She opened her eyes and found his flickering orbs with candle flames reflected in them focused wholly on her.
Like an overflowing fountain of molten gold, the emotions erupted and bubbled.
The expressions he wore indicated his inner turmoils. It had been 7 days since he had seen or touched her.
"Malakti!" He called again with such adoration and extended his hand to touch her face.
Cassandra shifted away just in time to avoid his touch, although her heart hammered so loudly against her chest and he heard every beat like a symphony.
His gaze dipped and landed on the mark on her neck. Like a half moon, it sat with pride against her smooth skin. And then it wandered further down, all of her milky legs were on display for him to see. She wore a very short chemise today.
Cassandra tightly shut them, seeing his roaming eyes.
"Why are you here?" She shakily asked, burning red and rattling his thoughts. The intimate moments between them surfaced in her brain because of how his eyes were drinking her in and she could no longer keep quiet.
Siroos let his hand drop, understanding she didn’t wish to be touched, but that didn’t mean he would be giving up. He was a very persistent man.
"I just returned and wished to see you and give you these." Picking up a brown duffel bag Siroos placed it in Cassandra’s feet. He then brought forward his left hand. It held a small jar with fresh strawberries in it.
Rich red in shade with fresh green stumps on them. Seeming so juicy. Cassandra’s eyes blew wide and mouth instantly watered. Fresh fruits were a delicacy in these hot and dry lands.
"You like them, so I brought them from a land where they grow. Try them, they are still fresh," he lovingly said with a small smile jumping on his meaty lips.
Cassandra was stunned for a second. She had never told him she liked strawberries, maybe it was the jar Lotus had sent her which acted as the indicator.
"How did you know?" She still asked, but her heart was touched by his actions only if his intentions were sincere too.
Siroos pointed to the jar of dried strawberries. Only a few were left in it now. Cassandra had been eating them like a miser but their number dwindled every day.
"Right," she answered, turning back to him and wistfully staring at the fresh ones.
Siroos took it upon himself to open the jar; taking one out, he extended it towards her with a hopeful expression.
Cassandra quickly plucked it from his hand and took a small bite. It was so juicy, the sweet and sour taste was well-balanced in it. She instantly closed her eyes to ravish the red fruit and let her palate savour the taste. A drop of juice trickled down her chin.
Siroos slowly extended his thumb and swiped it off her chin. Cassandra’s eyes flickered open as he placed the thumb in his mouth and sucked. Their eyes wouldn’t waver from each other.
"You like it?" He questioned, wishing to taste the fruit right from her mouth along with her own sweet taste.
Cassandra quickly nodded her head and grabbed the jar from his hand while still sucking at the strawberry.
Siroos heartily laughed at her cute action. How he had missed seeing these actions and those adorable eyes of hers.
"I missed you, Malakti. How are you feeling? How is your arm?" He questioned, seeing there was no bandage on it.
"Bet–ter!" She spoke through the mouthful as Siroos leaned closer to inspect her arm.
Most of the inflammation was gone, but that reddish-pink sigil was forever burnt in her flesh, and it stared back at him like an eyesore. He hated that.
His fingers inched closer and his fingertips grazed it. She was too lost in the strawberries to stop him.
He asked. "No pain?"
Cassandra shook her head and watched the tattoo as well. She liked it and didn’t hate it like Siroos did.
"Did you miss me?" Siroos leaned closer and asked, seeing she hadn’t pushed his hand back after his little bribe.
"Was I supposed to?" She asked, raising her left brow.
"I thought you would after the earth-shattering orgasms my mouth gave you. In case you have, I can demonstrate again."
Siroos offered with a very meaningful smirk, his fingers inched closer to her delicate neck.
He could sense her vulnerability, her raw desires, her captivation at his words. Everything she was trying to hide from him was so very open for him to see.
The way her heart jumped up at his suggestion.
The widening of her eyes.
Her burning from pink to red and back to pink.
She deflated, making herself smaller. The strawberry had ended as well and she was left only with the stump.
"No, thank you very much, Alpha Siroos. I am no longer in heat," she boldly tried to say but her voice came out meek and shaky.
"Why don’t you drop the ’Alpha’ and just call me by my name?" He tentatively asked, his thumb brushed against the mark he had placed on her, making her squirm under his hold.
"Why don’t you go and rest before your mother finds out you are here and drags you to bed some breeder?" Cassandra retorted back, being hyper-aware of his wandering hand on her neck.
A bit lower and she would melt. Her skin itched for him to go lower.
A deep growl resonated in Siroos’s chest at the word breeder and he swiftly moved, towering over Cassandra. She had flattened herself on the mattress and Siroos was inches away from connecting his needy body with hers.
She stopped breathing, his scent messed with her rational thinking.
"You are the only woman I wish to touch. You are my future." His eyes were nothing but two pots of gold with raw emotions mingled in them.
"A future that can’t give you an heir. I wonder how long before you get tired." Cassandra wriggled her hands between them, placing them on his naked chest, she tried to push him off. It was like pushing a mountain.
"A chance is all I ask to prove myself. I know we got on the wrong footing but can we not start over?"
"There are no startovers in this world. You made your choices and I made mine. I wasn’t in my senses the other day because of the heat but I think it’s advisable to keep a distance from each other."
Her words were callous and they carved out his heart.
But he would charm her, beg her even. leaning closer to her turned crimson ear he whispered.
"That distance you speak off will soon end, Malakti. You are MINE and that I will prove to you. But for now you rest, we will speak tomorrow. Don’t miss me too much when I am gone."
With these words, slowly, he climbed off her; pushing her was not advisable.
"I brought you some gifts. Accept them if you wish. Wear them if you like, it will bring me joy, good night."
With a heavy heart and slumped shoulders, Siroos got up and left her chamber, leaving Cassandra extremely frustrated.