A Dance Of Crowns & Thrones | Book I

Chapter 89 | As I Lay In Bare Bones❤️

Amidst the frenzied atmosphere of the auditorium, his focus remained solely on her. Matthew followed closely behind Eko, the colorful spectacle above paling in comparison to what she meant to him. With an unspoken urge, he took hold of her wrist and maneuvered her out of the auditorium.

Unnoticed by the frenzied fan clubs and friends, they escaped the clamor. Emerging into the hallway, the afterglow of the light show dimmed, isolating them. Her heart thumped as he urged her forward, his grip tightening with each step.

Finally, they burst through the doors, and the outside world rushed in, a sudden shock to her senses. But there was no time for reflection. In that moment, he slid his fingers between hers. Her breath caught in her throat as their hands locked together, a tangible connection that sent her heart racing. It might have been a small lapse of judgment on his part, but one Eko wasn't going to alert him to.

He led her down the twisting hallways, his mind consumed by a desperate need for escape. Between the third and fourth turn, uncertainty crept in, and he abruptly spun her away from him.

As she whirled out, her satin dress billowed and swirled around her, the fabric flowing like water. But just as suddenly, he tugged her back towards him, pulling her into the safety of his embrace.

The impact of his chest against hers knocked the wind out of her, but the rush of adrenaline only served to intensify her desire for him. Her heart beat like a drum, pounding relentlessly in her chest, as she struggled to keep her composure.

Matthew's hand found its way to her face, his fingers gripping her cheek as their eyes locked together in a fierce gaze.

"I don't do jealousy," he growled, his voice dark and intense. "But nor does the idea of someone else with you sit well with me."

"It's just dancing," she said softly, well aware of his temper.

"It leads to fucking," he replied, his voice laced with danger.

"And you don't want that?" 

Her words ignited a flame within him, and he sensed that she was deliberately testing him. He couldn't help but feel that her sky-blue eyes were daring him to give an answer he couldn't possibly offer. 

Yet, her words forced him to reevaluate everything - their situation, their connection, and what she was becoming to him. In that moment, he felt a sudden sense of vulnerability, as if he was being stripped bare for her to see.

The concept was foreign to him, and Matthew wasn't sure how to feel about it. But tonight wasn't the night for introspection, not after what Cid had just laid on him.

Instead, he relied on the one thing that had always worked in the past - he pulled Eko close to him, and their lips met in a fiery kiss. It ignited a wildfire of passion that surged through their veins, overwhelming them both.

Eko's fingers were like tendrils of fire in Matthew's hair as he drew her closer, lifting her up and wrapping her legs around his waist. The sensation of her body pressed against his was electrifying, sending shivers down his spine. Their tongues danced together, each movement intensifying the desire between them

Eko found herself lost in her hunger and need for Matthew, and it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to ignore how real her feelings might actually be for him. That she cared immensely for this human being in ways she had never felt for someone before. She knew that everything between them had been building and it was also something that was tipping her over the edge, just like the mere thought of him being with someone else was enough to push her off that cliff face. Just as she thought she was going crazy with her thoughts, she heard him utter a confession that sent shivers down her spine.