Twenty One

CHAPTER 21

Antonio grinned with satisfaction, secretly enjoying his manipulation of Cassandra. In the dimly lit luxury apartment, with mahogany-paneled walls and priceless paintings hanging as silent witnesses to his deceitful games, Cassandra stood by the window. Her eyes were fixed on the twinkling city lights below. The cold night air seeped in through the window gap, brushing her skin, but it was nothing compared to the chilling presence of Antonio.

"Cassandra," Antonio's voice broke the silence, a soft whisper laced with threat. "I hope you realize your performance earlier was very impressive. But don’t think you can play games with me."

Cassandra swallowed hard, trying to maintain her composed expression. She turned and met Antonio’s gaze with a calculating look. "I only acted as you asked, Antonio. I know how to play this role."

Antonio's gaze hardened, and with a swift step, he closed the distance, cornering Cassandra against the wall. Her heart pounded rapidly, but she showed no fear. She had prepared for this moment, bracing herself for years to be this close to her enemy.

"I like smart women like you," he whispered, his smile revealing perfectly white teeth. "But don’t forget who’s in control."

Cassandra leaned closer, her breath carrying a challenge. "Your control won’t last forever, Antonio."

Antonio’s smile faded, replaced by a sharp look that seemed to drop the temperature of the room by several degrees. He stepped even closer, the gap between them nearly nonexistent. Then, in a surprising move, he shed his shirt, revealing his muscular, sculpted torso, adding heat to the already tense atmosphere.

Strangely, Cassandra felt an undeniable attraction to Antonio’s physique. Her body shivered with a confusing desire as her grip on the knife wavered. The cold breeze brushing her face seemed to remind her of the dangerous mission she was on, yet Antonio's magnetic pull clouded her resolve. Her chest heaved as she forced herself to stay focused, but the subtle tremors in her body betrayed her.

Antonio raised an eyebrow, as though sensing the hidden unease in Cassandra’s blue eyes. With a smirk tugging at his lips, he reached out and touched her cheek, his fingers cold yet gentle. Cassandra held her breath, feeling the touch like an electric current spreading through her body. She struggled not to succumb to the intimacy she knew Antonio was using as a weapon to control her.

"You're trembling, Cassandra," Antonio whispered in a low voice that made her heartbeat grow more erratic. His dark eyes traced her face, searching for cracks in the defenses she was desperately trying to hold up. Cassandra knew one wrong move could trap her in a snare of her own making.

With a smooth motion, Antonio leaned even closer, the distance between them disappearing entirely. The scent of his woody cologne filled the air, mingling with the faint vanilla aroma of Cassandra’s skin. Their breaths mingled in the thin space between their lips, almost touching.

Cassandra closed her eyes briefly, trying to quell the sudden surge of emotion in her heart. Her hand, which clutched the small knife behind her back, trembled. But as the moments stretched, her grip weakened. Desire and determination waged war within her, leaving her increasingly confused.

Antonio lowered his hand from Cassandra’s cheek to her neck, tracing her skin with a slow yet firm touch. "Are you still planning to fight me, darling?" he asked, his tone so low it was almost a growl. His lips hovered dangerously close, and Cassandra could feel the heat of his body against hers.

The heat and tension in the air grew suffocating. Cassandra opened her eyes, staring at Antonio with a storm of conflicting emotions. All her plans, intentions, and logic began to fade, drowned by the depth of his penetrating gaze.

Antonio moved closer, kissing the nape of Cassandra’s neck, which carried the faint scent of vanilla. Cassandra felt her body shiver as the woody aroma of Antonio’s cologne wafted over her, igniting a confusingly strong urge.

Antonio’s lips brushed along Cassandra’s neck, and she let out a soft sigh. Strangely, she found herself unable to resist. The touch of his lips on her skin felt like slow-burning fire, trapping her between reality and unwanted temptation. She could feel the heat of Antonio’s body pressing closer, the infinitesimal distance between them vanishing as their breaths intertwined in the heated silence.

Cassandra struggled to regain control of herself, her mind commanding her to step back, to remind herself that this was all a ploy. But her body seemed to betray that intention. Antonio’s hand moving along her arm sent shivers racing up her spine. Her heart pounded as though racing against time, creating the illusion that they were caught in an endless moment.

Antonio’s sharp gaze pierced the defenses Cassandra had painstakingly built. He pulled back slightly, just enough to study Cassandra’s hesitant expression. His lips curved into a half-mocking smile. "What are you thinking, Cassandra?" he murmured, tracing her jawline with his cold fingertips.

Cassandra could only respond with a blank stare, her lips slightly parted as if to speak but no words came out. The small knife she had been gripping now felt heavy in her hand, increasingly like a foreign object that didn’t belong between them. Her breath hitched, and the once-clear vision of her revenge began to blur under the haze of emotions she didn’t want to admit.

Antonio leaned in again, this time his lips brushing against Cassandra’s earlobe. His voice was low and challenging. "Is this what you wanted? To surrender to me?"

The question shattered Cassandra’s last defense. She knew it was a trap, knew Antonio was manipulating her, yet his allure felt like a dark spell she couldn’t resist. She inhaled deeply, trying to reclaim her logical focus, but it was futile. Antonio’s lips trailed along her neck again, this time with deeper kisses, causing Cassandra to bite her lip to suppress an involuntary moan. Her hand, once gripping the small knife tightly, began to lower, until the blade slipped from her grasp and fell softly onto the thick carpet beneath them.

Antonio didn’t notice the sound, and his satisfied smile returned. He touched Cassandra’s chin, lifting her face until their eyes met. "There’s no need to pretend to be strong, Cassandra," he said, his tone mocking yet intoxicating. His fingers traced the line of her jaw before grazing her soft lips. Cassandra held her breath, her body tensing under his touch.

"Damn it," Cassandra thought bitterly, angry at herself for letting this game overwhelm her.

But when Antonio leaned down and kissed her passionately, all her anger transformed into a fiery heat burning from within. The kiss was deep and commanding, as though Antonio was asserting his dominance over Cassandra’s life.

Cassandra closed her eyes, letting herself sink into the sensations flowing from the kiss. She felt her body shiver as though consumed by an unfamiliar, unexpected warmth.

While her mind screamed in anger, her body betrayed her hidden desires. "Damn it," Cassandra thought again, this time with more bitterness. "I should’ve killed this bastard. But my body… can’t seem to resist him at all."