Chapter 2002


    Cicely''s eyelids fluttered twice, betraying her effort to seem indifferent. "Or what?"


    Seth''s gaze drifted to her lips, "I think I made a mistake."


    Cicely furrowed her brows in confusion.


    "I shouldn''t have just thought about keeping you like some naive doll, hidden away. You need to see


    the harsh realities of the world to understand the dangers that exist."


    Cicely was no fool; she could see through some people and situations better than they could ever


    imagine. She always maintained a sense of vignce, aware of potential threats at any given


    moment. "There''s no need, I''m well aware."


    "Are you?"d2


    As he spoke, Cicely suddenly gasped, her eyes darting towards Seth in a slight panic. His hand had


    stealthily slipped under the covers, his intentions crystal clear. She instinctively recoiled.


    "You not gonna let me touch you?"


    "You are you serious?"


    She was convinced he wouldn''t really sleep with her now.


    "Isn''t your idea of ''impropriety'' a bit naive?"


    Cicely bit her lip, her beautiful eyes filled with timidness, "I''ve heard it hurts, and I''m afraid of the


    pain."


    "So you''re nning to spend your life just letting me look and touch?"


    Cicely''s eyes darted about, and before she could utter a word, Seth leaned in closer, his presence


    enveloping her. "Don’t you want to have kids? Just looking and touching won''t make that happen."


    Her grip on the covers rxed slightly, and the tension in her body eased. Seth''s lips curled into a


    satisfied smirk.


    "Seth." Cicely suddenly spoke up, "You''re raping me, aren''t you?"


    Seth''s expression darkened instantly, "You''re saying what?"


    Cicely repeated, "Raping."


    "Cicely." The hand under the covers suddenly grasped her leg, his voice deep and icy, "What do you


    think the purpose of that marriage certificate you''re holding is?"


    "To legally live together."


    "That includes legally having sex with you."


    Seth''s words were ground out through clenched teeth, each syble as if chewed up and spit out.


    His frankness was unexpected, almost shocking, but it was precisely this rawness that made it all


    the more enticing.


    Cicely had likely angered him; his words hit her like a physical force, stealing her breath away.


    Before, she might not have thought much about it, but the topic that just irked him was a sensitive


    one, and she felt a surge of nervousness.


    Cicely was fresh from a bath, her skin soft and scented.


    Underneath the covers, the restraint from the bathroom was returning with a vengeance. The kiss


    was forceful, wandering down her neck to the tender spot behind her ear, teasing her earlobe.


    Cicely whimpered softly. Seth paused, staring at her flushed ear before bending down again. When


    she shivered once more, a low chuckle escaped Seth.


    Interesting.


    Cicely felt he was mocking her inexperience. So she clenched her teeth, determined not to be the


    butt of his amusement anymore. Seth seemed to be in a yful mood, his kisses searching for her


    most sensitive spots.


    The covers were pushed down, sparks slowly nearing the summit. Cicely, sensing something, tried


    to escape, but Seth was ahead of her, anticipating her move.


    A sensation shot through her. Her arms, which had been propping her up, suddenly lost their


    strength, and with a soft exmation, she fell back into the bedding.


    This was madness. The feeling was foreign and uncontroble. Her heart felt like it was about to


    leap out of her chest.


    The man before her was the man she loved, yearned for, the one she had schemed to win over.


    Unlike with Ray, she enjoyed his touch, even craved more. She truly loved him.


    But why did she love him so much? She couldn''t even understand it herself. She just wanted him,


    and no one else would do.


    Slowly, she raised her hand to caress his damp hair, her palm resting against his face, that


    handsome face lifting to meet her gaze. As if under a spell, she leaned in closer to him, closing the


    gap between them. "Seth, why do I love you so much?" she asked.


    Seth threw aside the covers, realizing that tonight wouldn''t be so easily endured. He was somewhat


    relieved she was of age. Perhaps if she weren''t, she wouldn''t be able to escape him tonight.


    Boundaries? Her specialty was pushing him to break them, time and time again.


    "Why?" he asked as he pulled her into his embrace.


    Cicely wrapped her arms around his shoulders, shaking her head, "I don''t know. Do you know how


    much I love you?"


    "How much?" Seth inquired.


    Cicely tilted her head, giving the same answer, "I don''t know."


    Seth looked up at her, "You don''t know why you love me, and you don''t know how much?"


    She nodded, "Yeah. I don''t know. If I did, maybe one day I could avoid loving you so much."


    Seth paused for a moment, "Even if you knew, it''s toote."


    He pressed her back down into the bedding.


    One of the reasons they didn''t live together and he refrained from getting physically close to her


    was because of her young age. He also considered the possibility that she might regret and want to


    exit the marriage at any time, but he had never truly hoped for such a day.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    As he struggled internally, he gave her enough time. Now, her words suddenly reminded him that he


    couldn''t allow it. She might not love him as much as she did now, and she might truly disappear


    from his life.


    He wouldn''t permit such a thought, not even for a second. So he decided he wouldn''t leave her that


    option anymore.