A Tormented Heart

Ch 7: The Deal

Recap:

No, enough was enough. Cecilia decided that she would put this man out of her mind for good after tonight. Feeling him ease up on her wrist, she felt relief sweep through her, as she plotted her swift escape.

But the blessed freedom didn't come. Although Nicolas eased up, he still kept a firm grip on her wrist, and proceeded to drag her out of the ballroom, into the dark recesses of the unlit corridor, ignoring the screaming protests of the girl behind him.

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"What are you doing?! Where are you taking me?!!"

Nicolas just ignored the screeches of the girl behind him as he strode her down the corridor with lengthy strides, holding onto her wrist firmly. The sounds of the ballroom grew more and more distant as they entered the more intimate part of the house, visited only by family and close friends.

"You have no right to come into this part of our house! This is our private area! Let go of me!!!"

With an almighty tug, Cecilia finally managed to snatch her hand out of his possession, forcing Nic to suddenly stop with her. Glaring at him, she panted for breath, holding her mistreated wrist to her chest and massaging it with her other hand.

Drawing a deep breath, she prepared her lengthy tirade. "You nee-"

Unconcerned with what she was going to say, Nic just grabbed hold of her upper arm and continued to drag in the same direction as if nothing had happened.

Caught off guard, Cecilia just stumbled after him, barely managing to keep up with him. The walls of the mansion just sped past her; the antique paintings hung on them a mere blur to her eyes.

Suddenly, she was swung around a sharp bend, a large THUNK! being heard, before her back crashed into a wall, wrists pinned above her head so she was immobile. Dazed, bewildered, and blinded by the darkness, it took Cecilia a few seconds to work out that she was in one of the guest rooms on the first floor of the house. Somewhere, in the back of her mind she understood that the earlier noise she had heard must have been the door closing.

But all rational thought flew the moment those sapphire blue eyes bore into hers.

Her breath caught at his proximity, unable to think, let alone speak. The shadows across his face hid all his features, except for his eyes and lips, drawing even more attention to them. Each hand had a grasp on each of her wrists, holding them firmly to the wall, his chest a micrometer away from hers. So close, that each rise and fall of her chest caused a whisper of a brush against him.

Just that phantom-light touch sent deep shivers down her spine, and her mouth dried as her eyes helplessly moved to his lips. Was it possible for someone to have such perfect lips? Full, but not large; plump, but hard; just a tinge of pink, but the very definition of masculinity. She wondered how he would kiss. Would he be gentle? Or demanding and rough? Or both?

The pressure on her wrists hardened, and her eyes flew back to his. What she saw there made her gasp.

His eyes were pure molten heat, sending lightening bolts sparking over her skin. His gaze seemed to penetrate her, making her feel naked and vulnerable beneath him. She squirmed subtly, cheeks on fire as she pressed further back into the wall, trying to stop these feelings flooding through her. The millimeter of distance she had created shortened again, as he managed to shift infinitesimally closer, his body following hers. She pressed back further, going up onto her tiptoes, but she now found herself closer to him than before, his eyes mere inches away from hers. He left her no room as he closed even that space she had created between their bodies, until she couldn't breathe for fear that her chest would end up pressed against his.