Strong, maybe. Ruthless, certainly. But beautiful? That was hers, not mine.

Her hands moved lower, unbuckling my belt, unzipping my trousers.

I stood there, frozen, as she pushed them down my legs, her touch never wavering, never faltering. When she looked up at me, her eyes were dark with desire, but there was something else there too—something softer, more tender.

I stepped out of my trousers, feeling exposed in a way I hadn’t in years. Not just physically, but emotionally.

Lili’s gaze was a weight, a comfort, a challenge. She saw me, truly saw me, and somehow, that made me feel vulnerable.

She stepped closer, her hands sliding up my thighs, over my hips, until she was pressed against me, her body a perfect fit against mine. I groaned, my head falling back as her lips found the hollow of my throat, her teeth grazing my skin in a way that made my knees weak.

“Lili,”I breathed, her name a plea, a warning, and a surrender.

She pulled back, her eyes locking with mine.“Tell me what you want,”she demanded, her voice low and husky.

I hesitated, the words sticking in my throat. Wanting was dangerous, especially for someone like me. Wanting meant vulnerability, and risk. But standing there, with her hands on my body and her eyes burning into mine, I couldn’t lie.

“You,”I said, the word barely audible.“I want you.”

Her smile was triumphant, and she kissed me again, her hands moving between us, finding me, stroking me with a touch that was both firm and gentle.

I groaned into her mouth, my hands gripping her hips as she moved against me, her body a rhythm that matched my own.

I lifted her then, pressing her against the wall, her legs wrapping around my waist as I kissed her desperately, hungrily. Her hands were in my hair, her nails digging into my scalp, and I knew I should slow down, should savor this, but I couldn’t. The need was too great, the desire too overwhelming.

She broke the kiss, gasping for breath, her eyes half-lidded as she looked at me.“Now,”she whispered.“I need you now.”

I didn’t need to be told twice. I carried her to the bed, laying her down gently, though my hands were anything but gentle as they roamed over her body, shedding her clothes piece by piece.

Her dress fell to the floor, followed by her stockings, until she was naked before me, her skin glowing in the dim light of the room.

She was perfection, every inch of her, and I drank her in, my eyes tracing the lines of her body, the curve of her breasts, the dip of her waist, the swell of her hips. She was a work of art, and I was both humbled and exhilarated to be the one to touch her.

I kissed her again, my hands moving between her legs, finding her wet and ready for me. She moaned, her head fallingback as I slipped a finger inside her, then another, preparing her, teasing her, driving her to the edge.

“Edward,”she whispered, her voice a plea.“Please.”

I positioned myself above her, my body hovering over hers, our eyes locked as I entered her slowly, savoring the way she felt around me, tight and warm and perfect. She gasped, her hands gripping my shoulders as I filled her, our bodies joining in a way that felt both new and ancient.

I moved slowly at first, giving her time to adjust, to feel every inch of me.

But she met each thrust with one of her own, her hips rising to meet mine, urging me deeper, harder, faster.

I obliged, my movements becoming more urgent, more desperate. The room was filled with the sounds of our bodies, the wet slap of skin on skin, the ragged breaths, the moans that escaped our lips.

Her hands moved to my back, her nails digging into my skin as she climaxed, her body trembling beneath mine.

I followed soon after, my release overwhelming, my name on her lips as I spilled into her, our bodies still joined, still moving in rhythm.

For a moment, we lay there, breathless, our hearts pounding in unison. I rested my forehead against hers, our legs still tangled, our bodies still connected.

“That was—”she started, but I silenced her with a kiss.

“I know,”I whispered, my voice hoarse.

We didn’t need words. Not then. Not with the way her heart was beating against mine, her hands still rested on my back, and the way her eyes searched mine as if looking for answers to questions neither of us had asked.

But as the silence stretched between us, and the reality of what we’d just done began to settle in, I felt the weight of it allpressing down on me. The risks, the consequences, the way this changed everything.