Beren was trapped. Again.
Not by chains. Not by force.
But by him.
Emir stood in front of her, blocking her every escape route. The dim glow of the chandelier barely touched the darkness in his green eyes. They burned—raging, consuming, claiming.
Beren swallowed hard. "You need to stop this, Emir."
He tilted his head, pretending to consider her words. Then, with a smirk that sent shivers down her spine, he took another step forward.
"Stop what, Butterfly?" His voice was dangerously soft. Too soft.
Beren clenched her fists, trying to hold her ground. "Whatever this obsession of yours is."
Emir chuckled, dark and amused. "Obsession?" He reached for her wrist, pulling her flush against him. "No, sweetheart. This isn't an obsession. This is ownership."
Beren's breath hitched. "You don't own me."
His lips brushed against her ear as he whispered, "Yet here you are, trapped in my arms."
She hated that he was right. She hated that her body melted into his touch despite every warning screaming in her mind.
"You're insane," she hissed.
Emir hummed. "Only when it comes to you."
His fingers traced down her spine, his touch lazy, almost teasing. Her skin burned under his fingertips.
"You think you can run, Butterfly?" His smirk deepened. "You think I'll ever let you go?"
Beren's pulse thundered. "You should."
Emir's grip tightened. "Never."
His forehead pressed against hers, his breath fanning against her lips. "You belong to me, Beren. Say it."
She glared at him, refusing to give in. But God, it was so hard when he looked at her like that.
When he touched her like this.
When he whispered her name like a promise and a curse.
"I hate you," she whispered instead.
Emir smirked. "Say it again, Butterfly. You sound adorable when you lie."
Beren shoved at his chest, but he didn't budge. He was a wall—an immovable, unshakable force.
"You are the worst man I've ever met!" she snapped.
Emir grinned. "And yet, I'm the only man who touches you like this."
His fingers brushed over her collarbone, slow, sinful. Beren gasped, pushing at him again. "You're impossible!"
"Say it, Beren."
"No."
Emir exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "Such a stubborn little Butterfly."
Then, before she could react, he grabbed her chin and crashed his lips against hers.
Possessive. Hungry. Claiming.
Beren's mind blanked. She hated him. She hated him so much.
But she didn't pull away.
She couldn't.
Because deep down, she knew the truth.
She was his.
And he was hers.
No matter how much she denied it.