Chapter 69: Alive and breathing

Caroline leaned toward the open window, resting her arm against the frame as the night air brushed past her skin.

The tension from the morning seemed to fade, leaving her mind genuinely at ease.

Beside her, Andrew reached over to the central console and pressed a button. The car’s roof retracted completely, opening the interior to the vast expanse of the dark sky.

Caroline looked up in quiet awe at the stars above before turning her gaze toward Andrew. "I always wanted to ride in a car like this," she admitted, a soft smile touching her lips. "I mean... it was just a simple thought I used to have."

Andrew shifted his gaze toward her, a genuine warmth softening his features. "Then I am glad I fulfilled your dream," he affirmed.

"Let’s not go too far," Caroline said, her hands resting nervously on her lap as she glanced sideways at his profile. "You are still recovering from your injury. I don’t want you putting unnecessary strain on your body."

"Hmm," Andrew hummed. A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes as he flicked the steering wheel, veering the car away from the well-paved highway and onto a narrower track.

Outside the open roof, the ordered rows of streetlamps quickly gave way to dense forest cover from both sides. Caroline realized they were on a path which was used less.

"Have you ever stayed in a forest lodge?" Andrew asked, glancing over at her.

"No," she replied.

"Then that is where we are going," he answered smoothly, maintaining his speed.

"What? There is a house out here?" Caroline twisted in her seat, pressing her back against the passenger door as she stared out into the pitch-black woods. She was a bit worried thinking if wild animals or wolves would appear out of nowhere.

Suddenly, Andrew moved the car toward left into the forest. Surprisingly the cobblestone road to drive was constructed between the woods and lamps on both sides had illuminated the path.

Caroline got curious to see what lay ahead. A few meters ahead, she finally saw a wooden house.

Andrew pressed the button to slide the roof back into place, securing the cabin before bringing the car to a halt. Caroline was the first to step out into the night, her boots crunching softly against the gravel as she surveyed their surroundings.

The landscape was vast, serene, and untouched. She lifted her head toward the night sky and drew in a quiet breath, watching the countless shimmering stars.

"I own this place," Andrew said, stepping up beside her and resting a warm hand against the small of her back.

Caroline turned to him, her eyes widening slightly. "You built this?"

"Yes," Andrew replied, his gaze sweeping over the secluded structure. "It is only accessible to royalty. I don’t allow others though. Whenever I have to stay at the palace, I spend most of my time out here instead. It’s quiet." He glanced down at her, his expression softening. "Let’s go inside."

She nodded softly. He took her hand, his long fingers interlacing with hers as he guided her toward the entrance.

Reaching the front door, Andrew entered the passkey and gestured for her to enter ahead of him. The moment her foot crossed the threshold, soft, warm light flooded the entryway, illuminating the entire floor.

"Motion sensor lights," Andrew explained, shutting the door behind them and locking it.

"It’s lovely," Caroline murmured.

Andrew bent down, retrieved two pairs of house slippers from the entrance storage, and set them on the floor before standing back up. "We will stay here until I fully recover. I’ll have Jereth come out here directly whenever he needs to inspect the wound."

He walked further into the main living space, and Caroline followed close behind, her eyes taking in the spacious layout.

"What about everything else we might need?" Caroline asked. "And your parents might not approve of you leaving the main palace."

"They won’t care as long as I am alive and breathing," Andrew replied carelessly. He crossed the floor and sank back against the deep cushions of a grey sofa, stretching his legs out. "Well, I suppose Dad cares in his own way. But my mother... she only pretends to care."

A short, bitter chuckle escaped his lips as he leaned his head back against the cushion. "How can she even look me in the eye after I reminded her once again that she never actually wanted me?"

Caroline recalled how Seraphina told her she didn’t understand a mother’s heart.

Before she could speak, Andrew motioned to the cushion next to him. "Sit here."

Caroline took a step forward, but before she could sit down, his hand shot out and clamped around her wrist.

He tugged her down, bringing her straight into his lap. Her palm slammed against his solid shoulder to steady herself, her breath catching as his nose brushed lightly against hers.

She closed her eyes as the warm, lingering trace of his lips moved down the side of her neck, trailing lower to her throat. He pulled the skin gently between his teeth and sucked, eliciting a low, involuntary moan from her.

"I know you are anxious because we lost Victor," he murmured against the base of her throat, his hot breath fanning across her skin. "But it is time to put those thoughts behind us. Enjoy the present with me. Your scent heals me in a way I cannot even explain."

He tilted his head back, looking up at her through his lashes with a puppy gaze that instantly melted her remaining resolve.

A faint smile touched her lips. Her fingers reached up, lightly brushing the curve of his earlobe before she leaned down to press her lips against his. Ever since they had crossed that threshold together, resisting him had become nearly impossible.

She gasped sharply when his teeth suddenly tugged at her lower lip, breaking the thin surface of skin. Before she could process the sharp sting, he licked it away and swept his tongue deeper into her mouth, deepening the kiss with a sudden, possessive intensity.

Her mind went completely blank, overwhelmed by the sudden rush of heat. Her heart hammered violently against her ribs, a strange, pooling coil of warmth tightening in the pit of her stomach.

Without breaking their lips for even a fraction of a second, Andrew shifted his weight, turning her body gently against the soft fabric of the sofa. He laid her back onto the cushions, his frame hovering over hers as the kiss consumed every last bit of space between them.