Burning Thirst

NYX

“Aren’t you going to stop calling him?”

Right outside the resort, under a shaded seating area with a nice view of the empty pool. The whole place was empty, save for a few attendants on standby. And this man who had seen me naked sat, lying on the lounge chairs, his chiseled arms supporting his head.

There was a lasting smirk on his face, one that lifted occasionally, and taunting as if he was mocking me for the situation I was in.

"You..." I pointed at him, my brows creased.

"Ron is the name..." He said, as his eyes closed lazily.

"I don't care what your name is." I hissed, my teeth gritting. "You saved me from my friends, thank you. But you don't have to sit around and watch me."

He sat up, the lines on his forehead running deep. If he were shirtless like earlier, I would have seen the way his chest muscles flexed and glistened under the shaded sunrays that passed through.

"You followed me here to get away from your friends who were about to give you a shitload of trouble, aren't you being ungrateful?" His brows raised in question.

My lips pursed, the words forming in my head but I couldn't say it out loud. He had indeed saved me, but why was he staring at me like I was someone who desperately asked him for help? I could have escaped them on my own and he didn't need to butt in.

"I am not..." My hands clenched. "I am just saying you shouldn't look at me like I begged for your help. We are not friends or acquaintances just because we saw each other naked."

"Ohh..." His lips curled as he lay back on the chair. But this time, his eyes held something else, a sly spark, daring and provocating. "Are you creating a distance because Lynn doesn't like it?"

He caught me. Right there. I didn't want to smile too much or gaze at him with gratitude because Lynn could appear anytime.

"That's not..."

"You don't need to lie." He sneered. "But since you fear Lynn so bad, why don't you go to him? This entire lounge has been booked privately by me and if you don't step out in ten minutes, I will have the security send you out."

"What?" I gasped. "You booked this place? Is that why you brought me here to hide?"

However, he didn't reply, only lying on the lounge chair, with his eyes closed. His smirk was gone, with only a small crease between his brows remaining. He was irritated.

I quickly put a call across to Lynn, wanting to get out before I would be embarrassed and I didn't want to fall into another trap he had set. Thankfully, this time, the call connected however, it was silent on the other end with only his heavy breathing spilling through.

This was typical of Lynn. After every fight, he would always wait for me to reach out first and speak to him first.

"Did you..." My voice shook, knowing asking him was stupid but I wanted to be sure. "Did you really disclose my location to the others? I tried to find you..."

The slight crack of pain in my voice was evident but then he chuckled, hard and mocking, "That's your punishment for sleeping with my uncle, Nyx."

"But I guess it wasn't enough. I was told you left with a man, and I am sure that it is him."

"What? Why would you assume that?" I gasped. "I could be with anyone, trying to seek refuge."

"Refuge?" He hissed. "Who else would take you in? You aren't ashamed that you slept with him at first and now, you are running after him? What did he promise you, Nyx?"

"I did no such thing, Lyyn!" I pressed, with a knot in my chest, making my breath hitch. "I didn't even sleep with him. Everything that happened was just a misunderstanding."

I turned to Ron who still had his eyes closed, like I wasn't speaking about him. This man had not even tried to take advantage of me or even try to sleep with me.

"Why would you think so badly about your uncle?" I couldn't fathom his hatred and anger toward this seemingly nonchalant man.

"That's because he is a devil! Do you expect me to believe you did nothing with your thirst and his devilish allure?" Lynn hissed, his voice low like a growl. "Anything he touches, he ruins. Do you want to get ruined?"

"Of course not. " I couldn't lie, I was a bit afraid. I had known Lynn for years and while he was an asshole, he sometimes protected me from harm. Was there something about Ron I didn't know or would need to know?

"Please, come get me, Lynn. I need to get out of here in five minutes. If I step away, the others will get me." I pleaded.

He laughed, the sound grating and stabbing, “Why are you so afraid of a little punishment? If you really want me to get you, get away from that devil and serve your punishment. Otherwise, Nyx..."

My lips quivered, feeling the rims of my eyes clouding with tears.

"Our friendship is over! You wouldn't want that, right?" He warned.

"No, I don't—"

Beep!

He ended the call, the phone flashing a bit before I finally realized that Lynn had left me to suffer. It wasn't the first time he had threatened our friendship and I would have to beg, with Sienna laughing at the way I tried to beg for his attention.

My back caved, tears threatening to fall but I bit down on my lips to stop myself.

I finally felt Ron's intense gaze on the back of my neck. My time was up, and he would send me away anytime soon. He had helped me enough and I was ungrateful and he still had to listen to Lynn and I speaking ill of him.

I didn't wait until he pointed at the exit for me. I moved on my own.

"I will be leaving now," I said.

For a few seconds, he said nothing but his eyes didn't leave me, burning through me and gripping me to my core.

I was already a few steps away from him, away from the shaded area when his voice reached me.

"Are you really going to serve the so-called punishment?" He asked lazily. "Did you do something wrong?"

I froze, my chest thumping, brows creased.

I realized I really did nothing wrong but Lynn on the other hand had even fed me to the dogs to be devoured all because he didn't believe me.

"You can stay here for a little while." He spoke up again.

"Aren't you going to send me away?" I raised a brow.

"I wasn't going to." He shrugged. "I only wanted you to realize that whether you did what he is accusing you of or not, he wouldn't believe you."

My face burned when I heard that and far from the pain I felt earlier, a burning fury rose from deep within. I shouldn't have to be accountable to Lynn especially when he had insulted me this much. And also, why did I have to deny myself this delicious meal before me?

"Lynn says I will get ruined if you touch me, is that true?" My feet carried me closer to him probing with a aching thirst in my throat.

My eyes flashed with the sheer power I had seen between his legs earlier. It refused to leave my mind, no matter how I tried. Why don't I let it stay?

Lynn was having the time of his life with Sienna and here I was, begging him.

"Is it true?" I probed further.

"Do you want to try?" He asked back, his lips curling with a dangerous edge. "You can only know if you do."

I swallowed, but it wasn't enough to quench the burning thirst inside of me. Did I want this? To spite Lynn?