The Villainess Just Wants to Study

Chapter 61 ~ The Red District

"If I had helped you, if I had saved you, you would be indebted to me." His attention flickered down to her lips before returning to her eyes. "You would have this obligation to help me in some way to repay my actions."

"What are you saying, Cas?"

He leaned down until their noses were almost touching. "Pay up, Dylan."

***

Caspian was silent for a moment, watching the sky. "Could it be one of my father's subordinates?" He lay back down on the grass and closed his eyes. "I have no way of knowing precisely what goes on with his underlings."

"So I have no way to infiltrate the palace?" Her fists clenched around grass blades. "And there's really no way to know."

Dylan tore up frustrated handfuls of grass and threw them away. She was running short on hope. What could she possibly do for Edwin? For that matter, what could anyone do? He won't survive for too long unless she can administer the antidote.

"It's like the palace is surrounded by an impregnable wall of solid sandstone." With his finger he traced an invisible circle in the air. "It's futile to even try. And even if you do get in, it's stupid to think you can steal classified information without getting caught."

"Shit," she cussed out loud. She flopped onto her back, looking up at the sky. "I really don't know what to do..."

Caspian turned his head and looked at her. He focused on her face, her eyes, her lips, memorizing them like his life depended on it. 

Sighing, she propped herself up on her elbows. "I should go."

'I guess even the Crown Prince doesn't know about Emperor Katil's underlings.'

Dylan tried to leave, but he reached out and grabbed her arm, holding her in place. She flinched at the contact. One thing she knew was she didn't want to be touched by anyone right now.

"I'm in no mood to stargaze right now, Caspian," she said. She tried to shake his arm off but he held firm, carefully so as not to hurt her, just tight enough to keep her there. "I'm not—"

"It's okay now," Caspian said. This time his eyes flickered dangerously with emotion. "Fall in love with me."

Dylan's eyes widened at his remark. Her reaction wasn't only due to his insidious comment, but because the actual look on his face was so full of obsession that it sent goosebumps down her spine.

"I can ask you that much, right?" He spoke with a pleading intonation in his voice. "I did as you asked, so fall in love with me. Love me. Only me."

Dylan had crossed a dangerous line. She realized that at some point his infatuation with her had grown into obsession.

'I can't let this go on.'

"Caspian, I used you," she told him. "I manipulated you."

The corner of his mouth twitched up, contorting into a smirk. "I know."

He pressed her arms to her sides, and rolled, until he was on top of her, his body pinning her against the grass. She froze out of sheer surprise at his sudden, unexpected closeness, and for several seconds they looked at each other. Her breath caught. What was he doing?

"I'm not so naïve as to believe you were sincere." His breath hovered over her lips. "Don't you wanna know why I'm so content with begging like a dog under your heel?"

She squirmed underneath him, struggling to move him off of her. "Why?"

"If I had helped you, if I had saved you, you would be indebted to me." His attention flickered down to her lips before returning to her eyes. "You would have this obligation to help me in some way to repay my actions."