Page 32 of The Princess and Her Grand King

She wasn't ready.

Lord Vladya rose too.“Don’t leave, Aekeira.” He took a step towards her.

Aekeira shook her head. "Please don't."

She had to leave, because even though she wasn’t ready to face this all over again,she still wanted him.Pathetic, isn't it?

She still craved to see his face.

Yearned to be in his arms.

Listen to his voice all day.

Stay by his side and make do with the moment.

The longing she had spent years burying had awoken with a jerk… rising… about to swallow her whole.

"I have to leave!" Her voice was desperate now.

"No, Aekeira." Another step forward.

Aekeira whirled around and bolted for the entrance.

She didn’t get far.

Lord Vladya was upon her in an instant, pressing her against the wall.

Sobbing echoed off the rocks and it took her a moment to realize it was her.

Her emotions were spilling over. Feelings she had buried deep for years now, bursting free.

"Let me go!" she screamed, blindly beating at his chest with her fists. "Let me go, please!"

"Young princess, I am so sorry." His voice was the softest she had ever heard it.

"You hurt me. That morning, in your bed… I thought we were finally getting somewhere. But you threw me away like I meant nothing!" she sobbed, her words tumbling out. "Did I mean so little to you? You avoided me for a week, then you tossed me aside!”

“Please, forgive me, dearling.”

“Two years!Two years felt like twenty! Every day I breathed, yet I have never felt so dead.You broke my heart!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face. "You brokeme!"

He kissed her.

Aekeira struggled, her fists pounding frantically against his chest. But his hands gently restrained hers.

She fought. Fought hard.

Not to feel that kiss.

Not to feelhimagain.

To deny the sensations.

But it was a lost cause.

His lips on hers, his tongue in her mouth. The kiss seeped deep into her soul. Soothing the pain. Calming the storm.

Like a serum, it relieved the scathing pain from the wounds she had carried for so long.

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