The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me - Chapter 14

I stared at the door Kyle had slammed behind him, lingering on the direction he’d disappeared.

‘Oh no… is he angry?’

I thought I’d glimpsed a flash of red on his face—no, I was certain. Just how furious did he have to be to flush like that in only a few seconds?

As I recalled his cold voice, realization crept over me, making me painfully aware of my actions.

Only last night, Kyle had confided in me about the fierce succession battle with his siblings and his complicated relationship with Claire. Despite his reputation as a ruthless, war-bound noble, Kyle was, at his core, just as human as I was.
Seeing me enjoy Claire’s company must have wounded him deeply. The more I thought about it, the clearer it became that I needed to apologize.

I quickly stood up and bowed to Claire.

“I’m sorry, Lady Claire. I…”

“The Duke didn’t look too happy. Go on, Amel. Come visit me again sometime.”

After offering her a quick nod, I darted out of the private palace and raced back to the main estate.

Regret gnawed at me. Why had I done something so childish?

I tore up the stairs, barely noticing my labored breathing, until the hem of my dress caught and ripped. I felt a pang of guilt for Claire, who’d gifted me the dress, but the tear made it easier to run.

Finally, after what seemed like an endless sprint, I reached Kyle’s room.

Bursting through the door, I found him standing by the window, gazing out into the darkness with the lights off. His silhouette looked lonely, and without thinking, I rushed over and wrapped my arms around him.

“I’m sorry.”

He didn’t react, maybe because he couldn’t hear me over my heavy breaths.

“Kylian. I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry for stirring up old wounds.”

Even though Kyle should have been the hurt one, tears began streaming down my face.

I wiped them away with the back of my hand.

“I’m sorry… what can I do to make it up to you?”

Kyle exhaled a deep, resonant sigh that seemed to come from the depths of his being.

“…Kiss me.”

He didn’t turn around like he usually would, and his stillness only made my heart race faster.

“Alright. Will you let me?”

My voice came out in a shaky whisper, and Kyle sighed again, as though he were weary, before finally speaking.

“One… two…”

Then, slowly, he turned to face me.

“Three.”

But instead of the sadness I expected, his expression held an intense, overwhelming fondness, as if he couldn’t resist adoring me.

“…Kyle?”

I blinked, staring up at him in confusion.

Tear stains? Signs of hurt? There were none.

Instead, his gaze roamed over my figure, lingering on the dress Claire had given me, and he even swallowed.

…Did he just swallow?

“Kyle… so you’re not angry?”

“The thought of anyone else seeing you dressed like this does make me angry.”

“And… hurt?”

“Why would I be hurt?”

Kyle looked genuinely confused.

So, I’d misread everything. Completely misread it. Yet, somehow, I felt a wave of relief.

“Thank goodness. I thought I’d hurt you because of… me.”
I instantly regretted saying it aloud. Even in the dimly lit room, I could see Kyle’s eyes glint with interest.

“So, you ran all the way here because you thought seeing you with Lady Claire would hurt me?”

Lady Claire—he used her title, as though speaking of a stranger.
Kyle’s gaze flicked down to my torn dress and my labored breaths, quickly piecing things together. He slid his arm around my waist, pulling me close.

“For someone who’s tried so hard to escape me, you’re certainly acting like you don’t want to.”

…Had I really been that obvious?

“Even though I don’t particularly like Lady Claire, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself while I was away. There’s no reason for me to be hurt.”

My Duke, ever rational. His self-control was far stronger than I’d imagined.

…But then why wasn’t he letting me go?

Carefully, he lifted me onto the window ledge, then crouched down to remove my shoes. Glancing down, I noticed a sharp sting on my heel, which was now raw and bleeding.

Claire’s dress was torn all the way up to my thigh, and suddenly, I wondered why I’d rushed here in such a state.
Kyle looked up at me, his gaze fixed on my face, now slightly above his as he knelt by the window.

The intensity in his eyes, filled with a raw longing, sent a shiver down my spine.

Slowly, he ran his fingertips from my ankle, tracing up the exposed length of my thigh.

“I don’t like seeing you in a dress gifted by her.”

“…So?”

“What do you think I’ll do?”

Rip―

Before I could even come up with a response, I heard the sound of fabric tearing.

I felt the dress loosening around me, and even without looking, I knew exactly what he was doing.

Startled, I managed to force out a stern tone.

“Kyle, stop. This was a gift.”

“It’s already damaged, and the fabric rubbing against your injury will sting. Besides, I came prepared with gifts myself. Surely, you saw at least one or two of them?”

“Wait… you mean all those boxes you brought along?”

“I didn’t know what you’d like, so I bought everything in sight.”

Was he trying to flaunt his wealth? Even extravagance has its limits!

“Kyle, you don’t need to buy me anything.”

“…So, you’re willing to accept her gift but not mine?”

Oh, for heaven’s sake, that’s not what I meant!

“I don’t like seeing you in a dress gifted by her,” he repeated firmly. Feeling a little deflated, I pouted.

“Does it not suit me?”

Kyle winced, almost like he was in pain, and glanced away.

“…Why do you think I turned away with my face flushed earlier?”

“Huh?”

“Watching you like this… is enough to drive anyone crazy.”

He growled the words like a predator, then leaned in, placing a light kiss on my lower lip, and murmured, “Have you caught your breath yet?”

If he was referring to my breathless state from running earlier, I had indeed caught my breath now, my breathing steady again.

“You already gave me permission.”

“Permission?”

“For the kiss. I remember counting to three quite clearly.”

“Kyle… did you wait until I’d caught my breath?”

“Of course. If we started while you were still out of breath, we’d have to end things quickly.”

He brushed my hair over one shoulder, his face inching closer to mine. Then, in a low, warning tone, he said, “I was waiting… because I intend to take my time.”

Kyle pressed himself between my legs as I sat on the windowsill, his red eyes locking onto mine.

The cool glass against my bare back made me shiver, and I instinctively leaned closer to him.

Tilting his head, he brushed his lips against mine in short, teasing kisses, almost like he was knocking at the door before entering. Each gentle peck, followed by a brief retreat, sent waves of his scent and presence through me, waking every nerve in my body.

Soon, his playful kisses felt almost unsatisfying, leaving me wanting more. I wrapped my legs around him, pulling him closer.
Gradually, his kisses deepened, our mouths molding together. When I lightly bit his lip, I felt his smile against mine.
As he opened his mouth, he seemed to drink in my breath, exploring my mouth with relentless intensity.

I pulled him even closer, savoring the feeling of our bodies pressed tightly together.

I wasn’t sure how long we’d been kissing, but eventually, I found myself whispering his name, “Kylian…” half-lost in the moment, our lips barely parting as I spoke.

Kyle’s kisses were dizzying, making my knees weak, and he skillfully alternated between urgency and restraint, pulling away just enough to leave me wanting, only to pull me back in, igniting the fire once more.

But he didn’t stop there.

“Save my name for later,” he whispered, his voice low and husky in my ear, each word laced with temptation.

…As if he knew just how easily I fell for that.

“Later?” I thought. Just how long does he plan to keep this going?

His fingers trailed down my back, the light touch sending shivers through me as he leaned in to kiss me again.

Every place his hand touched tingled, a pleasant ache building in my stomach. His kisses, shifting angles and rhythms, were nothing short of mesmerizing—no, intoxicating.

Whenever I was about to beg for a pause, he seemed to sense it, momentarily easing with a gentle kiss, only to draw me back in, pressing his lips against mine with renewed intensity.

I found myself wishing for time to stop, for someone to cast a spell to keep this moment going forever.

Just when it seemed the kiss would never end, Kyle finally pulled back, placing one last tender kiss on my lips, full of affection.

…Why? Not that I wasn’t relieved to have avoided a ruinous end, but…

“You do realize you look disappointed that I stopped, right?” Kyle chuckled, tidying my tousled hair. And he was right—I couldn’t even deny it.

Stopping when it’s getting this good… what am I supposed to do now?

But instead of diving back in, Kyle, his own breath unsteady, asked in a calm tone, “Do you want more?”

“Maybe a little… no, a lot more,” I admitted.

He smiled, as if he’d just heard a declaration of love, though his voice held a teasing edge.

“Really? Somehow, I’m not convinced.”

“What do you mean by that—”

Following his gaze, I looked down and fell silent. When had I adopted this position?

I was clutching onto his jacket like a safety bar on a roller coaster, as if instinctively knowing that letting go would send me tumbling.

My grip had been so tight that there were marks from my nails on my palms.

As I loosened my fists, Kyle’s expression softened slightly, though there was a hint of sadness in his eyes.

“Are you rejecting me, Amel?”

Honestly, if you weren’t the man destined for a tragic ending, I wouldn’t have let you leave the room for days, you fool.

As I scrambled to come up with a proper answer, Kyle, looking a bit like a forlorn puppy, sighed.

“Was our first night… not to your liking?”

“As if that’s even possible!”

Right. I should’ve stopped there.

“What kind of question is that? Apologize to the old Kyle for that! You were incredible—how could you even ask that? Do you know how hard it was to keep my head straight after that? I had to take cold showers just to get through the week after I ran back to the estate… oh.”

Why do I always speak without thinking? Kyle, considerate as he was, covered his mouth, though I could still hear his quiet laughter. Damn it.

“So that’s why you caught that cold?”

“…”

“What kind of thoughts were you having about me while I was gone?”

His voice was devastatingly sweet.