CHAPTER 34
Amara narrowed her eyes at him. The audacity of this man.
Something in her expression must’ve betrayed her because he let out a short laugh. “Ah, I see. Is it because I didn’t tell you I lived here?”
Padding to the kitchen in his bare feet, he asked, “Have you had breakfast?”
Amara shook her head unconsciously, feeling like a mute but afraid that her voice might betray her nervousness. This was not the best thing she was doing. Why had she thought that bearding the lion in his den was somehow better than trying to avoid him altogether?
But there was no turning back now.
She was standing in his house. Even though he was just wearing pants, with full clothes she was feeling more vulnerable. She tried not to look at him as it was indecent for her to ogle at him.
She averted her eyes to the floor-to-ceiling window giving her full view of the city. The curtains were opened and there was a large black leather couch in the middle of the living room. The contrasting shades of beige and nudes adorned the paintings hanging on the opposite wall.
The decor was minimal yet luxurious. Making her feel a little intimidated by the way the shades of grey and black made her feel.
“What would you like? Toast or pancakes?” His tone was overly courteous, making a mockery of the normally polite question.
Her chin went up at the realization that he found the whole situation amusing.
“No, thanks,” she said coolly, taking pride in the level tone of her voice. “I’m not hungry. Breakfast is not why you called me here, right? Why don’t you stop playing with me and we can get this done quickly.”
He stopped and looked at her. The amusement left his face. “Alright, Amara.” He said slowly.
“If that’s how you want it done.”
Amara watched as he took steady and intimidating steps towards her. She raised her hands in the air taking a step back.
“One more thing,” she said, not caring about the consequences anymore. “No touching. I am just here to paint a portrait of you, after this, you will not interfere in my life and let me be.”
His face darkened, and his eyes turned into pools of charcoal.
“Interfere? Is that what you’re telling yourself?
That I am interfering in your non-existent life?
One that never existed? One that you don’t have any control over?
” He laughed sardonically. “The life you so badly want to live was never yours, Amara. Your parents controlled your life before you married Rafael, and then he had the leash of your so-called life. I am just a passerby.” Still smiling, he said with a tilt of his head.
“But have it your way. I will not touch you without your permission.”
Coming up to her, he leaned towards her face without touching her, he licked his lips. “All else is fair game.”
Her heart pounding, Amara followed him without any protest, knowing there was no turning back now. Her body had turned into a puppet.
He led her to what seemed to be his bedroom. Like the rest of his penthouse, his bedroom was minimal, opulent and modern. A large bed dominated the center of the room. It was unmade and seemed like Kaelith had just woken up before her arrival. She wondered how he still looked so fresh.
Amara’s heart climbed into her throat as she witnessed a canvas standing in front of the bed. Two stools beside the canvas, one had color and paints on it while the other was empty for her to sit perhaps.
The soft ivory sheets taunted her when she glanced at his bed again. Kaelith turned around and bobbed his head at the bed. “Where do you want me?” He asked softly.
Amara stood there, a hot wave of embarrassment rolling through her. He would be naked the whole time she’d painted him? Wearing just a pair of joggers and nothing else? With his exposed chest and chiseled muscles?
Amara cleared her throat despite the heat in her cheeks. “O-On bed.” She said timidly.
Kaelith mused slowly walking towards the unkempt bed.
The way he moved it resembled a lion strolling in the forest. His muscles flexed, clear chiseled body that could put gods into shame.
As he sat on the bed spreading his legs, Amara couldn’t help but notice how his body made the gigantic bed look small.
Despite the yellow heat in his eyes, his aura was cold.
“You surely won’t want to paint me sitting like this.
” Seeing her reaction, he added. “You can show me how you want me to pose.” Amara’ s hands shook as she swallowed hard.
She took a hesitant step towards him as he watched her, his face inscrutable despite the heated look in his eyes.
She slowly stood in front of him avoiding his eyes as she said.
“You can lean back.”
Kaelith followed her words, leaning back on his elbows, his legs spread wide and a visible bulge was visible through his grey sweats. He tilted his head in amusement as her cheeks flamed.
“Like this?” He added innocence in his words. “Or this?” He spread his legs wide putting them beside her as he trapped her between them.
Amara shuddered instinctively shaking her head and taking a step back. “D-Do whatever you like.”
She stuttered moving towards the canvas with fast steps. Completely flustered and not knowing what to do she grabbed the brushes with trembling fingers without looking at him. If she would even glance at him for a second, she’d probably end up on her knees.
The man was walking, talking, breathing interpreting of color grey just like his magnetic eyes. His presence would engulf her whole. Hell! Even his eyes had the power to pull her close to him as if there was something magical in his eyes.
Amara was not afraid of him; she was scared of what his eyes would do to her.
Kaelith observed her. She resembles a confused and frightened pup. Not knowing what to do. The way she almost dropped the colors and spattered them on her clothes amused him. He knew the effect he had on her. And the effect she had on him.
He adjusted his grey sweats and unconsciously nibbled on his lips. This little nymph.
Amara hadn’t painted a portrait before. So, in a hurry to hide her embarrassment, she grabbed the first paint her hands could land on.
She opened the lid without giving much thought dipped the brush and slid it across the canvas. Her eyes widened as the streak of red emerged on the canvas. Swallowing hard her shocked eyes moved to Kaelith instinctively.
He raised his brow looking at her expressions as if she was caught in red lights.
She quickly grabbed the white paint and toned it down. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself down.
What was she doing? She had to hurry if she wanted to go home early. And what if Rafael comes back earlier? The thought made her shudder and she grabbed the brush again.
She held her breath and focused on the task at hand.
Convincing herself that everything would be fine.
She would just glance at him for a second to get the idea and focus on painting him.
She would finish it soon and go back home.
She’d prepare dinner for Rafael and then she’d sneak into her room before that and pretend to sleep so that Rafael wouldn’t force her to sleep with him again.
Kaelith sat quietly, his slate-colored eyes tracing every stroke of her brush on the canvas. The soft light of the room danced on her, making her grey dress seem almost ethereal. Despite the muted color, it couldn't conceal the grace that wrapped around her like a second skin.
He couldn't help but be captivated by the contrast – the dress's simplicity against her complex beauty.
His eyes slowly raked down her body to her slender neck covered with the collar of the dress. The femininity in her tempted his manliness.
Kaelith did not care about the portrait. He just wanted her close to him. In any form or any lie. His heart would always belong to her till his last breaths.
Amara felt the weight of his intense gaze as if his eyes were a magnetic force pulling at the edges of her awareness.
The penetrating stare seemed to cut through the air, reaching deep into her soul. Despite her attempts to ignore him, the magnetic pull persisted, a silent invitation she couldn't entirely resist. There was a subtle dance of paradoxes.
The sun outside slowly started moving west. Yet Kaelith remained seated in his place, not even moving.
The whispers of her heartbeat resonated in his.
She had the power to make his heartbeat stop, yet his eyes held the ability to quicken her heartbeat. Whereas she was white in his grey world, he was grey in her already dark world.
There was joy in every moment she was with him. Her presence had made him addicted to her. With her, he wondered if the drugs could compare with the intoxication, he felt looking at her.
In his eyes, anyone could see the deep intensity and obsession. The more he looked at her, the more he wanted to save her from the world and lock her in a cage of his own.
His eyes slowly raked down lower to the curve of her waist he wanted to wrap his arms around her to feel her against him. To mold her like clay and twist her into a shape that was beyond anyone’s imagination.
The light was setting and Amara still hadn’t finished the portrait. Kaelith leaned back and licked his lips. He was looking at her when he noticed some small blue-red marks peeking through the collar of her blouse. Frowning he tilted his head to the side and thinned his brows.
When he realized what they were, his hooded eyes darkened, jaw clenched tight and a possessive beast growled inside him.
Amara stiffened when the aura suddenly changed. She looked up at him and immediately stopped. A scream tore from her mouth as she watched Kaelith storming in her direction.
Before she could take a step back, he gripped her arm pulled her fragile body against his and gripped her neck tilting her head to the side.
“Who did this?” He growled animalistically.