Chapter 106 : Bittersweet moments.

Frustration gnawed at Ava's insides, twisting her stomach into a knot as she ransacked Ibrahim's study. She spun on her heels, her eyes darting across the mahogany shelves, scanning the spines of countless books. One of her crucial elements was missing: her textbook.

Days of university closure had finally ended. And the classes will start from today. 

Professor Siti was a tiger when it came to preparedness, and forgetting a textbook was akin to waving a red flag in front of a charging bull. Ava could already picture the steely glint in Siti's eyes, the pursed lips and the scathing remark about "irresponsible students." No, that image wouldn't stand. Ava needed that book, and she needed it fast.

Ava had retraced her steps a dozen times, scrutinizing every nook and cranny, but the elusive book remained stubbornly out of reach.

A knock on the door startled her. Yasmeen poked her head in. "Ava ma'am. Ibrahim sir is calling you for breakfast."

Ava turned, her brows furrowed. "Tell him I'll be there in a minute," she mumbled, her eyes glued to the bookshelf. "Lost a book, it seems. And there are so many notes scattered around."

"What does it look like, ma'am? I can help you find it." Yasmeen approached Ava.

Ava sighed, picturing the book in her mind's eye. "Grey cover on the front," she said, "and the title….....the title...uh... oh my god, what was it called again?" she paused, "'Sustainable Architecture for the Modern City.'" Ava remembered finally.

Yasmeen embarked on a search that would make Sherlock Holmes proud. She started presenting each grey-covered book with a flourish. "Could this be it?" she'd inquire, holding the book up like a prized discovery. Ava, hopeful yet consistently disappointed, responded with a resounding, "No, dear, it's not."

Underrated, Yasmeen continued to show Ava every book that had even a hint of grey in its cover. She showcased them with exaggerated enthusiasm. But each time, Ava would shake her head and burst into a small laugh.

"Yasmeen, thank you for your efforts, but I'll handle it. You can go." Ava pleaded. The truth was, Yasmeen's well-intentioned but haphazard efforts were doing more to obfuscate than clarify.

Then, a booming voice shattered the study's peaceful chaos. Ibrahim, a storm cloud of suppressed anger, entered bearing a plate piled high with breakfast. "Didn't I tell you to call Ava for breakfast?" he thundered, his gaze piercing Yasmeen like a laser.

Yasmeen stammered, a deer caught in the headlights. "Sir… I… I…"

Ava intervened, "Don't scold Yasmeen, Ibrahim. She was just helping me find a book."

Ibrahim's features remained thunderous. "Helping? No helper does their job correctly in this house," he growled, his gaze flickering to Yasmeen before settling back on Ava. He strode into the study and put a plate laden with food on the mahogany desk. It was Ava's breakfast.

Ava saw Yasmeen shrink under his words, a silent plea in her eyes. With a subtle nod, she encouraged the maid to leave the room. And Yasmeen did.

Ava shook her head and turned to Ibrahim, "You scared her, Ibrahim. Can't you just talk normally?"

Ibrahim stood before her, "They should be scared. Scared of their master. Fear keeps them on their toes."

"Don't know why people enjoy dominating others. People should live freely." Ava muttered. 

Ibrahim, perched on the edge of the desk, smirked. "Some," he drawled, his eyes dancing with a hidden amusement, "are born only to Dominate, baby girl. Only to give rules, only to demand obedience. And some," he paused, his gaze lingering on Ava, "are born to follow, to obey..Now, finish that sandwich."

Ava wrinkled her brow, struggling to decipher Ibrahim's words. Sometimes, she found herself unable to fully grasp his intentions. His way of speaking seemed natural, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that his words held hidden meanings, "I really just can't seem to understand your words sometimes."

"You will," Ibrahim murmured, the promise heavy in his voice. "When the time is right."

With that, he strode out of the study. Ava's attention turned to the plate of sandwiches. She reached for one. Where he had gone now? Ava wondered as she took a bite of her sandwich.

Just as she was lost in her thoughts, Ibrahim reappeared in a minute, holding a book with familiar grey cover, "Is this what you were searching for?" He extended the book towards her. 

Ava's eyes widened in surprise and she quickly swallowed her bite of sandwiche.The book, the one she'd spent the entire morning frantically searching for, was held casually in his hand.

Her mouth fell open in disbelief as she took the book with her left hand, still holding the half-eaten sandwich in her right, "Where… where did you find it? I looked everywhere!" 

Ibrahim chuckled, "How can you find anything, my dear, when your mind is occupied with thoughts of me?"

Ava furrowed her brows. Overconfidence! Huh. "I don't have time to think about you," she retorted, taking another bite of her sandwich.

Ibrahim's eyebrows arched, "Oh, really?" He took a step closer, "You don't think about me at all?"

Ava raised her chin, meeting his gaze with unwavering defiance, "Yes, I have better things to do. I have..." 

Her voice trailed off as Ibrahim took another step, cornering her between him and the bookshelf. His brown eyes, locked onto hers, pinning her like a butterfly to a board. He leaned in, his breath hot against her ear. "Should I do something now...something that will make you think about me all day?"

Ibrahim's strong hands braced against the shelf on either side of her, trapping her in a cage of his making. 

"The door," Ava breathed, "It's open. Someone might see us."

However Ibrahim remained unfazed. His fingers grazed her cheek, "Who cares about the door? Hmm?"

Ava blinked. One time. Two times. Then she didn't even know when she started to bit her lips. 

Ibrahim's brow furrowed, not in anger, but in a curious frustration. "Again? How many times do I have to tell you not to bite?"

"It's… it's a habit" Ava stammered, "I don't know how…"

The words died on her tongue as his eyes drifted downwards, drawn to the telltale crimsonstaining her lower lip. He saw how the crimson bloom staining her lower lip, the tiny wound a testament to her nervous gnawing. He leaned closer, his breath ghosting over her skin.

"They're even bleeding now. How harshly do you bite, Baby Girl?" he murmured, his voice raspy with barely concealed desire. And then, without warning, he did it. He leaned in, his lips capturing hers in a kiss that stole her breath and scattered her remaining defenses like dust in the wind. Sucking on her lower lip, he tasted the metallic tang of her blood. The taste of blood, bittersweet and metallic, merged with the sweetness of her breath.

Meanwhile the sandwich Ava had been holding slipped from her grasp, landing soundlessly on the floor. Ibrahim's hand cupped her face, anchoring her to him like a storm-tossed ship seeking refuge in a sturdy harbor. His other hand, trailing down her spine, sent a jolt of electricity through her, causing her knees to buckle.

Ava stumbled forward, her hand finding purchase on the smooth fabric of his shirt, her fingers digging in, unknowingly seeking a hold in this maelstrom of desire. She was lost... totally lost...like someone lost in a ocean. Although her lips weren't actively responding to the kiss, she was fully immersed in the pleasure it brought. Her hands, tangled in his shirt, explored the hard planes of his chest, tracing the path of his racing heartbeat under the thin fabric.

Ibrahim's lips trailed downwards, leaving a scorching path on Ava's skin. His beard stubble, a welcome prickle against her neck, sent shivers down her spine as he reached the juncture where throat met shoulder. His breath danced against the sensitive skin, promising untold pleasures just out of reach.

Ava, caught in the throes of his desire, arched her neck instinctively, granting him easier access. Her hands, still clutching the fabric of his shirt, fisted tighter, knuckles white with the effort of holding back. A whimper escaped her lips, half moan, half protest, as his lips brushed against the delicate pulse point at the base of her throat.

"Don't leave a mark. I have university… and meet Elara." Ava murmured.

Just as Ibrahim heard the name Elara, Ibrahim pulled away. He stepped back, creating a small but tangible distance between them, the heat of their bodies still clinging to the air like a phantom limb.

His gaze, intense and searching, scanned her face, "Are you going to see Elara today?"

Ava, still reeling from the dizzying heights of his kiss, could only nod. "After university," she mumbled, her voice unsteady.

"Is it necessary?" Ibrahim's question hung heavy in the air. 

Ava met his gaze, "Necessary? Have you any idea when last I met Elara?"

Ibrahim scoffed. "Tell Elara to act like a brother Stop acting like a third wheel, always trying to come between us." 

He paused, his eyes narrowing, "Doesn't Elara constantly fill your ears with nonsense about me manipulating you? Open your eyes, Ava. Elara is the manipulator, not me."

Ava, silent and stoic, watched him. She had learned to tolerate much – the suffocating weight of a forced marriage, Elara's veiled taunts about Ibrahim, and now, even Ibrahim's blatant disregard for her brother.

Ibrahim, sensing her withdrawal, took a step closer. "If Elara wasn't your brother I would.…" he began, his voice dripping with unspoken threat.

But the sentence remained unfinished, hanging in the air like a heavy stone. Ava waited for him to finish.

"Why don't you complete the sentence?Finish it." she challenged, "Elara tells me to stay away from you. You tell me not to see Elara. Who do I listen to?"

Ibrahim took a deep breath, "I'm telling not to meet him because after meeting Elara, you'll ignore me again. You want to go... then meet with Elara. But... afterthat if I see your sad face again, it won't take me a minute to break his face."

With that, he turned to leave. But before he reached the door, Ava's small hand shot out, grabbing his arm with surprising strength. 

"Don't you dare lay a finger on Elara, Ibrahim. I tolerate everything – your… possessiveness, Elara's taunts. If you have a complaint, tell me. I'll drink it like poison. But don't you dare hurt Elara, not even for me." Ava paused for a second, her eyes blazing with a newfound fire. "If I started to list what he's done for me as a brother, the list wouldn't end. He's my only family, Ibrahim. Remember that. And he has every right to scold me, to make me happy, to make me sad. I've given him that right, as a brother deserves."

Ibrahim stared at her for a long moment, "Faisal and Samir are home. Tell anyone to drop you wherever you want to go. Guards will follow your car for safety and they will be with you at the university too."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Ava standing alone in the silence of the study.