The last thread of Nicholas's restraint snapped.
"Serena!"
The red tint in his eyes deepened as if he had been pushed past his breaking point.
He leaned down and fiercely captured her maddening lips.
Serena's eyes widened.
The touch of his lips was soft but searingly hot, as if the heat radiating from him was going to set her on fire too.
Nicholas's grip was powerful, driven by a possessive need to punish and claim, leaving her absolutely no room to retreat.
A thrilling jolt of electricity rushed through her, sparking a foreign, stirring emotion that spread rapidly through her chest.
She hesitated for a second, raising her hands to push him away.
But as her palms pressed against his chest, she felt the faint, suppressed trembling
of his body.
He... was terrified.
Terrified of losing her.
Serena's resistance faded.
She could feel the overwhelming desperation in his kiss, the raw emotions he couldn't hold back any longer.
He was kissing her aggressively, yet his touch held a careful, almost devout
reverence.
This man... really knew exactly how to make her go soft.
Serena's long lashes fluttered, a look of indulgent resignation melting into her clear eyes.
She grabbed his collar and pulled him in, deepening the kiss.
With her other hand, she buried her fingers into his hair, gently stroking the back of his head to soothe him.
Nicholas's entire body went rigid.
The soft surrender of her lips practically melted his bones.
Her gentle touch was the ultimate permission he needed.
He pulled her closer, the kiss shifting from a storm of aggressive territory-marking
into something desperately tender, lingering, and overflowing with endless devotion.
A long time passed.
Their breathing turned ragged.
Nicholas rested his chin on her head, his voice painfully hoarse. "Serena, please don't torture me like that..."
Serena's eyes were leveled perfectly with his Adam's apple.
His sharp Adam's apple bobbed heavily, clearly fighting to suppress the lingering tension, the defined lines of his chest radiating pure masculine dominance.
Serena couldn't help but reach out and poke his throat. "That was my uncle."
The intense kiss had left a flush on her beautiful face, making her look absolutely ravishing.
Nicholas instantly caught her hand. His throat bobbed harder, his voice breaking as if his brain had entirely short-circuited. "...Who?"
Serena tapped his hand, a teasing laugh lacing her voice. "The 'random guy' you were talking about is my uncle, Douglas Vinton."
Nicholas: "..."
He immediately dropped his head, burying his face directly into the crook of her neck.
His hot breath washed over her skin as he groaned, muffled and utterly mortified. "...If I drop to my knees and beg for mercy tomorrow will he still accept me into the family
Serena pinched his waist. "Dream on!"
He aggressively nuzzled her neck, his deep voice taking on a dangerously seductive tone. "I don't care. I gave you my first kiss. You have to take responsibility for me!"
His soft hair tickled her skin. Serena pushed his head back. "That was my first kiss
too."
Nicholas instantly turned
shameless, pressing closer with
absolute confidence. "Then I'll take responsibility for you. The second we fly back, we're making our engagement official!"
Serena rolled her eyes. "Get out!"
Meanwhile.
Isabella and Anna scrambled back to Anna's private villa near the campus in a state of sheer panic.
Their makeup was entirely ruined, and their torn clothes were hastily thrown together. They had lost every ounce of the glamorous perfection. they usually carried as high-society heiresses.
Anna was shaking uncontrollably, trembling from a mixture of pure rage and lingering terror.