Chapter 29 — After the Storm
The morning sun poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, soft and golden, warming the ivory sheets tangled around their legs. Elian stirred first, slow and hesitant, blinking at the unfamiliar ceiling. For a second, he forgot where he was.
Then he felt it—Kairo's arm wrapped around his waist, heavy and possessive. The press of the man's chest against his back, their legs entwined, breath brushing softly against the back of his neck.
And Elian remembered everything.
His face flushed instantly. Last night hadn't just happened—it had changed something. They hadn't spoken much after; Kairo had pulled him close, whispered soft apologies into his skin, kissed his hair, and held him like he was something precious. Something breakable. Something he wanted to protect now.
Elian had barely slept.
Not from discomfort. From how his chest wouldn't stop twisting. From how Kairo had made him feel—worshiped one minute, ruined the next.
He made a soft sound as he turned to shift out of the embrace.
"Mmm… where're you going?" came the low, gravelly voice behind him. Sleep-rough and possessive.
"I—I wasn't going far." Elian tried to sit up, but Kairo's hand tightened around his waist.
"Stay," Kairo murmured. "Just for a minute."
Elian hesitated. Then he allowed himself to settle back into the warmth of Kairo's body. His skin still tingled from the night before—the memory of fingers, of lips, of whispered demands that made his knees weak.
Kairo shifted behind him, resting his chin on Elian's shoulder, the stubble brushing his skin.
"I wasn't gentle last night," he said suddenly, voice hushed. "I lost control."
Elian blinked. "You didn't hurt me."
"That's not the point." Kairo's fingers trailed down Elian's arm. "You're… delicate. You were trusting me. I shouldn't have taken you like that."
Elian turned to face him, their noses nearly brushing. "You asked for permission. I said yes."
Kairo's eyes searched his, dark with something deeper than desire. "You looked at me like you were scared to breathe. Like I could crush you if I wanted to."
"You wouldn't," Elian whispered.
Kairo kissed the corner of his mouth. "You're too good to trust someone like me."
They fell into silence. Their breathing synced. Elian's hand moved slowly to Kairo's chest, resting above his heart. It beat strong and steady beneath his palm.
"I'm not as good as you think," he whispered.
Kairo raised a brow. "Oh?"
"I'm jealous. I'm scared. I overthink every little thing you do." He swallowed. "But last night… it was the first time I felt like I wasn't just some boy you were forced to marry."
Kairo flinched.
"I'm sorry," Elian added quickly. "I know that's not fair. But I don't want you to regret it."
"I don't." Kairo caught his jaw and held it gently. "Last night, I saw you. Really saw you. And it scared the hell out of me."
Elian blinked. "Why?"
"Because I'm starting to want things I shouldn't." His thumb brushed Elian's lower lip. "Things I don't deserve. Like this."
Kairo leaned in and kissed him—not hungrily, not like last night. This was slow, deep, emotional. A kiss that made Elian's fingers tighten against his chest. That made his heart flutter, stutter, melt.
Their bodies moved without thinking. Elian rolled over, on top of Kairo, their legs tangled. Kairo's hands found his waist, holding him steady.
"Elian…" he murmured.
"Mm?" Elian traced circles on his chest.
"Say it again. My name."
Elian leaned down, lips against his ear. "Kairo."
A soft groan escaped the man's throat. "God, that voice. Do you know what you do to me?"
Elian smiled shyly.
Kairo flipped them effortlessly, pinning Elian beneath him. Their eyes locked.
"I want to take my time with you this morning," he whispered. "Can I?"
Elian's breath caught. He gave a small nod. "Yes."
"Words, baby."
"Yes, Kairo."
Kairo smirked. "No. Say it the way I like."
Elian's face burned red. "Yes… Daddy."
That was all it took.
The tension between them snapped into something hot, heavy, and charged. Kairo's lips crashed down, their mouths moving in messy hunger. Elian arched beneath him, gasping as teeth grazed his neck, as kisses moved lower, then lower…
Their morning melted into moans, whispered promises, hands clinging and gripping, soft gasps and harsh pants echoing in the sunlight-soaked room. But unlike the night before, this wasn't about dominance or punishment. This was reverent. Worshipful. The kind of connection that made Elian feel chosen.
Held.
Loved?
When they finally lay still again, Elian curled into Kairo's side, both of them breathless, hearts thundering in sync.
Kairo's hand stroked Elian's hair.
"We can take things slow," he murmured.
Elian blinked up at him. "After that?"
Kairo chuckled. "Emotionally, I mean."
Elian's laughter echoed in the room, light and genuine.
For the first time since the marriage, since the bruises and betrayal, since the hatred in Kairo's eyes that first day—they were something new.
Something tender.
Something healing.