Page 97 of Sinful Games

I moved in without hesitation, my pulse racing as I closed the distance. “Caia, what’s wrong?” I demanded, slipping off my suit blazer to cover her shivering body. But the moment it touched her, she flinched and threw her bag at me. I caught it mid-air, my brows furrowing.

“Get away from me!” she screamed, her voice breaking as her sobs shook her body.

What the hell?

“Caia—”

“How could you?” Her voice quivered with pain, her eyes brimming with hurt and... fear? “Why are you doing this to me? Forcing me into marriage wasn’t enough? Now you want to humiliate even more?”

I blinked, utterly lost. “What are you talking about? Come on, you’re freezing. Let me help?—"

“I c-can’t,” she stammered, her words barely audible as she wrapped her arms around herself, shrinking away from me like I was the devil himself. “Please, j-just leave me alone.”

"I can’t do that, baby," I said softly, stepping closer. But the second I moved, she spun around and ran.

Fuck.

I took off after her, impressed by how fast she was in those heels. Racing through the maze, left and right, I finally reached out, grabbing her arm and pulling her hard against my chest. Her body tensed, her heart pounding so violently against me I could feel it.

“Let me go, you monster!” she sobbed, her nails digging into my arms. She was trying so damn hard to break free, but I held her tighter.

“Calm down, Caia. What the hell’s going on?”

She shook her head violently, her legs giving out. I caughther just before she collapsed, lifting her into my arms and holding her close. Her soft sobs vibrated against my neck as she clung to me, burying her face in the crook of my shoulder.

I carried her back to the bench, my mind racing with a thousand questions.

Why is she so fucking scared?

“How could you do this to me?” she whispered, her voice so small, so broken. “Why do you hate me so much?”

“I don’t hate you, Caia.”

“Yes, you do.”

Her words pierced through me. I held her closer as we reached the bench, sitting down with her still cradled in my lap, refusing to let her go.

“Tell me what happened, baby,” I whispered, stroking her back gently, my fingers brushing over the goosebumps rising on her skin.

She shook her head, her tears soaking into my shirt. I didn’t push her, just held her, whispering soothing words, trying to calm her down.

Breathe, Caia. I’ve got you.

After a few minutes, her sobs quieted, but the pain in her voice was still raw.

"Why did you bring me here, Alexsei?" she asked, her face inching away from mine, her eyes hollow and full of betrayal.

"What do you mean?" I asked softly, brushing her tears away with my thumb before pressing a kiss to her trembling lips.

She broke away with another sob. "Why would you bring me to a party to introduce me to the man who raped me?"

I froze. "What?"

Chapter

Thirty

“We need never be ashamed of our tears.”

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