Love After Leaving: No Regret (Agnes and Raymond) novel Chapter 400

Cold elegance carved into something almost brutal, yet softened by a tenderness that surfaced only when he chose to reveal it. And beneath that tenderness, the quiet threat of a man who had never needed to raise his voice to break someone.

Agnes found herself staring a moment too long.

Raymond leaned down before she could look away. His breath brushed warm against her cheek, and when he spoke, his voice carried that low, teasing edge that made her pulse do something she refused to name.

"See something you like?"

The spell broke. Agnes stepped back on instinct, only to have her wrist caught and pulled forward again.

He pulled her close with the kind of lazy authority that did not ask permission. His eyes held hers.

"My eyes are fine now, Agnes," he said. "Aren't you going to take a closer look?"

She tried to pull free, irritation rising to cover the flicker of unease.

"Let go first. Then we can talk."

Raymond watched her fluster with open amusement. The corner of his mouth curved upward.

Instead of releasing her, he drew her even closer, until the space between them barely existed.

"What's the hurry? Let me look at you for a change."

It had been too long. Long enough that every shift in her expression felt unfamiliar in a way that caught his attention more than it should have. The smallest details held him there, anchoring his focus.

Agnes felt the weight of his gaze, heat rising along her skin in spite of herself. She pushed against him, harder this time, and forced space between them.

"Raymond. Your eyes are clearly fine.

"Next time, don't gamble with your own body without saying a word to anyone."

"You aren't anyone," he said simply. "You're the only person in this world who gets to watch me do foolish things."

"You're not listening to me. Did you ask whether I wanted to watch?"

He didn't answer. Instead, his hand rose to his temple, brows drawing together as if something had struck him all at once.

"...It's hurting."

Agnes had been ready to deliver another lecture. She forgot every word of it the moment she saw him in pain.

She crossed the space between them before she knew she was moving, her voice softening against her will.

"What is it? Is your eye bothering you? I'll get the doctor."

She turned toward the door and was pulled back before she could take a step.

"Don't leave."

He drew her in, one arm closing around her with enough force to leave no room for escape.

His breath was warm against her neck, his voice dropping to something almost indistinct.

"Agnes. You surprise me.

"All the things you did while I couldn't see.

"I think I need you even more than before. What do I do about that?"

A strange warmth spread through her chest. "I only did it because..."

She never got the words out.

Raymond cut her off because he already knew what she was going to say and had no interest in hearing it.

His tone changed, light again, almost teasing.

"Speaking of which, were you really going to let me ingest that poison?"

Agnes blinked at the sudden turn.

"Of course not. I would have stopped you."

"That's cold, even for you. Using me as bait like that.

"I suppose you believe the risk is worth it if the outcome is certain."

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