His Innocent Sera

He returned to their room, carrying a tray of sandwiches. This time, he wasn't leaving until she'd eaten. Water hitting the tile echoed from behind the bathroom door. She was still in the shower. Setting down the tray, he scanned their room. The servant quarters at his estate looked way better than this pathetic excuse of an apartment. He knew that because every Christmas Eve, his mother took them to the servants' quarters to hand out gifts. A small gesture of gratitude she insisted on. The only merit this building held was its anonymity.

He waited and waited, but when she didn't open the door, worry began to take root. He got up and crossed the room with quick strides.

"Princess?" he called, knocking at the door, but no reply came. The shower was still on; he could hear it.

"Open the door, princess," he demanded, knocking harder, his worry edging into urgency. The lack of response from her side was making him restless. He retreated and kicked the door. A few more times and the door swung open, revealing her huddled on the shower floor, water pouring down her naked body. Her head was buried in her knees, her frame trembling with heavy sobs.

Nate rushed over, swiftly turning off the shower, and crouched down to her level.

"What's wrong?" he asked, grasping her shaking shoulders. Seradidn't answer, only wept.

He cupped the side of her face and gently prompted, "Look at me, princess. Tell me what happened?" Then, he raised her head to meet his gaze. Her eyes brimmed with profound sorrow, her face was a mask of despair.

"What happened?" he asked softly, dying to know the reason behind her gut- wrenching sobs. She sniffled.

"I spent my whole life trying to be the daughter they could be proud of but.." she choked out, her eyes watered with deep pain as she continued, "but.. they never even cared. They never wanted me." Her words crumbled into sobs. The more she thought about it, the more her heart ached. She was unwanted.

Nate gathered her trembling frame onto his lap, holding her close as she wept. Each of her choked sobs was piercing him like a blade.

"You were never the problem, Princess. You've always been the best daughter they could ever hope to have. It's their loss. They lost someone who deeply cared for them," he asserted, before lowering his head and kissing the crown of her head before adding, "And you, my pigeon, you just let go of people who never saw your worth."

"They never kissed me goodnight, never celebrated my birthday, never hugged me," she said, her voice cracking as a deep, hollow ache carved through her. Their never-ending indifference now mase sense. Signs were always there, she just chose to turn blind. His jaw tightened after hearing it.

"They are a bunch of assholes who never deserved you," he stated, his hand gently stroking her bare back.

Clutching the fabric of his shirt, she sobbed against his chest.

He gently gathered her in his arms and stepped out of the bathroom. Droplets fell from their soaking body, trailing all the way to the bed. After setting her down, he grabbed his towel from the bed and began drying her. His hand moved gently, patting the water from her skin. He wiped clean her shoulders before moving downward. She drew a heavy breath as he wiped her breasts, fingertips brushing against her delicate lumps. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around her chest, her eyes lowering in shame. He had seen all of her but it still made her uncomfortable.

Kneeling down, he worked his wayto her legs, trailing the towel up her calves. His eyes darkened with raw need as he pushed the towel upward.

"I'll do it myself," she said, closing her legs. He didn't stop instead, he placed a slow, deliberate kiss to the inside of her thigh. Her fingers curled tightly around the sheet, her breathing shattered.

He leaned back and resumed the work. As soon as he stepped back, she quickly put on her dress and got to her feet. He left after making sure she had her breakfast.

Sera spent the whole day alone in the apartment, haunted by the dread of what the evening would bring. She knew he wouldn't back down this time, he will have her with or without her consent. He was already teethering at the edge of his patience.

She didn't know where they were. She had no phone, the door was locked from outside. He had shut all possible way of her escaping. She now had no one to run to either. The sun was about to set. In about two hours he would be home. Her heartbeat faltered at the thought.

Nate had a long day today. He had to fight two men: one in the ring and one outside: It was some bidder who thought he could steal from his cut. Those fuckers knew nothing about fighting and had the audacity to provoke him. If only they knew, he owned the game they played.

Spilling bloods, breaking bones was a few of his many skills.

He found Sera leaning over the balcony and just like that all his rage melted away. With quiet steps, he approached her. Soft breeze gushed by, swaying her unbounded hair on its rhythm. She was wearing a white lace gown he had bought for her. She looked even prettier than he had expected. He was entranced.

Her body stiffened as he hovered behind her, having sensed his presence. Before she could turn, he wrapped his arms aound her and pressed his body into hers, pushing her towards the railing.

Sera dragged in a breath, inhaling his masculine scent enhanced by the grit of the day he'd fought through.noveldrama

He caught the little kitten perched on the balcony's edge. The feline scrambled off the moment she saw him. Nate smirked, of course it had come to her. His little angel was a walking sanctuary. She gravitated creatures towards her like a magnet.

But they can try all they want but Sera was his. His and his alone.

He tightened his hold around her and buried his face into her neck.

"I kept thinking about you whole day," he confessed in a hoarse murmur. And it was true. She'd been on his mind the whole day, except for the moments when he was beating the shit out of those two men. Because if he had thought about her then, he wouldn't have been able to do what needed to be done.

He kissed her shoulder before drawing away. Gripping her hand, he gave her a light tug.

"Let's go inside," he said, a hint fo eagerness in his voice. She clenched the railing before releasing it at once. Turning around, she followed him into the house.

Like yesterday, he had brought her takeaway with lots of candies. They had their dinner. Sera's appetite had died but she still forced herself to eat as she didn't wnat him to feed her.

After dinner, he went inside the

washroom, took a shower and came

out only in towel. His eyes caught hers and held. There was a heat in his gaze, an unspoken promise that made her stomach do somersault. Stiff holding her gaze, he moved to the balcony door and turned the lock. The subtle sound of it clicking shut sent a shiver down her spine. This was it.

She lowered her gaze, feeling overwhelmed.

And then he approached her, his strides purposeful and deliberate.

Her hands tightly squeezed the sheet, her heart stumbling over its own rhtyhm as he drew closer. His shadow loomed over her, blocking the soft glow of light. Then, his finger brushed under her chin, gentle but firm, coaxing her to look up. She had barely raised her head when his

mouth met hers in a tender, slow kiss.