Marrying a Warhound (Cassian) novel Chapter 114

Chapter 114

ATASHA’S POV

He took a step back, giving me the space that I so desperately needed.

43

E55 vouchers

Then without saying another word, he unclasped the ruined armor piece by piece, letting it crash onto the floor until nothing shielded him but the blood–soaked tunic beneath. My breath caught as he grabbed the fabric and tore it open with one swift motion.

I hissed at the sight, my hand flying to my mouth. His body was drenched, streaked with red, but as my gaze searched his chest, my stomach lurched. There were no wounds. No cuts. Not even bruises.

That wasn’t his blood.

I froze. If it wasn’t his, then whose was it?

“Cassian-” Before I could finish my question, his head turned sharply, those crimson eyes pinning me where I stood.

I froze. Something inside me screamed to run, to put distance between us, but my feet wouldn’t move. This wasn’t the Cassian who had shielded me from the stone, the one who carried me away from the outpost as though nothing else mattered.

The man in front of me felt different, heavier, darker, almost dangerous in a way that pulled at me instead of pushing me back.

I barely had time to think before his hand shot out. His palm closed around my throat, not tight enough to strangle, but firm, controlling, forcing me back until my shoulders hit the wall. The impact stole my breath. My hands twitched at my sides, torn between pushing him away and clinging to him.

His face was close. Too close. His eyes burned crimson, staring at me like I was the only thing in existence. He leaned in, his nose brushing my skin, inhaling slowly, deeply, like he was memorizing every part of my scent.

My stomach twisted, my body going hot and cold all at once. The sound of his breathing was ragged, and every exhale ghosted against my jaw.

Fear pounded in my chest, but it wasn’t clean. It tangled with something else, something that made my pulse race faster. I hated the way my body responded, the way my lips parted without permission, the way my skin lit up under his touch as though it had been waiting for it.

“Cassian…” My voice came out broken. But it sounded more like a plea than protest.

He didn’t answer. His grip stayed at my throat like a steady pressure that held me in place, claiming me without words. Then his gaze dropped to my mouth, then back to my eyes. And I couldn’t look away.

Every part of me tensed as he leaned closer, so close I felt the heat of him against my lips. My chest rose and fell in shallow bursts, my mind screaming at me to pull away, but my body betraying me, leaning into him

20:32 Wed, Sep 24

43

55 vouchers

1. me.

My legs shifted, curling around his waist. The motion dragged him even closer, forcing every line of his body against mine. The air caught in my throat, my skin burning under the contact. I didn’t stop to think about what I was doing, or why. I only knew that in his embrace, the emptiness inside me finally shut up.

His kiss deepened, rougher now, his grip on my throat tightening just enough to remind me who held control. My body trembled, but it wasn’t from fear. It was from the way he consumed me and the way I gave in without realizing it.

Then, as sudden as it began, he broke the kiss. His lips left mine, but his breath still ghosted against my skin. His forehead pressed to mine for a second, his chest rising and falling fast. When he finally spoke, his voice was raw, edged with something I couldn’t name.

“What have you done to me?”

The words landed heavier than his grip, rough and accusing, but not cold.

My head tipped back enough to meet his eyes. His eyes locked on mine. The intensity of it made my chest tighten, and before I could stop myself, heat flooded my face.

Shame burned at the edges of my thoughts, but it tangled with something else I couldn’t control, something heavier, hotter. It twisted low in my stomach and refused to let go.

Part of me wanted to disappear, to erase the reckless thing I had just done. But another part, the other part that was louder and hungrier, wanted him to come back to me, to close the distance again and not stop.

And I hated that I didn’t know which part of me was winning.