In the end, it was the one who wanted something who broke the silence.
"Look into my eyes and tell me what you see," Althea Quinn said softly, her voice carrying a weight she couldn't fully conceal.
She stood five deliberate steps away from Ross, close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body but far enough to keep her composure intact.
Her resolve was hanging by a thread. Every fiber of her being ached to close the distance, to wrap herself around him, to lose herself in his arms like they had countless times before.
The memories of their passionate encounters flashed through her mind, vivid and overwhelming, as if they had just unfolded yesterday.
Her lips trembled as she held back the words her heart screamed for her to say.
Ross met her gaze, his dark eyes sharp and unyielding. For a fleeting moment, they locked, holding a storm of emotions too vast for words.
Then, as if compelled by some unseen force, his eyes began to roam. Slowly, deliberately, his gaze traced the delicate curve of her neck, the line of her shoulders, and the swell of her chest.
Althea's breath hitched as his attention lingered there. The seconds stretched into minutes, his scrutiny both maddening and intoxicating.
She should have been offended by his blatant stare, but instead, she felt... triumphant. His gaze was magnetic, and the heat pooling in her chest only intensified.
Smiling slyly, she arched her back, accentuating the very assets that had captured his attention.
Her white tank top clung to her like a second skin, the simple fabric highlighting every curve, every alluring detail.
The neckline dipped just enough to tease, while her DD-sized breasts strained against the confines of the soft material, their fullness threatening to spill out.
Her matching white shorts, snug and barely reaching mid-thigh, completed the effortlessly seductive look. Discover hidden content at empire
"Seen enough?" she teased, her voice dripping with playful seduction. "Or should I take this top off so you can enjoy the view even more?"
The words were bait—carefully crafted to draw him out. She needed to awaken the man he had once been, to force him to remember.
The scent of him, so achingly familiar, was enough to make her head spin. It was the same intoxicating aroma she had fallen in love with in another life.
Ross's lips quirked into a smirk, and his reply was as blunt as ever. "You're exactly the kind of woman I love to fuck, Althea. That's what I see when I look at you. And, of course, feel free to take off your top at your leisure. I'm definitely not the kind of man to say no to that."
He turned, moving to sit on the edge of the nearby bed, his movements languid and deliberate.
Resting his elbows on his knees, he propped his head on his fists, his expression shifting to something more serious.
"You're frowning," he observed. "Were those not the words you were hoping to hear? Tell me, Althea, why did you call me here? A famous actress like you should have countless dogs chasing after your sexy, delicious bones. One of them is probably outside this very room, screaming for help and trying to break in."
His smirk deepened, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Your fault, of course. You're the one who locked the doors in the first place."
Althea didn't laugh. Her heart felt heavy, the weight of her memories pressing down on her. She turned away from him, her gaze landing on the mirror that stood to the side.
Staring back at her was a red-haired beauty, her flawless face framed by cascading waves.
Her body was every bit as stunning as her reflection suggested—full, curvaceous, and alluring in ways she hadn't been in her past life.
Of course, she had been beautiful before, but not like this—this absurdly gifted woman who seemed to have caught every blessing the heavens had to offer when she was born into this life.
This wasn't her original self. She hadn't been this beautiful before. Her hair had been plain, her body slightly unremarkable, and her face lacked the striking features she now possessed.
Even her breasts, now so impossibly perfect, had once been average at best. But despite the transformation of this new life, she was still her.
Her mind drifted to the final moments of her past life. She could almost hear his voice, soft and resolute, as her husband lay on his deathbed surrounded by all his many wives.
"Speak my name, and I'll recognize you all in my next life. I go now, having lived a full life with no regrets."
Tears welled in her eyes as she turned back to Ross, her voice trembling with emotion. "Rajah Gokad Netu, my love. It's me, Yumi."
The name hung in the air like a spell.
Ross froze. His eyes widened, confusion and recognition warring within them. Then the pain hit.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!"
Ross clutched his head, doubling over as an agonized scream tore from his throat. He fell back on the bed, his body convulsing violently.
The sound of his voice was no longer singular—it was a cacophony of two tones, one human and the other something far more primal.
Althea wanted to help, to do anything to soothe his pain, but…
"STAY BACK!"
The roar that erupted from him was deafening, a command that shook the very air. Althea flinched but obeyed, her instincts screaming to run to him, but she held herself in place.
Ross's body thrashed with uncontrollable fury, his strength obliterating everything within reach.
A single slap shattered the wooden table beside the bed into splinters. His fist punched through the wall, leaving a gaping hole as though it were made of paper.
Althea gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.
This strength—this unrestrained, monstrous power—was something she knew all too well.
He had once been a man who could shake mountains with a single punch, a force of nature that even nature and the wild respected.
The rampage continued for what felt like an eternity. Ten long minutes passed as Ross destroyed everything around him, his screams echoing like the cries of a wounded beast.
And then, just as suddenly as it began, it stopped.
Ross stood amidst the chaos, his chest heaving, his body drenched in sweat. His dark eyes locked onto hers, but this time, they were different.
This time, he remembered.
"My beautiful Yumi. It's good to see you again in this life," Ross said, his voice a low, resonant rumble, like the earth itself groaning beneath a mountain range. Strong, echoing, and utterly compelling.
"My love!" Althea, a whirlwind of passion, didn't waste a moment, flinging herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest.
A sob escaped her lips, a mixture of joy and longing. Instantly, Ross's hand cupped her hip, his touch a possessive claim.
His longest finger, moving with a knowing familiarity, traced a path over her ass, giving a firm squeeze before teasingly dipping toward the entrance of her pussy.
The soft, stretchable fabric of her shorts yielded effortlessly, allowing his exploration to continue unhindered.
Althea didn't flinch, didn't hesitate.
This was the man who'd made her into a woman at fifteen, the man who'd woven the course of her life, the man who'd shared every exhilarating, adventurous moment for eighty-five years.
A sigh, half-moan, escaped her as she arched her back, urging his probing finger deeper, drawing him further into the heart of her desire.
The air crackled with unspoken words, with the unspoken promises of passion that had bound them for a lifetime.
Their bodies, entwined in a dance of exquisite longing, thrummed with a shared history, a shared destiny, a shared, untamed fire.
"Ahhhhhh..." Althea, lost in the embrace, couldn't help but moan, a soft, ecstatic sound, punctuated by the painful sobs that still escaped her.
This reunion between past lovers was bound to be intense, explosive and unforgettable!
* * *
Huge shoutout and thanks to ddecoen and Danny_Back for the gifts!
You guys are awesome! Thank you! ^_^