me.

Kaiden turned back to me, and when our eyes met, it felt like the world around us quieted. His gaze locked onto mine, and I could feel his energy-intense, vulnerable, like he was opening himself in a way I hadn’t expected. His next words struck me harder than I anticipated.

“You know when I fell in love with her?” he asked, voice low, full of a quiet sincerity I wasn’t used to from him.

My pulse quickened, a surge of anticipation filling me with the warmth of his confession. “When?” I whispered, barely able

to hold the words back.

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Chapter 64

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He let out a soft smile. “The moment I saw her innocent green eyes, filled with pain, secrets and yet emptiness at the same time. Despite the chaos in her, she smiled bright enough to lighten the whole surrounding around her. I just love looking at her. She inspires me to smile amidst my pain. Encourages me to focus on the happiness I have, rather than on sadness I had.”

The weight of his words hit me like a wave. It was as if he had stripped himself bare, leaving me exposed to his most vulnerable part. Now, he had made it 100% sure that I was the girl he was speaking of and the fact that he just confessed his love to me made my heart beat faster than ever.

I didn’t think. I couldn’t. I was overwhelmed by a flood of emotions and before I could stop myself, I leaned in.

My lips found his, soft at first, tentative, like a question that needed answering. Kaiden didn’t hesitate. His lips pressed back against mine, warm and urgent, a quiet desperation in his kiss. It was as if that single kiss spoke everything we hadn’t been able to say-every fear, every desire, every moment of longing that had been building between us.

The world around us faded. My heart raced, and I could feel his pulse matching mine. The kiss deepened, each second stretching out as if time itself had stopped.

I stood up from the chair, pulling him with me, our lips never parting. We stumbled towards the tent, our hands exploring each other’s bodies, our breaths coming in ragged gasps. I could feel his heart pounding against mine, and feeling someone’s heartbeat had never been so good as for now.

Once inside the tent, I pushed him gently down onto the air mattress, my hands already making quick work of the button on his pants. “Remember when you promised to repeat everything we did last night?” I asked, my voice laced with desire, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. My fingers slid up to the hem of his t-shirt, slowly pulling it up as I spoke. “Skin to skin, breath to breath. Just like I loved.” My fingertips traced over the lines of his skin, savoring the sensation, and the words came out almost like a whisper, “I want you to fulfill that promise right now.”

Kaiden’s hands were just as busy, pulling my t-shirt over my head and unclasping my bra. His eyes darkened as he took in my naked torso, his hands cupping my breasts. “Fuck, Lucy,” he groaned, his thumbs brushing over my nipples. I gasped, arching into his touch. But then, he pulled his hands away, making me desperately long for his touch.

“I said I will repeat it if you reject Thor,” came his voice.

“You can put that on the tab,” I said before straddling him, my hands pinning his wrists above his head. “Right now, I want

inside me.” over his. “I want to feel you you,” I whispered, my lips ghosting

Kaiden’s response was a low growl, his hips bucking up to meet mine. I could feel his hardness pressing against me, and it sent a shiver of anticipation down my spine like a slow burn that was as threatening as a blazing fire.

To be continued…

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