Alaric

I watched him grab his coat from the couch before heading toward the entrance of the penthouse.

For a few seconds, I remained completely frozen where I stood.

Nico walked calmly toward the door like he had not just turned my entire world upside down within the span of a single conversation. His expression remained unreadable while he slipped one arm into his coat, looking far too composed compared to the absolute chaos happening inside my chest.

I should have let him leave.

That was the reasonable thing to do.

But as I watched him reach for the door handle, panic slowly started creeping through me again.

What was I supposed to say now?

Was I really going to let him walk away after all of this?

After the kiss we had just shared. After everything we had confessed to each other tonight. After finally admitting out loud what I truly wanted from him.

My heartbeat pounded painfully against my ribs while my thoughts spiraled into complete chaos.

Say something.

Stop him.

Do not let him leave.

The moment the door slowly opened, the words escaped from my mouth before I could stop myself.

"Wait!"

Nico paused immediately at the entrance.

But he did not turn around.

He remained standing there silently with one hand resting against the door handle.

"Wait for what?" he asked calmly. "Tell me what you truly want, Alaric."

My throat tightened instantly.

"I want you," I answered softly.

Nico remained still.

"Want me to what?"

I ran a frustrated hand through my hair before inhaling deeply.

"I want you to... uh..."

Damn it.

Why was this suddenly so difficult to say out loud?

"You have to be specific with your words, Alaric," Nico said slowly, his tone completely serious now. There was not even the slightest hint of teasing left in his voice anymore. "And if you are drunk, then—"

"I am not," I interrupted immediately even though I was still slightly tipsy.

I rubbed my hands together nervously before forcing myself to meet his eyes again.

"I want you to fuck me."

The words echoed loudly throughout the penthouse.

Nico slowly turned toward me.

"And you agree to my demands?" he asked quietly.

My pulse quickened instantly when he dropped his coat onto the floor before slowly approaching me again.

"You agree that I dominate you?" he continued calmly. "That I fuck you so hard you cannot walk afterward?"

Heat flooded through my body so fast that it nearly made me dizzy.

The way he looked at me while saying those words completely ruined whatever composure I had left. His voice had dropped lower, rougher, carrying a dark promise beneath every sentence that made my entire body react instantly.

A shiver crawled slowly down my spine.

My cock hardened painfully beneath my pants while heat coiled low inside my stomach, tightening harder with every step he took closer to me. My breathing became uneven as anticipation mixed dangerously with desire until it felt impossible to think about anything except him.

Nico stopped directly in front of me.

"I need a yes or no answer, Alaric," he said quietly. "Tell me honestly. Do you truly want this?"

My heartbeat thundered loudly inside my ears.

"There is no backing out after this."

No backing out.

Do I want this?

The question echoed repeatedly inside my head while my heart pounded harder against my chest.

And the terrifying part was that I already knew the answer.

I wanted this.

I wanted him.

Maybe more than I should have.

"Yes," I whispered breathlessly. "Yes, Nico. I want this."

Nico moved so quickly afterward that I barely had time to react.

One second he was standing in front of me.

The next, his hands were cupping my face firmly while he tilted my head upward toward him.

"And this is not because you are drunk?" he asked quietly.

I shook my head immediately.

"No, Park," I answered honestly. "I know exactly what I am saying. I truly want you to fuck me."

Something dark flickered inside his eyes the moment those words left my mouth.

That was all it took.

Nico kissed me again without hesitation.

His mouth crashed against mine in a hard, passionate kiss that immediately stole the air from my lungs.

I gasped softly against his lips as his hand tightened against my jaw while he kissed me deeper, slower, rougher than before.

This kiss felt completely different from the earlier ones. There was hunger behind it now, something intense and dangerously consuming hidden beneath every movement of his mouth against mine.

Nico kissed me like he wanted to take complete control, like the moment I agreed to his terms, something possessive inside him had finally snapped awake.

His lips moved expertly against mine while my fingers instinctively grabbed the front of his shirt to steady myself. Nico tilted his head slightly before his tongue brushed slowly against my lower lip, silently asking for permission.

A soft sound escaped my throat immediately.

The moment I parted my lips for him, Nico deepened the kiss completely.

Heat exploded through my body.

His tongue slid against mine slowly, teasingly, making my knees weaken almost instantly.

The kiss quickly turned messy and breathless as he kissed me like he wanted to completely consume every sound I made.

I could barely breathe properly.

Nico kissed me deeply while one of his hands slid down toward my waist, pulling me firmly against his body until I could feel exactly how much he wanted me too.

The realization alone made my entire body burn.

A quiet moan escaped my lips into his mouth before I could stop it.

Nico reacted immediately.

He swallowed the sound greedily before biting down softly against my lower lip.

The sharp sting made me gasp.

"Fuck," I whispered breathlessly against his mouth.

Nico kissed me again instantly after that, slower this time, almost like he enjoyed hearing those sounds coming from me.

My fingers tightened harder around his shirt and the room suddenly felt unbearably hot.

Every kiss made my thoughts blur further until all I could focus on was him.

His mouth.

His hands.

The way he touched me like he already owned me.

Nico eventually pulled away from my lips only to trail rough kisses slowly across my jawline.

My breathing immediately turned shaky.

Then his mouth reached my neck.

A soft moan escaped me before I could stop it.