CHAPTER 111: PLEASE,JUST LEAVE

"I have no interest in Eldric or any other man," Lilith said, reaching up to touch his face. But before she could, Hades caught her wrist, halting her.

"What do you think you’re doing, huh?" he asked, his voice low and rough.

"I am simply telling you there’s nothing between Eldric and me. He’s not the man I want." Her voice was steady and soft. Her eyes dropped to his lips before dragging back up to his dark, stormy eyes, brimming with desire.

"Then who is it that you want?" he asked, gaze flickering between her lips and eyes.

Lilith leaned in, so close that her breath ghosted over his skin. "You," she whispered. "I want you, Hades."

He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing. His breath hitched, deep and ragged. Then he closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly.

"No," he breathed. "You don’t know what you’re saying." His eyes opened, burning into hers. "You have no idea what you’re saying."

Gods. Just when Lilith thought he couldn’t possibly be more breathtaking, here he was—an angel of darkness sculpted by divine hands, the fire in his eyes melting every resolve she had. The battle in him, the desperate desire leaking through his restraint, made her knees weak and her core tighten.

"All I know," she said, voice trembling with honesty, "is that it’s you I want. And I know you want me just as much."

His gaze dropped to her lips—full, soft, tempting. She was biting the lower one now, clearly trying to steady herself. The sight of it nearly unraveled him.

He could lean in and claim her mouth. Gods, his body ached for it. His hands itched to bury in her hair, his lips to press against hers, to finally take what he had denied himself again and again.

But he couldn’t. Because if he kissed her, he wouldn’t stop. And if he gave in now, he wouldn’t survive what came next. He would be ruined.

She stared up at him, wide-eyed. Her nearness seared his skin. The space between them was almost nonexistent—and that, that was the danger.

Hades exhaled shakily, his hands sliding around her waist and pulling her against him, finally letting himself touch her.

"You’re fucking right about that," he murmured against her lips, voice thick with emotion. "I do want you. Gods, I need you, like I have never needed anything in my life. My soul craves you, Lilith."

He rested his forehead against hers, breathing her in. "And when I get this close to you, I forget every reason I had to stay away."

He suddenly turned them around, pinning her gently against the wall. His chest rose and fell in ragged breaths, his arms braced on either side of her, palms flat against the wall, caging her in.

Then, as if he couldn’t resist, his hands dropped to her waist, gripping her gently. His fingers flexed against her sides like he was trying to memorize the shape of her. Her breath caught. His did, too.

"Don’t," he whispered hoarsely, leaning his forehead against hers again. "Don’t look at me like that."

"Like what?" she asked softly.

"Like you want me to ruin you."

Lilith hands lifted curling into his shirt, not to pull him closer. She didn’t need to. He was already lost in her.

"Maybe because I want you to," she breathed.

And then he was there—his lips brushing along her jaw, breath hot and uneven as it traced down the curve of her neck. He didn’t kiss her. Not yet. But his mouth hovered, ghosting over her skin like a promise.

She felt the full length of his body pressed against hers—the hard ridge of his arousal nudging low against her belly. Heat flooded her, spreading like wildfire as Hades finally pressed his lips to her neck, kissing, biting, and nipping at the sensitive skin. His hands roamed, exploring her body with reverent curiosity.

She gasped softly when his hand slid up her side, fingers splaying across her ribs, his thumb grazing the edge of her breast. Not quite touching. Not quite innocent either.

"You’re going to be the death of me," he hissed, his mouth parting against her throat, drinking in her scent like it was the only air he could breathe.

"Fuck," he exhaled. "I want to kiss you," he confessed, voice strangled. "I want to kiss you so hard you forget everything, until all your thoughts are consumed by me and all the things I’ll do to you."

"Then do it," Lilith whispered, eyes locked on his. "Kiss me, Your Highness. Make me forget everything else."

He groaned, tortured, pulling back slightly

"I can’t," he said. "Because if I start, I won’t stop. I will never stop until I’ve claimed every part of you wholly and completely."

With a broken sound, he dipped his head once more, dragging his mouth across the side of her neck in a whisper of a kiss that burned hotter than any flame. His hands trembled where they held her. His control was fraying—just a thread now, stretched thinner than silk.

And then, slowly, agonizingly, he pulled away, turning around.

Hades didn’t move for a long, breathless moment.

His hands hovered at his sides, fingers twitching, as though they ached to reach back out and touch her again. But he didn’t. He couldn’t. Not when every instinct screamed at him to do the opposite.

He closed his eyes.

His throat worked around the words that didn’t want to be said.

"Leave," he rasped and silence followed, his voice strained, "Please....just leave." The emotions in his voice thick and heavy.

Lilith didn’t move right away, she just stared at him her eyes wide and glistening with unspoken emotions, still fixed on his back. She could see that his shoulders were tensed, the rigid line of his spine and the clench of his fists at his sides.

Lilith didn’t want to leave but she could tell that the prince was serious about it and obviously needed her to respect that boundary. And with trembling hands and an aching chest, she turned and walked to the door. Just when her fingertips brushed the doorknob, his voice stopped her.

"Forgive me, Lilith. I want you to know that I will never hurt you." His words were soft, almost a whisper.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, her hand tightening briefly on the knob before she opened the door and stepped out. As it clicked shut behind her, a deafening silence followed.

Hades let out a shaky breath, dragging his trembling hands over his face in exhaustion.