How To Lose Your Billionaire Alpha Husband In 365 Days (Or Less)!-Chapter 25: Already Ruined...

I blinked, groggily and totally disoriented, then froze when my brain registered his presence.

Aiden stood quietly by the door in only a pair of trousers and nothing else.

Barefoot. Shirtless.

The firelight behind him flickered gently, casting a warm, golden glow across his skin and outlining the sculpted lines of his body.

His hair was tousled, damp at the edges, like he’d stepped out of a shower but hadn’t cared to dry it thoroughly.

The shadows clung to his frame, softening the sharpness of muscle and bone, making him look less like the untouchable Alpha he was and more like a man trying not to fall apart.

But there was no arrogance in his stance, no smugness in his gaze, only softness and regret.

"I shouldn’t have come," he murmured in a rough voice.

I sat up slowly, brushing strands of hair from my face, the blanket falling to my lap. My heart twisted painfully, caught somewhere between the comfort of seeing him and the ache of everything still unsaid.

"Then why did you do it?" I asked, my voice hoarse from just waking up—or maybe it was because of something else.

He ran a hand along his jaw slowly, like it hurt to admit the truth. His fingers lingered at his chin before falling away.

"I... couldn’t stay away."

His tone had no defensiveness, no attempt to justify it—just raw honesty.

The atmosphere around us became heavy, and even though we didn’t move closer, it felt like the gap between us was closing.

It was as if some invisible force was tying us together, making it impossible to break away, no matter how much we tried to act like it didn’t matter.

"I’m still angry at you for hiding everything from me," I said quietly.

"I know."

"I still don’t trust you."

"I know," he repeated.

He stepped forward, only once, but it was enough. Close enough that I could see the war in his eyes. He looked at me like I was both a salvation and a consequence. Like I could ruin him—and he’d still let me.

"I’m trying, Jasmine," he said, barely above a whisper. "God knows I’m trying."

My throat tightened. The honesty in his voice was too sharp, too real.

"So why," I asked, "does it still feel like you’re pulling me closer every time I try to run?"

He inhaled sharply, jaw tense. His eyes never left mine.

"Because I am."

The words hit like a tremor, tugging deeply at my heartstrings.

I slid out of bed slowly, the cold floor biting against my bare feet, but I barely noticed.

Now we were face to face, too close, but not close enough.

Aiden’s gaze dropped to my lips, and I felt the heat bloom between us again in an impossible way to ignore.

"I can’t," I whispered. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"I won’t," he whispered back.

But neither of us moved.

His hand lifted slowly, hovering near my face, his fingers trembling slightly in the firelight. He didn’t touch me at first, just waited—like he was giving me the choice. Like he knew just one touch would ruin us both.

But I let him because maybe... I was already ruined.

When his thumb brushed the corner of my lips, the contact was featherlight—but it sent a jolt of warmth rippling through me. A soft, involuntary breath escaped me and the last of my resistance cracked.

I rose onto my toes, my breath hitching, and then... his mouth met mine.

The kiss was gentle at first, almost uncertain as he hesitated to go in fully. He let his lips ghost over mine, gently grazing mine like he was searching for permission to go on or pull back.

Then it shifted, becoming deeper and more passionate.

He tasted like heat and need and something wild barely leashed beneath the surface.

He let out a low, rough groan that resonated against my lips. His hands tightened around my waist, drawing me closer to him, and I sensed the heat radiating from his skin, engulfing me like wildfire.

My hands slid up his chest without thinking, fingers tracing the ridges of muscle, memorising every line as his heartbeat thundered beneath my palms.

His lips broke from mine only to trail down my jaw, then lower, to the place just beneath my ear.

I gasped softly, instinctively tilting my head to give him more access.

I hated to admit this but I loved it. Loved every second of it.

When his mouth reached the base of my throat, his tongue swept across the skin slowly before his teeth grazed my skin lightly, but I could feel the deliberate attempt, sending a shiver through every part of my body.

A sound tore from his chest, a mix of a growl and a plea. It wasn’t just about desire; it was a deep, primal need that sensed pulsing through him and into me.

In that moment, nothing else mattered. I didn’t think about our connection nor the lies between us, or the chaos waiting outside this room. All I could focus on was him.

Aiden pulled back slightly to look me in the eyes. His gaze was filled with desire, but there was a twinge of restraint too. It felt like he was still asking for my permission.

I didn’t respond with words. Instead, I reached out to him, my hands moving to the back of his neck, running my fingers through his hair, and drew him closer.

This time, I initiated the kiss and when our lips met, tongues collided, it was intense like a surrender. Then, without any effort, he lifted me.

My legs wrapped around his waist instinctively, and I gasped as my back hit the cool wall behind.

The contrast between his heat and the cold stone made me shiver, but I clung to him, grounding myself in his warmth.

Aiden kissed me harder, deeper, every movement laced with tension and release, with everything we hadn’t said.

The sensation his kiss gave me fueled my desire for him, burning the heat between us hotter. It felt like the world had gone hazy, and he was the only solid thing in it.

I wanted to be lost in him.

And that thought should have scared me, but right now, all I could think about was the taste of his lips, the feel of his body, and how much I wanted this, wanted him—Aiden Stark to undo me, and so... I welcomed everything.