|Beloved|

                                    

                                          
•CHAPTER FIVE•
                          
Gasping, I sit up quickly. My hair sticks to my face in wet clumps as I grasp my shirt resting over my chest. That had to have been a dream, right? 
                          
I swallow, finally looking around the room. I was in a fairly comfortable bed that had black, silk sheets. There were black curtains, with moonlight flitting through them. 
                          
Not my room. 
                          
My eyes widen and my heart rate increases. This couldn't be real. Of course it wasn't. I shut my eyes tightly, counting down from ten. 
                          
Five...four...three...two...one...
                          
I hold my breath, flinging my eyes open. Fuck. It was real. Very real. I scramble out of bed, my head pounding with the sudden movement. 
                          
Running to the window, I glance outside. At least we were still in my hometown. That sent a spurt of relief through me. I could almost recognize the area, except for the fact that these were where the penthouses were located. I've never been on this side of the city, with multiple owned businesses, clubs and gambling sites. 
                          
My mind jumps back to the warmth I felt before passing out. Hades. 
                          
Hades was real? The man I've dreamt about for years..was here? It was so unbelievable. The fact that he's real and there's no possible way he could be, and the fact that a boy..no, a man, actually wanted me. But did he actually? Maybe it wasn't me he wanted. Why would he? 
                          
"I see you're up, my love." A velvety, deep baritone slices the air. 
                          
I jump, turning. There he was, his sleeves to the black button up shirt he had on rolled to his elbows, revealing a few tattoos on his forearms. The sight of him took my breath away. His hair was falling into his eyes, and his luscious, pink lips were curved into a smirk. 
                          
My breathing almost stops when I see the muscle in his jaw tick when he licks his lips. Why did he have to be so handsome? 
                          
"How'd you sleep?" He asks, taking a slow step towards me. I stumble back, trying to create distance between us. 
                          
Unfortunately for me, my head was still fucked up and I lose my footing, almost tumbling to the floor. Strong arms latch onto my waist, pulling me tight against a rock hard body. 
                          
I struggle against him, "Let me go. I'm fine." 
                          
He ignores me, lifting a hand to check my head while keeping one arm wrapped around me. He was tall enough to see the top of my head clearly, and some part of me found that intimidating and hot.
                          
He pulls his hand away, wrapping it back around me. "You just have to be more careful, hm?" 
                          
I gulp, nodding. It was very hard to think with him pressed against me like this. I could feel every inch of him. And I mean every. 
                          
He clears his throat, stepping back. "Get some rest. It'll be dawn in a few more hours. Then, we'll both head home."
                          
Home? 
                          
"Yes, our home." 
                          
Did I say that out loud? 
                          
"You did. You should really work on that." He smirks, looking devilishly handsome. 
                          
"What the hell do you mean by 'our' home?" I narrow my eyes at him, crossing my arms over my chest. 
                          
"Why, the Underworld of course." He leans back against the wall, his hands in his pockets. A shiver rushes down my spine at the predatory look gleaming in his eyes. 
                          
I laugh nervously. "This is a joke right?" I don't give him time to answer, and I speak again. 
                          
"Welp, it's not funny. I want to go home." Did I want to though? This all seemed wrong, but so right. He could've easily been considered a stranger to me, but he didn't feel that way. I felt as though I knew him for a while lifetime. Maybe even longer. 
                          
"Do you?" He pushed himself off the wall, advancing towards me slowly. 
                          
I swallow hard, stepping back until I hit the wall. "Y-yes." I curse myself for stuttering and getting stuck. Again. 
                          
"Mm," he growls lightly, and warmth rushes to the bottom of my belly at the sound, "Don't lie to me, Samira." He whispers into my ear, his hands resting lightly on my hips. 
                          
He reaches up, brushing a hand across my cheek. All my thoughts of leaving fly out of the window, and I'm suddenly entranced by his touch, his smell, his looks. Him. 
                          
"You belong with me. I've waited for you, darling. And now that I finally found you, I'm not letting you go. You're mine." He growls out, leaning down, pressing his lips against mine roughly. 
                          
I respond immediately, a small sound escaping my throat when he grabs a fistful of my hair. He completely dominates the kiss, biting my lower lip. I gasp, and he takes the opportunity to shove his tongue into my mouth. His hands hook onto my legs and he lifts me, pressing me into the wall. 
                          
I wrap my arms around his neck, falling deep into the kiss as he wraps my legs around his body. He groans into my mouth before pulling away, and I quickly notice I'm the only one panting for air. 
                          
"If we keep going, I won't be able to control myself ." He groans out,  his grip on my waist tightening as if using it as restraint. 
                          
I nod, still out of breath. Looking down, I realize our position and I squeak, hopping down. "Sorry." My face flames red. 
                          
He steps back, and my eyes fall on the tent in his pants. He follows my gaze and chuckles. "Guess I'll have to take care of this myself." 
                          
My eyes widen and I open my mouth, stuttering out nonsense. "I- I mean..I could've ..no..you..yeah that. Do..do that." I take a breath, wanting to facepalm. Did he mean masturbate?
                          
"..with a cold shower." He finishes, his eyebrows raising at me as amusement dances in his eyes. 
                          
Oh. 
                          
"Ha..ha I-I knew that works too." I clear my throat. "Well, I'm going to uh..lay down now." I point towards the bed, shuffling over to it slowly. 
                          
He walks over to the door, pausing, "Goodnight Samira." He says quietly, shutting the door behind him gently. 
                          
I sigh in relief, turning to lay on my back. My lips are still tingling with the force of the kiss. I close my eyes, thinking of how good it felt to have his soft lips on mine. It was explosive, and also my first kiss. Why wasn't I freaking out yet?