Chapter 295 - Who Am I?
Chapter 295 – Who Am I?
Kaden turned, realizing she was awake the whole time. Or, was she just conscious? He glanced down at her thin hands. She had gained weight. Relief filled him, but he realized it wasn't healthy. Her grip was firmer, but he could see the malnutrition in her dull skin. Did she get her meals from alcohol?
"Stay," Lina insisted.
"Who am I?" Kaden returned.
"Stay," she mumbled, this time, her voice filled with confusion.
"You do not know." Kaden realized the alcohol and drug in her system were ruining her judgement. She wasn't herself.
"I do not care."
Kaden allowed himself to be pulled back to the bed. He dared not to divulge in the luxury of her touch, but she was resilient. Lina climbed onto him. His entire body stilled.
"Dove."
"Don't go," Lina mumbled, wrapping her arms like a koala around his shoulders.
Lina embraced him tightly, regardless if she knew his identity or not. Her breathing grew heavy. Like a child, she nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck. She sought for his warmest spot like a greedy cold blooded animal. Whimpering when he pulled away, attempting to separate themselves, she tightened her hold.
"Don't let me go." Lina held onto him, her lips brushing against his skin. "I'm cold. So… so cold."
"Who am I?" Kaden insisted.
"I do not know…"
Kaden gritted his teeth. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her back. Tears filled her eyes and his heart shattered.
"Dove—"
"Won't you warm me up?" Lina murmured, lowering her gaze to the hands that clenched her tightly.
"You are not in the right state of mind. You do not even know me," Kaden seethed.
"It doesn't matter."
"It does," Kaden insisted. "You will regret this in the morning. You—"
"You're just a stranger on the streets, you won't be the first in my bed and you won't be the last."
Kaden's patience snapped. His eyes turned stormy. He yanked her towards him, finger in her hair and hand on her throat. Who was it? Who dared to touch what was his? Who dared enter a place that was molded to his shape?
"Hey, you're as violent as my ex."
Kaden felt cold water pour over his molten body. He shot out of the bed, releasing her instantly. Violent. Was he like that with her? He didn't believe so.
Immediately, like an abandoned cat, Lina sat on her bed and tilted her head confusion. Without warning, tears slid down her face.
"What fucking drug did they feed you?" Kaden seethed, grabbing her chin and forcing her face to look up.
Lina always knew to stab where it hurt. She knew his weakness. Her tears were like bullets ripping through his organs. His flesh was on fire, his chest prickled, thorns spreading throughout his entire body. She was crying. She was in tears and he wasn't helping her.
"Is it because I can't afford you?" Lina naively asked. "I can pay you."
"Men would sell their entire fortunes to spend a night with you, much less you pay me," Kaden gritted out.
Kaden felt both offended yet humored by her words. And he meant what he said. He's heard of her clients who pursued her beauty. He heard of the people admiring the art in the gallery, whilst taking secretive glances her way.
"Then—"
"Your desperation is caused by the drug. Sleep."
"I'm cold."
"Good for you," Kaden deadpanned.
Kaden shoved her back into the bed, despite her grabby limbs. He forced himself to remain calm. He could not let her provocations get to him. Even when her dress strap slipped down her shoulders, seductive and lewd. Her lips were parted and red, begging for a taste. She whimpered from a slight touch, the sound shooting straight to his groin.
"I know you have more respect for yourself. You'll regret tonight." Kaden debated rolling her in a burrito blanket and forcing her to remain still.
"You've always had respect for yourself," Kaden muttered, the words filling him with pride.
This was only a slight moment of weakness, despite how high she climbed. Lina had tangled herself with everything she wanted in life. Well-educated, self-earned freedom, and obtained the future she wanted. Now what?
"So for the love of your pride, sleep, dove. Sleep and forget we ever met tonight."
Lina didn't understand the stranger's kind's words. Lina wished she could've told him the truth. His gentleness shattered her insides. No one else but her had been in this bed. She only wanted him to fill her with warmth, for her fingers felt like ice and she was growing numb.
"Your pulse is weak," Kaden realized, touching her wrist.
It was no wonder Lina felt cold. Her blood was thinning and she was turning blue. It was one hell of a drug, but so was she.
"You're just going to let me freeze to death?"
"Yes, or else you'd stab me to death tomorrow." Kaden deadpanned.
Instead of letting her provocation get to him, Kaden respected her as a woman and set boundaries that her drunken and drugged state could not. Kaden got out of the bed, found the temperature control and raised the heat.
With his back turned and adjusting the monitors, he heard rustling. Before he could react, something was tossed at him. Squinting at the discarded material, he bent and picked it up. The second he touched the material, his blood turned heated.
"Dove," Kaden growled.
This damn woman. One day, she was going to murder him. He was so hard that it was beginning to hurt. Gritting his teeth, he shoved her lace panties into his pocket.
Luckily for Kaden, Lina's mischief died down. When he turned around, the room was much hotter, thanks to the advanced system.
"I'd rather you kill me," Kaden said under his breath, but when he approached her, he took back all of his words. He wanted to die by a thousand tortures. He wanted to watch her witness his torture, so he'd atone for his behavior.
Lina, his loyal wife. How many times has she sacrificed herself for him? How many times has she proclaimed her love, but he didn't believe her?
Lina was finally in bed, curled up and hugging herself to sleep. Kaden's heart physically died at her behavior. She was so lonely.
"What did we even fight about?" Kaden asked himself, as he watched over her sleep. "It was something so small, worth nothing at all, but I've lost everything from it."
Kaden couldn't even remember their small bickerings. They were pointless. When it boiled down to it, he knew it was all his fault. From his hands, he single-handedly ruined their love.
Kaden was condemned, Lina rose to power, but their paths grew further apart.