7. Third Time’s the Charm
7
Third Time’s the Charm
R YU’S naked body lay warm against hers as Roselin stared into the distance. “What’s going on in your beautiful mind?” Ryu asked, kissing the crown of her head.
A lot, and she wasn’t sure where to start, what to ask, and what to keep to herself. Their talk last evening had drained her, but it was necessary. On some level, she understood him. Or at least what he had to do and why he did it. Still, questions lingered in her mind. “You’re a Mageía?” Roselin started with the easiest but most complex question.
“You’ve seen a lot for someone who claimed she saw nothing.” He smiled against the skin of her neck, squeezing her against him. She didn’t answer, and he continued, “Does it bother you?”
Her eyebrows pulled together. “No… Should it?” She always had a fascination for Mageía and painted them and their unique abilities, but Mum made her stop. Yes, she feared their powers sometimes. Much like her mum, scared of what she didn’t understand and afraid of what Mageía could do if they wanted to. No one knew why some had powers. Why some were able to summon fire, control water, or play with minds. There was something in their genes, still human, but different. Ryu's shadows frightened her a little, it'd be a lie to claim otherwise. After all, some of Mageía did kill innocent people. But so did non Mageía.
His lips brushed her ear. “No,” he whispered.
She opened her mouth to ask more, but he stood up from the bed. His naked body, covered in tattoos, was on full display. He turned to face her, and she couldn’t help but stare at a certain area.
“I need to go in a minute. You can wait here, and I’ll take you out for dinner later.” There was a pause, and she met his eyes, which sparkled with mischief. “You want a taste first?” He smirked, taking a step closer to her.
She leaned up, still looking at Ryu, who couldn’t hide the glimmer of hope in his eyes as she drew nearer. Her lips grazed the area under his belly button. “I don‘t know if I can stay.” His body reacted to her breath on his skin. “I have schoolwork to do.”
“Skip school,” he said with a strained voice, inching closer as she pulled away.
“Ryu! I’m a diligent and dedicated student.” She kissed a bit lower, teasing him as her fingers brushed up and down his upper leg. Someone was getting up, and she enjoyed prolonging his need. “Besides, my friends will worry.”
“Rose,” he breathed as her tongue stroked his hip bone, her fingertips edging towards his length.
She blew softly on his cock as she suppressed a smile. His fingers dug into her hair as he held her in place. Her heart skipped as the corners of her mouth pulled up. She loved the control she had over Ryu and even more how much he lusted after her. But right now, she wanted to hear it from his lips in the form of his soft moans, and when she took his dick into her mouth, he delivered.
After a bath to die for, Roselin descended the stairs, wearing Ryu’s sweater that fell just beneath her butt. Ryu had left, and she wasn’t sure what to do with his trust to leave her alone in his house. Only a week ago, he didn’t even want to take her here for a one-night stand.
A shadow moved along the wall. A scream escaped her lips, and Roselin jumped in her place. One of the twins came around the kitchen corner. “Miss Bessette, sorry to startle you,” he apologised, but the grin said he was anything but sorry.
“How do you know—never mind.” They knew her phone number and address, so knowing her last name shouldn’t have been a surprise.
“I’m Hugo Richter, and I work for Mister Botan.” He held up a bag. “He asked me to bring you some supplies.”
Her eyebrows drew together as she took the bag with a sketchbook, pencils, coal, paint, and more. And not even the cheaper stuff. “This is…” Too much.
“Mister Botan doesn’t want your education to suffer. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything.”
Stunned, Roselin watched him leave. Guess Ryu really wanted her to stay. She nestled herself on the couch, staring at all the supplies. These didn’t help with the essay she needed to write, but that was a worry for later because how could she ignore the generosity of her patron? Her fingers traced over the paper. Coal would be nice for her self-portrait assignment.
She worked on her fourth drawing, with no sense of the time that had passed when Ryu returned. He leaned on the backside of the couch. “Beautiful,” he said and kissed the top of her head. “How much?”
“Me or the drawing?” She smiled.
“The drawing now, you later.”
“Which one do you like?” Roselin showed the sketches better, her own face in different angles, staring back at her from the paper.
“I’ll take them all.” He walked around the couch and sat next to her.
Roselin laughed. “You can’t buy all my school projects. I’ll fail my classes.”
His fingers drew figures on her upper leg, his attention on her instead of her art. “Such a shame.”
“I can paint you a better one.”
He stroked her cheek. “Nothing is better than the real thing, but I guess I’ll have to settle.”
“Or take both.” Roselin placed her hand over his, drawing his fingers higher, and… stopped. Little red splatters coloured his white collar, and something told her it wasn’t paint. She pulled away from him. The horror must’ve reflected on her face as the playfulness in Ryu’s eyes disappeared. His fingers encircled her chin, and he planted a kiss on her forehead.
“Let’s take a shower, darling,” Ryu said, standing up from the couch.
He held out his hand, and she blinked at it, torn between what she wanted to do and what she should. She witnessed first-hand how the system failed sometimes. What if Ryu had the power to fix it, even if it was unethical?
“My Rose,” Ryu said with a soft voice full of warmth.
“I don’t know what to do anymore.” The words came out as a whisper.
“Guess you’ll have to trust me,” Ryu said, and she locked his gaze.
There was the word trust again. And Roselin almost did as she watched the twinkle in his eyes. “Trust you? Just like that?”
“Is that so hard?”
“My trust has often been mistreated.” A pang shot through her heart at the truth of her words, but she tried to brush it off with a playful smile.
Yet Ryu’s expression stayed serious, and so did the tone of his voice. “I promise I’ll protect it with my life.”
Her cheeks turned hot as a pink blush spread along her face. Trust wasn’t that easily earned. Still, she took his hand.
The warm water of the shower clattered on the ground. Ryu stood with his back towards her, throwing his shirt in the laundry basket before joining her under the stream. The tattoos caught her eye again, and she admired the colours and details. The tiger looked upwards on his leg, the snake on his lower back wrapped around a branch of cherry blossom. Two wolves covered his shoulder blades with shadows dancing around them, and two dragons adorned his collarbones. Flowers and shadows fill the spaces in between. They were a piece of art, and she couldn’t stop staring at each new element she found. Such a shame Ryu hid them underneath his clothes.
Before she realised what she was doing, Roselin reached under the water stream and touched his tattoos. His muscles reacted to her fingers. He spun around, seizing her wrist in his hands.
“Don’t.” His eyes penetrated hers.
“Sorry, I didn’t—”
“Don’t touch them without permission. You don’t have the privilege,” Ryu said, the tension leaving his body slightly. She wanted to ask why. They were just tattoos, and it wasn’t like she hadn’t touched them before while they were having sex. But his lips seized hers, making her forget everything, and she wasn’t certain what was hotter, the water of the shower or the fire rising inside her.
The tiles were cold on her back. Her fingers dug into Ryu’s arms as she bit down on his shoulder. He didn’t prepare her much. Not that he needed to, she was already wet for him. She often was. Ryu lifted one of her legs, spreading her wide enough for him to enter her in one sweep stroke. His cock slides in and out with a toe-curling rhythm. There were no rules when they fucked, except for her attempting to hold his gaze as she came. But no restriction on touching his tattoos, and she might have taken advantage of the moment.
For the second time this day, his soft moans filled her ears like music.
She stared at his shirt, which she stole last night, and the gifted dress as it dawned upon her. “Uh… Ryu?”
He turned to her, buttoning up his white shirt.
“I don’t have clothes.”
Ryu smirked. “I guess you’ll have to stay naked then.”
Roselin rolled her eyes. “I’m not joining you for dinner naked, so I guess I’ll have to go home alone in that case.”
He held his hands up in defence. “No need to throw threats. I’ll buy you some.”
“Or we simply head to my place so I can change.” Although she wouldn’t mind going on a shopping spree with his money. It had been a while since she bought new clothes. Art supplies were expensive, and the ElyU only granted them so much.
She put the long red dress on again and hoped she didn’t run into anyone she knew. Ryu drove his sleek black car through the streets, stopping at the Elysian housing parking lot. “You can wait in the car if you want,” she told him.
“And if I don’t want to?”
Good question. Roselin wasn’t ready for him to meet Nadia or any of her friends, and it meant he’d see her apartment—did she clean?
“Please wait here. I’ll be back in a moment.” She quickly jumped out of the car, the chill wind brushing against her skin. She should’ve borrowed a jacket or something to wear over the dress. A few students gave her looks, and she couldn’t blame them.
Roselin turned around to the car, and Ryu lowered the passenger seat window. “Can I borrow your jumper?”
Ryu reached into the backseat and handed her the sweater with a smirk before she continued her semi-walk of shame. Crap.
With two steps at the same time, Roselin rushed up the stairs, through the hallway, and into her apartment. Shit, what was she even going to wear? How fancy was this restaurant they were going to? And most importantly, could she keep his jumper?
Let’s pick the easiest choice first: black lingerie. Lace and a string would do. Perhaps she should’ve sent Ryu a photo. She pulled herself back to focus, or she’d had to change underwear again. With her hands on her hips, she stared at her clothes. She cursed under her breath. Why did she say no to Ryu buying her stuff? He had already seen her pretty dress. Instead of spending the money she got for the painting on movie night, it was better used on new dresses… or more art supplies? Decisions, decisions. Reminder: plan a shopping day with Nadia.
“Gorgeous,” Ryu says, startling her to the core.
“Fuck, Ryu.”
“Yes, please.” His eyes scanned over her body.
“How did you get in? I thought you were going to wait in the car?” She folded her arms in front of her chest, granting him a better look at her pushed-up breasts.
“I’m bad with orders, and your front door was open. You should really lock it. It’s not safe.” He stood next to her, his hand resting on her lower back, and went through her wardrobe. A warm shiver ran along her spine. “I should buy you more clothes.”
“Well, you still owe me panties.”
His lips grazed her ear. “Maybe I like you better without them.”
“I’ll catch a cold.” As if Roselin’s body wanted to prove a point, goosebumps covered her skin.
“Not if I keep you warm.” He pecked her cheek and took out a short, dark blue puffy dress. The tag with the ‘on sale’ sticker was still on. His fingers wrapped around the tag, and she snatched the dress out of his hand before he had the chance to pull it off.
“I can’t wear that one.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Why not?”
A blush spread along her cheeks. “I’m saving it…” She stayed quiet as Ryu observed her. “My mum bought it for me. I was going to wear it to my first art gallery display,” she rattled out. Swallowing away the lump in her throat, she fought back the tears.
His finger stroked her cheek. “We’ll save it for your art exhibition.” He took the dress from her trembling hands and hung it back with care. “What about this one?” He handed her a simple green dress. A sigh pushed past her lips. It was not as pretty, but she had nothing else to wear.
He watched her get dressed. When she returned from applying makeup in the bathroom, Ryu stood in front of the open dresser; a photo in his hand. Roselin froze. “So you’re a snooping kind of man,” she said. Trying to recover herself, she put on a smile.
“You were in my office.”
“I didn’t open any drawers.”
He ignored her subtle accusation. “You look like your mother.”
Her heart ached as her stomach twisted. She wasn’t ready to talk about her mum, especially not to him. She took the photo from him and placed it back in the drawer, keeping it secure and hidden away. “We should go.” Before Nadia returned. She rather not have them meet.
“Back to giving orders?” A smile from ear to ear plastered his face, the playful twinkle in his eyes again. “We have time. After all, I never went to college, let alone a university.” He clicked his tongue. “Didn’t even finish high school. Robbing me of the experience of fooling around in a dorm room, nervous someone might walk in.”
He pulled on her wrist and let them fall back onto the bed. His lips captured hers, his fingers travelling up and down her body. Roselin kept her eyes trained on the door opening, but his hands made her quickly forget where she even was.
‘Third time’s the charm’, was all she could think.