Chapter 17 Suman
His words made my lower belly tighten.
“But I can’t stay here for the night,” I muttered.
He cupped my cheek, making my lips pout, and shook his head.
“I don’t care. You’re staying here with me, and that’s final.”
I was dazed, worrying about what would happen to us. The attendant had already seen us together, yet he was being unyielding. Rumours could’ve spread about us. But he didn’t seem to care.
“But what if someone gets to know?” I asked, and he leaned closer and pecked my lips, making me widen my eyes in wonder.
“Let them know,” he stated and then, after a slight pause, asked, “Do you want to go to the bedroom?”
His words reminded me of the unholy things we did.
At the beginning, he made me experience not just his warmth, but his hardness, leading me to climax, and then did something beyond words.
The memories alone caused me to blush profusely and nervously lower my gaze.
“Um… you said... that you... want me to be… I mean, you said that next time you... I mean, I need to be bare... in your bed,” I tried to make his dirty words sound more decent, but failed terribly.
I turned breathless as he brought his lips closer to mine, making me sink deeper, trying to find some space to escape. But he didn’t let me do anything but listen to his flirtatious, ‘Agastya-coded’ words.
“You can if you want to. I’d be delighted to feel your naked frame in my empty bed.”
I gulped nervously and pushed him back.
However, he held onto my wrist and pulled me to him, causing me to fall on his lap, breaking a few bangles.
Jolts of current rushed through my body, and my cheeks turned warm—warmer than the fire could ever make.
His hand kept me in place while his gaze bore deeper into mine. The war seemed dangerous. The deep green orbs, reflecting the flames of fire, looked devilish—even more than the devil itself. They showed no regret, only pride, in breaking my bangles.
“Apologise,” I stated, trying to pull my hand out of his tight hold, but his eyes slid to my lips, and he gulped.
The noticeable bone in his neck bulged momentarily when he swallowed his saliva. It made me weak and desirously itchy between my legs.
The vision of him licking my cheeks clean after wetting them with my juices occupied my mind, reminding me how he could bring me to my knees.
His gaze softened for a moment, and he muttered. “Only on one condition,”
I sucked my lips and asked, “What condition?”
“Come to my bedroom, have dinner, and spend the night with me.”
I lowered my gaze as a wave of timidity washed over me.
‘Spending the night with him’, that thought was dangerous, enough to shudder my insides.
“A night?” I retorted, as I wasn’t ready for it, not until the moment, at least.
And he took a slight pause.
“Not just the night but a life,”
A smile appeared on my face, and I looked at him, blinking at me innocently.
“Please,” he pleaded with a puppy face, and I nodded, melting at his request.
He smiled and helped me stand up, collected the broken pieces of my bangles, and suddenly lifted me in his arms.
My eyes widened in shock.
“Kunwar-sa,” I gasped.
He smiled, taking me inside the bedroom.
“Ji, Sumanika ji, kya hukum hai aapka?”
“Yes, Sumanika Ji, what’s your order?” he asked playfully, making me blush harder.
“I cannot order you,”
He brought my face closer and brushed his nose against mine.
“If you’re married to a prince, you’re just as much a princess, and I aim to make you feel that way.”
His words made me smile timidly, and he slowly put me on my feet after entering the room.
I watched him draw the bedroom curtains for privacy. The attendants wouldn’t walk inside after seeing the drawn curtains, even if anything happened to the world outside.
I stood quietly and watched him walk toward the couch.
“Come here, Sumanika Ji,” he said, patting the seat.
I bit my lip, trying to suppress a smile, then moved toward the couch and settled beside him.
He had won. Already. Way before I could know.
As I sat down, he shifted closer.
“Was that man good?” he asked, and I gulped silently, not knowing what to answer.
I shook my head slowly.
“The only man I know is Kunwar Agastya Dev Singh. No man would ever be as good as him for me. So, he was not,”
A slight smile curved his lips.
It was the truth, though. No one could change for me. Among hundreds of men near the pyre where I lay waiting to be burned alive, he stood out as the only real man.
“You know, you don’t have to say that. That was what was needed at that moment,” he stated, pulling the plate closer.
“And you could have made it so I don’t exist anymore. But here I am, in your chamber, on your couch, watching you have dinner and seeing you taste something I didn’t know existed in my body.”
He bit his lip. “You know you’re making me crave it again.”
His lips looked captivatingly wet. The way his teeth pressed against them filled me with immense warmth, rushing the heat to my cheeks.
I quickly averted my gaze, realising what my thoughts focused on.
I clenched my hands on my skirt. He was enslaving me. I felt more drawn to him whenever he was gone. After waiting anxiously for him for days, the moment of our union felt rewarding.
“Your absence hurts me,” I whispered, and he briefly closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to go either,” he muttered slowly, tearing off a bite of food.
“Then why are you leaving so often if it’s not that bad? I didn’t even know you would leave after that... between us,” I drawled the last words, too embarrassed to mention.
“I just wanted to see you before I left,” he said, pursing his lips.
“I’m sorry if it seemed like I used you for my pain or something.
I didn’t come to you for that; I just… wanted to be with you.
Like, lock your image in my heart,” his fists clenched tightly over his thighs, and his voice faltered.
My brows furrowed in concern at his altered expressions.
I reached out and placed my hand over his. It felt cold—a strange contrast after we had just warmed up by the fire.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, and he looked at me worriedly.
There was a slight pause before he muttered, “Everything.”
I lowered my gaze, recalling our first conversation after our unfinished wedding.
“Elaborate,” I said.
Suddenly, he gave a broad smile. “I’m dying to kiss you. That’s the biggest problem. Then I wonder what it would feel like to be fed by you. The most complicated issue is figuring out how to maintain my boundaries while being intimate with you.”
His words made me roll my eyes and sigh deeply.
He could never be serious.
But, above all, I could make him feel what it would be like to be fed by me.
I smiled, turned to him, and scooted closer, bringing the plate to me.
Tearing the bite, I reached out to him, causing him to pull his face back slightly.
I frowned in confusion.
“Chakhke batao; vish hua to?”
“Taste it first; what if it’s poisoned?”
I gritted my teeth, took that bite, and shook my head. “Nahi hai vish, laadle Kunwar-sa, aap grahan kar sakte hain,”
“It is not poisoned, dearest Kunwar-sa, you can have it.”
He chuckled softly before taking the next bite.
“You are so sweet through and through.”
His words flipped my stomach. My breath hitched momentarily.
How could he be both dirty and innocent at the same time? Mostly cute.
I offered another bite, but he shook his head. “Recheck the poison,” he said, and I glared at him.
“This won’t work again. I’m full.”
He took it and cupped my cheek with his other hand.
“You know I’m not the sweet husband type who would always obey you. I know how to force,” he said, gently pushing the bite into my mouth.
I hadn’t realised that I felt hurt by the word ‘force’. It brought back memories of my dead husband, and he immediately closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“I’m so sorry, Suman. I didn’t mean that. I am so sorry,” he said, wrapping his arm around me.
I shook my head, smiling weakly, and rested my head on his shoulder.
“Don’t say that again,” I whispered, and he nodded.
“I’m sorry. I’ll keep that in mind,” he said.
“And never force yourself on me,” I added, and he shook his head.
“Never,” I replied. “I don’t need to force you; I can look into your eyes, and you’ll give in easily.”
I slapped his thighs, hiding my face in his neck. I started feeding him again, and he chewed so fast that I could see how hungry he was.
“You look so hungry,”
“Yes, the last time I ate was before I saw you,” he spoke, mid-chew. “I didn’t have time to eat anything.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “What do you mean?”
He blinked at me briefly, then abruptly shook his head.
“Uh… I mean… I don’t enjoy eating anything anywhere except at home.”
I clenched my jaw. “Lies,”
“No, that’s the truth,” he exclaimed, and I observed him silently for a moment.
He was hungry, and I needed to give him time to decide if he was hiding something. I didn’t want to distract him from his dinner.
I nodded, convincing him I believed, then continued feeding him, bite after bite.
His lips brushed against my finger every time. It felt slightly uncomfortable for the first few bites, but I thought this man had tasted something of mine. So, nothing could be more embarrassing than that.
Once he had finished eating, I got up from the couch to wash my hands. He stood up, walked toward the bed, and lay on his chest.
“Suman,” he called.
I gulped nervously, watching him wait for me, and inhaled deeply.
“Ji, my head is hurting,” he said, and I bit my lips.
“You should sleep then, and I’ll leave now,” I said, and he sat up straight, narrowing his eyes at me.
Getting off the bed, he stormed in my direction.
As I fiddled with my fingers anxiously, his gaze softened.
“I can do anything you want if it means you’ll stay with me,” he murmured.
His deep, inviting voice reminded me of the options he offered me the other day, one of which was the ‘Tongue’.
I lowered my gaze reluctantly and turned away from him, closing my eyes to calm myself.