The air in this room felt heavier than usual, as if it was draining all the oxygen I needed to think clearly. I stood by the window, staring blankly outside, but my mind remained trapped inside—inside this room, with Pierce James.
He was still behind me. I didn't need to turn around to confirm it. His presence was too real, too consuming, like gravity pulling every inch of me closer.
"I don't know what you're waiting for, Elsie," his voice was deep, echoing through the quiet walls of the room. "But I do know one thing."
I clenched my jaw, trying to ignore him.
He took a step closer. I could feel the warmth of his body just inches away from mine. "You're still here because you want to be, not because you have to."
I shut my eyes tightly. He always knew how to tug at the threads of both my fears and desires, keeping me caught between running away and surrendering.
"Are you afraid, Elsie?"
I didn't answer.
Pierce moved even closer, his breath brushing against the back of my neck. "I want to hear you say it."
My heart pounded too fast. I knew this was not a game I could handle. I knew that the longer I stayed, the harder it would be to pull away.
"You're waiting for me, aren't you?"
His question pierced straight into my thoughts, trapping me in a dilemma I wasn't even brave enough to admit.
I swallowed hard. "Pierce..."
"Elsie," he cut me off quickly, his voice deeper, darker. "I've been patient enough."
I turned around, finally meeting his gaze. His eyes were sharp, like a storm swirling inside them, ready to destroy anything that dared to resist.
"What do you want from me?" I whispered.
A slow smirk tugged at his lips, a dangerous expression I couldn't ignore. "You already know the answer."
I shook my head. "You can't force me to stay here."
Pierce leaned in even closer, and I could see every detail of his expression. "I don't have to force you," he said with absolute certainty. "Because you don't want to leave."
I bit my lip, trying to hold back everything I wanted to say.
"Elsie," he whispered, softer this time, but just as lethal. "What do I have to do to make you stop pretending?"
I knew I was in trouble.
Because when Pierce James declared something with that kind of certainty, there was no escape left for me.
I felt as if I were standing at the edge of a cliff, caught between the choice to jump or to stay still, waiting for Pierce to push me further.
His hand finally moved, slowly trailing down my arm until his fingers stopped at my wrist. His touch was not a demand, nor was it a plea. It was certainty—a quiet, unshaken resolve that held me in place.
"Still don't want to answer me?" His voice was softer this time, but the sharpness in it remained.
I swallowed hard, trying to steady my uneven breaths. "Pierce… don't do this."
"Don't do what?"
"Not like this."
A flicker crossed his eyes, something almost like disappointment. But in an instant, his expression shifted again, turning into something far more dangerous.
"Elsie, you always say that," he murmured, his tone calm but laced with tension. "Not like this. Not now. Not how it should be." He shook his head slightly, his fingers tightening around my wrist—just enough to remind me of his strength. "Yet, you're still here."
My chest grew tighter.
"Because you don't want to leave."
"Pierce…"
He lowered his head, bringing his face closer until I could feel his breath ghosting over my skin. "If you really want me to stop, just say it," he whispered. "I will."
I parted my lips, but no words came out.
Too long.
Too slow.
Pierce lifted my hand, pressing his back against the wall as if I were the one holding him in place. "See? Even now, you're not fighting me." His eyes searched mine, looking for something he might have already known. "So why are we still pretending?"
I tried to take a breath, but the air in this room was too thick, too full of him.
Gently, he let his hand drop to his side, releasing me. Giving me the chance to step back, to run.
But I didn't.
A small smile tugged at the corner of Pierce's lips, as if that was the answer he had been waiting for. "You know what I want, Elsie," he said, softer this time, his voice like a whisper reverberating in my mind. "The real question now is…"
He leaned in, just a fraction closer, his voice a quiet tremor in the space between us.
"Will you stop hiding?"
I couldn't move. My breath caught in my throat, and my heart pounded so loudly I was afraid Pierce could hear it.
His eyes held mine, unwavering, as if he was trying to dig deeper than what lay on the surface.
"Will you stop hiding, Elsie?" he repeated, softer this time, but far more piercing.
I could feel the gravity between us—something stronger than logic, more real than fear. I wanted to say something, to deny it, to turn around and walk away. But all I did was stand there, letting Pierce pull me deeper into his world.
As if he understood my silence, he moved again. His fingers brushed under my chin, tilting it up gently until I had no choice but to meet his gaze.
"You still haven't answered me."
I bit my lip, holding back everything that threatened to spill out—doubt, denial, and the one feeling I couldn't ignore.
I should have said 'no.' I should have walked away.
But I was still here.
And Pierce knew it.
A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips—not triumphant, but something softer, something dangerous because it meant he understood.
"Elsie…" he whispered, and before I could react, he leaned in closer.
I could feel the heat of his body, the weight of his presence pressing into the space between us. He didn't touch me further, didn't force me to move closer.
He was just waiting.
Waiting for me to stop hiding.
And the most terrifying part of it all—I wasn't sure if I wanted to hide anymore.
I could have stepped back. I could have refused. But I didn't.
The silence between us grew heavier, as if there was only enough air in the room for one of us to breathe. I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breath that was beginning to falter.
Pierce didn't move any closer, but he didn't pull away either. He just watched me—patient, like a wolf that knew its prey would eventually surrender.
"I can hear your heartbeat," he murmured, his voice deep, almost teasing. "So fast, Elsie."
I bit my lip, but that only made his gaze drop, watching the small movement with an intensity that trapped me even further.
"But you're still silent."
I knew this was a dangerous game. I knew Pierce always had a way of making me feel like this—cornered, exposed, as if I were a secret he had already unraveled long before I realized it myself.
I wanted to say something, but my throat was too dry.
Pierce lifted his hand slowly, almost as if giving me a chance to step away if I wanted to. But I stayed where I was.
His fingers brushed against my cheek, soft and warm. Not forceful.
Just a single touch, yet it felt enough to tether me deeper into his gravity.
"Still hiding?" he asked, his voice turning into a whisper, almost playful, but his eyes were anything but.
I knew I should have answered. I knew I should have refused.
But when he leaned in closer, when his breath ghosted over my skin, I realized something I was never meant to admit.
I had nowhere left to hide.
I took a deep breath, trying to ignore everything spinning in my head. But Pierce's gaze was too sharp, too demanding, and I knew I couldn't stay silent any longer.
"I…" My voice was unsteady, almost a whisper caught in my throat.
Pierce didn't move, but his eyes sharpened, as if he had been waiting far longer than I had imagined.
I closed my eyes for a moment, gathering what little courage I had left. "I'm tired of hiding, Pierce."
Something shifted in his expression. His jaw tensed slightly, but his eyes—God, those eyes—were like a storm that had just found its point of destruction.
I continued, even as my voice trembled. "I'm tired of pretending I don't know what you want, what I want."
Pierce lifted his hand, threading his fingers through my hair, his touch slow, as if making sure I wouldn't run this time.
"So, you're finally admitting it," he murmured, his voice deeper, heavier.
I met his gaze, no longer trying to look away. "Yes."
A flicker of emotion crossed his face—something almost like victory, but more than that. Something deeper, something far more dangerous.
Pierce traced his thumb along my cheek, his eyes studying my face as if committing every detail to memory.
"In that case," he whispered, leaning in until only a sliver of space remained between us, "stop running, Elsie."
And this time, I wasn't thinking about running anymore.
I stared at him, feeling my heart pounding inside my chest. There were no more excuses to run. No more lies to hide behind.
Pierce tilted my face slightly higher, tracing my expression, making sure that I was really here—with him, without any distance left to create.
"Elsie," he whispered, almost like a plea, yet his voice remained steady, full of control.
I exhaled softly, letting the gravity between us pull me closer. "I'm here, Pierce."
His eyes darkened, as if my words had just ignited a greater fire within him. His fingers trailed along my jawline, down to my neck, stopping there as he felt the rapid pulse beneath my skin.
"Say it again," he murmured, his voice quiet but laced with tension.
I swallowed, then repeated myself, firmer this time. "I'm here."
Within seconds, Pierce had pulled me fully into his world. His gaze locked onto mine, making sure I wouldn't go anywhere. And I wasn't going anywhere. I knew that now.
"Finally," he whispered, his breath brushing against my lips, freezing me in place.
I should be afraid. I should step back.
But I stayed. Because, in the midst of all the storms between us, I realized one thing—
I didn't want to leave.
Pierce looked at me as if I were the only real thing in this world. His fingers still rested against my neck, feeling the rapid pulse of my racing heartbeat.
"Elsie…" his voice was softer this time, as if he wanted to pull me into the gravity of his presence.
I didn't answer. I just waited, letting the silence speak louder than any words ever could.
Then, in one slow but deliberate movement, Pierce lowered his face, inching closer, his breath ghosting over my skin like embers burning away the uncertainty between us.
"I'm not letting you go again," he said, his voice deep, filled with a promise that couldn't be ignored.
I should have asked why. I should have resisted, refused to let him take control of me again.
But instead, I answered, my voice trembling between my unsteady breaths.
"I don't want to leave."
Pierce shut his eyes for a brief moment, as if trying to contain something raging within him. And when he opened them again, there was something darker, deeper, more… dangerous.
"Good," he whispered, his lips mere inches from mine.
His fingers trailed downward, slowly, tracing the length of my arm, mapping every inch of my skin as if committing it to memory.
"I want you to always say that," he continued, his voice lower now, yet piercing through me like a blade.
I swallowed hard, unable to look away from the intensity in his gaze.
Pierce leaned in, so close his lips nearly brushed mine—but he didn't close the distance. He simply waited, giving me the space to pull away, to refuse if I wanted to.
But I didn't step back.
I stayed.
And when I finally took a deep breath and closed the distance between us, I knew—
I had fallen too deep.
Pierce's lips were barely a breath away from mine, just the thinnest sliver of air separating us. But he was still waiting. As if giving me one last chance to step back. To think twice.
But I didn't move.
I closed my eyes, letting my racing heartbeat speak for me.
And finally, Pierce erased the distance.
His kiss wasn't rushed, not demanding the way I had imagined. Instead, it was… slow. Deep. As if he wanted me to feel every second of it, to understand exactly what was happening between us.
His hand slid up to the nape of my neck, holding me in his grasp, as if afraid I would change my mind.
But I didn't.
I kissed him back.
Something in him shifted instantly.
His movements deepened, growing stronger, as if he no longer wanted any space left between us. I felt his fingers grip my waist, pulling me closer until there was nothing separating us anymore.
I didn't know how long we were lost in this storm.
All I knew was that when Pierce finally pulled away, my breath was already unsteady.
He looked at me deeply, his fingers still resting against the side of my face.
"I'm not letting you go," he murmured, his voice rough, filled with something unspoken.
I stared back at him, unsure of what to say.
Because what scared me wasn't the fact that he wouldn't let me go.
What scared me was… I no longer wanted to leave.
Pierce was still watching me, as if searching for something in my eyes—doubt, regret, or maybe the urge to run. But there was none.
I was still here.
His hand remained on my face, his thumb tracing along my jawline, the touch so light yet enough to set my skin on fire.
"Elsie," he whispered, his voice almost hoarse, as if he was holding back something bigger than he could say.
I couldn't look away. I couldn't even think straight.
The only thing that felt real at this moment was him.
Pierce's hand traveled down, gliding over my shoulder, down my arm, before finally settling on my waist. His movements were slow, but there was something in the way he touched me—something certain, as if I was something he wasn't willing to let go of.
I bit my lip without realizing it, and that made his gaze change. Darker. Deeper.
"Don't do that," he said, his voice lower than before.
I blinked, not immediately understanding. "Do what?"
His lips curled slightly—not a full smile, but just enough to make my chest tighten.
"That," he murmured, his thumb brushing against the corner of my lips. "Biting your lip like that."
I swallowed, suddenly aware of the small effect I had never thought about before.
But before I could say anything, Pierce moved again. He pulled me closer, our bodies pressed together with barely any space left between us.
"You don't know how insane you make me, Elsie," he murmured, his voice deep, almost like a confession tangled in our uneven breaths.
I could feel his warmth, hear the rapid beat of his heart matching my own.
And the most terrifying thing of all—I didn't want to pull away.
I wanted to be closer.
So when Pierce lowered his head, erasing the space between us once more, I knew…
I had truly fallen into his world.
Pierce kissed me again, but this time, there was no hesitation. No pause to reconsider.
His kiss was deep, as if he wanted to make sure I was truly here—with him, for him. His hands tightened around my waist, pulling me closer until I could barely breathe, but I didn't care.
I kissed him back, letting myself sink even deeper into the storm he created.
By the time we pulled apart, my breath was already uneven. My heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my own ears.
Pierce held my gaze, his eyes burning with something far greater than mere desire. Something darker. Something dangerous.
He brushed his thumb over my lips, as if trying to erase the trace of his kiss, but we both knew that was impossible.
"I want you to remember this, Elsie," he said, his voice low, rough—almost like a quiet threat. "Understand?"
I swallowed, searching for words, but my tongue felt too stiff to speak.
Pierce gave a small smile, but his eyes remained sharp.
"You know I don't share, don't you?" he whispered, his hand still cradling my face, making it impossible for me to look away.
I knew. I had known from the start.
Pierce wasn't someone who did things halfway. If he wanted something, he would have it completely. No gaps. No compromises.
And now, I was something he wanted.
I should have been afraid. I should have pulled away.
But all I did was stare back at him, letting my body remain in his grasp.
Pierce gave a slight nod, as if he understood my answer without me needing to say it.
"Good," he murmured, before kissing me again—deeper, stronger, more demanding.
And I knew then—there was no turning back.
Pierce kissed me with even deeper intensity, as if he was affirming that I belonged to him. His fingers circled the back of my neck, deepening the kiss, making me lose more and more control.
I should have pulled away, should have put some distance between us. But I didn't.
His hands trailed down to my waist, gripping me tightly as if he refused to let me go. His body was so close, his heat seeping into my skin, making me lose all sense of direction.
When he finally pulled away, our breaths were both ragged. His eyes studied my face, as if making sure I didn't regret this—didn't regret the depths we had fallen into together.
"You're mine, Elsie," he whispered, his voice deep and unwavering.
I swallowed hard. Those words felt like an undeniable truth. And the most terrifying part was—I didn't want to deny them.
Pierce traced my jawline with his thumb, his touch gentle yet carrying an undeniable claim.
"No matter where you try to run, I'll always find you," he said, his eyes filled with certainty.
I should have felt trapped, but instead, I felt something else—something strange that warmed my chest in a way I couldn't explain.
Pierce held my gaze for a long moment before a small smile appeared on his lips—not entirely soft, but not quite a threat either. It was the smile of a man who knew he had already won.
"You know that, don't you?" he murmured, his fingers still resting against my neck, feeling the rapid pulse beneath my skin.
I didn't answer. I only looked at him, letting the silence speak for me.
Because deep down, I knew—
I would never truly be able to run from him.
Pierce didn't let go of me. His fingers were still resting on my neck, his thumb slowly stroking my skin as if trying to calm my still erratic heartbeat. But I knew better than that.
He wasn't trying to soothe me—he was reminding me. That I was here. That I couldn't leave.
And worse… I didn't want to leave.
I looked at him, my breathing still uneven. There was something in Pierce's gaze that held me captive—something sharp, demanding, yet impossible to resist.
"Are you still thinking of running?" he asked, his voice quiet, but I could hear the tension beneath it.
I didn't answer.
Pierce leaned in closer, his eyes locking onto mine, making sure I wasn't going anywhere.
"No," I finally murmured, barely above a whisper.
And just like that, I saw something shift in his expression.
He smiled— not a soft smile, but not a cruel one either. It was the smile of someone who knew he had secured something precious.
"Good," he whispered, his fingers trailing down my arm before stopping at my waist.
My body tensed, but I didn't pull away.
"Elsie…"
His voice was lower, deeper. There was something in the way he said my name that made me feel as if I was the only thing that mattered to him.
I knew I should resist this. I should say something logical, something that would stop this storm before I got pulled in any deeper.
But when Pierce pulled me closer, when his breath brushed against my skin once more, I realized something I wasn't ready to admit.
I had already chosen to fall.
And there was no way back.
Pierce didn't rush. His fingers remained on my waist, holding me as if I were something precious—something he had no intention of letting go.
I could feel his breath near my face, warm and steady, while mine was still uneven.
"Look at me," he said softly.
I swallowed before finally lifting my gaze to meet his.
That look—God, that look. As if he was holding onto something deeper, darker, more dangerous. As if he was making sure that I was really here. With him.
"Don't look away," he continued, his voice almost a command.
I didn't.
And just like that, he smiled—just a small, knowing smile.
"Good," he murmured, before his hand moved, trailing up my arm before stopping at my jaw. He touched me gently, almost in contrast to the intensity I saw in his eyes.
His fingers caressed my skin slowly, as if memorizing every inch of my existence.
"Elsie," he whispered, his voice low, almost like a secret.
I didn't know what he wanted to say.
Or maybe I did, but I was afraid to hear it.
All I could do was wait, my heartbeat pounding so hard in my chest that I was sure he could hear it.
Then, Pierce leaned in closer—so close that I could feel the warmth of his body surrounding me.
"You know this won't end here, don't you?" he said softly, his eyes scanning my face with unwavering focus.
I knew what he meant.
This wasn't just about this moment. It wasn't just about the kisses we had shared.
It was more than that.
I knew that once I said yes—once I allowed myself to fall deeper—there would be no turning back.
"Answer me," he urged, his voice lower, more demanding.
I took a deep breath, trying to ignore all the warnings screaming inside my head.
And then, I did the one thing that would change everything.
I nodded.
And in that moment, I saw something shift in Pierce's eyes—something deeper, stronger.
Something I could no longer escape.