Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Dolores picked up the glass again. She took a long sip, then another, too quickly. The drink eased her internal fear a little.

The rain worsened. With every flash of lightning, she shrank a little more, breathing through her mouth so her chest wouldn’t hurt. She sighed with her eyes closed, sadness weighing on her. It felt endless.

Zacky watched everything. He was worried.

“You’re going to get dizzy,” he said quietly, eyeing the way she emptied the glass.

“I’m… just trying to relax,” she murmured, without looking at him.

Another bolt of lightning lit up the entire room, so bright the lantern seemed useless for a moment. The thunder ripped the air right after.

Dolores held her breath and closed her eyes, gripping the arm of the chair even tighter.

He reached out and touched her hand.

It was a light touch. When she didn’t pull away, he let his fingers slide until they covered her whole hand.

Warmth. Immediate warmth. It traveled up her arm, a sudden shock that made every hair on her body stand up.

She opened her eyes slowly and looked at their joined hands.

Zacky remained serious. It wasn’t arrogance or irritation. It was… concern.

She tried to say something, but her voice didn’t come. Instead, she simply turned her palm upward and squeezed his fingers.

Zacky looked down at the small gesture and swallowed hard.

“You don’t have to be scared,” he murmured, his voice low and rough, almost a whisper. “I’m right here.”

The rain kept falling, the wind pounding against the windows. And in the middle of the storm, their touch grew dangerously intimate.

Another bolt tore across the sky, so close it illuminated the whole room for a second. Dolores dropped her glass, and it fell onto the rug.

She brought both hands to her face, breathing in short, quick bursts — she was close to a panic attack.

“Sorry…” she whispered between her fingers. “I… I hate storms. I can’t… I can’t control it.”

Zacky drew in a slow breath, his chest tightening at the sight of her like that. Dolores was shaking. It wasn’t exaggeration, nor weakness. It was pure fear — so real it unsettled him.

She tried to stand up, too fast, and stumbled.

He moved quicker and caught her shoulders before she fell, her body landing perfectly against his.

“Hey, hey… Easy. You’re inside. Nothing’s going to hurt you.”

Dolores shook her head, her eyes filling with tears.

“I know it’s stupid,” she said, her voice trembling. “But I can’t… When I was little, a tree fell on our house during a storm, and… I never forgot the sound.”

Another thunderclap exploded outside.

She flinched, digging her fingers into Zacky’s arms.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his chest.

“It’s not stupid,” he murmured into her hair.

He cupped her face with one hand, his thumb brushing close to her trembling chin.

“Look at me.”

Dolores lifted her gaze slowly. Her eyes shone with fear… and shame for being so vulnerable.

“Breathe with me,” he said, keeping her eyes locked on his. “Like this.”

He inhaled slowly, deeply, exaggeratedly — for her to follow. She tried, leaning against his chest.

Outside, the wind slammed a door. She squeezed her eyes shut.

Zacky pulled her even closer.

“It’s okay.” He rested his forehead against hers, their warm breaths mixing in the small space between them. “I’m here, Dolores. I’m not going anywhere.”

She let the tears fall freely, clutching his shirt.

And Zacky… Zacky surprised even himself when he held her tighter. Another thunderclap split the sky, making her shrink instinctively against his chest.

Dolores lifted her face a few inches, searching for air, for control… and found his gaze.

Zacky held her, but fear flickered in him — fear of losing the little self-control he still had.

She was vulnerable. Defenseless. Beautiful. And it stirred something deep in him. He couldn’t deny it. His restraint as a man was hanging by a thread.

He touched her chin again with his thumb, guiding her face upward. Her skin was soft, warm… and her big eyes — frightened by the storm — widened a little when they met his.

He held his breath.

This woman…

This woman who had shown up to disrupt his peace…

Was now fragile in his arms, looking at him as if he were her only anchor in the storm.

And… he wanted her. More than he could ever admit. His thumb brushed the tender skin just beneath her lower lip.

“Zacky…” she whispered, not knowing if she was asking him to stop… or to go on.

She gripped his shirt so tightly her knuckles turned white. And in that moment, he lost his remaining control.

Months — maybe years — of tension pulsed through him… her lips so close… her scent… the loneliness building in him…

Zacky leaned in a few centimeters, then paused, breathing hard. He pressed his forehead to hers.

“If you knew how much you’re driving me crazy right now…” he murmured, voice hoarse.

Dolores shivered from head to toe. She clutched his shirt tighter.

His forehead slid softly against hers, his warm breath brushing her mouth. He was too close. Too warm. Too intense.

And she… didn’t pull away. She didn’t want to. The attraction she felt from the first moment she saw him was too strong to deny.

She closed her eyes and lifted her face, more than willing to yield. She waited… until she felt his lips touch hers. And dear God, what a delicious mouth. A kiss that had barely begun was already giving her a pleasure she had never known.

A soft moan escaped her lips.

“Ah…”

The sound vibrated against his mouth as her fingers traveled up his muscular chest, exploring every line of his firm skin, the rigid neck… until they tangled in his silky hair.

Zacky parted his lips to welcome her sweet tongue. His entire body tensed instantly, and he felt himself grow hard in seconds.

“This woman…”