A few minutes later, I walked back into our room, balancing a tray of food carefully in my hands. But Alaric wasn't in the bed.
I frowned, setting the tray down on the bedside table. I told him to stay in bed… I thought, confusion and worry twisting in my chest.
Before I could dwell on it, Arrie chimed in sharply in my head, He's still in the room. I can feel him.
I straightened and turned, my eyes catching the closet door slightly ajar. Curiosity prickled at me. Slowly, cautiously, I stepped closer and flipped the light on.
Before I could process anything, something lunged from behind. My scream tore from my throat as I reacted instinctively—kicking sharply between the attacker's legs and elbowing them squarely in the nose. The grip around me loosened just enough for me to break free.
"Shit."
Alaric's voice, pained but tinged with amusement, made me freeze.
I turned to see him crouched on the floor, knees pressed together, one hand clutching his nose that looked unmistakably broken. Blood trickled between his fingers, and my stomach twisted.
"Alaric!" I gasped, rushing to crouch beside him. "I'm so sorry! I—I thought it was someone else!"
He let out a chuckle—soft, low, and entirely unlike the alarmed sound I'd expected. "It's alright, Princess. I'm glad you can take care of yourself… and keep someone off you."
I exhaled shakily and stood, hurrying to the bathroom to grab a clean towel and a damp one for his nose. Gently, carefully, I pressed the wet cloth against the bridge of his nose, cleaning the blood.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered, brushing strands of hair from my face. "But I told you to stay in bed. If you had listened, this wouldn't have happened."
He chuckled again, that infuriatingly charming sound, and before I could step back, he pulled me closer, lifting me onto his lap. My eyes went wide, almost losing my balance, and I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck to steady myself.
Then I glared at him, my voice low and sharp. "What the actual—Alaric!"
But he didn't respond with words. His lips found my neck, tracing slow, teasing kisses that made me wince and tense instinctively. My hands dug into his shoulders, but he held me firmly, his touch unrelenting.
Kisses trailed down my jaw, across my cheek, and back to my neck, stopping just at the hem of my shirt. My breath hitched as his hands slipped under my clothing, expertly undoing my bra and sliding it down my arms, leaving the fabric of my shirt still covering me.
His fingers roamed my body with precision, teasing and exploring my curves. When he pinched my hardened nipples between his thumb and forefinger, a soft moan escaped me. I looked down, catching his mischievous grin as he relished my reaction.
His other hand traveled lower, tracing along my stomach to the edge of my pants, sliding into the waistband of my panties. Every touch made my body hum, ready and aching.
Just as his finger traced through me, a loud banging at the door made us both freeze mid-motion.
I looked into his eyes. The playful smirk had vanished, replaced by seriousness and frustration, as he withdrew his hand. I felt a pang of longing at the sudden loss of contact.
I quickly gathered myself, tugging my pants back up and slipping my bra into place, glaring at the door as my pulse thundered in my ears.
Another knock came, harder this time, more urgent. My stomach clenched, and a shiver ran down my spine as I whispered, "Who is it?"
Alaric's hands settled on my waist, steadying me, his eyes locking onto mine with that familiar intensity. I knew we were no longer safe to continue what we had started, yet the tension between us didn't dissipate—it lingered, thick and electric, hanging in the air like a storm about to break.
I swallowed hard, my fingers trembling slightly as I pressed myself against him, waiting.
The knock came again, louder, insistent… and then everything seemed to fade, the moment suspended, the world outside the room forgotten, leaving only the two of us and the dangerous, unspoken anticipation.