chapter twenty two

Nikolas' POV:

Stepping out with Caspian, his fingers intertwined with mine, felt surreal. The cool morning air did little to calm the storm raging inside me. Every step felt heavier, like I was walking deeper into something I couldn't escape. The bond between us was real I couldn't deny it but that didn't mean I had to accept it.

Ronan leaned casually against the car, arms crossed, his eyes immediately dropping to our joined hands. A knowing smirk spread across his face, full of amusement and something annoyingly smug.

"Well, well," he drawled, pushing himself off the car. "Didn't think I'd see the day."

I shifted uncomfortably, pulling my hand away, but Caspian didn't let me go. His grip tightened just enough to remind me that he wasn't about to release me so easily. I shot him a glare, but he only smirked, as if enjoying my irritation.

We climbed into the car, and the air inside was thick with tension. I kept my gaze focused out the window, ignoring the way Caspian's presence beside me felt overwhelming. He was too close, his scent too strong, and worst of all, his amusement at my flustered state was palpable.

A few minutes into the drive, Ronan, who was at the wheel, let out a chuckle. "So," he started, his voice laced with mischief, "did you two fuck?"

My head snapped toward him, eyes wide in shock. Heat rushed to my face, and I sputtered, "What the hell, Ronan?"

Caspian growled lowly, a warning rumbling from deep in his chest. "Watch your mouth."

Ronan just laughed, clearly unbothered. "Oh, come on, it's a fair question. You look like you've been thoroughly ruined, Nik."

My face burned hotter, and I clenched my fists. "No, we didn't," I snapped, gritting my teeth. "And even if we did, it's none of your business."

Caspian turned his head towards me, that damned smirk still playing at his lips. His fingers brushed lightly over my thigh, subtle but possessive. "Well," he murmured, his voice dark and teasing, "soon, we will, dear."

I rolled my eyes and shoved his hand away. "In your dreams," I muttered. "I'm not some easy catch, Caspian. And I sure as hell am not a bitch."

Ronan howled with laughter from the driver's seat, clearly enjoying this far too much. Caspian, however, just watched me with that infuriating, knowing gaze of his.

"Oh, Nikolas," he said smoothly, his voice a mix of amusement and certainty. "You can fight it all you want, but you and I both know how this ends."

I didn't respond. Instead, I turned back to the window, willing my heart to slow down.

This wasn't over not by a long .

The silence in the car stretched, thick with unspoken words and unresolved tension. Ronan, still grinning like a devil, tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, clearly waiting for more reactions. I refused to give him the satisfaction.

Caspian, on the other hand, was entirely too comfortable. He leaned back against the seat, legs spread out like he owned the damn space, his fingers idly tracing patterns against my thigh again light, teasing touches that made my skin burn beneath my jeans.

I smacked his hand away with more force this time. "Hands to yourself, Your Highness."

He chuckled, low and dark. "Feisty."

Ronan snorted. "He's got you wrapped up, Nik. Might as well just accept it now and save yourself the trouble."

I shot him a glare through the rearview mirror. "Shut up, Ronan."

"Make me."

I was about to snap back when Caspian's grip on my leg tightened not enough to hurt, but enough to make his point clear. "Enough," he said, voice laced with authority. "I don't want anyone else talking about what's mine."

Mine.

I stiffened at the word. My instinct was to argue, to deny it, to push him away. But the way he said it, so effortlessly, like it was the most obvious truth in the world, made my throat dry up.

Ronan just grinned wider, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Damn. Possessive already? That was fast."

Caspian didn't reply. He didn't need to. His presence alone spoke volumes.

The rest of the ride was tense, the air practically vibrating with the weight of something unspoken between us. I kept my gaze on the window, but I could feel Caspian watching me, studying me, waiting for me to crack.

I wouldn't.

I couldn't.

But damn it, it was getting harder to ignore the way my pulse reacted every time he was near.

We finally pulled up in front of the estate, the massive gates opening before us. I wasted no time, practically shoving the door open the moment the car stopped. The cold morning air hit my face, a sharp contrast to the heat still lingering on my skin.

I needed space. Air. Dgarden.

I stalked away from the car, my pulse still hammering against my ribs. The estate was massive, too grand for my liking, but right now, it was an escape. My boots crunched against the gravel as I moved past the towering columns and stone pathways, taking turns without thinking, just needing to put space between me and him.

Caspian.

His scent still clung to my clothes, his presence still burned beneath my skin. The way he looked at me in the car it unsettled me, like he saw something I wasn't ready to acknowledge.

I kept walking, my fists clenched at my sides, trying to shake off the tension coiling inside me. Eventually, the manicured paths gave way to something quieter.

A garden.

It was tucked behind the estate, hidden from view, surrounded by tall hedges that shielded it from prying eyes. Moonflowers lined the stone pathways, their pale petals glowing faintly in the soft morning light. A small fountain sat at the center, water trickling gently, the only sound besides my own unsteady breathing.

I exhaled, finally allowing my shoulders to drop.

This was better.

I moved toward the fountain, running a hand through my hair, trying to center myself. The bond between Caspian and me was real I knew that much. But knowing it didn't mean I had to accept it.

Didn't mean I had to surrender.

"You run fast, but not fast enough."

His voice slid through the air, smooth and dark, shattering the fragile peace I'd found.

I turned sharply, finding Caspian leaning against a tree at the garden's edge, arms crossed, watching me with an infuriating smirk.

I scowled. "Do you make it a habit of following people who don't want to be followed?"

He pushed off the tree, stepping toward me with slow, deliberate strides. "Only when they're mine."

I tensed, my heart betraying me with the way it kicked against my chest. "I'm not yours."

Caspian stopped in front of me, so close I could feel the heat radiating from him. He tilted his head slightly, eyes flickering with something unreadable.

"No?" His voice was lower now, more dangerous. "Then why do you always end up right where I want you?"

I hated how my breath hitched. Hated how my body reacted before my mind could stop it.

His fingers brushed against my wrist light, testing. I could pull away. I should pull away.

But I didn't.

Caspian's smirk deepened. "See? Even now, you stay."

I jerked my hand back, scowling. "That doesn't mean anything."

He chuckled, a low, knowing sound. "Keep telling yourself that, Nikolas. Sooner or later, you'll stop running."

I glared at him, but he only turned, sauntering off as if he hadn't just unraveled something inside me.

As if he already knew how this would end.