Sapphire's POV
"Why on earth would you want to go there? Hmm?" Dayesh's voice was a low rumble against my skin, vibrating through the quiet room.
I let out a breathy sigh, my head falling back against the headboard. "I just want to visit them. That's all."
He shifted, his hands firm and possessive on my hips. "And what if I don't allow it?"
"Then I'll probably just sneak out," I teased, my voice hitching as I arched my back, reacting to the rhythmic, expert friction he was creating between my thighs.
He didn't answer with words. Instead, he leaned forward, his mouth finding the most sensitive point of my desire. I felt the dam break, a sudden surge of pleasure that left me gasping. He didn't hold back, savoring every bit of my release with a hunger that bordered on obsession.
He pulled back, his eyes dark with unspent passion as he unsheathed himself. "If you go, I'm coming with you."
"That's not possible, Dayesh," I murmured, my heart racing. "What about your child?"
"Rosarie can handle things here," he countered, his tone brooking no argument.
I shook my head, feeling a knot of anxiety in my chest. If he came along, my plans with Ghoth were effectively ruined. "Forget it, then. I'm not going." I leaned in, closing the distance between us and taking him into my mouth, hoping to distract him from his possessive streak.
He groaned, his fingers tangling in my hair. "Aah, Sapphire… just stay with me. If you promise to return within three days, I'll let you go. I can't bear the thought of losing you."
I pulled away, looking him in the eye. "If you had actually talked to Jauna instead of shutting her out, maybe you wouldn't need to be doing this with me."
He stiffened. "To be honest? She isn't like you. She doesn't have this fire. She doesn't make me feel the way you do."
"Oh, so you're comparing us now?" I laughed dryly.
"Don't mention her while we're together like this," he commanded, his grip tightening. "It's just you and me in this world right now."
"Fine, then lie back." I positioned myself above him, letting the natural rhythm of our bodies take over. I began to sway, a slow, hypnotic motion that had him hiss.
"This is incredible. Your wife truly has no idea what she's been missing. She wasted a man like you."
His expression hardened, a flicker of resentment crossing his features. "Giving her a child was enough. I'm done with her. She left, and I'm not wasting another second of my life chasing someone who doesn't value me. But you? Sapphire, if anyone ever tried to take you away from me, I would burn the world down to get you back."
I felt a shiver run down my spine, though not entirely from pleasure. "You're terrifying when you talk like that. We don't even have a real relationship, Dayesh. Just be content with this. And besides… I don't love you. This… this is all I want from you."
"I will make you fall for me," he whispered, his voice dangerously soft. "I will make sure we aren't just defined by moments like this."
"Aah... I'm at my peak!" The climax hit me like a tidal wave, my entire body trembling as I collapsed against his chest. He held me tightly, his own rhythm still going, his stamina far superior to anyone I had ever known.
That was the difference between Ghoth and Dayesh. Ghoth was fire, but Dayesh was a slow-burning storm. He lasted longer, and keeping up with him was an exhausting, albeit addictive, endeavor.
He didn't stop when I drifted into the afterglow. He flipped me over, his movements becoming more forceful, more insistent.
"Sapphire, you are exquisite," he rasped against my shoulder, his pace steady and demanding. "Why are you so resistant? I would give you everything if you would just accept me."
I dug my nails into the sheets, burying my face in the pillow to muffle my sounds. "Let's not talk about it. I'm satisfied with the way things are, and you should be too."
"I love you," he insisted, his voice cracking with a rare vulnerability. "It's not just about the physical. I want you."
I remained silent. I couldn't afford to let this conversation turn into something meaningful. I needed to keep my distance, even when he made it so difficult. "Just… just finish it."
Another half-hour passed before he finally reached his peak, his stamina truly worthy of a pro-max label. When he finally collapsed beside me, he pulled me into a lingering embrace, kissing my lips with a tenderness that terrified me more than his threats.
"Be careful out there, okay?"
"I know," I whispered, staring into the dark.
Once his breathing evened out and he fell into a deep slumber, I carefully slipped out of his arms. I retreated to my room, my heart pounding in my throat. I began to pack, slowly and meticulously.
Dayesh's POV
The room was bathed in shadows, the only sound the soft flutter of wings. Dayesh leaned against the window frame, staring out into the night, his mind churning with thoughts of Sapphire. He held a small whistle to his lips, a signal that brought a dark, feathered shape descending from the rafters.
"Can I trust you with a task?" he asked the owl.
The bird blinked its large, golden eyes, intelligence shimmering behind them.
"I need you to follow Sapphire," Dayesh said, his voice cold.
"I can do that," the bird croaked, its voice sounding like dry leaves. "May I ask why?"
"I just want to keep an eye on her. I want to know where she goes and who she sees."
"When is she leaving?"
"Tomorrow," Dayesh replied, clenching his fist. "From the moment she steps out of that door until she returns, I want every move watched. Every secret whispered."
"It will be done," the owl promised.
Third Person's POV
The following morning, the atmosphere in the house was thick with unspoken tension. Sapphire stood by the door, her bag slung over her shoulder, looking poised and indifferent.
"I'm leaving," she said, not meeting Dayesh's eyes. "I'll be back on the fourth day."
Dayesh stepped forward, his eyes searching hers for a flicker of hesitation. "Be careful." He turned his gaze to the rafters, where the owl sat, perched and waiting. "Follow her."
With a silent flap of wings, the owl took to the sky, a silent observer in the crisp morning air.
Sapphire traveled for hours, the terrain shifting from the familiar comforts of the city to the rugged, untamed outskirts. The owl tracked her effortlessly, its golden eyes never wavering.
Finally, in a secluded valley where the trees grew thick and shadows stretched long, Sapphire stopped. A figure emerged from the foliage. A man. Even from a distance, the owl recognized the posture, the silhouette. It was Ghoth.
Sapphire rushed forward, and Ghoth pulled her into a desperate, heated embrace. They didn't linger in the open. As if they knew the world was watching, they stepped into a hidden, camouflaged space, vanishing into the dense undergrowth just as the owl swooped down to get a better look.
The bird circled the area, confused. They had simply disappeared into thin air.
How do I explain this to Dayesh? the owl thought, a sense of dread settling into its hollow bones. If I tell him she's with Ghoth, he will destroy everything. If I lie, he will know.
With a heavy heart and a flapping of wings, the creature turned back toward the house. The truth was a dangerous secret, and it was about to change everything.