Chapter 23 - You Don't Want Your Name In My Head, Aries.

Abel planted his palms on the armrest. He pushed himself up, marched towards her, and stopped behind her. She instantly froze, feeling his body on her back with his fingertips caressing her sleeve.

"Darling," he whispered seductively, leaning his face over her shoulder. "You shouldn't have let Conan use you. Why save him or them when you can barely save yourself?" He smirked, licking her earlobe playfully.

Her shoulder tensed up, keeping her hand from shaking while pouring the hot water into the teapot. She wasn't even surprised that Abel knew Conan simply dragged her with him. Abel wasn't someone who was easily fooled. If he was that easy, Aries would've lied many times already. Why did he play along? No one knew. Who could ever know what was inside this man's head?

Abel carefully wrapped his arm around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Don't I look like a doting husband? Didn't you say you want to play with me? Why don't we play house? You're the wife and I'm the husband. Sounds fun, don't you think?"

'Play house... that sounds funny for children but the way he said it... oh, Aries, you are aware of what you signed up for.' Her mind snorted.

Aries clenched her teeth secretly while she covered the teapot with the lid. She tried to be calm despite that Abel's touches felt different this time. It wasn't like when he held her when they bathe or that night when she fell ill or all those times they were together.

She cleared her throat, taking a deep breath. "It will take at least five minutes to steep the tea," came out a whisper, lowering her eyes. "Can you finish in five minutes? The tea is not good to drink once it's cold."

Abel brushed her hair to the other side, leaning his face until the apex of his nose was touching the side of her bandaged neck. His smirk remained, still hugging her from behind.

"How daring to give me a time limit." He chuckled, whispering, "do you think I don't have trained stamina? Stay still."

As ordered, Aries stayed still while letting him stroke her neck with the tip of his nose. She was prepared. She had prepared herself for this, knowing it was just a matter of time before Abel would take her body. It was not like she treated this body as precious anymore.

"Ah...!" she winced when Abel suddenly bit her neck, clutching her skirt even tighter. His low chuckle caressed her ear right after, feeling his lips stretch against her skin.

"How obedient," he commented while his other hand crawled up to her neck, stroking the bandage around it. "This thing is bothersome."

This time, his cheek squished on her shoulder, eyes on her. His eyes glinted with amusement when Aries held her breath when he tried to squeeze her neck. It was subtle, but it was obvious she was thinking if he would kill her. He could if she asked for it. But that wouldn't be fun. They were playing house, weren't they?

"Darling, will you forgive me if I choked you to death?" he asked mischievously, enjoying how her pupils constricted. "And violate your lifeless body?"

'Good, Lord... was this the reason no woman ever lasted that long to warm his bed? They warm his bed and he would leave them cold?' Her mind went blank for a second. In the briefest moment, she snapped her eyes upon feeling his hot breaths directly hit her skin as the bandage loosened.

"It's still there," he crooned, touching the healing wound in her throat with his fingertips. He narrowed his eyes, knowing it was him who caused this to her — no one else.

"How unsightly," he snapped his tongue lightly, gazing up at her. Abel didn't speak after that, staring at her side profile. Since he wasn't moving or speaking, she cast him a side-eye only to catch him staring.

'What?' she wondered, carefully turning her head to the shoulder where he was resting his head. "Abel?" she called, brows raising at this incomprehensible look in his eyes. That look again, she thought. It was neither remorse nor lust. That look in his eyes she would constantly catch before it would fade without a trace often left her wondering how could a person have such empty eyes.

"What do you see?" he asked while locking eyes with her.

"You."

"Me?"

Knowing she needed more words to explain herself, Aries let out a shallow breath. "A handsome man. It's unbelievable that a person can be this gorgeous." — that was the truth. His personality aside, Abel was akin to the epitome of seduction. He could seduce a person even just by standing.

"Heh... thirty seconds before my five minutes is up. Stay still unless you want to drink cold tea." Abel lifted his head from her shoulder, claiming her lips for the second time since taking her in.

As soon as his lips touched hers, her breath hitched while her eyes nearly popped out of their socket. And yet, she didn't move, even when his tongue slipped in between her lips. Instead, she slowly closed her eyes. But just as her lips slightly moved, Abel whispered into her mouth.

"I said, stay still." His eyes, which were partially opened, glinted. "Don't... respond."

Aries didn't open her eyes but stayed still, letting him bite her lower lip lightly. This was definitely not her first to taste a man. What surprised her was that his lips that had this faint taste of wine didn't disgust her. But the entire irony of this was, Aries wasn't counting in her head while Abel did.

"Thirty," he whispered, drawing his head back and watching her eyelashes flutter open. He waited until she blinked twice, holding her breath before her gaze fell on him.

"You shouldn't have let Conan use you or performed that stunt," he repeated under his breath, sounding dangerous and seductive at the same time. "You don't want your name inside my head... Aries.. Make sure Conan will pay what he owes you."