The Aphrodisiac

As the automobile rolled through the darkened streets, Dominic sat quietly, holding the rejected pair of shoes Evangeline had tossed aside. A soft chuckle escaped his lips. "You must've really liked my gift," he thought, glancing at her sleeping form. Her peacefulness was short-lived, though, as her eyes fluttered open. She groaned, the remnants of her drunkenness still clouding her senses, but her mind snapped back to reality the moment she recognized the scent from the restroom—the familiar perfume cologne.

"This bastard!" she thought, her eyes narrowing into a glare. In a fit of annoyance, she reached for Dominic's long hair, intent on pulling him down to her level, but his reflexes were quicker. He caught her wrist, his grip firm yet gentle. "You're awake," he said, his voice teasing.

"Don't play games with me, Brusward," she snapped, her voice edged with irritation.

Dominic's smirk deepened. "Are you jealous?" he asked, his tone mocking, as if savoring her reaction.

Evangeline blinked, still fighting the effects of the alcohol, her head spinning as she tried to pull her wrist free from his grip. "What…?" she muttered, followed by a hiccup. Before she could react further, the car swerved sharply, the driver barely avoiding a collision with a nearby vehicle. The sudden jolt caused them to bump into a stone, and Evangeline, unsteady from the motion and the alcohol, fell forward—right into Dominic's lap.

"What the hell just happened?" she thought, her heart racing from the near-miss. She glared at the driver through the rearview mirror, silently cursing him for nearly giving her a heart attack. But before she could voice her frustration, Dominic's low chuckle pulled her attention back to him. She realized her hand had landed squarely on his chest, her body pressed against his.

"You were jealous that I was with that woman," Dominic taunted, his smirk widening as he watched her reaction.

Evangeline's eyes rolled, and she quickly shoved him away, grabbing him by the collar in anger. "Why would I be jealous?!" she hissed. "I just don't like that perfume on her—it's disgusting. And now I can smell it on you."

Dominic chuckled again, amused by her outburst. "You're acting like a proper wife," he teased, his tone playful yet calculating. "Isn't that cute?" His gaze lingered on her flushed face, and for a moment, the tension between them thickened.

He continued, "Anyway, I don't have any business with that woman. She's just another admirer, a crazy one at that, who doesn't seem to care about my marriage status." His voice was nonchalant, but Dominic's mind was already working, plotting. He knew exactly who Eliza was—and more importantly, who her father was. The man in charge of the Sarogath's Grand Gallery and Theater Centre, an influential figure he couldn't afford to antagonize.

"I need to handle this before Eliza becomes more persistent," he thought, carefully watching Evangeline's reactions, already calculating his next steps. But for now, he let the conversation hang in the air, his smirk never fading as the car continued its journey through the night, both of them locked in a silent battle of wills.

As the automobile glided through the dimly light streets , Dominic's smirk deepened, watching Evangeline's fiery glaze as she clenched his collar tightly. His tone was calm almost teasing as he spoke "So Calm Down Tigress, Nothing's happening between me and other women, Like I told you,we have to work together as a couple, You're undergoing training for your family's business, I kept my promise, I'm not revoking the contract. What you saw was a misunderstanding "His chuckle was low , deliberate it only infuriated her the more.

Evangeline's eyes darkened, her fingers tightening on the collar as if she could strangle him right there"if you Dare do anything stupid, like going against the rules of the bet, I'll kill you! Nothing new about the Brusward family being manipulative and deceitful. I'll bury you alive!" she hissed, her voice laced with venom.

Dominic scoffed, clearly amused. His smile widened, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, I don't mind. I would love it if you buried me alive—deep inside you, my beloved wife." His voice dropped to a whisper as he leaned closer, his breath hot against her ear.

Evangeline trembled at his words, her face flushing red as she struggled to keep her composure. "This bastard... he's just toying with me again," she thought, gritting her teeth.

"How dare you?!" she snapped.

Dominic chuckled softly. "Then stop thinking about some worthless woman I have no interest in, and let's continue with the training and our bet. Do I need to remind you that we're husband and wife?" His hands slid around her waist, pulling her closer as he kissed her neck. She flinched at the touch, trying to push him away, but the scent of his cologne lingered, triggering a wave of memories—and confusion.

"Stop it," she protested weakly, turning her face away, her cheeks still flushed from both the alcohol and his proximity. "I'm not jealous. I just can't stand that perfume on you. It's disgusting."

Dominic smirked, brushing his lips near her ear. "I hate it too. But you were in such a hurry to leave, I didn't have time to get rid of it. Why don't you help me take it off, then? You're my wife, after all." His voice was low, almost seductive, as his hand tightened on her waist.

Evangeline's heart pounded in her chest, her ears ringing with each thudding beat. She grasped his collar, her mind racing. "Why am I hesitating?" she wondered, especially considering she had no qualms about removing Richard's shirt. Her gaze wandered to a bite mark on Dominic's neck.

"Did that woman do this to you?" she asked, her voice laced with accusation.

Dominic chuckled softly. "No, you did." His calm reply left her momentarily speechless. The memory of her drunken bite came rushing back, followed by a wave of embarrassment. She groaned, facepalming in frustration as the remnants of alcohol still muddled her thoughts.

"That drink must've been strong," Dominic teased, his voice laced with amusement. "You were excited after the meeting, and you had quite a lot. It's good you bit me, though. It shows that my body belongs to you, doesn't it?" His laughter deepened as Evangeline pouted in anger.

"Take it off," Dominic commanded softly, his voice snapping her back to reality. His jacket slipped off as Evangeline removed it, her hands trembling as she dropped it onto the floor of the car. Her face grew hotter as she reached for his shirt, unbuttoning it slowly. The strong fragrance clouded her senses, making her feel light-headed. As his torso was revealed, her breath caught in her throat.

Dominic smirked, watching her closely as he leaned in. "Well... do you still smell it?"

She nodded, her cheeks flushing an even deeper shade of red. Her fingers fumbled as she tried to speak, but the heavy scent and the warmth of his skin had a dizzying effect on her.

The aphrodisiac triggered a long-buried memory in Dominic's mind, a flashback to Eardoznia. He remembered the scent of Danae—the way she had stripped in front of him in the Capulets' mansion, her blonde hair cascading down her back, lips painted red. In this moment, Danae reminded him of Evangeline as he thought Evangeline would be in front of him in that situation, just as alluring and untouchable. His pulse quickened, his desire surfacing as the fragrance stirred the dormant lust within him.

Dominic's fingers brushed the edge of Evangeline's dress, unzipping it slowly without warning. She gasped, eyes wide as she grabbed his wrist. "What are you doing?" she demanded, her voice trembling.

He ignored her protest, kissing her neck and sliding his hands down her arms. Evangeline's body reacted, her skin prickling at his touch. "Is this man drunk? He's pretending like he isn't!" she thought, trying to push him away. But his grip was firm as he tilted her chin, capturing her lips in a deep, passionate kiss.

Evangeline's mind swirled with confusion. "What is this feeling? I never knew this dangerous man could kiss good like this!" she thought, a chill running through her as his kiss deepened. She pulled away, gasping for air, her chest heaving as she stared at him.

"That was… sensational," she thought, still reeling from the kiss. Her thoughts scrambled as conflicting emotions surged through her. "I don't trust him. Why do I feel like I should just give in? There's something wrong with this perfume. Was I drugged? Or… is it just because he's so..." Her mind trailed off as Dominic's hand slid back around her waist, pulling her close once more.

Her heart pounded, her body betraying her, while her mind screamed for her to stop. But as Dominic's eyes locked onto hers, all she could feel was the intensity of the moment, the danger of being wrapped in the arms of a man who could ruin her in a single touch.

"Your lips taste good… Can I kiss them again?" Dominic's voice sent a shiver down Evangeline's spine. The way he stared at her, the aphrodisiac intensifying her senses, made her heart skip a beat.

"Oh my goodness... his voice is tempting me now, "Evangeline thought, struggling to understand why it sounded so different, so seductive. "I've heard him say so many things—threats, manipulations—so why now... why does it feel like this?" Her mind spun, but her body was already responding. Dominic took her hand, guiding it across his bare chest and down his torso, his skin warm and firm under her touch. She found herself sitting on his thigh in the cramped space of the automobile, her pulse quickening.

The scent of the aphrodisiac still lingered in the air from his breath, and as she inhaled it, her heart began to race. Dominic's gaze was locked on her, predatory and unrelenting. His breath brushed against her skin, heightening the tension between them.

"The way he's looking at me… it's so intense. I haven't felt like this with Richard,"she thought as her lips parted, subconsciously licking them. Is it because I'm married to Dominic? It's so… irresistible." She didn't even realize she'd done it until Dominic's eyes darkened, his hand coming up to hold her chin.

"You licked those lips so sweetly... Now do the same to mine. Don't let them part from me," he murmured, his voice thick with lust. He leaned in, capturing her lips in a fierce, aggressive kiss. Evangeline's resistance melted away as she returned the kiss, her hand sliding up to caress his cheek. The intensity of the moment swallowed her whole, and she found herself lost in him.

Dominic's kiss deepened as he held the back of her head, pulling her closer, but after a long, heated moment, he broke the kiss, his breath ragged. "Evangeline… take it easy," he warned, covering her mouth with his hand, his eyes full of restraint. "Don't let me lose control on you or let loose the beast from within"

Both of them were breathing heavily, their bodies flushed. Dominic fought against the pull of the aphrodisiac, trying to maintain his composure, but he could feel himself slipping. "This aphrodisiac... it's too effective. I can't do it yet… not now, but her lips... I want more of her lips..." His thoughts were interrupted when Evangeline suddenly jolted, her eyes widening as she felt something firm press against her from behind as she sat on his thigh

It was the same feeling she had the night before when Dominic had embraced her warming his bed. That hard, undeniable sensation from his groin made her cheeks burn with embarrassment. Her shocked expression made Dominic laugh softly. He smirked, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Don't look at me like that… You're the one who did this," he teased, his voice dripping with seduction. "You made me hard, Evangeline... How wicked of you." He pulled her closer, both hands gripping her waist firmly, his breath hot against her skin. His smirk deepened as he stroked her hair, leaning in just enough to make her shiver.

"You don't know how beautiful you look right now, do you? Even more than at the meeting…" he murmured, his fingers brushing down her arm. "And that bite on my neck… It was intense, you know?"

"This woman drives me insane, Dominic thought, unable to take his eyes off her flushed face. Her nags, her face, her personality and hostility with her resentment turns me on, even without this damned aphrodisiac. I can't take it anymore..."

He buried his face in her hair, inhaling the scent of her hair oil as he sighed against her neck. The feeling of her soft body against his, her confusion, and her defiance only fueled his desire. His hands roamed up her sides as he breathed her in, savoring the way her body responded to his every touch.

Evangeline, still dazed from the kiss and the effects of the aphrodisiac, struggled to keep her thoughts straight. "What is this feeling? Why do I want more of him… even though I don't trust him"She bit her lip trying to regain control, but his beauty , his touch and intoxicating scent made it impossible, The line between the desire and reason blurred and she found herself leaning in, despite the voice in her head warning her to stop.