The Enticing CEO's Chosen Bride novel Chapter 2119

"Sorry. I'm so sorry..." In a panic, she quickly withdrew her hand, her cheeks burning with a deep blush.

Azriel stood up in silence, and Phoebe quickly followed suit.

Just as she was about to dash back to her room, feeling completely out of her depth, Azriel suddenly grabbed her hand.

Turning in surprise, Phoebe looked at him. Azriel lowered his gaze again, silent for a few seconds before looking up at her.

"Azriel..."

"Last night, that man had a decent appearance and demeanor," Azriel spoke slowly. "He comes from a well-off family, quite popular at school, and has good character."d2

Phoebe's eyelashes fluttered, struggling to suppress the bitterness in her heart, "you investigated him? Last night?"

"He's into you," Azriel replied, not directly answering her question. "Of all the guys in school, he's one of the best."

The more she heard, the colder Phoebe's heart became. She laughed, with a hint of sadness in her voice. "So what? If I bring him to you as my boyfriend for your approval, you wouldn't have a problem with that, right?"

"He's good," Azriel said, but then he shook his head slightly, his grip on her wrist tightening suddenly, his calm and indifferent eyes becoming fierce. "But I won't agree."

Suddenly, he pulled her close, spinning her around and pressing her down onto the couch. Azriel bent one knee beside her, propping his hand next to her ear, leaning over her. "I've thought it over and over."

He stared at the surprised and flustered Phoebe, his voice low, and his warm breath infiltrating her skin as if seeking every possible entrance. "Since you've agreed to let me have a say, does that mean as long as I don't give the nod, you'll remain single? Maybe someone even better than him will come along for you, but I still won't agree to you two being together."

Phoebe felt like her heart was about to leap out of her chest, "Why?"

"Because I don't want to." Azriel gently brushed the hair from her cheek with his fingers, his knuckles lightly grazing her skin. "I don't want to see you with other men, not even getting close to them."

Under Phoebe's astonished gaze, he smirked, a shadow of a roguish smile on his handsome face.

"Why would I push you away when I'm interested? I've been overthinking it. I'm far from a saint, so why have I been trying to respect you to the utmost, and to let you have your freedom, when it only makes me unhappy?

"Phoebe, if I was just a bit harsher with you, you'd have no choice but to stay by my side for the rest of your life. The fact that I paid three hundred billion to buy out your relationship with the Alonso family is enough? Don;t you think so?"

Phoebe couldn't describe her feelings at the moment: anxious, shocked, delighted, and a sense of complexity that was difficult to articulate.

"Enough to be your servant for a lifetime?"

Azriel's eyes narrowed, his hand pinching her cheek, "What are you playing dumb for?"

"So you're interested in me? Like how you were with those women last night?"

"Are you curious about that?" Azriel looked at her with an ambiguous expression.

"Is that a problem?"

Azriel nodded, "Not in the slightest." With that, he abruptly straightened up, then swooped down to scoop her into his arms.

Phoebe gasped in fright, clinging to his shoulders, "What... what are you doing?"

He merely glanced at her, "Answering your question."

It wasn't until she was carried to the guest room bed and he followed, covering her, that she truly began to panic. "Azriel."

Her chin was grasped, Azriel leaning in close, "Last night, I was teased by Seth like that. Phoebe, you're not without blame for it."

"What?" Her nearly instinctive question was muffled back.

Phoebe's mind went blank, her ears ringing. Inexperienced, Phoebe was left with nothing but wide eyes and a heart that seemed to have stopped for an eternity before pounding violently again.

Her lips were ground and pressed, then his forceful presence pried open her teeth, still parted in surprise.

Warm touches, intermingling breaths...

In this moment, she was absolutely certain that she really liked this man. She didn't mind his touch, in fact, she liked it.

Deep down, she was relieved the game last night didn't continue.

Oakley was liked by many girls, attractive and clean-cut, and she couldn't fault him in any way, but if it weren't for the fear of implicating him, she wouldn't have resorted to comforting herself and forcing herself.

Oakley was good, but she didn't like him.

Her hands, initially instinctively pushing against Azriel's arm, gradually relaxed their grip, fingers curling to tightly clutch the sleeve of his robe.

After the initial shock, she relaxed her tensed body slightly, tilting her chin up, her lips timidly parting, daringly touching Azriel's.

Azriel paused, looking down at her. His dark eyes were laced with a profound and unsettling desire.

The girl averted her eyes in shyness, her cheeks flushed with rosy warmth, her lips a tender red, and her body exuded a unique, warm fragrance.

Azriel watched for a long moment, then suddenly chuckled softly.

Phoebe felt the embarrassment of being seen through, and for a moment, she could not look at him, but the man chuckled again and kissed her, not just on the lips this time. His hand slid up the loose sleeve of her robe, every touch sending shivers through her. The direction of the kiss became increasingly muddled.

Nervous, Phoebe dared not breathe. Azriel, however, did not stop because of her tension. In fact, he wickedly thought that her innocence and naivety, her lack of worldly experience, even if it was purely out of curiosity and a desire to explore the unknown, suited him perfectly.

While she was still pure and unaware, he could easily have her. Only by fully possessing her would he be at peace.

After he analyzed his own malicious nature, everything seemed so natural and inevitable to him, and he felt not even the slightest hint of guilt.

Since he couldn't bear to give her to someone else, he might as well spoil her himself. He hadn't planned to go too far today, but now, he hesitated no more.

Phoebe shivered as the chill of the air kissed her skin, and she huddled closer to the man beside her, a hand bracing against his strong shoulder. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes hazed with a mix of emotions as she gazed up at him. "Azriel. I'm scared."

Azriel pulled the blanket over them both, his voice a husky whisper colored with unspoken desires, "When will you not be scared, hmm?"

She bit her lip, pondering for a moment, then shook her head slightly.

"That settles it, then. Better to face your fears now than to be scared again next time," he said with a chuckle that even he couldn't suppress. It felt like a con, but a sweet one.

Eventually, Phoebe nodded, her grip on Azriel's hand firm yet shy, "Azriel, I like you. So I want to give you everything."

He bit back a groan and kissed her deeply.

*

School was missed that day.

When Phoebe woke up, the sunlight had turned golden with the late afternoon. She stared blankly at the sky outside the window, desperately recalling the events prior, afraid it might have been a dream.

After several mental replays and the lingering soreness in her body, she grabbed the blanket and covered her reddening cheeks. It had all been real. The possessiveness in Azriel's words earlier made her heart race now.

She glanced around the room, but Azriel was nowhere to be seen. A flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes before she steeled herself. Even if it was just a fleeting desire for him, she had no regrets. The man had been the object of her affection.

"Woke up?"