Chapter 97: Taste it…
Mira turned her gaze toward him, her emotions in turmoil. For so long, she had imagined how she’d react to Zamian’s return—maybe she’d act cold, indifferent, or even completely ignore him.
She’d played those scenes over and over in her head, thinking about how satisfying it would be to snub him after all this time. But now, standing in front of him, she couldn’t keep it together. Instead of the aloof detachment she had rehearsed, her heart betrayed her. She was breaking down, and it was heartbreaking to realize how much she had longed for him. After all these months, he was only just now returning.
"Don’t mind what I said..." she muttered, waving her hand dismissively, trying to suppress the flood of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. She didn’t want him to see how fragile she felt. Not now.
"Mira, if—" Zamian began, stepping forward, his voice full of concern.
"I said, don’t mind my words!" she interrupted him, her voice sharper than intended. She didn’t mean to snap, but the turmoil inside her was bubbling over. The room fell silent as Zamian froze, startled by her sudden outburst.
For a moment, neither of them moved. Mira’s chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, her hands clenched by her sides. She hated how vulnerable she felt, how exposed her emotions were in front of him. But at the same time, a part of her was screaming to hold onto this moment, to not let him slip away again.
"Come closer," she said softly, though the authority in her voice was unmistakable. She gestured for him to bend down. Zamian hesitated, unsure of what she wanted. The last time she’d asked him to do this— few minutes ago, she’d pinched his cheeks hard. Still, he leaned in, uncertain but willing to indulge her.
Just as his face came close to hers, Mira acted. Her hands moved quickly to his neck, and before he could react, her tongue latched onto his skin. She sucked hard, her lips pressing against his neck, marking him with a hickey.
Zamian was caught completely off guard. His eyes widened, and he pulled back slightly, his hand instinctively going to his neck.