predatory marriage

Her statement was clear. Confidential words spewed out, Leah tightly zipped her lips to a close.

The man, for the first time, became quiet—astonished as if he suddenly forgot how to speak. Staring to his face, anticipating a reaction, Leah found herself jolt in shock.

She saw a stir in his golden eyes—his pupils narrowed, and a red color encircled it like a girdle.

She was frightened for a moment, and hairs on her body stood on ends. The man, noticing the fear he was inciting in her, heavily sighed.

He ruffled his hair, wiped his face, and for a moment, covered his eyes.

And when his eerie gaze was revealed again, the menacing look in his eyes had vanished, masked with his usual relaxed countenance.

The man dragged Leah’s small body atop his belly. He gathered her silver hair to one side, and spoke with his lips lightly pressed against her exposed white nape.

“As for my story—the Kurkan who doesn’t have tattoos—I’ll tell you the next time we meet,” A faint smile crept up his lips, his eyes shone with a mischievous glint, “It will be quite fun.”

How absurd. He seemed quite certain that he would meet her again. Knowing the vanity his words, Leah laughed in silence. The expectant smile he wore would likely crumble at any moment.

He asked again, narrowing the gap between his brows, “Hold on to your life until I finish telling you my story, alright?”

As long as it stayed as an empty, meaningless agreement, she would tolerate it. Leah nodded nimbly, watching him as he dragged his enormous body up from the bed, letting her head rest on a pillow instead.

“Let’s eat something.”

His beautiful back muscles twisted and stretched, so did his angular shoulders, narrow hip and spine. Although his frame was big, she found his back-side rather cute. It looked so tight.

She had been blankly staring at the naked man wandering around when her gaze unconsciously traveled south and met his erect member. In a hurry, she pulled the blanket, covering her body like a cocoon.

She couldn’t believe they were so casually talking naked!

An exquisite specimen, he was confident with his skin—overly confident, that is. This man knows no decency! A shameless behavior of a barbarian.

Despite this, Leah couldn’t take her eyes off him and found herself having a hard time integrating his delectable image to the word “beast.”

With a tray on one hand, he peered at Leah wrapped tightly in the blanket and laughed. Nonetheless, he didn’t take the sheet from her. “Cold, huh?”

Instead, he sat close beside her and balanced the tray on his knee. On it laid a stew full of meat and vegetables and a loaf of wheat bread with raisins. The stew was a little lukewarm as it was prepared before she woke up.

Not having much of an appetite, she refused and turned her head away. But the man forced her to hold the spoon and all Leah could do was to accept the tray of stew and bread, which was now in small pieces—the man tore it beforehand for her.

It was a lovely dish for a shabby inn.

The stew was odorless, and the wheat bread was soft. Although she didn’t want to eat, her appetite grew as she popped food into her mouth. After a while, she finally felt full, so she tapped the tray, and the man met her eyes.

Understanding what she wanted, he shook his head. Instead of taking back the tray, he tore off a large piece of bread, dipped it into the stew, and handed it to her.

“Eat more. You’re thinner than the winter branches.”

Leah devoured what he had given her, softly chewing the moistened bread. Was it because she was hungry or was it just her feelings clouding her judgment? She wasn’t sure why, but the plain stew and wheat bread tasted more delicious than the delicacies of the royal palace.

While she ate heartily, the man took care of her without saying a word. As she chewed, she constantly snuck sideways glances at him as he tore the bread diligently.

The fairly large piece of bread in her hands seemed small in his. Although Leah was petite and thin compared to women her age, she felt like a little kid when she was with him.

She stole an observant gaze at his bulging forearm. Indisputably, Leah’s forearms combined would barely amount to one of his. Even his thighs were so thick they could pass as a tree stump.

This scrutiny made her remember the passion they shared last night. After all those rigorous activities, he looked far from being weary. No wonder, it’s all because of his fit body—and those sculpted muscles rippling as he moves.

What am I thinking?

Quickly, she shook off the thoughts that were rebelliously filling her head. When the man caught her sizing him up, his brows furrowed as he said, “Don’t look at me like that.”

Askance, she could not figure out what had offended him. Hence, she blinked her eyes at the words that sounded like an admonishment.

With a straight face, the man pointed his finger to his lower body—where his length, looking as excited as ever, begged for her attention.

Hence, from then on, Leah concentrated on eating the food he handed her without sparing him a single glance.

Her statement was clear. Confidential words spewed out, Leah tightly zipped her lips to a close.

The man, for the first time, became quiet—astonished as if he suddenly forgot how to speak. Staring to his face, anticipating a reaction, Leah found herself jolt in shock.

She saw a stir in his golden eyes—his pupils narrowed, and a red color encircled it like a girdle.

She was frightened for a moment, and hairs on her body stood on ends. The man, noticing the fear he was inciting in her, heavily sighed.

He ruffled his hair, wiped his face, and for a moment, covered his eyes.

And when his eerie gaze was revealed again, the menacing look in his eyes had vanished, masked with his usual relaxed countenance.

The man dragged Leah’s small body atop his belly. He gathered her silver hair to one side, and spoke with his lips lightly pressed against her exposed white nape.

“As for my story—the Kurkan who doesn’t have tattoos—I’ll tell you the next time we meet,” A faint smile crept up his lips, his eyes shone with a mischievous glint, “It will be quite fun.”

How absurd. He seemed quite certain that he would meet her again. Knowing the vanity his words, Leah laughed in silence. The expectant smile he wore would likely crumble at any moment.

He asked again, narrowing the gap between his brows, “Hold on to your life until I finish telling you my story, alright?”

As long as it stayed as an empty, meaningless agreement, she would tolerate it. Leah nodded nimbly, watching him as he dragged his enormous body up from the bed, letting her head rest on a pillow instead.

“Let’s eat something.”

His beautiful back muscles twisted and stretched, so did his angular shoulders, narrow hip and spine. Although his frame was big, she found his back-side rather cute. It looked so tight.

She had been blankly staring at the naked man wandering around when her gaze unconsciously traveled south and met his erect member. In a hurry, she pulled the blanket, covering her body like a cocoon.

She couldn’t believe they were so casually talking naked!

An exquisite specimen, he was confident with his skin—overly confident, that is. This man knows no decency! A shameless behavior of a barbarian.

Despite this, Leah couldn’t take her eyes off him and found herself having a hard time integrating his delectable image to the word “beast.”

With a tray on one hand, he peered at Leah wrapped tightly in the blanket and laughed. Nonetheless, he didn’t take the sheet from her. “Cold, huh?”

Instead, he sat close beside her and balanced the tray on his knee. On it laid a stew full of meat and vegetables and a loaf of wheat bread with raisins. The stew was a little lukewarm as it was prepared before she woke up.

Not having much of an appetite, she refused and turned her head away. But the man forced her to hold the spoon and all Leah could do was to accept the tray of stew and bread, which was now in small pieces—the man tore it beforehand for her.

It was a lovely dish for a shabby inn.

The stew was odorless, and the wheat bread was soft. Although she didn’t want to eat, her appetite grew as she popped food into her mouth. After a while, she finally felt full, so she tapped the tray, and the man met her eyes.

Understanding what she wanted, he shook his head. Instead of taking back the tray, he tore off a large piece of bread, dipped it into the stew, and handed it to her.

“Eat more. You’re thinner than the winter branches.”

Leah devoured what he had given her, softly chewing the moistened bread. Was it because she was hungry or was it just her feelings clouding her judgment? She wasn’t sure why, but the plain stew and wheat bread tasted more delicious than the delicacies of the royal palace.

While she ate heartily, the man took care of her without saying a word. As she chewed, she constantly snuck sideways glances at him as he tore the bread diligently.

The fairly large piece of bread in her hands seemed small in his. Although Leah was petite and thin compared to women her age, she felt like a little kid when she was with him.

She stole an observant gaze at his bulging forearm. Indisputably, Leah’s forearms combined would barely amount to one of his. Even his thighs were so thick they could pass as a tree stump.

This scrutiny made her remember the passion they shared last night. After all those rigorous activities, he looked far from being weary. No wonder, it’s all because of his fit body—and those sculpted muscles rippling as he moves.

What am I thinking?

Quickly, she shook off the thoughts that were rebelliously filling her head. When the man caught her sizing him up, his brows furrowed as he said, “Don’t look at me like that.”

Askance, she could not figure out what had offended him. Hence, she blinked her eyes at the words that sounded like an admonishment.

With a straight face, the man pointed his finger to his lower body—where his length, looking as excited as ever, begged for her attention.

Hence, from then on, Leah concentrated on eating the food he handed her without sparing him a single glance.