Chapter 117

Silence fell as lsaac turned his head, watching her through lowered lashes. Verena could not help but study him, her gaze drifting from the sharp cut of his cheekbones to the strong line of his nose, and finally to the way his lips pressed together.

A faint shimmer danced in Verena's eyes. She savored every second at his side, warmed by the feeling that everything around them felt perfect.

Drawing in a quiet breath, she rested against his chest, tilting her head until their faces hovered dangerously close.

Right before their lips could meet, Isaac shifted abruptly, turning his face away from hers.

Caught off guard, Verena blinked; she then reached out and gently guided his chin back toward her."Isaac, are you avoiding me?" she said, her voice edged with hurt. He could not look away from the honesty in her eyes,his lips drawn into a tense line.

She was the person he cared for most,yet something inside him would not let him accept her touch so easily.

Maybe it was jealousy gnawing at him, or that sick feeling of doubt. What if, even when her lips brushed his, her mind wandered to another man?

The thought alone was enough to drive him out of his mind.

Yet every time he faced her, the words dissolved before he could voice his doubt.

A quiet fear haunted him, whispering that if he questioned her, Verena would walk away for good.

Losing her was the one thing he could not allow-not even in his worst nightmares.

In a sudden burst of impulse, lsaac caught her wrist and drew her closer, almost desperately. A gasp escaped her as she landed right in his lap, her surprise written across her face.

Without thinking, she looped her arms around his neck. "What's going on, Isaac? Talk to me," she said.

Instead of answering, lsaac held her tightly, pressing his face into her shoulder as if he could hide from the world there.

His head dipped, and Verena's fingers wandered to the ridge at the base of his neck, her touch featherlight.

Her cool fingertips brushed his skin, sparking a shiver that ran down his spine and made his whole body tense.

He drew in a shaky breath, clinging to the comfort of her familiar scent.

Reality stung-he knew deep down that her heart belonged elsewhere, and he was just a fleeting comfort.

Still, he could not bring himself to let her go or shatter the fragile illusion they shared.

For now, he would settle for this fragile closeness,pretending for a moment that he was the one she truly loved.

He could not help but scoff at how ridiculous it all was-how far he had fallen.

None of it mattered in the end.

As long as she remained with him, Isaac was willing to ignore the rest of the world.

The faint trace of her perfume sent his heart racing,every breath leaving him a little more unsteady.

Every feeling inside him screamed with the need to keep her close, to never let her slip away.

Warm breath danced across the thin fabric of her shirt, sending a wave oftingles along her skin.

Giggling, Verena gave his shoulder a soft push and said, "Isaac, stop that! You're making me squirm."

As soon as her playful tone reached him, Isaac pulled back, meeting her gaze with affection.

He breathed out her name, barely more than a rough whisper. "Verena..."

He almost never spoke her name so softly, and for a fleeting second, she wondered if he had regainedhis memory.

She found herself lost in his face, caught off guard by how striking he looked in that moment.

A gentle tremor flickered in his lashes. His dark eyes,bright and vulnerable, watched her with an intensity that left his cheeks burning and his lips parted, silent but hungry for more.

Without thinking, Verena's throat tightened as she tried to steady herself.

Something about him right then was utterly irresistible.

She saw no point in holding back now-not when everything in her urged her to close the distance. Unable to fight it any longer, she pressed forward,closing the gap between them.

But before she could reach him, lsaac claimed her mouth first.

A startled gasp slipped from her lips, but she melted into his kiss, responding with a hunger of her own.

His kisses had always been tender, but now there was a new kind of urgency in the way he moved.

There was fire behind every touch, a possessiveness that left her breathless and wanting more.

Each kiss seemed to steal the air from her lungs,the closeness almost overwhelming.

Blinking through the haze, she caught a glimpse of his flushed cheeks and trembling lashes.

Noticing her sudden pause, lsaac tugged gently at her lower lip with his teeth, teasing her before pulling away just enough to leave her wanting.

A rush of warmth pulsed through Verena as her grip tightened around his shoulders, the fire of his touch burning right through the thin fabric.

Lost in one another, their lips met again and again,neither willing to let the moment slip away.

A sudden shift in Isaac's crotch made her pause,her breath catching mid-kiss.

A jolt of realization brought a playful thrill, and she drew back, breathless, whispering, "Wait, Isaac-hold on."

Before she could move further, Isaac shot her a defiant look and leaned in, murmuring, "Don't make me stop now.I want more."

He trailed urgent kisses along her jaw,coaxing her head back and drawing a shiver from her spine.

Every protest faded beneath his fierce kiss, and she surrendered, letting him take the lead. She decided to tell him what she found after the kiss.

Yet, there was no sign of restraint in him; lsaac's hunger only seemed to grow. Her hands pressed against his shoulders with more force, and she broke free just long enough to gasp."Isaac, seriously. Give me a second,will you?"

Her tone was thick with desire, but her plea landed sharp between them.

Rejection left lsaac's mind racing, confusion and longing flashing through his eyes.

Why pull back now, after everything?

She claimed she cared for him-so why the hesitation?

How could her lips and her heart speak so differently?

Why promise him closeness, only to retreat?

In that instant, his mind could only fixate on her rejection; he completely forgot all the times Verena had taken the initiative and they had kissed passionately.

Jealousy flared as he tipped her chin up, his voice rough and certain. "You're not getting away from me,Verena. Not now, not ever."

The words had barely faded before he captured her lips in a desperate,heated kiss.

Limbs entwined, clothes rumpled, they tumbled deeper into each other.

Halfway through, Isaac stilled, his eyes falling to the mark just beneath her collarbone.

There, inked boldly on her skin, the black letter "l"seemed to mock him-a sign that someone else still lingered in her story.

A sharp ache flickered in his chest. Driven by a wild,jealous need, he gripped her shoulders and rained frantic kisses over the mark and the skin around it.

She drew in a quick breath, wincing, as she threaded her fingers through his hair. "Easy, Isaac. You're going to leave a mark."

Every ounce of control gone, he pressed his lips around the mark, leaving flushed,red trails blooming across her neck.

Annoyance flickered in Verena's eyes as her fingers threaded through his hair, desire coloring her cheeks.