Chapter 38 – A Quiet Departure

The evening had dragged on, the air thick with tension, and Elian could feel it in every breath he took. The weight of Rylan's gaze was suffocating, his eyes burning through Elian no matter where he turned. It wasn't just the crowd that surrounded them—it was Rylan, his presence like an invisible hand gripping Elian, pulling him closer whether he liked it or not. The man's intensity made Elian feel as though he was walking on a tightrope, and at any moment, he could lose his balance and fall into the dark abyss of Rylan's obsession.

As Elian prepared to leave, his mind screamed for freedom, for space to breathe. His body had started to move toward the door, but then, that voice—deep, commanding—cut through the air like a blade.

"Elian."

The way Rylan said his name sent a shiver of recognition through Elian's spine, but it wasn't the kind of recognition that brought comfort. It was the kind that twisted something deep inside him, urging him to stop, to stay, even as his body told him to run.

He tried to ignore it. He had to leave. His heart raced, and his body was frozen, torn between the urgent need to escape and the pull that Rylan seemed to have on him. He turned slowly, facing Rylan. The man's figure was outlined in the dim lighting, every inch of him radiating a power that Elian couldn't deny. But it wasn't just power—it was desire, sharp and hungry, making Elian's breath catch in his throat.

Rylan didn't speak for a moment, and the silence between them was suffocating. Then, with a speed that startled Elian, Rylan was right there, just a breath away, his hand snapping out to grip Elian's arm with a force that made Elian gasp. Rylan's grip was unyielding, like a vice, and Elian felt his body being drawn closer, unable to resist the pull.

The words came out in a whisper, dark and heavy with meaning. "You're not leaving. Not yet."

Elian felt his pulse hammering in his throat, his knees weak beneath him. He knew, instinctively, that there was no escape. And yet, a part of him didn't want to escape. A part of him was drawn to the intensity in Rylan's eyes, that possessiveness, that hunger. It was terrifying. It was irresistible.

Before he could react, Rylan was kissing him. The touch was fierce, demanding, like a storm crashing through Elian's defenses. Elian's breath was knocked out of him as Rylan's lips pressed against his, an overwhelming force that consumed him entirely. He was trapped. His body froze, unable to react at first, but then—then it started to burn.

From Rylan's perspective, everything was crystal clear. His eyes roamed over Elian as they kissed, drinking in every reaction, every shiver that passed through the man in his arms. Rylan's mind buzzed, adrenaline coursing through him as Elian's lips finally parted, giving him a chance to claim him deeper, to push for more. The taste of Elian was sweet, so pure, and Rylan couldn't get enough of it. It was like drinking from a forbidden well—every sip was intoxicating, making his grip tighten on Elian's body, pressing him closer as though he could fuse their bodies together, make Elian a part of him.

Rylan's breath was hot against Elian's lips, and he could feel the way Elian's body trembled, his hands unsure as they gripped at Rylan's jacket. It only fueled Rylan's desire more. The shivers that wracked Elian's frame, the way his body seemed to collapse into Rylan's—Rylan drank it all in like a man starved. He could see the vulnerability in Elian's trembling form, the way he was fighting it, and it made Rylan want him even more. Elian was breaking down in front of him, and Rylan wasn't going to let him run.

The tremble in Elian's body was a sweet victory for Rylan, a sign that he was winning. His heart beat faster, and he felt his own desire growing, the need to claim this man entirely becoming an obsession. His tongue slid against Elian's, coaxing him open, feeling how Elian's body still resisted, but only slightly. The resistance was fleeting—Elian's lips had softened beneath his, and Rylan couldn't help but deepen the kiss, more fiercely this time.

Rylan's hands slid to Elian's back, pulling him in, his chest pressing hard against Elian's. The weight of it was overwhelming, suffocating, but it felt like heaven to Rylan. He wanted more. He wanted all of Elian, wanted to see him broken under his touch, to make him lose himself in Rylan's world. He wanted Elian to need him, to crave him, to surrender completely.

But when Rylan pulled back, breathing heavily, his gaze lingered on Elian, and what he saw made his heart race. Elian's eyes were wide, glazed with confusion and something else—something raw, something fragile. He looked like he wanted to run, but Rylan wouldn't let him. Not now. Not ever.

Rylan ran his thumb gently over Elian's trembling cheek, brushing away the tear that had slipped down. His eyes softened for a moment—only a moment—before the possessiveness returned, darker than before.

"I don't want you to leave, Elian," Rylan said, his voice low, rough with desire. "Not yet. Not ever."

Elian's chest heaved as he tried to compose himself, but Rylan's eyes never left him, his gaze heavy and unyielding. Rylan's mouth quirked into a smile, dark and possessive. Elian was his now. And nothing would ever change that.

Elian stepped back, breaking free of the intensity of the moment, his body trembling as he tried to steady himself. He had to leave. But the weight of Rylan's presence, the taste of his lips, the heat of his touch, lingered in every part of him.

"I have to go," Elian said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Rylan didn't stop him this time, but the promise in his eyes was clear. This was only the beginning.

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