Selene's breath was stolen the moment Kieran's lips met hers.
It wasn't a soft kiss.
It was demanding, consuming—like he was claiming every last piece of her.
And maybe he was.
Her fingers curled into his shirt, a feeble attempt at grounding herself, but the moment Kieran deepened the kiss, all reason vanished.
She should have stopped this.
She should have pushed him away.
But she didn't.
Because the fire burning between them was stronger than logic.
Stronger than the warnings echoing in her mind.
Stronger than her.
Kieran's hands gripped her waist, pulling her closer until there was no space left between them. She could feel his heartbeat, strong and steady, as if he had been waiting for this moment all along.
As if he had always known she would give in.
And maybe he was right.
Maybe, deep down, she had always belonged to him.
Even when she had fought it.
Even when she had tried to convince herself otherwise.
She broke away first, gasping for air, her hands still clutching his shirt like a lifeline.
Kieran's golden eyes burned into hers, dark with hunger. "Say it."
Selene's pulse pounded. "Say what?"
His grip on her waist tightened. "That you're mine."
Her chest rose and fell with uneven breaths. "You already think that."
Kieran's smirk was slow, dangerous. "Because it's true."
Selene swallowed hard, her thoughts tangled, her body betraying her every second she stood in his arms.
This was reckless.
This was dangerous.
This was something neither of them could take back.
And yet…
She wasn't running.
Kieran's hand traced up her spine, his touch sending shivers down her back. "You can keep fighting it, Selene." His voice was low, a dark promise. "But you won't win."
Selene sucked in a shaky breath, her nails digging into his chest. "You think this is a game?"
Kieran's smirk deepened, his gaze flickering over her face. "No. But you do." His thumb brushed over her jaw, tilting her chin. "And the dangerous thing about playing with me?"
His lips hovered just above hers, his breath warm against her skin.
"I never lose."
A shiver ran down her spine, but it wasn't fear.
It was anticipation.
Because for all her resistance, for all the ways she had tried to fight this—
She wasn't so sure she wanted to win anymore.