Take a bite of the Forbidden Love

Chapter 4

For the next three days, Levitt tried everything to tear the memory of that morning from her mind. But every time she closed her eyes, she felt the phantom warmth of Demetrius's chest, the gravelly tone of his morning voice, and the intoxicating heat of his lips against her neck.

It was maddening. For four years, she had accepted his cold, distant silence as a permanent fixture of her life at the mansion. How could a man be so untouchable for years, whisper such sweet, agonizingly tender things in the dark, and then immediately retreat back behind his walls?

Almost instantly, Demetrius had vanished back into his brutal overworking schedule. He locked himself away in his study, buried under a mountain of blueprints, structural calculations, and the demanding financial standing of his rapidly growing architectural firm.

With only one week left of her winter break before she had to return to Pace University, Levitt barely saw him.

At the dinner table on the fourth night, the silence where Demetrius usually sat felt heavier than usual. "Demetrius won't be joining us tonight either," Aunt Renee sighed, adjusting her diamond bracelet. "Peter says his firm just landed a massive skyscraper project downtown. The boy is practically living at his desk."

Peter nodded, cutting his steak. "He's fiercely independent, but he forgets he needs to eat to stay alive."

After dinner, Peter and Renee left the mansion to attend a charity gala, leaving the vast estate entirely quiet. Levitt stood in the kitchen, staring at the leftover premium roast and seasoned vegetables. Her chest ached with a mixture of suppressed longing and genuine worry.

Setting her own conflicting emotions aside, she carefully arranged a plate, poured a glass of fresh juice, and carried the heavy silver tray up to the third floor.

She stood outside his study, her heart hammering against her ribs. Taking a deep breath, she knocked softly. Receiving no answer, she gently pushed the door open.

The study was dimly lit, illuminated only by a stark green desk lamp. Demetrius sat behind a massive oak desk, surrounded by rolls of blueprints, crumpled sketches, and glowing computer monitors. His hair was messy, his tie loosened, and his eyes fiercely locked onto the contract in front of him. He didn't even look up when the door opened.

"You need to eat," Levitt said softly, her voice breaking the heavy silence.

Demetrius froze. At the sound of her voice, his head snapped up. The cold, mechanical focus in his eyes instantly evaporated, replaced by a dark, intense concentration that fixed entirely on her.

Levitt avoided his piercing gaze, walking over to the mini sala set in the corner of the room. She carefully placed the tray on the center glass coffee table. "I brought you some dinner. Please don't let it sit for too long."

Nervous under his silent scrutiny, she turned around, intending to escape back to the safety of her room. But before she could take two steps, a strong, warm hand clamped around her wrist.

Levitt gasped as Demetrius stepped directly into her path, his tall frame completely blocking her exit. With his free hand, he reached behind her, gripped the brass doorknob, and turned the lock with a definitive, echoing click.

"Uncle Demetrius..." Levitt breathed, her eyes widening as she looked up. In the dim light of the study, she saw it clear as day—a hungry, passionate, burning intensity in his dark eyes that made her knees go weak.

"You're avoiding me," he murmured, his voice low and dangerous.

"The... the food will go cold," she stammered, desperately trying to find a safe distraction.

A ghost of a smile touched Demetrius's lips, though his gaze never left hers. Without letting go of her wrist, he pulled her back toward the sala set. He sat down heavily on the leather couch and, with one swift, effortless motion, tugged her straight onto his lap.

Levitt's breath caught in her throat. Sitting on his thighs, she could feel the hard contours of his muscles and the radiating heat of his body.

"Then feed me," he commanded softly, his dark eyes challenging her.

Her hands trembled, but seeing the faint dark circles under his eyes and genuinely worrying about his health, Levitt gave in. She picked up the fork, carefully cutting a piece of the roast, and lifted it to his lips. He ate it, his eyes never breaking contact with hers.

"You can't keep skipping meals like this from time to time," she whispered, her voice laced with a tenderness she couldn't hide. "No matter how busy the firm is."

Demetrius's gaze darkened with pure temptation. Lean, powerful, and utterly undone by her proximity, he leaned forward and abruptly devoured her lips. The kiss was fierce, possessive, and filled with the four years of longing he had kept locked away.

Shocked by the sudden rush of heat, Levitt panicked and pulled away, her breathing ragged, her cheeks burning crimson. "Uncle Demetrius, stop... that—that was my first kiss."

Demetrius looked at her flushed face, a slow, intoxicating smirk spreading across his lips. He leaned in, his breath brushing her ear as he murmured, "Good. You were mine to begin with, Levitt."

The words sent a thrill through her, but reality crashed back down like a bucket of ice water. Mine. The word was beautiful, but it was an illusion.

Steeling her resolve, Levitt forced herself to stand up, stepping off his lap and creating distance between them. Her hands shook as she smoothed down her skirt. "You shouldn't say things like that. You are my uncle, Demetrius. We are bound by family. Your brother is married to my aunt."

The smirk vanished from Demetrius's face instantly. A dark, furious storm swept over his features as he stood up, towering over her. "Don't use those ridiculous titles with me," he said, his voice laced with sudden anger. "We aren't blood-related, Levitt. There is absolutely nothing wrong with us."

"I want to believe that so badly!" Levitt cried out, the dam finally breaking as tears welled up in her eyes. She looked at him, her heart breaking in two. "But look at where we are. Look at this family. If anyone finds out, the high-society judgment will destroy us. They will call me an opportunist, a parasite who crawled into your family's fortune and seduced the youngest son. I can handle the whispers, Demetrius... but I love you too much to drag your name and your firm down into the mud with me."

A tear spilled down her cheek. Before he could respond, before he could see her completely fall apart, Levitt turned, unlocked the door, and rushed out of the study.

She ran down the dim hallway to her room, sobbing quietly, her hand pressed hard against her own lips to control the agonizing, desperate urge to run right back into his arms for another kiss.