Chapter 8: NOT YOURS TO COVET

Veronica finally remembered why she was wearing it and why she came to the town. She took it off with her shaky hands. "I'm sorry, I took it mistakenly."

"I know," he replied.

In the morning, when he saw her running away, he called her from behind as he noticed that his locket got stuck to her skirt. However, she didn't heed his words. Moreover, upon hearing his voice, she ran even faster. He couldn't chase after her because he was naked.

He walked forward and tried to pick up the locket from her hand; but couldn't. She was gripping the locket tightly. He raised his left eyebrow in surprise noticing her tight grip on the locket.

Noticing that she had no desire to let it go, he opened his mouth, "Even if you fancy this, I cannot let you have it. It's not something that a kid like you should be coveting."

"Umm…" she sounded as if she agreed but she still didn't let go for some reason.

Realizing that she wouldn't hand it over, he forcefully yanked his locket only to have her body crash into his chest. When her soft body slammed into his, he was momentarily stunned. He was surprised to find out that her body temperature was rising.

"You are sick?" he asked as he placed the back of his hand on her forehead. He asked in confusion, "Miss stalker, you don't have a fever but why is your temperature so high?"

Veronica clutched his velvet robe and pleaded with him in a low voice, "Please, help me…"

"Help you? How?" he inquired without emotion. She was fine minutes ago. Her sudden change of attitude made him wonder if it was her plot not to give him back his necklace. He had faced so many frauds like that in his life that he lost count.

Veronica quivered. She was feeling quite strange. She raised her head to look at him pitifully.

The man narrowed his eyes. He could see in the candlelight that her face was completely red. Her eyes were moist. Tears dampened her big eyes and curvy eyelashes. Her emerald pupils shone in the lights. Her deep pink lips were slightly open.

From his experience, she had no idea how to handle a man. If she was an expert, she wouldn't have freaked out once she saw him naked. He warned her, "Woman, you shouldn't play with fire."

"I… I feel… weird…" Veronica confessed. Her voice was shaking. She couldn't look at him properly as her vision was getting blurred. "My body… feels… hot… very hot…"

The man thought for a second before looking down at the floor. Seeing the glass laying upon the floor, he picked it up and smelled it. "Hmm… that's an aphrodisiac mixed with red wine. You should be grateful that I kicked out the man who made you drink this. But, what are we going to do about you now? This aphrodisiac can only wear off after you release yourself."

"…Release.. what?" Veronica could barely hear his words. Her brain wasn't functioning properly. From up close, she could smell his unique odor. It was making her feel even more lightheaded.

She didn't want to pull away from him. She felt like clinging onto him and devouring him completely.

She was ashamed of her own thoughts but it hardly mattered. All she wished for right now was to stay by his side and smell his scent.

She gazed at his exposed chest and her throat became dry. She boldly touched his muscled chest and roamed her hand freely.

"Do you know what you are doing?" the man asked. His voice was dangerously low and deep. At night, in the brothel, a woman in his arms, touching and craving for him – a virile man in his prime couldn't possibly resist this kind of temptation easily.

Veronica moved closer and placed her lips on his skin. She muttered, "I like it… Give it to me…"

The man stared at her for a while with conflicting emotions clearly playing on his manly face, debating what to do with her. After pondering for a good while, he pushed her away. "Enough, you don't have to do this. You will regret it later."

But who would listen to him? The person he was talking to wasn't in her right mind.

Veronica wrapped her arms around him despite his warning and rubbed her body against him. The more she rubbed, the more her blood boiled. The burning sensation inside her body was spreading like wildfire.

When rubbing wasn't enough, her lips trailed over his chest. She couldn't think rationally any longer. It was as if she had been possessed by some kind of sexually deviant entity.

The man who was being assaulted closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. Even though he wasn't in the mood, his primitive instinct was getting stronger by the second. He had to admit that this inexperienced woman had her own charm powerful enough to take him down.

He knew if he pushed her away and walked out of the room, she couldn't do as she pleased. He would be free. After that, they might never meet again.

However, she wouldn't calm down until her hunger subsided. If she couldn't have him, she would look for someone else and become their prey.

Thinking of that, he slightly frowned. He didn't like the idea of a woman being ruined when she wasn't in the right state of her mind. He could make a guess that she would regret it for the rest of her life if she were to give her virginity to a total stranger.

Moreover, he had a feeling that she ended up here because she wanted to give his valued possession back to her. Or else, she wouldn't be here. When he met her for the first time, she didn't seem like the bad people he met during his journey usually. It would make him feel bad if she got raped only because she was looking for him.

He stated, "It looks like you are not going to listen to me. Since you want me that much, I can give in this time. After all, you gave me back my locket. This is the least I can do. Consider my debt to you paid."