I clasped the delicate lace of my bridal gown so tightly that my knuckles turned an ashen white. The pristine fabric, meant to symbolize purity and new beginnings, now enshrouded me like a funerary veil, suffocating the remnants of my former freedom...
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I couldn't shake off the overwhelming anxiety that plagued me as I lay in bed, unable to sleep. My book had done little to distract me from the madness going on around me.
It was deep into the ungodly hours of the night, already beyond two o'clock, and yet Alessandro had not returned. My nerves danced around each ticking second in worry.
My worries were punctuated by the distinct creak of the bedroom door, a sound that pulled me back to the reality of my surroundings. In sauntered Alessandro, his overpowering, dark aura trailed him, draped around his person like a shroud. His eyes fell on me, surprised to find me awake still.
"What are you doing up so late?" he asked as he undid his suit vest and slung it on the couch. Intriguingly, his eyes seemed to consciously avoid meeting mine.
"Couldn't sleep," I answered quietly, feigning an interest in my book to prevent the conversation from drifting into darker territory.
Slipping off his shoes, Alessandro trudged to my bed and stood beside me. With a firm but gentle hand, he took the book from my grasp, closed it, and placed it on the nightstand.
I blinked up at him, baffled. "What do you think you're doing?"
His stern retort was immediate. "You need sleep," His tone suggested any argument was off the table.
"Come on, Alessandro," I let out an exasperated groan, rolling my eyes dramatically. "I'm not a kid. I'll sleep whenever I feel like it."
His amused chuckle slipped out. "Don't you roll those eyes at me," he teasingly reprimanded. Despite the jesting note to his voice, I could sense his unvoiced challenge lingering beneath the words.
"And what will happen if I do?" My tone grew equally audacious.
A slow grin lit Alessandro's face, and his intense gaze took a liking to my challenging stance. He gradually closed the space that separated us, the proximity bringing his breath teasingly close to my cheeks. "I doubt you'd want to know." His playful smirk hovered above the husky tone of his tease.
I could feel the butterflies threatening a rebellion in my chest, but I maintained a neutral façade. Keeping my resolve intact, I defiantly returned his intense stare, wordlessly daring him to push the challenge a step further.
As I gazed into Alessandro's hazel eyes, a strange magnetic pull swept over me. Even with the shadows lurking in his aura, I was drawn to him, not unlike a moth hypnotically fluttering towards an inviting flame.
Without another word, Alessandro closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against mine, the tip of our noses touching and our lips just a hair's breadth apart. I could feel his pulse echoing in my chest, amplified by the profound stillness that shrouded the room.
Alessandro's lips were on mine before I could even process what was happening. His kiss was rough and demanding, yet there was a gentleness to it that I couldn't resist. I yielded to the intoxicating dance of our lips and entwined myself in his arms, which wrapped securely around my waist, pulling me tighter against him.
