Aries sat down on her calf, frowning at Abel's random question. She watched Abel adjust on his position until he was facing her, lifting his leg up on the mattress.
"Do you want to be my brother so badly?" she asked with a complicated look in her eyes. This was the second time he asked her the same question, proving he was actually serious about that.
"May I know the reason?" she inquired.
"I'll marry you off."
"..."
Her eyes grew icy as her expression instantly died. She wanted to think she had misheard him, but it was hard to deny she did. Didn't Abel look for her like a madman? Hurting himself in the process? Now, he was telling her he would marry her off?
The more Aries thought about it, she could not help but laugh in mockery. Surely, this wasn't what she expected from him.
"You'll marry me off?" she repeated, lifting a finger to poke the bandaged wound in his chest. "Sure. Is this because you want to covet someone else's wife now?"
The side of his lips stretched into a grin, laughing at her wild guess. Abel planted his palms on the mattress, crawling towards her. This time, she didn't back away until their faces were a palm length away from each other. Up close, he could see the displeasure she hid perfectly well beneath her eyes.
"Darling, you didn't want to be my empress, but you're fine being my mistress. The same goes for me. I don't mind being your husband, or your mistress," he dawdled seductively, moving his face closer, mouth falling upon getting a whiff of her breath. "Your lover has things you can have and all you have to do is whisper things in his ears while lying naked on the same bed with him."
Abel tilted his head playfully while the apex of his nose brushed against her cheek. "Even if you become my sister by name, intermarriage was never forbidden in Haimirich. Moreover, no one will be surprised if I fuck my sister. I am Abel."
"My future husband will get jealous," came out a humor, planting her palm on his shoulder as she slowly laid down while he crawled on top of her. Her eyes remained on the pair of maroon eyes hovering over her. "You're still injured, Abel."
"Forget about my injuries, but between your husband and your mistress, were his feelings far more important than mine?"
"He is my husband." She pointed out. "If you marry me off, don't blame me if I find him pleasing and fulfill our marital duties."
Aries looked away while he bent over, tracing her neck with his nose. She murmured. "I might actually just do that to spite you."
"I changed my mind." He laughed, biting her shoulder. Aries winced as she felt his teeth leaving marks on her skin under the thin fabric of her nightdress.
She raised her brows when Abel created distance between them, hands on her rear, confining her in his arms.
"Don't scare me like that, darling." He frowned, blinking innocently.
"You're the one who brought that up. Are you serious?"
Abel lowered his body until his weight blanketed over her. He moved his head to her side, biting her earlobe lightly.
"I have a good reason, though." Aries arched a brow, tilting her head slightly at the tingling sensation while he nibbled her ears. "A very good one."
"How will I know if you don't tell me?" he grinned at her soft remarks, squeezing her thigh up. "Abel, you're injured — ah!"
Aries winced when he squeezed her thigh tighter, biting her shoulder once again to silence her. She was just concerned about his injuries, but this was what she get in return? She wouldn't deny the pain, but it was tolerable.
"Darling, do you think my injuries are enough to stop me?" he crooned, trailing kisses on her neck, licking and sucking ever so tenderly. "Let's do it."
"Stop..." she bit her lips, clutching his shoulder tighter. "... stop saying things. It's embarrassing."
He grinned against her skin. "Shall we do it?" he asked, his lips on her jaw, barely holding himself back from fucking her... hard.
"You..." she called through her gritted teeth, holding her breath.
"Say yes, darling. Although... I can guarantee you, you'll have to bear with me," came out a whisper, drawing his head back to face her squarely. "You will be dealing with months of pent-up energy I had stored for you."
Aries bit her inner lip, staring directly into his magnetizing eyes. The side of his lips curled up charmingly, using his bewitching looks to seduce her.
"This is unfair," she whispered, calming her racing heart at the tension embracing them tightly, like a chain.
This was the first; this was her first. Although this was not the first time someone would claim her body, this was the first someone asked for her consent.
She knew Abel. He wasn't the type to ask for permission; he would just do it. But for him to ask and wait for her answer, and to actually honor whatever response he would receive like he used to, he made her feel that this body... was still hers.
Even when a particular person claimed that her body and life were his, Abel returned that control to her. He gave her that authority she didn't think she would ever hold again.
"If I'm going to give this filthy body willingly, I'd like you to be that first mistake." He smirked at her muffled reply. Her body relaxed gradually, cupping his sharp jaw, her thumb wiping the corner of his lips.
"Call my name, Abel," she requested under her breath.
His smirked remained, stretching wide until his teeth showed. Aries surely blow his mind at the most unexpected times and it was driving him insane.
Abel bent over, tilting his head to claim her lips, and he whispered into her mouth, "I'll make sure I am the best mistake you'll ever make… Aries."