Chapter 7 Seven

• CRYSTAL
• After breakfast, Kai and I stay at the table, talking quietly. Kai’s eyes light up as he shares his plans for us...places we could escape to when the warm months arrive, cities we’d once dreamed of visiting when life still felt simple. Hearing him speak like this makes my chest feel full, almost weightless. I can’t stop smiling at him.
• Eventually, he glances at the time. “You should lie down for a bit. My meeting’s coming up soon.”
• His phone keeps buzzing, the screen lighting up over and over—his dad, his grandfather, even numbers I know belong to people from my family. Every time, he swipes the call away without hesitation.
• I slip into bed while he heads to the bathroom. When he comes out, freshly showered, he kisses my cheek. “Wish me luck.”
• “All the best, Kai,” I say softly.
• Once he’s gone, I try to close my eyes, but sleep refuses to come. Out of habit, I scroll through my phone… and my stomach knots instantly. Every trending post is about Kai’s wedding to Alora. Their faces are everywhere. Hashtags, photos, engagement spreads—it’s as if I’ve been erased overnight.
• The comments sting the longer I read, so I shut the phone off and leave it face-down on the bed. Maybe a shower will help clear my head.
• Steam clings to my skin as I step out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around me, hair dripping. I’m halfway to the dresser when I hear footsteps.
• “Hey, Kai.”
• The warm, almost boyish smile on his face tells me everything....I know instantly that his meeting went well.
• “That was quick,” I tease.
• “Yes,” he says, pulling me into his arms. His lips brush my temple. “Your hair’s wet, but… I like this towel on you.” His grin deepens. “Come on, I’ll help you dry it.”
• He plugs in the dryer, guiding me to sit, and the gentle pull of warm air moves through my hair.
• “Well,” he says over the soft hum, “here’s the good news. Everything’s in place. I’ve seized control of my family’s assets, but the official announcement will be made tomorrow. By 11 a.m., the world will know the company’s mine.”
• I turn in my chair to look at him. “And your wedding…?”
• “My wedding to Alora is set for 12,” he says with a smirk. “I’ll be there so no one suspects a thing. But the moment the announcement breaks, I’m leaving. Tonight, I’m staying here with you. Tomorrow morning, I’ll go back, play my part, then drive straight to the airport after the news hits.”
• He leans forward, his eyes locking on mine. “You’ll already be there, waiting. Remember that garden near the airport?”
• “Yes.”
• “Sit there by 11. No delays. I’ve already bought our tickets.” He pulls them from his pocket, the paper still crisp.
• “You’re very thorough,” I say, smiling.
• “Always,” he replies. “By the time anyone realizes I’m gone, we’ll be in the sky.”
• I throw my arms around him. “Thank you for making it so easy.”
• “Go get dressed,” he says, his smile softening.
• When I return in a simple white dress, I stop in my tracks. The villa is glowing...tiny strings of lights spelling out 'I love you, Crystal' in shifting colors across the walls.
• “Wow…” My voice cracks. “It’s beautiful. I love you too.”
• He steps closer, his gaze unflinching. “Words will never be enough to tell you how I feel. There is no universe where I can live without you.”
• I smile, my heart pulling tight. “I loved you from the moment you gave me a pinky swear you’d never have lunch without me.”
• He laughs, that deep, warm sound that’s always felt like home, and then his lips are on mine...soft at first, then deepening until we’re both breathless.
• “I have to stop now,” he whispers against my mouth.
• “No, don’t stop,” I murmur, chasing his lips.
• He chuckles, low and strained. “We’re not married yet. Tomorrow, when we land, we’ll get married. Then nothing will hold me back....no matter what you say.”
• “But I don’t want you to hold back now,” I tell him, my voice firmer this time.
• He seems surprised. “But.... you said before.....”
• “I know what I said.” I look into his eyes intensely. “The truth is, I’ve wanted you from the moment I understood what wanting someone meant. My mom’s rule of 'No Sex Before Marriage'…...they were hers, not mine. And she's made it clear—I’m no longer her daughter. I’m no longer the Denzel heiress. So I don’t have to follow her rules anymore.”
• His gaze sharpens. “Are you sure?”
• I smile. “Do you really need to ask?”
• His question still hangs between us, but I don’t give him time to think.
• I take his hand and guide it to my waist.
• “I’ve never been more sure of anything,” I whisper, my voice trembling with want.
• His eyes darken, heat swirling in their depths. “Crystal…”
• I silence him with my mouth. My lips crash into his, hungry, desperate. The taste of him is addictive... warm, familiar, and completely mine. His hands grip my hips, pulling me flush against him, and I can feel shaft… hard, full, pressing against my stomach.
• A shiver rips through me. My pulse pounds in my ears.
• He lifts me, my legs wrapping around his waist instinctively, and carries me to the bed. When he lays me down, his gaze roams over me like he’s memorizing every inch.
• “You’re so beautiful,” he murmurs, his voice low, almost reverent.
• I reach for him, pulling him closer. “Then show me,” I breathe.
• His mouth claims mine again, slower now, deeper. His hands slide under my dress, palms warm against my thighs, pushing the fabric up until it’s bunched around my hips. The cool air hits my skin, and I gasp when his fingers brush over the damp heat between my legs.
• “You’re already wet for me,” he says, almost in awe.
• My cheeks burn, but I don’t look away. “I’ve been wet for you since the moment you touched me.”
• He groans, kissing down my neck, nipping at the skin until I arch into him. His fingers slip beneath my panties, finding my slick folds. When his thumb circles my clit, pleasure jolts through me, and I bite my lip to keep from moaning too loud.
• “Don’t hold back,” he whispers. “I want to hear you.”
• My control shatters as two fingers begin to rub my clit... slow, careful, driving me crazy. The feeling is new and strange, but the way he watches me, checking my face, makes me feel safe and loved.
• “Kai…” My voice breaks around his name.
• My hips move without my permission. The pressure builds so fast I can barely breathe.
• Before I can fall apart, he pulls his fingers away, stripping his shirt in one smooth motion. My breath catches at the sight of him... broad chest, hard muscle, the man I’ve dreamed of for years finally here, finally mine.
• When he pushes his pants down, my eyes widen at the size of him. Long and big. My body clenches in anticipation and a little fear.
• He sees it in my face and leans down, kissing me softly. “We can stop....”
• “I don’t want to stop,” I whisper, even though my heart is racing.
• He nods, and slowly lines himself up. The blunt head of his cock presses against my entrance, and he pushes just a little, enough to make my breath hitch.
• The sting hits immediately. My body tenses, my nails dig into his shoulders.
• “Breathe for me,” he murmurs, brushing his lips over mine. “Relax, baby.”
• I try, letting out a shaky exhale, and he inches deeper. The fullness is overwhelming, the stretch almost too much, and I can’t help the small whimper that escapes me.
• “Hurts?” he asks, stilling.
• “A little,” I admit. “But… don’t stop.”
• He cups my face, kissing me as if to take my mind off the pain. Slowly, he pushes deeper, giving me time to adjust. The burn eases bit by bit, replaced with a strange, aching pleasure.
• When he’s fully inside me, he stays still, forehead pressed to mine. “You feel so good.......so perfect.”
• I swallow, my body starting to melt around him. “Move, Kai… please.”
• His first thrust is shallow, and careful. The next is a little deeper. The friction sends a rush of heat through me, and soon the sting is fading, replaced by a new, consuming need.
• His lips find mine again, and I can taste the groan he swallows when I meet his thrusts.
• “You’re mine, Crystal.” He groans. "Only you."
• “Always,” I breathe, and I mean it with every piece of my heart.
• The rhythm builds, his cock sliding deeper, hitting a spot that makes my toes curl. My nails dig into his back, my moans spilling freely now.
• The pace builds, and I find myself meeting his hips, my moans spilling freely. The ache is gone now, all that’s left is pleasure, raw and intense.
• “Kai… I’m so close....”
• “Let go for me, baby.”
• His thumb finds my clit, rubbing in fast circles, and I shatter around him, my walls pulsing, gripping him tight. He groans my name, spilling hot inside me, and collapses against me, both of us breathless.
• He brushes a strand of hair from my face. “You okay?”
• I smile, still dazed. “More than okay."
• Our breathing slows, the wild rhythm between us settling into something softer. The world feels quiet now, like the air itself is holding its breath around us.
• Kai doesn’t move away. Instead, he pulls me into his chest, tucking me under his chin, his hand drawing lazy circles on my back. His heartbeat is strong and steady, and I feel it under my palm as if I could memorize it.
• “I love you, Crystal,” he murmurs, his lips brushing the top of my hair. “Today and forever.”
• The words sink into me. My chest tightens, but not from sadness, from that aching kind of happiness that feels almost too big to hold.
• I lift my head just enough to meet his gaze. “I love you too, Kai. Today and forever.”
• He smiles... that smile that crinkles the corners of his eyes, and kisses me once, slow and lingering, before pressing his forehead to mine.
• We stay like that, tangled together, glittering lights casting soft colors across the room.
• His hand finds mine under the blanket, fingers lacing with mine like they belong there. And as sleep tugs at me, I hear him whisper, almost to himself, “Nothing will take you from me.”