Chapter 3 {Beauty}

"Why am I doing this?" Alice wondered aloud as he carried the girl to the bathroom.

"A maid could have done it, but she would have touched her. I didn't want anyone to lay a finger on my angel," Alice thought, his voice brimming with concern and protectiveness. "What on earth is happening? Why is this crossing my mind? She is not mine."

"No. She is yours," his conscience chimed in.

"She is not," Alice retorted, his voice filled with denial.

"So why do you want to bathe this girl? You know she wouldn't appreciate it," mocked his conscience. "A man cannot simply bathe any girl if she is not his."

Alice pushed aside his thoughts and firmly resolved, "No. I am only doing it for her sake, as she needs a bath, her unconscious body reeking of blood."

With determination in his voice, Alice brushed away his conflicting emotions as he entered the bathroom and prepared a soothing bubble bath for her. As he undressed both himself and the girl, he couldn't help but notice how delicate she was. Her captivating red hair and eyes held him spellbound, and her pale, snow-white skin ignited a wild sensation within him.

" Control yourself, Alice. Just control," he whispered to himself, his voice filled with a mix of desire and restraint. "No woman can seduce me, but this little angel is captivating me effortlessly."

Alice gently placed her in the tub and sat beside her, cradling her against his chest. The touch of her back against his hardened body sent a surge of desire through him.

He continued to wash her, his actions filled with tenderness and care.

After bathing her, he carried her out of the bathroom, dressing her in his shirt, his voice brimming with a mixture of protectiveness and affection.

Alice settled her on the sofa and changed the bedsheet, noticing a bloodstain from a dog's injury.

"I am doing something for someone, something I have never done for anyone, not even for my own mother or my closest friend," Alice's thoughts were consumed by the girl's beauty, his voice filled with admiration and fascination. "When I bathed her, everything about her, from her smooth and silky long hair to her radiant presence, was simply exquisite."

"I have encountered many women who desired me, but I never desired them. Yet, I desire this angel. Whatever Alice Sharma wants, he will obtain at any cost, regardless of the obstacles," he spoke to himself with determination.

As he lay beside her, Alice could hardly believe that he held her in his arms, his voice filled with awe and disbelief. "She is so soft, so warm. Before, I was all alone, but this feels so right."

"She may despise me, but I will not leave her. No matter how much she hates me, she must remain here, forever locked in my embrace."

Alice acknowledged his forceful nature but emphasised his capacity for love, his voice filled with a blend of strength and tenderness. "I may assert myself forcefully, but that does not mean I am incapable of love."

Even in his half-asleep state, Alice's thoughts were consumed by her, his voice filled with a sense of obsession and infatuation. "Her face, her breath, her fragrance—I cannot get enough. She is the beacon of light in my dark world, and I am prepared to bask in her radiance."

"I must confront my own anger issues, and she, in turn, infuriates me. However, her innocence sets her apart. She is a special angel, and I refuse to taint her purity."

Lost in his thoughts, Alice drifted off to sleep with her in his arms, his voice filled with a sense of contentment and longing.