His Princess To Claim✔️

23. Chapter Twenty-Three.

As I lay in bed, my mind was consumed by a heavy sense of despair. Tears had already stained my pillowcase, and I had no more energy left to cry.

The thought of returning home filled me with dread and sorrow, but Dimitri, my heart kidnapper, insisted that it was time for me to face my royal family once again. Despite my protests, he was persistent that I go, but that wasn't up to Dimitri and I cared less of what he thought.

Dimitri can go to hell for all I care.

I heard as my room's door opened and closed.

"I hear you've been dying to see me." Dimitri's voice cut through the silence and sent a jolt of electricity through my body regretfully.

Even with my back turned towards him, I could feel the intensity of his gaze on me. I bit my lip while closing my eyes.

As I lay there in the dark, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of pain, sadness and apprehension at his sudden appearance.

Despite Dimitri being a heartless sleaze, he had always managed to get under my skin with ease. I was disgusted with myself for allowing such thoughts, especially considering that he was merely trying to rid himself of his problems, which happened to be me.

His voice had a sultry quality to it, which only intensified the overwhelming mix of desire and distress that I was already feeling.

My body shuddered involuntarily at the sound of it, and I had to fight to keep my breathing even. Despite my efforts, I found myself in tears once again, as my emotions continued to swirl chaotically within me.

"If you're going to escort me off this godforsaken place, then do it already and stop playing games," I snapped at him, my anger barely contained.

Facing Dimitri in the dimly lit room. His presence filled the air like a thick fog, suffocating me with his intimidating aura.

I glared at him, hoping to convey the anger and frustration that boiled inside me. But as I looked closer, I couldn't help but notice that something about him seemed off.

As I peered into the dimly lit room, he stood at a distance, just out of reach. I strained my eyes to get a better look, but the darkness obscured his features, leaving me with only a vague outline.

A stupid urge rose up within me, tempting me to move closer, to bridge the gap between us and see him clearly. But I quickly dismissed it, scolding myself for entertaining such foolish thoughts in this serious situation.

Yet, even as I tried to push those distracting thoughts aside, my mind kept wandering, thinking about how satisfying it would be to kiss him and to feel his lips on mine. It was madness, I knew, but I couldn't help the way my body responded to him, even when my mind knew better.

Dimitri's response was poised, "I hope my words have been carefully considered and that you have made the right decision to return to your royal family."

"I won't entertain the notion that you care, Dimitri. Whatever decision I make, it won't be based on whether you approve or not," I retorted with a sharp edge to my voice.

Silence enveloped the room, and a sense of unease crept up on me. I took a few tentative steps forward, seeking to confirm my suspicion that something was amiss with him.

I couldn't help but internally gawk at his appearance but the moment I got up close to him I could see blood on him making my blood run cold.

"What happened to you?!" I gasped seeing blood on his face and hand.

Without hesitation, I closed the distance between us and began to examine his face and arms. As I took his hand in mine, my heart faltered at the sight of the bruises that marred his skin. However, my concern was met with resistance as he quickly pulled his hand away from mine.