Chapter 23: Wait For Me
A Room Full of Unspoken Wars
Orion’s breath hitched as he spotted Caspian and Cassius standing in the doorway. The storm brewing behind Caspian’s dark eyes sent an immediate chill down his spine.
Lowering his voice, he leaned toward Selene, his tone urgent.
“Selene… you can have the room. We’re out of here.”
Selene didn’t react.
Instead, she sat on the sofa like a queen on her throne, casually reaching for a clean glass and pouring herself some wine as if she didn’t have a single care in the world.
Orion didn’t wait for her answer. He quickly ushered everyone else out, his grip firm on Soren, who remained frozen in place, seemingly spellbound by the sight before him.
The door clicked shut behind them, leaving only Selene and Caspian in the room.
A tense silence filled the space, save for the sultry strains of music weaving softly through the air.
The Scent That Never Left Her
The moment the door closed, Selene caught a faint whiff of mint—that familiar scent that had once haunted her every waking moment.
Once upon a time, she had been obsessed with it, buying mint-scented shower gels and shampoos by the dozen, hoping to capture even a sliver of his lingering presence.
But nothing ever smelled quite like the scent that clung to Caspian’s skin.
Lifting her gaze, her smoldering eyes locked onto him.
Caspian stood frozen, staring at her as if he barely recognized the woman before him.
And for a fleeting moment, he wondered how many men had been undone by this very look when he wasn’t around.
His jaw tightened, jealousy burning through his veins like wildfire.
Soren.
Those whispered rumors of her supposed affairs with young, starry-eyed celebrities.
The way she touched other men so freely, so carelessly.
A storm of possessiveness roared inside him, impossible to contain.
If he had his way, he would claim her right here and now—leave her so spent, so utterly wrecked, that she wouldn’t even have the strength to glance at another man.
A Proposition That Shook Him
Selene broke the silence, her voice dripping with honey and defiance.
“Caspian.”
His name rolled off her tongue, curling around him like a velvet noose tightening around his sanity.
“Let’s have sex one last time before the divorce.”
Caspian stiffened, completely caught off guard.
“What did you just say?” His voice was dangerously low.
Selene tilted her head, amused by his reaction.
“You’re heading back to the base the day after tomorrow, aren’t you? And we’re finalizing the divorce tomorrow.” She leaned in, her smile mocking and enticing all at once. “So, tonight… let’s make it count.”
Caspian’s hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white.
She was playing with fire, and she damn well knew it.
“Selene,” he ground out, his voice dangerously low, “if you bring up divorce one more time, I swear I’ll fuck you so hard you’ll be begging for mercy, crying that you were wrong.”
A slow, sultry laugh escaped Selene’s lips.
“Oh, I believe you,” she mused, entirely unfazed.
And then, with a wicked smile, she whispered, “That’s exactly what I want. For you to fuck me until I can’t think straight.”
The Queen Who Knew No Fear
She laughed, rich and intoxicating, her cheeks tinged a faint pink from the wine.
Caspian hated it.
Hated the way she taunted him, tested his limits, made him want her even more when he should be walking away.
She was proud, always so strong, so untouchable in front of others.
Yet, behind closed doors, when it was just the two of them…
She belonged to him.
And only him.
With one swift motion, Caspian grabbed her, pressing her beneath him, his body heavy with a silent promise of possession.
Their three years of marriage had been emotionally distant, but in bed…
They burned hot.
Neither willing to surrender.
Neither willing to let go.
A Love That Turned Into War
But there was a fine line between heat and intensity.
And tonight, Caspian crossed it.
Selene felt it immediately—his control slipping, his grip too firm, his kisses too deep.
His obsession zeroed in on her right hand, his lips tracing over it, his teeth nipping at the skin as if to mark her.
Claim her.
It wasn’t until she whimpered, her tears shimmering, that he finally relented.
“It hurts,” she whispered.
Only then did he ease up, his hands gently cradling her face instead.
But the damage had already been done.
Because this wasn’t love anymore.
This was war.
And neither of them was willing to lose.
Wait For Me
After the storm of passion subsided, Selene lay utterly drained, unable to move, her body spent beyond exhaustion.
A faint voice pulled her from her haze.
“Selene.”
His voice was soft, yet so dangerously close to something unfamiliar.
She barely had the energy to tilt her head.
Then, he said something that made her breath catch.
“When I return to the army this time, I’ll apply for a transfer.”
“…What?”
His fingers brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, his gaze steady and unwavering.
“Wait for me.”
