Odalisque - Chapter 127

“Honestly, I never thought I’d come back to the capital.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I left with no intention of ever returning.”

Perhaps it was because of the memories from her childhood that lingered in the city. Everywhere she went, old memories surfaced, softening her heart. However, as someone responsible for Corida, Liv couldn’t afford to let her guard down. She couldn’t continue caring for her ailing sister and making a living with a fragile heart. Drowning in memories made her resent her current reality.

Her hesitant fingers brushed against the base of the water jug, touching the familiar signature. It was her parents’ signature, which she’d seen so often that it had become almost dull. Now, seeing it again after so long, it looked elegant and dignified. It felt strange to see that her parents’ work was valuable enough to decorate a room in such a luxurious hotel.

While Liv was lost in sentiment, Dimus turned her to face him, locking eyes.

“Is this a confession?”

“What?”

“You said you left with no intention of coming back, yet you’re here now. Does that mean you missed me that much?”

Well…

Liv looked up at Dimus, her expression vague, unsure how to respond. Dimus seemed determined to get an answer from her, and his persistence was evident in his piercing blue eyes.

“You still want me, don’t you?”

It was as if nothing short of an answer would satisfy him. It wasn’t even some grand, heartfelt love confession.

“Do I really have to say it outright?”

“Yes.”

The insistence in his voice was almost childish, and without realizing it, Liv found herself thinking that Dimus was rather cute. At the same time, she couldn’t help but feel how hopeless this thought was.

Just a while ago, standing in front of the courthouse, she had felt such distance from him. Yet now, being alone together, Dimus no longer felt like the “great marquis” of the past. He no longer seemed like some unattainable, expensive possession—he now felt like someone she could reach for if she simply extended her hand. No longer did desiring him feel like committing a great sin.

Her heart felt lighter, strangely enough. As Liv pondered her emotions, she realized something.

She now had the right to choose.

Coming to the capital, following Dimus here, was her decision.

She could stay if she wanted him, or leave if she didn’t. Regardless of Dimus’ wishes, she now had the confidence to act on her own choice, guided solely by her own feelings.

“I want you, but I’m not sure if my feelings are pure.”

“Pure feelings?”

“I mean… I’m not sure if it’s romantic and beautiful love.”

Dimus responded with a low chuckle to her musing. “Sorry, but if you’re talking about pure, unblemished love, I can’t fulfill that fantasy.”

His tone was cynical as he lifted Liv’s chin gently, making her meet his gaze directly. With his eyes locking on hers, Dimus spoke again in a deep, husky voice, “So, there’s no need for your feelings to be that way either.”

Dimus’ voice murmured in her ear, dismissing any notions of needing a romantic love that could endure hardships for the sake of one person. Underneath his words, despite all the restraint, lay a raw desire he could not completely hide.

“Don’t just be content; want more. Desire whatever you wish. That’s enough for me.”

Liv couldn’t answer. His lips, desperate and demanding, claimed hers, swallowing her breath.

The sky outside the window was overcast, though the sun had not yet set.

The kiss, which began in front of the ornaments, ended with Liv being backed into the bedroom, her clothes scattered haphazardly around her feet.

In the time they had stayed at the Adelinde mansion, Dimus’ skill at undressing her had vastly improved. Now, regardless of the position, he could quickly strip her bare. Within a few steps, Liv found herself naked on the bed.

Feeling embarrassed by the bright room—the curtains were still open—Liv tried to cover herself with a blanket. But Dimus, finding it cumbersome, tossed the blanket off the bed, leaving her exposed. The chill in the room made her shiver slightly.

Dimus lay atop Liv, pressing her down as he kissed her again. His desperate, sucking kisses left her breathless. The way he hungrily licked and explored every corner of her mouth reminded her of a beast that had starved for months.

It wasn’t as if they hadn’t made love in a while. It had only been a few days since he left Adelinde and reunited with her in the capital.

Still, there was something different in the urgency of his actions today—the way his lips and tongue explored her mouth, her neck, her shoulders. It felt different.

Was it just a matter of mindset?

“Ah!”

As if sensing her distracted thoughts, Dimus bit down on her shoulder. The pressure left a faint mark, but her hypersensitive body interpreted even that as a stimulus.

Her unexpected moan made Dimus pause briefly. Then, with more force, he sucked on her skin, leaving red marks blooming like scattered petals. He wouldn’t stop until her entire upper body was covered in bruises.

The cool air seemed to grow warmer, the temperature of the room rising along with their shared body heat. Panting heavily, Liv wrapped her arms around the man’s head as it lay against her chest, her fingers weaving through his soft platinum hair.

“Ha…”

As Liv’s hands moved down his neck, Dimus, with his head still resting against her chest, let out a sigh. His hot breath tickled the flushed marks on her skin.

When her hand, obstructed by his shirt, stopped, Dimus removed his cravat, pulling it free and tossing it aside. In the process, he tore off a few shirt buttons, his movements quick as he stripped off his loose shirt.

His torso, covered in scars, came into view. Liv, still panting, reached out almost reflexively, her fingers grazing the scarred skin as if it were alive.

Dimus seemed to enjoy her touch on his scars. As he loosened his waistband, he pulled Liv up onto his lap, changing their position in an instant. He held her close, their faces level, her legs straddling his muscular thighs.

With Dimus’ large build, Liv felt as if she were enveloped entirely by him. She leaned back into his support and brushed her fingers along the scars that had drawn closer.

“When did you get this one?”

Tracing the raised scar along his chest, she asked quietly. She wasn’t necessarily looking for an answer—it was more an idle observation, a thought that it must have been painful.

“Second battle. A ground battle in Avrimo.”

To her surprise, Dimus answered immediately without hesitation. His direct response caught her off guard, and she looked up at him, astonished. Then, without thinking, she touched the scar on the opposite side—a small cross-shaped one tinged red.

“That one came from an operation in Alfeo.”

He answered before she even asked. Her fingers moved to a brownish scar beside it, resembling paint splattered across a page.

“A scar from an explosion in Quirino.”

Dimus’ hand moved slowly down Liv’s back as he spoke.

He went on to tell her about each of his scars—some small ones he didn’t remember precisely, but all the large, prominent ones were etched clearly in his memory.

His chest was like a map, the battlefields of his past drawn upon it.

“Do you remember them all?”

“Unfortunately.”

His tone was casual, as if they meant little to him, as if they were all just things of the past.

However, hearing his response only made Liv feel a deeper tenderness. The clarity with which he remembered his scars seemed to contradict his claim that they were meaningless.

“Do you pity me?”

“Do you want my pity?”

“If you pity me, you won’t throw me away. You’re too gentle for that.”

What did he take her for? Liv let out a breathy laugh as she ran her hand over his bare chest.

“I don’t pity you. These scars are proof of the fierce struggle you went through to survive. I wouldn’t presume to judge that time.”

She whispered in a soft voice, her fingers lightly scratching over Dimus’ chest.

“But I do respect it.”

Dimus’ muscular chest swelled at her touch. His grip on her waist tightened. Though Liv knew she was provoking him, she showed no hesitation. Instead, she traced his scars more firmly.

Their eyes met—his bright blue eyes were still striking, the face of an arrogant beauty. Who could ever guess, just by looking at his face, that he had a body covered in scars?

Ah, perhaps no one would ever know. To others, Dimus would always be an irritable, sensitive, and precious man.

Realizing this, Liv felt a fierce, burning desire rise within her.

“I won’t let you go—give yourself to me.”

Wrapping her arms around Dimus’ neck, Liv whispered in a hushed voice, “All of you, Dimus.”