A Deal Sealed with Lust

“Oh God, of all the people in the world, it had to be you,” I groaned, tipping my wine back and rubbing my temple in frustration.

Sebastian sighed, his dark eyes burning into mine before he knelt before me.

“Take a good look at the woman I will wed soon,” he said, his voice laced with something between amusement and disgust.

I choked, spitting out every drop of wine in my mouth.

“What?!” I sputtered, wiping my lips with the back of my hand.

He sighed again, as if this entire conversation bored him. “I’m Sebastian. Your soon-to-be husband. And believe me, I already regret making this choice.”

My stomach twisted violently. What the hell is going on? Marriage? Did I hear him right? Was my father really trying to sell me off like I was nothing?

Sebastian just watched me, his expression unreadable, though I could see the sharp glint of disdain in his eyes.

“Wha… what… what do you mean marriage? What are you tal—”

“Look,” he cut me off impatiently, his jaw tightening. “Your father is tired of having you around, and I need a wife. Someone to respect my wishes, obey my commands, and fulfill my desires. That’s where you come in. The engagement is set for three weeks from now.”

His words made my blood boil. Respect. Obey. Fulfill desires? He might as well have called me a sex toy.

My palm flew across his face before I even realized what I was doing. The sharp crack echoed in the quiet wine cellar.

His head turned slightly at the impact, but his dark, furious gaze snapped back to me in an instant.

The air between us crackled with dangerous tension.

His fingers wrapped around my wrist in a bruising grip as he yanked me up, forcing me to stand. Before I could react, my back was slammed against the cold wine rack, bottles rattling from the force.

“DON’T YOU EVER—” his voice was a menacing growl, teeth gritted inches from my face—“AND I REPEAT, EVER DO THAT AGAIN!”

My breath hitched as his grip tightened around my waist, pressing me firmly against his body. His other hand seized my chin, tilting my head up, forcing me to meet his gaze.

His eyes were… hypnotic. A deep, endless black that pulled me in like a riptide.

But what made my pulse hammer against my ribs wasn’t the anger burning in them—it was the way his gaze dropped hungrily to my lips.

Why was he staring at my lips?

“Le… let me go,” I whispered, my voice shaky, unsure.

I placed my trembling hands against his chest to push him away, but the moment my palms touched his hard, sculpted muscles, he inhaled sharply—his eyes fluttering shut for a brief second, like he was restraining something dangerous.

A sharp shiver ran through me.

“What… what are you doing to me, woman?” he rasped, his voice strained, filled with something dark.

Before I could answer—before I could even think—his hand slid from my chin to the nape of my neck, yanking me forward.

His lips crashed against mine.

A gasp slipped past my lips, but he swallowed it with a desperate, bruising kiss. His tongue invaded my mouth, exploring, claiming, dominating. The taste of red wine mixed between us, intoxicating and sinful.

I should push him away. I should.

But his grip on my waist tightened, and I was melting.

His kiss grew deeper, hungrier, like he was devouring me whole. My fingers found their way into his thick hair, tangling in the soft strands as his hands roamed my body.

A whimper escaped me when his lips left mine and trailed down to my neck. He sucked at my skin, his tongue flicking against the sensitive flesh, and I gasped.

“S-Sebastian…”

He groaned at the way I moaned his name, his hands gripping my ass, pressing me harder against him.

“You’re mine,” he growled, biting down lightly on my pulse point. “Say it.”

My head was spinning, my body betraying me.

Then—like a slap to the face—reality slammed into me.

What the fuck was I doing?!

With every ounce of strength I had left, I shoved him away.

Sebastian stumbled back, breathing heavily, his hair disheveled from my hands, his lips swollen from our kiss. He looked—Jesus Christ, he looked like a man who had just been woken from a fevered dream.

His dark eyes locked onto mine, burning with frustration and something else… something dangerous.

“Why did you push me away?” His voice was hoarse, filled with disbelief.

“What kind of question is that?!” I snapped, running my hands through my messy hair. “I don’t even know who you are, and I just made out with some stranger—!”

“Not a stranger,” he interrupted coldly. “Your husband.”

I froze.

“I am your fucking husband,” he repeated, stepping closer again. His fingers traced my cheek with a touch so delicate it made my stomach twist. “You are mine. And I am yours.”

My breath caught.

What the hell was this man’s deal?

I shook my head violently, pushing him away once more.

“I don’t belong to anyone! And neither you nor I are getting married!”

I turned on my heel and ran.

I didn’t care where—I just needed to get away from him. From whatever this was.

Because if I stayed any longer, I wasn’t sure if I would push him away again…

…or pull him back in.