The Rose He Showed Off Is Putting Down Roots in a Garden of Her Own novel Chapter 73

In the dark room, Zane used his phone screen for a sliver of light. He cracked open a bottle of water, helped Elara sit up, and carefully tipped it to her lips. "Drink as much as you can. It'll help flush it out of your system." The drug was taking full effect. Elara couldn't sit still. Zane quickly sat on the edge of the bed and let her lean against his chest. She didn't say a word, just drank whatever he offered.

Zane could feel the intense heat radiating from her body. He reached up to check her forehead and found her skin completely drenched in sweat. He set the water bottle aside and gently laid her down. Using his phone's flashlight, he examined her condition. Her complexion was deeply flushed, her eyes glazed with a hazy, intoxicating desire. Having run several upscale clubs, he instantly recognized the exact drug she had been forced to take.

"Elara," Zane whispered, gently tapping her cheek. "Do you know who I am?" She didn't respond. Her red lips parted slightly, and her breathing grew increasingly erratic. Zane scooped her into his arms, intending to rush her to the hospital, but he immediately realized what kind of drug was running through her veins. It was a rapid-acting formula that peaked in ten minutes. By the time they reached an emergency room, the drug would be fully absorbed. Having her stomach pumped would only subject her to pointless agony, not to mention exposing her compromised state to the public.

He turned back and laid her on the bed. The moment her back hit the mattress, her arms shot up, wrapping tightly around his neck, and she pulled him down. Her lips crashed into his. Zane froze in shock as her lips grazed his cheek, desperately seeking his mouth. His heart skipped a beat, hammering so loudly in the quiet room that he thought it might burst.

Who was this woman? She was the woman he had desired for over a decade. He had watched her fall in love, watched her get married, watched her find happiness. He had given up, gotten married himself, gotten divorced, and accepted his role as a mere background character in her life. And now, she was kissing him. Zane remained completely rigid, not daring to return the kiss.

Frustrated by his lack of response, she kissed a messy, desperate path down his neck. His breathing grew heavy and ragged. He held onto her waist, terrified to make a move, letting her chaotic hands roam freely. She tugged at his tie, loosening it, and fumbled with the buttons of his crisp dress shirt. In the darkness, she was a woman consumed by a suffocating wave of desire, and he was a man losing a desperate battle with his own restraint. He tilted his head back, his throat working a hard swallow. His pulse raced out of control, teetering dangerously on the edge of his moral boundaries.

The hands gripping her waist tightened involuntarily, pulling her lush curves flush against him, savoring the soft warmth of her body. Unable to endure the agonizing heat inside her, she bit down hard on his neck. An indescribable rush of electricity surged through his veins, snapping his restraint in two. He was stunned by his own explosive reaction. He didn't need any drugs. She was his ultimate addiction.

She kissed him again, her lips hungrily soothing the very spot she had just bitten. It was a beautiful agony, a sweet torture that left him utterly breathless. It was more intoxicating than any fantasy he had ever conjured. A low, rumbling groan escaped his throat. His body reacted before his mind could stop it, shifting his weight until he hovered powerfully above her. He kept his hips perfectly still, fighting for control as she writhed beneath him in desperate need.

He pinned her wrists down. He didn't want to take her like this. He didn't want the aftermath of the drug to be a morning filled with regret and shame. Elara let out a soft, heartbreaking whimper of frustration. Zane hovered over her, torn by an agonizing choice. Finally, he pulled her into a tight, protective embrace, shifted his body, and gently reached for the hem of her dress.