The Wedding Night: A Dance of Temptation

Selena stood frozen in the middle of the luxurious bedroom, her breaths shallow and uneven. She felt like a rabbit caught in a hunter’s gaze, and the hunter was Julian Mathers.  

He stood by the window with his tall frame. The sleeves of his crisp white shirt were rolled up, exposing strong forearms, and the top buttons were undone, revealing a hint of his toned chest. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, and his intense, almost predatory gaze was locked on her.  

Selena’s heart pounded in her chest as he took a slow, deliberate step toward her. She felt the heat of his presence before he even touched her.  

“Why are you trembling?” Julian asked, his voice a low, velvety drawl. He smirked, a wicked glint in his dark eyes. “Are you afraid of me?”  

She swallowed hard, her throat becoming dry. “I’m not afraid of you,” she lied because her voice was barely above a whisper.  

Julian’s smirk deepened as he closed the distance between them. He tilted his head, studying her with the intensity of a predator sizing up his prey. 

“No? Then why are your hands shaking?”  

Selena quickly clasped her hands together, trying to hide her nervousness. But Julian noticed everything as he always does. 

“You’re like an open book,” his voice turned softer though no less dangerous. “And right now, I’m having far too much fun reading you.”  

She looked away, her cheeks burning, but he caught her chin between his fingers and forced her to meet his gaze. His touch was firm but not rough, and the heat of his skin sent a shiver down her spine.  

“Look at me when I'm talking to you,” he commanded in his deep voice. “I'm not someone whom you can show your ignorance.” 

Her wide, doe-like eyes met his, and for a moment, she felt like she was drowning in their depths. His gaze was dark and intense, filled with something she couldn’t quite decipher—something dangerous or maybe something alluring too. 

“Hmm, not bad. You’re beautiful,” His thumb brushed against her jawline, and she gasped at the unexpected tenderness of the gesture.  

“Julian…Stop-” she began, but he silenced her by placing a finger against her rosy soft lips.  

“Shh,” he shushed her, his voice laced with both amusement and authority. “I’ve waited a long time for this moment. Don’t spoil it. Let me take a good look at my prize.”  

She tried to step back, but he caught her wrist and pulled her closer. Her breath hitched as she collided with his chest, the warmth of his body seeping into her.  

“Don’t run,” he said softly, his lips curving into an almost sadistic smile. “You’ll only make me chase you the more you try to run.”  

Selena’s pulse raced as his other hand moved to her waist, his fingers grazing the fabric of her dress. She felt trapped, but not entirely unwilling. There was something about the way he looked at her, the way he touched her, that made her feel both terrified and exhilarated.  

“You’re nervous,” his tone was almost teasing. She stubbornly shook her head and he chuckled. “But I can feel it.”  

Her cheeks flushed, and she tried to push him away, but he didn’t budge. Instead, he leaned in closer, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, “Do you know how alluring you look when you’re like this? So unsure, so…vulnerable. Solely at my mercy.”  

“Julian, please,” she nervously tried to push this strange man away. 

“Please what?” he asked, pulling back just enough to look into her eyes. His gaze was scorching, filled with a dangerous mixture of desire and control. “Tell me. What is it you’re begging for?”  

Her lips parted, but no words came out. She couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, under the weight of his stare.  

He chuckled softly again, the sound low and rich. “You don’t know, do you? Poor little princess.”  

His hand moved from her waist to the small of her back, pulling her even closer. She gasped at the intimacy of the gesture, her hands instinctively resting against his chest. She could feel the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath her palms, and it only made her more aware of how close they were.  

“Relax,” he murmured, his lips dangerously close to hers. “I won’t hurt you…unless you want me to.”  

Her eyes widened at his words, and he laughed—a deep, wicked sound that sent shivers down her spine.  

“Don’t look so shocked,” he said, his voice dripping with amusement. “You should know by now that I always get what I want.”  

“Then why don't you just tell me what you want from me? What's the real motive of you marrying me? What do you-” 

His eyes darkened and he leaned in, his lips brushing against hers in the faintest of touches. 

“You,” he said simply. “Every part of you.”  

Her breath caught as he closed the distance between them, his lips capturing hers in a kiss that was both possessive and demanding. She felt the world tilt on its axis as his hands roamed her back, his touch setting her skin ablaze even through the fabric of her dress.  

When he finally pulled back, she was breathless, her cheeks flushed and her heart pounding.  

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and something else—something she wasn’t ready to name.  

“Get some rest,” he said, his tone softer now. “We have a long road ahead of us. You need to be prepared.” 

And with that, he released her and walked toward the door, leaving her standing there, her heart still racing and her mind a mess. 

Selena stood in the center of the room, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she watched Julian leave. The door clicked shut behind him, and the echo seemed louder than it should have been, reverberating in the silence of the grand bedroom.  

She blinked, her mind racing. What just happened? She half-expected him to return, to continue whatever game he was playing, but the door remained closed.  

Her knees felt weak, and she sank onto the edge of the bed, her hands trembling as she gripped the edge of the mattress. 

“What the hell was that?” she whispered to herself. 

The memory of his touch lingered, the heat of his hands on her waist, the way his lips had brushed hers with maddening confidence. She shivered, the sensation both unwanted and too vivid to ignore.  

“No!” she said aloud, shaking her head as if to clear it. “Don’t think about it, Selena. Don’t let him get into your head.”  

But it was easier said than done. Julian’s dark eyes, the way they seemed to pierce through her, the smirk that played on his lips as if he were privy to her every thought—it was all too much.  

“He’s freaking insane,” she muttered, falling back onto the bed. She stared up at the ceiling, her hands clutching the fabric of her dress as she tried to steady her breathing. “A sick, twisted man.”  

Yet, no matter how much she told herself that, her mind kept replaying the moment when he had pulled her close, his touch sending shivers down her spine. Her fingers unconsciously brushed her jaw, remembering how his thumb had traced it.  

She bolted upright, horrified at her own thoughts. “No! He’s the villain here. He’s ruining my life, my family’s life.”  

Her thoughts shifted to her father, and a pang of worry pierced her chest. Tomorrow, she needed to find out if he was okay, if Julian had truly kept his word.  

She exhaled sharply, leaning forward and burying her face in her hands.  

“The first thing I’ll do is go back to Dad and see if everything is really fine.”  

She bit her lip as Julian’s unpredictability terrified her. She didn’t trust him, not one bit.  

“Urghh! This man is crazy!”