Page 157 of Twisted Sins

But the demon didn’t put her down. He carried her further into the cave until they reached an opening.

“My God,” she whispered.

It was a pond filled with lotuses, and it looked stunningly beautiful.

The demon lowered her feet to the ground.

She tried to get closer to the water but tripped on her blanket. The demon held her arm and straightened her. Before she could thank him, he tugged on the blanket until she was left completely naked.

“Rudra! Someone will see!” she said, covering herself with her hands while looking around hurriedly.

All she could see were the large rocks surrounding the pond.

“No one will come here,” he said, removing his black tunic. Surprisingly, he put it on top of her. It fell way past her knees and came just above her ankles. Immediately, warmth and a faint smell of sandalwood enveloped her.

“There are fourteen other ponds built around the settlement that others use,” he said.

She had a feeling this particular pond was the demon’s private cocoon.

“You come here in the mornings and play the flute here,” she said.

The demon looked at her but didn’t say anything.

“Who taught you to play the flute?” she asked.

She expected him to remain quiet.

“My mother,” he replied, shocking her.

She realized he played the flute to keep his mother’s memory alive. Her heart ached at the thought.

“I haven’t heard you playing the flute in a long time. Can you play it for me?” she asked.

She thought he would ignore her request, but once again, he surprised her by going towards a large rock next to the pond. He picked up a flute from behind the rock and began playing it.

Beautiful music filled the air.

She had almost forgotten how perfectly he played the instrument with soul-stirring music that she could listen to endlessly.

She was so lost in the beautiful music and drawn to him that until the music ended, she didn’t realize she had gone closer and stood beside him.

“That was beautiful,” she said softly. “Thank you for sharing it with me.”

He nodded.

The silence that followed while their eyes met made her feel connected to him. The past and the future didn’t seem to matter. She cherished the present moment.

“Rudra…” she whispered.

Grey eyes intensified as she stepped closer to him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him until his lips met hers. She was once again lost. His kiss was hot and passionate, but she also felt the underlying sweetness that made her toes curl and her stomach flutter crazily.

She opened her eyes when he broke the kiss and lifted his head. Something swirled in his grey eyes.

“Let’s get back to the mansion,” he said.

She nodded, even as she felt slight disappointment that they couldn’t spend more time together in the beautiful paradise. But she knew he had to return to his duties as the clan head.

She picked up the blanket next to the pond and joined him. As soon as they entered the cave, he swept her into his arms again and carried her into the dark tunnel.

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