Ascension Of The Villain

Chapter 144 - 144: Desperately, Maddeningly

Iyana's world spun the moment Vyan's words sank in. She opened her mouth to scold him for what had to be another one of his jokes, but the steady, urgent thumping of his heart beneath her ear silenced her.

Swallowing hard, she pressed her ear closer against his chest, feeling his heartbeat sync with hers in a rhythm that sent a shiver down her spine.

Suddenly flustered, she pulled away from the embrace, her gaze fixed on the ground as she tried to gather her thoughts. When she finally dared to look up, his wine-red eyes were locked on her, burning with an intensity that was far more potent than anything she had seen on the inn's balcony that night.

There was no mistaking the desire that blazed in his gaze, a silent yet screaming demand: I want you.

"Y—you can't be serious," she stammered, feeling heat rise up her neck and flood her cheeks. Desperate to regain control, she stood abruptly. "I should take you back to your t—"

But before she could finish, his hand encircled her wrist and pulled her back with a gentle yet firm force.

In an instant, she was in his lap, his arms snug around her waist, trapping her in place. Her breath hitched, her face flaming with embarrassment. "Vyan, wha—what are you doing?"

"I am showing you just how serious I am," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that sent a thrill through her.

"As if," she tried to sound tough, tried to scoff, but the words wavered. "You are drunk out of your mind—" Her voice faltered completely as his hands slid up from her waist, tracing a slow, deliberate path along her back.

The heat from his palms seeped through the thin fabric of her nightgown, making her acutely aware of every inch of skin he touched. And the worst part?

She couldn't deny how much she craved his touch, how much she wanted his hands to explore every inch of her.

"Whether I am drunk or not," he admitted, his lips curling into a smirk, "but that doesn't change the fact that right now, all I want is to kiss you."

Me too, the thought slipped through her mind before she could stop it.

Panic surged as she placed her hands on his shoulders, gripping them tightly as if that could somehow anchor her against the rising tide of desire.

She shook her head, trying to break free from the spell he was weaving around her. "We can't," she breathed, almost as if she were trying to convince herself as much as him.

She needed to regain control, to remind herself that this was nothing more than the effects of alcohol clouding his judgment. But at the same time, deep down, she knew the truth—Vyan's touch was setting her on fire, and every part of her was aching for him to burn her alive.

"Why not?" he asked, his voice soft and pleading, almost like a puppy begging for attention. "I promise I am not that drunk anymore. I am conscious." His lips brushed against her neck, sending a cascade of shivers down her spine. "I know exactly what I am doing."

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the overwhelming sensation of his body pressed against hers, the heat radiating between them. "Are you really?" she whispered, her voice trembling with the effort to keep control.

He hummed in response, his lips grazing the delicate skin of her collarbone, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. "If you tell me to stop, I will," he murmured, his breath warm against her skin. "You know that, right?"

Her heart stumbled at the realization—he was giving her a choice. But no one knew the truth better than her: she didn't want him to stop. Not now, not ever.

"But you haven't asked me to," he continued, lifting his head to meet her gaze, his wine-red eyes

"If it's any consolation, I am embarrassed too. For you," she added with a teasing lilt, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

His groan deepened, but her soft chuckle only made him feel more ridiculous. "Wait, if you were awake, why didn't you—"

"Well, you are quite nice to cuddle with," she teased, her lips curving into a smirk as his ears turned a shade of crimson. "But I suppose we should get up and get ready for breakfast."

As she sat up, stretching with a satisfied yawn, Vyan remained lying on the floor, his forearm covering his eyes as he replayed the events of the night in his mind, each memory making him more and more flustered.

I must have made her so uncomfortable— The memory of her cupping his cheek, her eyes holding an inexplicable warmth, and the soft kiss she had pressed to his forehead flashed before him. Wait… I might have been out of my mind, but why did she do all that?