I took a deep breath, the weight of the moment pressing down on me, but I couldn't back out now. Not after everything that had led me here.

The left wing was an infamous place in Andrei's mansion, whispered about in hushed tones by those who'd dared to enter it. To those who had betrayed him, it was a place worse than death. And to me, it felt like the very edge of hell.

I steadied myself, stepping forward, following the faint sound of muffled sobbing echoing through the marble halls. Each footfall felt heavier than the last, as though the mansion itself was pushing back against me, daring me to turn around. I couldn't. I had to see this through.

The sobbing grew louder as I approached a door at the far end, my pulse quickening. I reached out, hand trembling slightly, and twisted the doorknob.

The room was dark, lit only by the cold glow of moonlight slipping through heavy curtains. In the corner, a figure huddled, shoulders shaking with each breath. It was a man, but the shadows obscured his face. As I stepped forward, my heart skipped a beat.

Suddenly, a sharp gunshot rang through the air, making my entire body jerk in shock. My blood ran cold. That was it. The moment I’d been dreading.

I froze in place, but the sound didn't come from the corner where the figure sat. It came from behind me.

"You like to disobey me, don’t you?" His voice slithered through the room, icy and smooth, sending a shiver down my spine.

I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. His presence, cold and suffocating, filled the air around me like a storm on the horizon.

My mind raced, but I couldn’t find the words to respond. My feet felt rooted to the floor. The sound of him approaching was the only thing I could hear now—each step slow, deliberate. As if he were savoring my fear.

"I don't like to repeat my words, жизнь." he said, his tone lower now, darker. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I could feel the intensity of his gaze, even without looking.

I swallowed, forcing my voice to steady, even as my heart hammered in my chest. "N-No. Actually, I got lost on my way,” I stammered, the words slipping out before I could stop them. The lie tasted bitter, but it was the only thing I could say.

He laughed softly, but it wasn’t a sound that brought comfort. No, it was the kind of laugh that made you question every single thing you thought you knew about the person. The kind of laugh that made you regret everything.

"Try again." he said, his voice a quiet command that sent a chill through my veins.

I took a shaky breath, trying to steady myself, but the truth was, I was scared. And yet, some strange courage welled up inside of me. "I’m telling the truth. It’s only been three days since you forced me to stay here," I said, my words gaining strength despite the fear twisting inside me. "And isn’t it obvious to get lost in such a huge villa when no one even showed me around?"

For a moment, there was silence. I dared a glance over my shoulder, only to find him standing just a few feet away. His eyes, cold and unreadable, were fixed on me. I couldn’t tell if he was angry or amused—or if he was simply enjoying this power over me.

His lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile. "You’re testing my patience," he murmured, his voice so soft, it felt like a whisper meant only for me. "But then again… you’ve always liked to test me, haven’t you?"

I didn’t know where all this courage was coming from. Maybe it was the desperation, or maybe it was the need to make him see I wasn’t some fragile, broken thing. But as I stared back at him, my words became bolder. "I don’t know where I’m getting all this courage from," I said, my voice steady, "but I know I’m gonna regret it sooner or later."

His smile faltered, just for a second, but the coldness never left his eyes. I took a step back, ready to leave, but before I could turn away, a sudden shift in the air froze me in place.

His voice, cold and sharp, cut through the silence like a blade. "Did I ask you to leave?"

I barely had time to process his words before his presence surrounded me. I felt his breath against my neck, the heat of his body close enough to burn, yet I couldn’t move. His jaw was clenched, the tension in his body palpable.

"Hm?" He asked, sucking my ear lob, and I couldn’t breathe.

I took a shaky breath, my heart pounding in my chest as his words echoed in my ears. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and in that moment, I knew I was at his mercy. The air between us was charged with an intensity I couldn’t ignore, thick with tension and something darker, more dangerous.

He stepped closer, his breath brushing against my skin, and the sharpness of his presence sent a surge of heat through my veins. My body trembled, a part of me wanting to pull away, but another part of me—something deeper, darker—wanted to stay. I couldn’t understand why, but the pull toward him was undeniable.

His hand reached up to cup my cheek, his touch rough, possessive, but not unkind. He tilted my head slightly, his eyes locking with mine in a way that made my breath catch. There was no escape from the intensity of his gaze, no way to hide from what was about to happen.

Without a word, he lowered his lips to mine, and smashed them on mine. Oh my virgin lips. The kiss was sudden, almost violent in its urgency, as though he was claiming something that had been his all along. My body responded before my mind could catch up, my hands fisting at his shirt as I melted into the kiss, allowing him to take control.

His lips were demanding, parting mine as if searching for something buried deep inside of me. The heat between us escalated, and I could feel his heart racing against mine, the rhythm of our bodies syncing as if we were both caught in a moment of madness. He kissed me like it was the last time he would ever touch me, and yet, I couldn’t bring myself to pull away. Every inch of me was alive, intoxicated by the sensation of his touch, his dominance.

He pressed me against the wall, his body flush against mine, and I gasped at the intensity of his grip. His hands roamed, caressing my body with a hunger I had never known, and I responded in kind, my fingers tracing the hard lines of his chest.

But even in the heat of the moment, there was a warning in his touch, a subtle reminder that this wasn’t just about the kiss. This was a game—a dangerous, deadly game.

"You know what I hate the most, жизнь?" He asked.

"Lies." I stated, only to make him smirk against my lips.

"You dripping wet, love." My eyes shot open at his statement, and I came back to my senses.

Shit!

Can I just go and die somewhere? No, because facing him now is something I can't fucking do! Why God? Whyyyy meeee?

I wanted to say something but the embarrassment I felt, made my voice so thick that I couldn't even speak. His fingers brushed my clothed core, and an unwanted moan left my mouth. That was the moment he lifted me, wrapped my legs around his torso, and descended the stairs fucking my life out of me. As we reached as room, I was out breath, but he didn't seem to care much. So, I punched him making us stumble and fall on his bed. He was over me, still dominating. A kiss broke as we gasped for air.

"You're a tribble kisser." He stated as lips curled up a little, stopping of full grown smile to come up.

"That's because I never kissed." I said, feeling a sensation which was too much to bear.

"I know that." He said, still hovering over me.

"Then you shouldn't have stolen the virginity of my lips." I blushed. Why the hell am I blushing, when I should've have slapped him hard for stealing my first kiss?

He smirked, AGAIN! What makes him smirk so much?

"You have no idea how sinister my thoughts are for you,жизнь."

His eyes bore into mine, dark and stormy, as though he could see straight through to my soul. The intensity of his gaze was suffocating, his body so close that I could feel the warmth radiating from him. Every fiber of my being screamed to pull away, to run, but I couldn’t.

“And yet here you are,” he murmured, his voice a dangerous whisper. His hand brushed along my jawline, forcing me to meet his eyes. “Ignoring every rule I’ve ever given you. Tell me—” he paused, his lips barely an inch from mine, his breath hot against my skin— “why were you in the left wing, жизнь?”

I swallowed hard, my thoughts tangled in the haze of his proximity. My lips parted, but no sound came. How could I explain? There was no excuse that would satisfy him, and if I'll tell him the reason...it's over.

“I… I didn’t mean to,” I finally managed, my voice barely a whisper.

His fingers tightened slightly around my jaw, not enough to hurt, but enough to make me feel the weight of his frustration. He didn’t believe me, and the truth was, I wasn’t sure I believed myself.

He exhaled sharply, his lips brushing against my cheek as he leaned closer. “Never lie to me,” he growled, the warning in his voice unmistakable. “And never set foot in that wing again. Do you understand me?”

I nodded quickly, the words catching in my throat. “I understand.”

For a moment, he didn’t move, his dark eyes scanning my face, searching for any hint of defiance. When he was satisfied, he released my jaw, his touch softening as his fingers trailed down my neck.

“Good,” he murmured, his lips curling into a faint, almost cruel smile. “Because I don’t give second chances, жизнь. And I won't let become an exception, either.”

The tension in the air was palpable, the unspoken power dynamic between us shifting like a storm. And then, as if he couldn’t hold back any longer, his lips crashed against mine.

It wasn’t gentle. It was fierce, demanding, filled with the kind of desperation that left me breathless. He kissed me like he was trying to consume me, to erase every thought that wasn’t him. My hands gripped his shoulders, my fingers digging into his skin as I surrendered to the fire between us.

His hands roamed my body, possessive and deliberate, as though he was claiming me as his own. And in that moment, I couldn’t bring myself to resist. The intensity of his touch, the heat of his gaze, made it impossible to think about anything else.

Time blurred, and the world around us faded away. All that remained was the two of us, locked in a battle of wills, passion, and something darker—something I couldn’t quite name.

But even in the chaos of the moment, his earlier words echoed in my mind. Never set foot in that wing again.

And as much as I wanted to lose myself in him, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had crossed a line I might never be able to come back from.

◍⁠✧⁠*⁠。

Dear readers,

I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter of Desolated Hearts. Please don't forget to like this chapter and follow my accounts on both Instagram and stck.me, as I will keep updating you with the story.