CHAPTER 14

And because this was Kathy, he knew she wasn't playing coy. Even so, it didn't make any difference to his dick, which was doing its best to burn a hole through his pants. When he didn't say anything.

" Is it because you're like me, Yuri? " - Kathy, said.

As always, her words were an enigma. It might have frustrated other men, but not Yuri.

" What do you mean, sweetheart? " - Yuri, asked. He was no longer able to stop himself from touching her.

As he caressed one pale, silky soft cheek with his knuckles, a part of him expected her to reject his touch, knowing that such intimacies were still strange to her. But she didn't. Instead, she closed her eyes and proceeded to destroy him with sweetness.

" When you look into a person's eyes, are you able to tell what they're feeling? When you look into my eyes now, do you know what I'm feeling? " - Kathy, said. He eyes slowly opened.

" Ah.. Kathy.. " - Yuri, paused when Kathy cut him off.

" You do, don't you? " - Kathy, whispered.

'Fuck', he thought. He refused to answer even though they both knew the truth. He was like her. He saw people's souls in their eyes. And in her gaze, he saw a gift he didn't and would never deserve. She thought he, Yuri Daniel Athanas was her life. It cut him to the quick, and he found himself shaking his head.

" Kathy.. " - Yuri, paused.

'God', he thouht. How did he tell Kathy that he wasn't what she thought he was? She had only started living again, and if he told her that she was wrong that he was not the one who had rescued her 14 year old self from being permanently broken, he might as well throw her back in the bloodstained days of her past.

If he shattered her dreams. If he told her that she was mistaken, that he was not the other half of her. If he admitted to lying about loving her. He might as well be Madame Antonia. And that he could never do. He would rather throw away his honor now than hurt her in any way.

" Yuri? " - Kathy, asked. She was looking at him questioningly, trustingly.

He heard himself lie.

" You're right. " - Yuri, said.

Slowly, he took her in his arms, and the way she automatically curled her arms around his neck, the way she fitted her trembling body with his even when the hardness of his cock, still alarmed her. She was killing him again and again with how damnably sweet she was, and he wondered bleakly if the day he'd deserve her would ever come. Tightening his arms around her, he murmured against her hair.

" It's exactly as you say. I see your soul in your eyes. " - Yuri, said. A paused and then.

" I'm glad, " - Kathy, paused.

" Does it mean you also know I'm feeling weird again. " - Kathy, added.

Yuri wanted to laugh and groan at the same time. Only Kathy. Only her beautiful bundle of honesty could make his mood swing from despair to arousal in an instant. As his body rocked with silent laughter, causing his cock to rub against her mound.

" Very very weird. " - Kathy said almost worriedly.

" When you say you're feeling weird... " - Yuri bending his head and whispered. And paused. He was summarily rewarded with a tiny, sexy whimper.

" Is that another way of saying you want me to kiss you? " - Yuri, added.

Yuri had whispered the words directly to Kathy's ear, and the effect on her was instantaneous and electrifying. Her body jerked, her knees buckled, and her fingers clutched his shoulders in a desperate grip while the music of his low, séxy laughter played against her skin as the world spun.

And then they were kissing. Mouths fusing, bodies clasped against each other, hearts beating in a hard, exciting tandem. If yesterday's kiss was a gentle breeze, this morning's was a thunderstorm passion. And she wanted it. She wanted more. She wanted everything. And she told him so.

Yuri had planned to keep the kiss short and sweet, but then he heard Kathy moan against his lips.

" More, Yuri. Kiss me harder. Make me feel feverish. " - Kathy, said.

His brain shut down. He forgot about being Yuri Daniel Athanas, forgot about his rigid observance of proper decorum. Right now, all he knew was that he was a man, kissing a girl who wanted him as much as he wanted her.

His tongue slid in, claiming and devoring what was his for the taking. He kissed her more. He kissed her hard as promised. And he kissed her long and deep, his tongue thrusting in and out of her mouth until he knew that he had made her feverish. As promised.

Yuri only lifted his head when he knew they both needed to breathe.

" Kathy. " - Yuri, said.

Common sense kicked in, and Yuri stiffened with guilt. 'What the hell he was thinking, mauling his sweet innocent Kathy in the hallway?'. But then he made the mistake of looking at Kathy. Her eyes were glazed, her lips swollen, her cheeks flushed with passion.

He had to give himself one last kiss, Yuri grinding his mouth down on her one last time. He would have stopped at the first sign of struggle, but instead Kathy respond to his kiss with equal abandon, even rubbing her body against his. Yuri managed to tear his mouth away after an eternity. Breathing hard, he gazed down at Kathy in a mixture of disbelief, consternation, and rampaging desire.

" How do you do it? " - Yuri, asked.

To which his innocent temptress, only blinked up at him.

" Do what? " - Kathy, asking blankly. His smile didn't reach his eyes.

" Terrify me. Every damn time. " - Yuri, said. The confusion in her eyes deepened.

" Me? Terrify you? How? " - Kathy, asked innocently.

" Like I've never been terrified for, " - Yuri, said honestly. He knew it had to be one of the biggest jokes in his life.

Kathryn Ice Rewis, a young girl whose condition might make her permanently dependent on the care of others people, terrified Yuri Daniel Athanas, who had never suffered a single moment of regret after choosing to leave behind his life as the Athanas Heir.

Unable to help it, he reached for her face again, and his chest constricted at the way she unhesitatingly laid her cheek on his palm. 'No questions', Yuri thought harshly. It was always no questions, no hesitations, no doubts with Kathryn Ice Rewis, and the world would always think she was crazy for it.

When he released her, it was as if she sensed what he was already planning to say, a fearful, worried look entering her gaze.

" Yuri. " - Kathy, said.

'God, why did it have to be her?', he thought. Why couldn't God have given him the usual, selfish empty-headed heiress? He could have lived with that, would have devoted his life to make such a woman happy even when she bored him to death. He would have welcomed any punishment with open arms because Yuri deserved to be punished.

But instead, he was given Kathy. The sweetest, most innocent girl in the world. The girl he would never deserve.

" Kathy, I have to tell you... " - Yuri, inhaling heavily said.

Before he could finish his sentence, he heard a familiar voice, call out to them from behind.

" Break it off, lovebirds. " - Hallie, said.

I'm in big trouble, Yuri thought Hallie Daena Athanas seldom had concerning her brother, but it did happen occasionally. Eventually, she had come to recognize such moments when Yuri had a certain look in his eyes. 'Like now'. When the two reached her, she pretended not to notice how Yuri's gaze was boring through her and instead addressed his fianceé, saying with a mock sigh.

" It's nauseating for you two be so lovey-dovey this early in the morning. " - Hallie, said. Kathy gave her a solemn nod.

" I'm sorry, Hallie. " - Kathy, said. Startled at the apology.

" I... " - Hallie, paused. Her voice ringing with sincerity.

" I didn't mean to make you feel bad because Andreus hasn't given you a good morning kiss. " - Kathy, said.

" What?! " - Hallie's jaw dropped when she said. Kathy nodded understandingly.

" Aria and MJ told me all about you and Andreus, " - Kathy, said. She reached out to ruffle Hallie's head, like a master comforting a disappointed pet.

" But don't worry, I will go to him now and let him know he's made you sad. I'm sure he'll be happy to make it up to you. " - Kathy, added.

Did Kathy just?.. By the time she realized Kathy hadn't been joking, it was already too late. The other girl had already hurried inside the dinning room, and Hallie turned to Yuri, wailing.

" Do something, Yuri! " - Hallie, said.

" What I can do? " - Yuri, asked her sister. His voice was all innocence, but his broad shoulders were rocking with telltale mirth.

" You should know by now how she is. " - Yuri, added.

" But... " - Hallie, said. Realizing she was just wasting time arguing with Yuri, she turned around, intending to catch up with Kathy, but her brother's voice halted her.

" Not so fast. " - Yuri, said.

'Uh-Oh', Hallie thought. She belatedly remembered what she had interrupted.

" I really have to get to.. " - Hallie, said.

" Turn around, Hallie Daena. " - Yuri said. His voice became softer.

Her shoulders slumped. When Yuri used that tone with her, she knew it was pointless to try escaping. When Yuri Daniel Athanas wanted something done, he wouldn't stop until things happened the way he wanted. When his sister faced him.

" Don't do it again. " - Yuri, said tersely.

" But it's not right. " - Hallie said. She didn't bother pretending not to understand his warning. A mixture of frustration and dismay underlined her voice.

" I think she's perfect for you. " - Hallie, added.

Yuri's cold gaze made her voice trail off. She wasn't and would never be afraid of her brother, but she would never go against Yuri either.

" Whatver happens between Kathy and me, it has nothing to do with you. " - Yuri said calmly.

Hallie bit her lip hard. Did he really think those words were enough to get rid of her guilt? Yuri had sacrificed everything for her. Everything, and that included his freedom to choose the woman he married.

Even without Hallie saying a thing, his sister's anguish was palpable and Yuri exhaled his breath.

" Can't you see, Hallie? She's perfect for me because ... " - Yuri paused, he just thinking about the past made him feel sick with self disgust.

" You of all people ... " - Yuri muttered savagely under his breath.

" Should know why I can't give all of myself to Kathy. But it doesn't mean I don't care for her. " - Yuri said fiercely.

Yuri tipped her chin up.

" You understand, don't you? " - Yuri added.

Hallie managed a painful nod. She understood that because of her, Yuri no longer trusted himself to love. She understood that because of her, Yuri was not willing to give himself and Kathy a chance. She understood all of this, and it made her want to cry so badly at how all this knowledge left her helpless.

Knowing that the most she could do for her brother now was not to break down, she cleared her throat.

" We should go before everyone kill us for starving them. " - Hallie said brightly.

Inside the dining room, Yuri took his seat next to Kathy while Hallie slid into her place next to MJ.

" Are you alright? " - Andreus asked from across the table.

" Yup. " - Hallie, answered. She managed to sound cheerful but studiously avoided his narrowed gaze.