Page 242 of Rudra Nandani: The Saga of Control And Seduction

He collapsed beside me, exhausted, his body heavy against the bed. I was already lying there, frozen, unable to move. My legs ached, my knees shaking, not in pleasure, but in raw exhaustion. I could barely lift my body. I remember closing my eyes, willing myself to sleep.

When we finally fell asleep, it was well into the morning. We were tangled together, naked and spent. For the next day and night, no one disturbed us. We slept deeply, recovering. His arm draped around me, my head resting on his chest. We didn't talk. We were too tired, utterly drained.

Even changing position was an effort. My body ached, sore from the intensity, and though I was hungry, I couldn't find the strength to ask for food. All I wanted was sleep.

“Nandani,” I heard his low, caring voice, followed by the warmth of his arm wrapping gently around me.

We were both under the covers, and I lazily responded.“Hn?” I felt the weight of his chest against my back as he pulled me closer, inhaling deeply.

“Get up, love. You have to eat,” His voice was husky, and I groaned softly, my body still heavy with exhaustion.

“I’m tired... I just want to sleep,” I could barely stay awake, my body feeling light and chilled, as if floating in another dimension.

I felt him place a soft kiss on the back of my head, his warmth retreating as he shifted away. Within seconds, I was asleep again.

?? ? ? ?

“Nandani,” a gentle call pulled me from my sleep again.

I opened my eyes slowly, blinking against the light. Rudra was sitting beside me on the edge of the bed, a plate of food in his hand. He slid a strand of hair from my face, and I stretched lazily, my body still aching.

“I hate you,” I muttered, too tired to form anything else.

He chuckled lightly, his thumb brushing my chin as he asked,“Why so, love?”

I pulled the comforter up over my face, hiding my tired expression.“You... you fucked me so badly, Rudra,” I mumbled from underneath it, and I heard his light chuckle again, this time softer.

He gently pulled the comforter away, and I met his eyes, tired but still full of a mix of emotions. I noticed the broken bangles on my wrist, half of them shattered.

“Come here, love,” His voice was soft but insistent, and he helped me sit up slowly. A painful cry escaped me as my spine straightened and a dull ache coursed through my body.

“I hate you,” I cursed, pressing my hands to my chest to keep the comforter in place. My lips were dry, the remnants of sleep and the night still lingering. I looked at him. He was wearing white, his hair damp as if he had just showered. I could feel the hours passing; we’d slept the entire day.

He leaned closer, but I instinctively pulled back.“I’m dirty, Rudra,” I whispered, embarrassed.

He smiled, cupping my jaw gently before kissing me softly.“Dirty or clean, beautiful or ugly, well or sick, you’re mine. My little wife, my little bird,” he said softly.

I lowered my gaze, suddenly feeling timid under the weight of the night’s memories. I didn’t know how many ways he had seen me, how many layers had been stripped away. I face-palmed myself, letting out a soft sigh.

I was so loud. Too loud. I wondered if the whole kingdom had heard.

He shifted behind me, pressing his chest against my back. I felt asense of peace wash over me as he wrapped his arms around me and held the plate of food before me. I pulled my knees up, fingers absentmindedly tracing the blanket’s edges.

He kissed my bare shoulder, and I felt him feed me silently with his hands. After I finished eating, he helped me drink some water.

“Thank you,” I muttered softly, looking over my shoulder.“Have you eaten?”

He smiled slightly, nodding as he placed the empty plate aside.“Yes,”

I leaned back against him, his chin resting on my head, his fingers tracing lightly over my arms. It felt so beautiful, so peaceful.

“Are you hurt, little bird?” His voice was soft, and I inhaled a shaky breath. I nodded gently, my fingers brushing his wrist in reassurance.

I felt him carefully remove the remaining bangles from my wrist. I also noticed he had already gathered the broken fragments from the bed. His touch moved to my tangled braid, working through the knots with patience, making my eyelids heavy.

I was slipping back into sleep, his fingers weaving through my hair, soothing me.

It took an entire week for my body to recover. The ache in my knees lasted, and the pain in my bones lingered, but the soreness in my core was the worst. Even the touch of the cloth felt like a burn. It took days to heal, and the sting when I urinated made me wince, sometimes bringing me to tears.

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