The Cruel King

chapter 7: Relentless possession

Evelyn's breath hitched as she struggled beneath him, her hands pressed against his chest, pushing with all her strength. But Hayden didn't budge. He never did. His body caged her in, his presence swallowing her whole, suffocating and intoxicating all at once.

"Going somewhere?" His voice was a dangerous whisper against her ear, his breath hot as it fanned over her skin. His grip on her waist was bruising, unyielding, possessive.

She swallowed hard, trying to gather the courage to fight back. "Hayden, please..." Her voice was shaky, desperate.

His low chuckle sent shivers down her spine. "Please... what, sweetheart?" His fingers trailed up her arm, slow and deliberate, before pinning both her wrists above her head against the mattress. "Please don't hold you like this?" He leaned in, his lips grazing her jaw, his voice dark and taunting. "Please don't touch you?" His free hand slid down her side, making her squirm. "Or please don't remind you that you belong to me?"

"I—I won't run again," she stammered, her heart pounding violently against her ribs. "I swear, Hayden. Just let me go."

His grip tightened, and his eyes flashed with something unreadable. "Say it again."

Her lips parted in confusion. "W-what?"

"Say it again," he repeated, his voice thick with something dangerously close to obsession. "Tell me you're mine."

Her throat went dry.

Every part of her wanted to lie, to spit in his face and tell him she would rather die than belong to him. But she knew better. She had tried to escape once, and now she was at his mercy.

She hesitated.

He smiled. And then, without warning, the sound of fabric tearing filled the room.

A strangled gasp left her lips as she felt the cool air kiss her exposed skin. "Hayden—"

"Shh." He trailed a finger down her stomach, slow and possessive, his smirk deepening as he took in her trembling form beneath him. "You're shaking, sweetheart."

"I—" Her breath hitched when his hand ghosted over the band of her pants, toying with the edge. "Hayden, stop."

His grip on her wrists tightened. "Do you really think I will?" His voice was low, mocking. "You ran from me." His fingers dipped lower. "You disobeyed me." He pressed his lips to her jaw, his teeth grazing her skin. "And now you're going to learn why that was the worst mistake you've ever made."

She turned her face away, eyes squeezed shut. "You're sick."

Hayden let out a dark chuckle, his grip on her tightening. "Maybe." He kissed the side of her neck, slow and lingering. "But you still belong to me."

Her breath came out in short, panicked gasps as he trailed his hand lower, every touch deliberate, torturous. She wanted to fight. She wanted to push him away. But his grip was firm, his strength overwhelming.

"Tell me, sweetheart," he murmured, lips brushing against her ear. "Are you scared?"

Her throat tightened, her nails digging into her palms.

He smirked. "Good."

Evelyn gasped as Hayden flipped her onto her stomach, his large hand pressing down on her back, keeping her firmly against the bed. Her breath came in short, panicked bursts, her body shivering as she felt the heat of his chest hovering above her.

"You're trembling," he murmured, his voice low and husky, filled with amusement. "Are you scared, sweetheart?"

She squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to answer.

His fingers traced down her spine, slow and teasing, before grabbing her waist in a firm grip, pulling her hips up just enough to make her feel vulnerable. "You should be."

She swallowed hard, her hands fisting the sheets. "Hayden... please."

He chuckled darkly. "Please, what?" He leaned down, his lips grazing the shell of her ear. "Please stop? Please be gentle? Or..." His hands roamed lower, fingers skimming along the inside of her thigh. "...please give you more?"

She jolted at his touch, her body betraying her as a deep, traitorous shiver ran through her.

"I hate you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He groaned at her words, as if they fueled the fire in his veins. "God, you have no idea how much I love hearing that from your lips."

His hands explored her body with a dark possessiveness, his grip firm, claiming, as if he was reminding her who she belonged to. "You can hate me all you want, Eve. But your body..." His fingers traced lazy circles along her inner thigh, teasing but never giving her what she feared most. "Your body tells a different story."

"Shut up," she spat, trying to twist away, but he held her in place effortlessly.

Hayden chuckled, his lips ghosting over her shoulder. "Feisty." His teeth grazed her skin before he pressed a rough kiss there, his tongue flicking out to soothe the mark he left behind. "But you forget—I like it when you fight me. It makes breaking you all the more satisfying."

His hand trailed between her legs, his fingers stroking her tormentingly slow. She let out a sharp gasp, her body stiffening, but he didn't stop.

"You're so sensitive," he murmured, his voice like liquid sin. "Even after everything, you still react to me like this."

She bit her lip hard, willing herself not to make a sound, but he was relentless. His fingers pressed deeper, his movements precise, knowing exactly how to unravel her.

"Let me hear you," he demanded, his free hand gripping her chin, forcing her to look at him. "I want to hear how much you hate me. How much you hate that it's me making you feel like this."

Her breath hitched, her lips trembling as his fingers worked her over, his intensity never wavering. He was relentless, dragging out every reaction from her body, pushing her to the edge while keeping her from tipping over.

"Say it," he ordered, his grip tightening on her chin.

"I h-hate you," she gasped out, tears of frustration pricking her eyes.

His lips curled into a smirk. "Good girl."

And then, just as she thought he would push her over the edge, he stopped.

She let out a strangled noise, a mixture of frustration and disbelief, her body trembling.

"You really thought I was going to let you have it?" he murmured, his fingers withdrawing as he leaned down, his lips brushing over hers without kissing her. "Not yet, sweetheart. Not until you beg."

Her eyes burned with humiliation as she glared at him. "Never."

He grinned, his dark eyes gleaming with twisted pleasure. "We'll see about that."

Before she could react, he flipped her onto her back again, his hands gripping her wrists and pinning them above her head. He leaned in, his nose grazing hers, his breath fanning across her lips.

"You're mine, Eve," he whispered, his voice possessive and raw. "And I'll ruin you until you have no choice but to admit it."

And then his lips crashed against hers, devouring her in a bruising, merciless kiss