Liora trailed behind Sven, keeping a safe distance as her eyes trained on him and the timid-looking female student by his side. The girl's every step looked hesitant, and her gaze was glued to the ground as though a mere glimpse upwards could bring her face to face with death.
'Is he coercing her?' Liora wondered about the female student situation and the suspicion bubbling in her mind.
The path Sven had chosen stretched up a gentle hill, weaving through tall trees that cast scattered shadows along the ground. The sun filtered through the leaves, dappling the stone benches that lined the way, offering shaded spots overlooking the tranquil river stream below.
The scene was almost picturesque, yet it did nothing to ease the unease curling in Liora's chest as she followed Sven.
Students lounged on the hill, soaking in the sun's warmth, though Liora couldn't fathom why anyone would willingly roast themselves under the blazing heat.
Others had retreated to the shaded benches, their books open or their eyes drawn to the gentle flow of the river. Downhill, a few adventurous souls had wandered closer to the water's edge, dipping their feet into the cool stream where it met the soft soil.
Her sandals crunched lightly against the gravel path as she climbed, keeping enough distance to remain unnoticed. Just as she was considering moving closer, Sven abruptly stopped. For reasons unknown, Sven turned around, scanning the area, which startled Liora. She flinched and tried to retreat, but her foot slipped as she tried to pivot, her balance betraying her on the uneven ground.
Liora barely registered the moment her foot slipped. One second, she was trying to retreat unnoticed, and the next, she was tumbling backwards, her tote bag flying in one direction while her one foot turned to balance. She crashed into something—or rather, someone—solid and steadfast.
The impact stole her breath, and before she could process what was happening, she was on the ground, tangled in a mess of limbs and sharp awareness.
Her palms scraped against the rough soil, stinging slightly, but that was the least of her concerns. Her forehead pressed against a firm, steady chest, the scent of cedarwood and spice invading her senses—familiar, unsettlingly so. A pair of strong hands gripped her wrists, holding her in place as if preventing her from fleeing.
Sven stood at a distance, his posture stiff and unmoving, resembling a heartless tower observing a disaster at sea.
Liora hesitated before tilted her head upward and lifting her gaze, and the moment she did, the air in her lungs stilled.
She met a pair of stormy dark grey eyes. Fury, confusion, and a smouldering intensity stared back at her, his raw energy pinning her down more effectively than his hands.
"I… I'm sorry," she stammered, barely able to form words. "I didn't mean to—"
Her voice cut off as recognition slammed into her like a tidal wave.
Nova.
Her chest tightened. Her mind screamed at her to move, to do something, but she couldn't.
Disbelief coursed through her veins. Of all the people to fall on, it had to be him. The one person she had hoped to avoid.
Nova's gaze bore into hers, unyielding, piercing. His expression betrayed no warmth, only a simmering annoyance that made her stomach churn. Words tried to form on her lips, but her mind blanked under the oppressive silence.
Desperation crept in as she tugged her wrist, but his grip didn't budge. His fingers were firm and steadfast, as if releasing her was not a possibility he was prepared to consider.
"Stop staring into my eyes," she demanded, her voice breaking slightly as her heart thudded in her chest, unsure if it was fear, frustration, or the sheer closeness of him. She tried her best to look away from his mysterious, deep eyes, which consistently captivated her in a way she couldn't quite comprehend.
"Why?" he asked, his tone as calm as it was sharp, leaving Liora bewildered. Doesn't he realise what is taking place? Liora stared at him in disbelief.
"Are we in an eye contest I wasn't informed about?" Liora tried to remain brave under those scrutinising eyes.
"Maybe you should take your own advice," Donovan said in calming tone and yet frustration in his eyes showed otherwise.
Nova didn't blink, didn't flinch, his gaze locked onto hers as if daring her to look away. Liora squirmed, trying to break free from his grasp, but he held firm.
"Release my hand," she whispered, her tone low but edged with urgency.
"Do it yourself. Who is holding you back?" he retorted, leaning in slightly to make her heart race with a blend of fury and discomfort.
Neither Liora nor Donovan understood the situation they found themselves in. Liora struggled to emancipate herself from him, while Donovan was acting out of character due to some bizarre alteration in his mindset.
Her frustration boiled over. Narrowing her eyes, she yanked with all her strength, but his hold remained ironclad. Desperation took over, and without thinking, she lowered her head and bit him hard on his exposed chest where his shirt buttons were undone.
Donovan took a deep breath, his body tightening under hers. The unexpected sting made him loosen his grip just enough for Liora to free one hand. Seizing her chance, she pressed against his chest, using him as leverage to push herself up, but before she could put any real distance between them, his hand shot out, wrapping around her waist.
The world flipped in a blur. With a swift, fluid motion, Donovan reversed their positions. Now, she was pinned beneath him, her back against the rough ground, her wrists trapped once more near her head. His weight anchored her in place, his chest brushing hers with each measured breath, turning Liora's face beet red.
His face hovered inches from hers, his voice dropping to a low growl as he said, "You don't bite unless you're ready for the consequences." Donovan put some space between them, though he ensured she was locked to the ground.
Liora's heart pounded, heat rushing to her face as her gaze flicked to his chest. There, just above the open buttons of his shirt, her teeth marks stood out—a deep red imprint against his skin. Guilt pricked at her as she realised how hard she had bitten him. Any harder, and she might have drawn blood.
"What choice did I have?" she retorted, her voice sharp and defiant despite her embarrassment. "If you had let my hand go, I wouldn't have done that."
Her eyes flicked back to his deep, mysterious, ocean-like gaze, and for a moment, she faltered, her boldness wavering under the intensity of his expression.
"So, you resort to unethical ways?"Donovan's voice held a hint of irritation, though he didn't bother glancing at the mark. He could feel the sting well enough.
"Unethical?" Liora scoffed, rolling her eyes even as her heart raced. "I'm not weak anymore. I can fight you if I have to." She paused, her voice dropping lower. "Do you remember what I—"
Her words cut off abruptly, her eyes widening as the realisation of what she had almost revealed hit her. Panic flickered across her face, and she clamped her mouth shut, her undercover identity teetering on the edge of exposure.
"This... this isn't right," she murmured, her voice trembling with a mix of mortification and unease. Although they were a little apart, Liora could still sense his warm breath lightly grazing her lips, making it difficult for her to breathe. She had never realised that summer could be this sweltering.
She pursed her lips before speaking, "People could be watching us," she added, her tone dropping to a pleading whisper, desperate to break free from the moment.
Donovan hadn't placed his full weight on her, but he had her completely locked in place. His knees pinned her hips on either side, caging her with an unyielding force while his hands gripped her wrists, pressing them firmly against the ground near her ears.
"Are you not ashamed of… of our…" Liora's voice faltered, her cheeks burning as she struggled to articulate the sheer mortification of their position.
Donovan cocked his head slightly, faint wrinkles forming between his eyebrows and his lips quirking as if her embarrassment amused him. "Ashamed of what, exactly?" he asked calmly, almost as if he were teasing.
Was he always like this, or was today a unique circumstance? Liora pondered.
"O...our position!" she snapped, her voice a mix of frustration and humiliation. "D..don't act...." He leaned in a bit, causing Liora to halt her speech as if a cat had caught her tongue.
"It looks like you fell… and I caught you. Isn't that what a gentleman is supposed to do?"
Liora's eyes narrowed. She could barely contain her disbelief. 'A gentleman? In this position?' The very thought was absurd. Her gaze darted to their entangled forms.
"Caught me? You pinned me!"
"Semantics," Donovan replied smoothly, his voice infuriatingly calm. "Though, if you dislike it so much, why not do something about it?"
She yanked at his grip, but his hold was firm. She glared at him, her chest rising and falling as her temper flared. "Let me go!"
"Do you have a sister?"
Liora blinked, momentarily thrown off by the randomness of his question. "What?"
"A sister," he repeated, his grip tightening slightly as he held her in place.
"Why do you care to know that? she snapped, wriggling against him.
"Just respond to the question if you don't want to be treated like a lady?" The sarcasm laced his tone.
"No, I don't!" she hissed. "Are you satisfied now? Now let me go!"
"Perhaps a cousin?"
Liora clenched her teeth, biting down hard on her bottom lip to keep herself from screaming in frustration. "If you're trying to play Slumdog Millionaire, at least let me sit up so we can do this like civilised people." She shot him a pointed look, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm sure your audience would appreciate some distance between the contestants."
"Perhaps along distant female cousin?" he asked, his voice infuriatingly calm as if they weren't in the most absurd situation.
Liora couldn't tell if it was the mortifying awareness that anyone passing by might see the compromising position they were in or the unsettling heat radiating from their closeness.Both options rendered her equally astonished and unsettled.
She looked at his bare chest, the mark given by her before warning him, "I'll bite you even harder if you don't release me now," she warned, narrowing her eyes.
Donovan's expression darkened. "Try," he said in a low, grim voice, issuing the challenge with quiet confidence.
Liora's temper flared. She wasn't fragile anymore, and she was determined to prove it. With a sharp tug, she strench her arms up catching Donovan off guard, he fell forward, his face inches from hers, leaving his neck vulnerable.
Without hesitation, Liora sank her teeth into his neck, this time biting down harder, enough to make Donovan wince and inhale sharply in pain.
"Are you insane?" he growled, jerking away from her. He stood abruptly, putting distance between them, his hand instinctively going to his neck where her teeth had left their mark.
Liora pushed herself off the ground, her hair dishevelled, her clothes smeared with dirt, and her tote bag nowhere in sight. She didn't wait for Donovan to recover or retaliate.
Without another word, she spun on her heel and bolted, running as fast as she could before he lost his temper.