Beast’s Flower - Chapter 28

“Layla, do you know what I’m saying?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know what it actually means to give birth to an illegitimate child?”

“Yes, you’ve explained it.”

“Layla, I’m thankful for your kind heart, but giving birth is not an easy thing and… in order to have a child, we will need to engage in a certain act which…” Bioust tried to explain as his face began to warm in color. Upon seeing that, Layla started to bite on her lower lip.

‘He’s rejecting my offer now… Well, it was a given and was cocky of me to begin with. I’m a cursed woman while the other is that of nobility. Despite that, I was still arrogant enough to make such an offer to the Crown Prince… even if it was to make him happy…’

“Don’t bother if you don’t want to! I was just trying to help!” Layla jumped up from her seat in anger.

“Layla, that’s exactly why…” Bioust said in a sad and vulnerable voice.

“You said earlier that a marriage without love will be an unhappy one. What about the child that is borned from that kind of relationship? What about the child that was born without any love?” Bioust asked in a quiet voice.

“Let me clarify what I’m trying to say… Layla, I want to have a child with you. I want you to be the mother of my child. However, I do not want you to only have a child for the sake of helping me.”

After explaining, Bioust gave a sad smile as if it was Layla who rejected him.

‘But that’s not my intention!’

“Bioust.”

‘I must say it. I can’t keep avoiding this!’

“I…”

‘I didn’t want to say it since I thought that it was not my place to do so… But since it can help Bioust and prevent that unhappy marriage, I’ll do it.’

“I like you, Bioust.”

Gathering all of her courage, Layla finally confessed her true feelings.

“I think… I love you, Bioust.”

‘I may not know what it actually feels like to love. I’ve never experienced it in the first place nor was there someone to teach me about it. So, I’ve never had such a feeling before… But if love does exist, then the person I love is the man standing in front of me now.’

That same man wore a blank expression at the abrupt confession, but it only took moments before a smile spread across his face.

‘My savior.’

“Bioust.”

* * *

“Are you really okay, Layla?” Bioust with a concerned look on his face.

“Of course. Why do you keep asking?” Layla asked bluntly.

The two were sitting on Layla’s bed, faced towards each other. So, despite her reply, it was clearly visible to Bioust how she was feeling. The corners of her lips trembled while her hand clutched at the hem of her skirt.

She was pretending to be strong when it obviously was not the case.

“You may be fine, but I’m feeling thirsty probably due to nerves. Can you give me a moment?” Bioust asked politely.

Bioust then got out of bed and walked towards the nearby table. Taking advantage of the slightly distant proximity, Layla relaxed her stiff body. She had been so nervous and was clenching her fist so tightly that her slightly relaxed muscles in the palm felt cold now.

As Layla closed and opened her palm several times, Bioust stood in front of her with a glass of water.

“Would you like some water?”

“Yes.”

Taking the glass of water, Layla drank the sweet, refreshing liquid. As her mouth was dry from all the tension, the water definitely did quench her thirst.

Bioust watched Layla with a smile. As if sensing it, Layla frowned slightly and looked at Bioust.

‘Why is he looking at me?’

Then as able to hear her thoughts, Bioust said calmly, “Cute.”

Bioust’s hand gently rubbed Layla’s neck as she was still drinking. Surprised by the sudden touch, Layla stopped drinking and accidentally spilled a little water.

“Oh!”

Drops of water spilt on the floor as well as on Layla’s clothes. There was also water slightly spilt on the corner on her lips.

Bioust took away the glass of water from Layla’s hand and placed it back on the table. With a small smile, he wiped the moisture off Layla’s lips with his hand.

“Actually, these lips are cute too.”

“W-What nonsense are you talking about?”

Layla half-screamed since it was the first time she was ever called ‘cute’.

‘Then again, this isn’t the first time someone has said it before…’

‘In fact, the same person has called me cute, pretty, and beautiful before,’ Layla thought to herself as she looked at Bioust who was smiling at her.

“Your eyes are cute too.”

Regardless of Layla’s reaction, Bioust continued to say whatever that apparently came to mind. Bioust’s hand that was wet from wiping Layla’s lips from earlier, came close to her eyes.

Although Layla flinched slightly as Bioust touched the skin next to her eye gently, she did not slap his hand away. She allowed him to touch her.

“Sometimes, these hands are so cute.”

Layla felt Bioust’s other large hand reach out to hers. Giving no resistance, Layla watched as Bioust’s big hand wrapped around her small hand, slowly interlocked their fingers together.

‘It’s that feeling again… The same feeling when Bioust treated my finger back in the forest. The feeling that caused my heart to pound and toes to feel ticklish. An unknown feeling that felt like warmth rising up from my toes and tickled at the very tips of my fingers…’

The next instant, Layla was laying flat on the bed. She had only closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened her eyes again, Bioust was already looking down at her as his body hovered above hers.

“Layla.”

Layla was unable to answer Bioust. It was because she knew that if she were to do so, her voice would shake so much that it would sound more like a baby goat. Thus, she just looked at Bioust with the intention of only listening to him.

“I might sound like a bad guy if I say something, but may I say it?”

Layla nodded at Bioust’s question.

“I think I’ve been waiting for this moment since the first time I met you.”

Layla’s eyes widened and mouth opened slightly at Bioust’s surprising admittance. She could not tell if she did not believe it or wanted to believe it.

At that very moment, the alluring scent that enticed Bioust became stronger. The scent was becoming more intense by each passing moment to the extent that it may even suffocate him to death.

The abrupt intensity of the scent only made Bioust’s body hard.

No matter how patient he was, he was already passing his limit.

As he said a moment ago, Bioust had been looking forward to this moment from the first time he laid eyes upon Layla. Although he may not be able to do everything he had aspired to do, it is a consolation that some of those things were possible now.

‘Such as to kiss her, caress her body that exudes this enticing scent, licking at her scented skin with my tongue, before finally entering her,’ Bioust smiled.

“B-Bioust?”

“Yes, Layla?”

Layla’s voice trembled softly while Bioust’s voice was husky with desire.

“Should I close my eyes?”

“Whichever that you’re comfortable with. I like you with your eyes open, and I like you with your eyes closed.”

Before Layla could make a decision, Bioust began to kiss her, unable to endure it any longer.

Like a thirsty man yearning for sweet nectar, Bioust desired her lips. He sucked at Layla’s lower lip, as if biting it, before doing the same to her upper lip. Not long after, his tongue plunged into her mouth, teasing her tongue in a sensual manner.

As Bioust kissed Layla passionately, she could feel the soles of her feet tingle and there was only so much she could endure. As Bioust continued to relentlessly tease her tongue with his, Layla felt a flash of lightning in her head and was unable to come to her senses. It was as if she was in a dream yet she was still awake.

When Layla was able to grasp more of reality, she started to really feel the intensity of the kiss as Bioust’s tongue continued to invade her mouth. It was wet, soft, and warm yet sweet.

The strangest part was that Layla began to arched her back unconsciously and moan as if she was suffering when all she felt was pleasure. Ever so often, her body flinched as the sweet torture continued.

“A-ah… Ngh-ah…”

It felt like Layla was running out of breath because Bioust seemed to have all the intention of devouring her. He was like a predator.

He was like a cruel and vicious predator who was trying to steal her breath away.

To steal her ability to think.

To steal her very soul.