Villain, Let Me Touch You! - Chapter 76
The memories of the kisses, the sensations, temperature, humidity, angles of light, body temperature, and heartbeat from that time kept flooding back, chaotically and without order. Even though it all happened in a morgue and was far from romantic.
“Rienna.”
“Ye-Yes!”
My hips jerked at the sound of Helios’ voice as I replayed the kiss with him. I fumbled and fell backward. Helios’ upper body followed me down.
Thunk, a huge shadow fell over me as I sprawled on the fluffy pillows. Helios was right next to me. Was I getting stung by a wasp again?
“…Why are you clenching? Let go of my finger.”
I snapped my eyes open. What did he mean by me clenching?
“Wh-why am I clenching?”
I blinked vigorously.
“Well, you tell me.”
Helios smirked and pulled his fingers out of my grasp. I looked down at my empty hand and let out a ragged breath.
Helios’s shadow fell over me, only because I’d fallen backward, still holding his finger.
Sigh, that could have been seriously misunderstood.
I scratched my cheek.
“I heard about it from Nick vaguely. He said you were interested in the Kama Jin case,” said Helios in an approving tone.
“Well, it’s more about repaying a favor.”
“If that’s how you see it. So, did you find out everything you wanted to know?”
“No.”
“I thought so. Still, don’t go to the constabulary. It’s better to report to Nick directly. Also, this is the information I received from Nick. He told me to include everything related to Kama Jin. Every small connection, too.”
Helios handed me a thick envelope with documents.
He knew me too well. Even if he told me not to, I would still go ahead, so he preemptively set up the stage within his influence.
How did he know about my plan to visit the constabulary right after waking up?
“Thank you, Your Highness”
Helios chuckled softly. He reached out and tidied up my disheveled hair.
Unconsciously, I flinched, and Helios’s smile deepened.
“Uh, I’ll get to it.”
I pushed away Helios’s hand. He obediently withdrew his hand and sat straight in his chair.
A strange awkwardness filled the room. Fidgeting with my fingers, I glanced at the silent Helios. He’d seemed so relaxed since he’d walked in, but I could tell he was tense.
He couldn’t meet my eyes, constantly adjusting his posture. Helios, like me, seemed preoccupied with the kiss.
This couldn’t continue like this.
“Your Highness, in the morgue…”
“Rienna, in the morgue—”
We both blurted out simultaneously. He pressed his lips firmly together.
“You go first,” I suggested.
He shook his head.
“Should I go first?” I asked.
“Yes.”
I cleared my throat and said, “This incident helped me understand the characteristics of imprinting. The pain intensifies as time passes after a one-sided imprint.”
Helios sighed. When I looked at him, he gestured for me to continue.
“And the more severe the pain becomes, the different the therapeutic effects based on physical contact with the imprinting subject.”
“You’re saying it’s impossible to go about your daily life without holding hands?”
“It’s not impossible to that extent, but it’s a risk I have to take.”
“I expected that, and I’ve been thinking of a solution.”
“Your Highness?”
“Because I’m your physician now.”
I was honestly impressed that he was thinking of me in the midst of all this. I rubbed my fingers over the tip of my nose, which was red and twitching.
“Before suggesting a solution, I want to ask. Rienna, how far are you willing to go to live?”
“How far?”
Helios extended his hand, and one by one, he folded his fingers, giving examples.
“A peck, a kiss, touching your imprint, and more.”
Was it my imagination, or did his voice become heavier the farther back he went?
At the last word ‘more’, I sucked in a breath.
