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Chapter 45
~Zara’s POV~
I hated the situation—how he manipulated everything, how easily he twisted the terms of our marriage contract to suit his every need.
It was infuriating. But what made it worse, what really gnawed at my insides, was how my body betrayed me whenever Snow was near.
Every time Snow was close, my pulse quickened, and my mind scattered, unable to keep its focus. I wanted to resist him, but there was an undeniable pull—a magnetic force that always seemed to draw me back no matter how much I hated him for it.
I pressed my fists into the pillow, clenching my teeth to stop myself from screaming. One could say I basically married a trickster or the devil himself.
"You can stop pretending to be asleep," Snow’s voice cut through the silence smoothly.
I stiffened, my back toward him, refusing to turn. Maybe if I ignored him long enough, he’d leave me alone.
"I know this isn’t what you expected," he added, his tone softening in a way that felt more dangerous than any threat. "But you’ll learn, Zara. You’ll learn what it means to be mine."
Urghh... mine again!
My heart lurched at the possessiveness in his words, a feeling both terrifying and oddly exhilarating creeping into my chest.
"I’m not yours," I whispered, the words barely audible but full of defiance. I wasn’t sure if I said it to convince him or myself.
A deep, mocking chuckle rumbled from behind me. "Keep telling yourself that."
His breath warmed the back of my neck as he moved closer. His heat wrapped around me, suffocating and intoxicating all at once.
His mocking chuckle lingered and before I could register what was happening, Snow’s hands were on me as he pushed my shoulders down, forcing me onto my back.
My breath hitched, and my heart slammed against my ribs. His movement was swift, calculated, and suddenly his weight was on top of me, pressing me into the mattress.
I stared up at him. When had he taken off his robe? He was bare-chested, his abs gleaming under the warm lights of the side of the bedside lamp.
"What are you doing?" I barely managed to get the words out, my voice trembled with shock and something I didn’t want to admit—anticipation.
Snow’s eyes glinted with dark satisfaction as he leaned closer, his face inches from mine. "Proving you wrong."
Before I could respond, his lips found the curve of my neck. He nibbled softly, then sucked, and I could feel the pull of his mouth leaving a heated trail on my skin.
My body betrayed me again, a low moan escaping my lips at how good it felt, at how his touch made everything else fade away.
I hated him for it—for knowing exactly how to make me react, for pushing me into this state of need when I wanted to fight him. But at that moment, I couldn’t think beyond the sensations his lips and tongue stirred within me.
His hand slid down the curve of my waist, pausing as his fingers grazed the edge of my breast. I gasped, my body tightening under his touch, but Snow didn’t stop there.
His hand continued its slow descent, teasing, skimming the surface until it rested between my legs, just above where I was already aching for him.
I froze, my breath shallow as my mind raced. Snow’s lips never left my neck, his tongue tracing a path that made my skin burn. I should have pushed him away, screamed at him to stop, but I couldn’t.
I was paralyzed by the conflict inside me—the war between my defiance and the desire building deep in my core.
He paused, his hand hovering, fingers grazing the fabric just above my sex, and for a split second, I thought he would go further. My body tensed, every nerve on high alert, anticipating what would come next.
But then, just as quickly as he’d started, Snow pulled away. His lips left my neck, and his hand retreated, leaving me breathless and wanting more. He shifted onto his side, turning away from me as if nothing had happened.
"Goodnight, Zara," he murmured calmly as though he hadn’t just brought me to the edge and left me hanging there, vulnerable and aching.
I lay there, stunned, my heart thumping wildly in the dim-lit room. Anger flared inside me, mixing with the lingering desire.
Urrgh! He had played with me and teased me, only to walk away like it meant nothing.
Snow was toying with me, and I was falling right into his trap. Two could play at that game but from the way he acted, I knew he was baiting me.
I couldn’t play into his hands anymore. Instead, I clenched my eyes shut, hoping sleep would come and free me from his presence. But I knew it wouldn’t. Not tonight. Not with Snow lying so close and his mischievous thoughts at play.
My eyes remained wide open for an hour before sleep and exhaustion claimed me.
The next morning I woke up late. I groaned sitting up and checking the time to see 8:15 a.m., fuck!
I jolted out of bed, ready to head to the bathroom, when I noticed something and paused.
First off, it wasn’t a case of ’he left me there to sleep in and walked away or was this all part of his plot to probably punish me?
All of those thoughts raked through my brain until I caught sight of someone on my bed.
Snow Zephyr hadn’t gone to work but instead, he slept on my bed.
Still, that wasn’t as surprising as what was on the table close to him—homemade breakfast in bed with a cute little note of apology.
I snuck up to the table, picked up the note and opened it with shaky fingers.
Almost immediately, the smile on my face, faded away as I read the words. "Tricked and Won."
I snapped her head from the paper and straight to the culprit, who by now I was sure he awake.
"Morning, wifey. Love my present?"