Chapter 10: Perfect [18+]
The next Morning.
A faint groan of metal stirred the Haven's stillness—not the door, but thet's frame as Rhea shifted, her wrists chafing against the cuffs still chaining her to its headrail. Morning light leaked through the boarded slits, pale andld, illuminating the stark gray walls and her sprawled form—crimson hair a sweaty, tangled mess plastered to her scarred shoulders, undershirt clinging damp to her flushed skin.
The cuffs had held her all night, red welts blooming where she'd tugged, desperate to ease the aching tensioniled tight in herre, her fingers denied release. Her amber eyes flickered, half-open, burning with a raw, unfiltered need as her breath rasped in shallow bursts.
The door creaked then, a slow grind, and Kael stepped in—no black case, no tools, just him, shirt already off, lean muscle taut under the dim glow, a sheen of sweat catching the light on his chest. His hazel eyes locked on hers, dark and hungry, as he crossed the room, boots thudding soft against the tiles. Rhea lifted her head, strands of hair sticking to her cheek, her voice rough and cracked—"Please..."—a plea torn from her throat, unguarded, aching.
He grinned, a slow, predatory curve, stepping between her legs where they dangled off thet's edge. "Thought you'd never ask," he said, voice a low rumble, thick with intent. His hands moved fast—fingers brushing the cuffs, unfastening them with a soft snap of leather, letting them fall to the floor with a dull clink. Her wrists flexed, red and raw, but she didn't pull away—just watched him, amber eyes blazing, her breath hitching as he loomed closer.
No powers this time—just him, raw and real, his hands sliding to her hips, gripping the damp fabric of her undershirt and yanking it up, peeling it off her sweat-slick skin. It caught on her arms, tugging briefly before he tore it free, tossing it aside to bare her scars—jagged lines crisscrossing her chest, her stomach, stark against the flush spreading over her. She gasped—"Kael..."—voice trembling as his fingers traced the rough edges, rough palms grazing her ribs, teasing the sensitive skin just below her breasts.
He leaned in, cedar scent mingling with her musk, and his lips brushed herllarbone—soft at first, a feather-light kiss that drew a shiver from her, her head tipping back. "Fuck..." she moaned, low and needy, as his mouth moved lower, tongue flicking against the peak of her breast, circling slow before sucking hard. Her hands—free now—clawed at his shoulders, nails digging into his skin, pulling him closer as her back arched, pressing herself into his mouth. "More..." she rasped, voice breaking, a desperate edge cutting through.
Kael growled against her skin, teeth grazing her nipple—a sharp nip that yanked a louder moan from her—"Ahh... yes..."—her hips bucking up, thighs parting wider. His hands slid down, rough and firm, gripping her waist as he shifted—lips trailing a hot path down her stomach, kissing the scars, sucking at the tender skin above her navel. She writhed, thet creaking beneath her, her fingers tangling in his hair—"Kael, please... touch me..."—a whine now, raw and unashamed, her body trembling with want.