Chapter 75: Villainess Princess × Slave (38)

Cassian slowly started washing her hair, his fingers massaging the sweet-scented floral oil gently into her wet tresses. His movements were impossibly tender, yet the overwhelming, suffocating pressure radiating from his tall frame made every single hair on Lyra’s arms stand on end.

"What is my princess thinking so deeply...?" Cassian whispered raspy and low, his deep voice brushing against the shell of her ear. "Is my princess planning to escape again, hmm?"

Lyra shivered violently, a gasp catching in her throat. She instinctively tried to turn her head around in the steaming water to glare at him, her eyes wide with frantic panic.

Cassian looked down at her pale, flushed face, a dark glint dancing deep within his pitch-black eyes. Without taking his gaze off her for even a fraction of a second, he slowly untied the sash of his outer robe, letting the heavy fabric slide off his broad shoulders and drop onto the cold marble floor.

Lyra gulped heavily, her throat going completely dry.

With a soft splash, Cassian stepped right into the warm marble pool

The warm water rose to his waist, instantly soaking his thin white inner shirt. The thin fabric clung tightly to his sculpted chest, making every single line of his perfectly defined abs vividly visible through the wet material.

Lyra’s breath hitched. Oh, shit...

As Cassian began wading closer through the rose-petal water, Lyra frantically scrambled backward, trying to put as much distance between them as possible. But before her slippers could even push off the marble edge, Cassian reached out his arm, grabbing her waist and pulling her back toward him

SMACK!

Lyra slammed directly into his rock-hard, wet chest. The impact made her head spin, the intense warmth of his body radiating straight through her soaked clothes.

"Why just stare...?" Cassian murmured, a smirk curling his lips. "Why not just touch them, Princess?"

Before Lyra could protest, Cassian caught her small, trembling hand in his grip, forcibly guiding her delicate palm straight onto his warm, wet abs.

Lyra desperately tried to pull her fingers back, her face flushing. "L-Let go of me!"

However, the second her fingertips pressed against his firm, sculpted muscles, she involuntarily gulped again. His body was unreal- so impossibly toned, rugged, and strong, exactly as expected of the godly Male Lead of an action web novel! Her mind went completely foggy, her rational thoughts short-circuiting into chaotic static under the overwhelming sensory overload.

Taking immediate advantage of her dazed state, Cassian leaned down and slammed his lips directly onto hers

"Mmm-?!" Lyra gasped against his mouth, her eyes bulging in absolute shock

Cassian kissed her with wild hunger, devouring her taste as if he were a dying man finally reaching an oasis in a barren desert. His broad hand cupped the back of her head firmly, deepening the kiss, holding her head in place so she couldn’t retreat even an inch. He claimed her lips again and again, swirling his tongue against hers with a possessive intensity that completely stole the air right out of her lungs

By the time he finally pulled back just a fraction to let them both gasp frantically for air, Lyra’s head was spinning wildly. Her vision blurred, her mind feeling utterly woozy as the world around her tilted on its axis.

Before her dazed mind could recover, Cassian leaned in without a second’s warning and captured her swollen lips in another deep, suffocating kiss

Lyra whimpered softly into his mouth, her knees turning to complete jelly inside the warm water. She felt as though she were drowning, completely helpless against the tidal wave of his dark, affection.

When Cassian finally released her lips, Lyra leaned against his broad chest, panting heavily, gasping for air as her chest heaved up and down.

During their intense struggle, the ribbons of her wet silk bath gown had completely dissolved and loosened. The fine white silk slid down over her delicate shoulders, exposing her snowy, white neck and soft collarbones to the chilly air of the bath chamber.

In the dim, flickering torchlight, with her dark hair clinging to her damp skin and her lips swollen red, she looked exquisitely alluring.

Cassian’s pitch-black eyes instantly darkened, turning into a deep abyss of raw desire.

"You made me wait so long..." Cassian growled raspy and low, his thumb softly tracing the curve of her exposed, snowy collarbone. "...Shouldn’t you be punished for that, Your Highness?"

Before Lyra’s dazed brain could even process those terrifying words-

Cassian reached under the water, effortlessly scooping her small body up into his broad arms and lifting her straight out of the sunken marble pool

"AH!" Lyra gasped in shock, instinctively clutching his wet shoulders as water splashed everywhere onto the tiles. "W-What are you doing?!"

Cassian didn’t answer. He carried her trembling body over to a armchair resting near the warm fireplace, sitting her down onto the soft cushions.

Without taking his dark gaze off her face, he reached down and casually began peeling the dripping silk bath robe off her body

Lyra’s face flushed so red it felt like it was going to burst into flames. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, kicking her feet out frantically.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Lyra shrieked, her inner soul rolling on the floor in absolute madness! "YOU FILTHY SLAVE! LET GO OF ME THIS INSTANT!"

"Just helping Her Highness change into dry clothes..." Cassian purred smoothly, a dark smirk playing on his lips.

His large hand lightly brushed against her delicate undergarments as he expertly unfastened the wet silk, his warm fingers sending a surge of electricity shooting straight down her spine

Lyra’s brain completely snapped!

SLAP!

With all the strength left in her body, Lyra raised her hand and smacked him hard across the cheek

The impact made Cassian’s head turn to the side. A suffocating silence instantly descended upon the room. The only sound left was the crackling fire in the hearth.

Cassian slowly turned his face back toward her. His pitch-black eyes were shadowy, intense, and unreadable, staring dead at her trembling form.

SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! Lyra screamed frantically inside her head, her soul clutching its head in horror! I JUST SLAPPED THE TYRANT EMPEOR WHILE CORNERED IN HIS BATHROOM! I ANGERED HIM! I AM DEFINITELY DYING TODAY! HE IS GOING TO CHOP MY HEAD OFF RIGHT NOW!

"I-I’m changing by myself!" Lyra squeaked out frantically

She pushed his broad chest away, grabbed a bundle of dry silk robes off the silver tray, and bolted into the small changing alcove like a frightened rabbit, slamming the wooden door shut and sliding the bolt into place!

Inside the changing alcove, Lyra leaned against the door, her heart pounding loudy. She took deep breaths, frantically wiping her flushed cheeks.

Outside the alcove door, Cassian stood motionless in the bath chamber. He raised his hand, his thumb lightly tracing the lingering warmth on his cheek where her small hand had struck him.

Instead of flying into a rage, a slow, breathtakingly amused smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Take your time, my Princess," Cassian called out softly, his raspy voice full of satisfaction. "I will be waiting right here."

Ten nerve-wracking minutes passed.

Having no other choice, Lyra finally unlocked the alcove door and stepped out. She was now dressed in a clean, high-collared silk gown that covered her neck entirely, her wet hair draped neatly over her shoulders.

However, the second her slippers stepped back into the bedchamber, her eyes raised and she froze dead in her tracks

Cassian was still standing right there in the middle of the room!

Worse yet, he hadn’t changed at all! He was still wearing his wet, clinging white inner shirt and soaked trousers, water slowly dripping from his hair onto the carpet, making him look impossibly handsome, dangerous, and rugged.

Lyra raised her eyebrows in disbelief, her dark eyes flashing with irritation. She pointed a trembling finger at his dripping frame.

"Why are you still here?!" Lyra barked, putting on her villainess glare to hide her internal embarrassment. "And why are you still in those wet clothes?!"

Cassian stepped forward, his eyes narrowing with a playful, possessive glint.

"Because... this is my bedroom, Princess," Cassian murmured smoothly, stopping right in front of her. "And as for these wet clothes... I helped Your Highness change out of your wet robes earlier, so why shouldn’t you help me change out of mine, hmm?"

A bold smirk spread across his jawline.

Lyra’s jaw dropped in absolute outrage! "IN YOUR DREAMS!"

She grabbed a pillow off the nearby sofa and hurled it straight at his head with all her strength

SWISH!

Cassian effortlessly dodged the flying pillow with a casual tilt of his head. In the next fraction of a second, he blurred forward, stepping right into her personal space and trapping her against the edge of the vanity table

He leaned down, his face inches from hers, his pitch-black eyes swirling with a dangerous threat.

"Don’t be so unfair now, Princess..." Cassian whispered raspy and low, his hand resting beside her hip on the table. "...Unless, of course, you want me to continue where we left off in the pool?"

Lyra’s entire body went rigid! The memory of his intense, suffocating kisses flooded her mind, making her face flush a bright, burning red once again.

"F-Fine!" Lyra surrendered frantically, holding her hands up in defeat. "Where are your clothes?!"

Cassian’s smirk widened with absolute victory. He gestured toward a large wardrobe resting near the curtained balcony.

Grumbling curses under her breath, Lyra stomped over to the wardrobe, pulled out a dry, luxurious black silk tunic decorated with gold dragon embroidery, and stomped right back to him.

"Hold still!" Lyra huffed, refusing to look him directly in the eyes.

With trembling, flushed fingers, Lyra slowly began untying the soaked sash of his inner shirt. She carefully peeled the wet fabric off his broad, muscular shoulders, trying her absolute best not to let her eyes wander over his ridiculously toned chest and abs.

Cassian stood completely still, allowing her to dress him. His dark gaze remained locked onto her blushing face the entire time, thoroughly enjoying the adorable, flustered expression of his fierce princess.

She helped him slide his broad arms into the dry black tunic, quickly tying the golden sash around his waist with an aggressive, tight knot.

"There! Done!" Lyra declared, taking two giant steps backward and crossing her arms over her chest.

Cassian let out a low, satisfied laugh. Having teased her enough for one evening, he decided to grant his precious princess some much-needed breathing room.

Lyra leaned against the edge of the vanity table, trying to regain her composure. She took a deep breath, her dark eyes flickering over his face as a sudden, serious thought struck her mind.

She looked directly into his pitch-black eyes and asked in a clear, straightforward voice:

"Where is Mabel?"

The sudden, unexpected mention of the Female Lead’s name made the warm, teasing atmosphere in the room shatter instantly

Cassian’s sharp eyebrows furrowed tightly. The dark, playful glint in his eyes vanished in a single heartbeat, replaced by a sudden, icy surge of intense annoyance and dark jealousy.

The air temperature in the grand bedchamber plummeted once again.

Cassian took a slow step toward her, his tall frame looming over her small body as his voice dropped into an icy register.

"Is that what my Princess has been thinking about this entire time...?" Cassian growled low, his dark eyes locking onto hers with a possessive depth. "While standing in my room, wrapped in my arms... you are asking me about another woman?"

Lyra’s heart skipped a beat, her dark eyes blinking as the suffocating pressure returned to the room.