His Innocent Sera

A bucket of ice water exploded across her face, shocking her senses awake. A startled gasp escaped her mouth, her eyes snapping open, wild and disoriented. She frantically scanned her surroundings, shrouded in pitch blackness, struggling to understand where she was. Just then, a chilly gust pierced right through her bones, sending a shiver down her spine. Whimpering, she wrapped her arms around herself, desperate for some warmth.

Still reeling, she had no time to react when another glacial wave crashed over her, freezing the breath in her lungs. Gasping, the girl huddled into herself, shivering uncontrollably.

"Don't..don't.." she begged, curling inwardly in a miserable attempt to protect herself. It was too cold, her legs and arms had grown numb. Fingers tangled in her hair, forcing her head up to meet his cold, unforgiving eyes.

"Don't what?" he seethed, inching closer. Her captive radiated menace in waves, taunting her instincts. A lone tear slipped past her fearful eye.

"Don't..don't hurt me," she pleaded in a trembling voice. The sheer intensity of his gaze made her want to hide somewhere. Her request caused his mouth to twist into a cruel smirk.

"You can hurt me, but I can't," he taunted venomously, cocking his head. The smirk disappeared, something dangerous clouded his expression, his eyes sharp as a cutting blade as he demanded, "What part of 'You Are Mine' didn't you understand, princess?"

She blinked, looking like vulnerable prey trapped in its predator's clutch.

"I..I didn't hurt you," she explained, drained and trembling. Her explanation only fueled his rage.

"You did," he gritted out, barely able to hold his anger. "You hurt me when you let him hold you. You hurt me when you lied about him. Too many lies. Too many deceptions," he fumed, nostrils flaring.

His countenance turned into a mask of disgust as he noted, "You reek of his touch. Even being near you turns my stomach." He released her with a jerk before stepping away. She dropped her gaze to the floor, sobbing.

In a moment, light flooded her surroundings. She realised she was in a bathroom. His cold voice echoed a moment later, "Wash yourself." After that, she heard his footsteps retreating-then the sharp bang of the door slamming shut.

Wiping away her tears, she braced her palms against the wall and pushed herself up on wobbly legs. Turning on the show, she stood under it and cried her heart out.

Uneasiness stirred in his chest when she didn't answer his first call. He called her countless times after that only meet silence. He couldn't help but wonder if she had stumbled into danger. Not wasting a moment, he had set out, anxious to find her. He knew sending her alone in the woods was a bad idea. The woods were teeming with wild animals, and she was too fragile to protect herself. If something happened to her, he wouldn't hesitate to tear apart that NGO. He'll show them real hell for not taking care of her.

He kept dialing her number on his way, his insides twisting with each unattended call.

st sky

hinted at annoveldrama

The overcast

impending downpour, but it failed to

deter him from marching into the woods. He walked further in,

following her phone's location. The clouds roared, savages howled but none could weaken his resolve. Soon enough, a deluge offrain hit him, intensifying the desperate, gnawing need to see her. Ever since he had caught her dancing in the rain, an aching longing to be near her roared to life within him

whenever it poured.

He trudged ahead, oblivious to the sight awaiting him.

Lightning had struck, revealing two people intertwined in an intimate embrace. It lasted only for a second but long enough for him to recognize her. He could recognize her in millions. The amount of rage he felt in that moment was insane. His veins threatened to burst, his vision tunneled-consumed by a blazing crimson fire.

The demons in his head screamed for the boy's blood, and he conceded.

He killed that boy and made her see everything. She was never going to forget this now. She was never going to betray him again.

But it was not enough. He still felt restless. Why did she have to betray him? Why she walked into another man's embrace when he was right here. She chose that scumbag. It wasn't that shithole, it was her leaning towards him that turned him into a murderous savage.

He stood in the center of the now wrecked space, still fuming, still hurting. It was then the soft click of the door caught his ears. He looked up to find her stepping out of the bathroom in a bathrobe.

Her wet hair clung to her skin like silk woven into sunlight, her skin glistened like moonlight dancing on still water, her delicate collarbones peeking through the bathrobe. She was a walking temptation, a test he was bound to fail.

Sera froze upon seeing the atrocious state of the room. He noticed fear slowly etching her gentle features. He noticed his handprint still tainting her cheek.

He moved suddenly, causing her to tense up. She gripped the fabric of her bathrobe in nervousness as he closed the distance between them in purposeful strides. The girl drew in a shaky breath as he stopped in front of her, dwarfing her with his towering frame.

She willed herself to stay rooted as he bent his head and sniffed her neck. She had washed herself thoroughly, lathered every inch of her skin with soap to remove Gio's scent off her. His hands seized her waist in a possessive grip, drawing her closer as he breathed her in again. And again.

His lips found her skin, trailing along the delicate curve of her neck with deliberate intent. She closed her eyes tight, her fists clenching as he claimed his dominance over her. His mouth claimed her with soft, insistent kisses, each one a mark of possession, staking his right to every inch of her.

She wanted or not, she was his.

Serafina Diaz had no existence without Nathaniel Serrano. His mouth traced a wicked path up her neck, nching towards her mouth with burning purpose. The moment his mouth captured hers, a wave of serenity washed over his restless core, taming the storm within. She could resist, she could fight, but she wasn't going anywhere. His arms were her only destination, her only

home in this whole world.

He devoured her mouth as if he had been starving for eons. His passionate,

bruising, biting kiss elicited whimpers from her.

Without breaking their kiss, he

picked her up and carried her to the

bed. Setting her down, he positioned himself over her. He pulled away only after her lips were swollen, carrying the dents of his madness. She struggled to reclaim her breath as he traced her jawline with his mouth. His fingers reached up, undoing the knot of her bathrobe, setting her on edge at once.