Love.

Just four letters, just one word, but for them, it meant a lot more. It was the feeling of being connected to your partner even when everything between you was falling apart. For Ateş and Mercan, love was never simple. It was buried beneath years of pain, anger, regret, misunderstandings, and wounds neither of them knew how to heal.

They had hurt each other, pushed each other away, and sometimes made each other question whether staying together was even possible, yet somewhere beneath all that hurt, the connection between them remained.

Love, for them, was not about having a perfect relationship. It was about the way Ateş could still look at Mercan and forget every reason he had to be angry with her. It was about the way Mercan could still find comfort in his presence even after he had broken her heart. It was the silent pull that brought them back to each other, the fear of losing one another that neither was brave enough to admit, and the feeling that no matter how badly they fought, a part of them would always search for the other.

They were not free from pain, but they were deeply tied to each other through it. And perhaps that was what made their love so powerful. They did not love each other because things were easy. They loved each other despite everything that made it difficult.

She loved him despite everything. Despite the pain he had caused, despite the moments when his anger had made her feel alone, and despite the past that had left wounds between them, her heart still chose him. And Ateş loved her enough to risk his own life for her.

He regretted every moment when he ignored her, pushed her away, treated her with anger... Damn he still regrets the way he used to push her away when she came in his way. That was very rude to pick her up and push her away.

He could have kissed her to push her away. Now this idea sounds better .

Because every day he had allowed revenge to come between them, and every pain she had silently carried because of him. He could never change the past, but he could change what came after it. So he made an oath to himself that he would protect her, keep her happy, and give her the love and respect she had always deserved.

And this night was a part of that promise. Their first night had been nothing like what it should have been. There had been anger, distance, and a marriage neither of them had truly understood at the time. Ateş had not treated her with the love she deserved, and the thought of it had stayed somewhere deep inside him, becoming one more thing he regretted.

But now, everything was different. He no longer wanted to make her feel like someone forced into his life. He wanted her to know that she was his choice, his wife, and the woman he loved more than anything. This time, he wanted their night to be gentle, meaningful, and filled with the affection he had failed to give her before. It was not about making up for one night with another. It was about showing Mercan, through every little thing he did, that the man standing beside her now was no longer the man who had once let revenge speak louder than his love.

The intoxicating scent of crushed roses and warm candle wax filled the room, making the air feel thick and heavy. Ateş hovered over Mercan, pinning her down as he pressed the full weight of his body into the mattress. His chest heaved heavily against hers, his heart racing with an intense energy.



Leaning over her, he smashed his lips against hers with a deep, desperate hunger. The kiss was raw and powerful, driven by weeks of pure deprivation. It was his way of erasing the painful memories of cold hospital beds, sterile walls, and the agonizing distance of his recovery.

Mercan gasped against his mouth, completely overwhelmed by the sudden rush of his heat. Her hands flew to his shoulders, first gripping the fabric of his shirt in shock, but quickly softening as the reality of his return washed over her. She pulled him closer, arching her body into his weight and kissing him back with the same desperate longing, her own tears blurring her vision as she realized the nightmare of his hospital stay was finally over

Mercan’s fingers dug into the hard muscles of his upper arms, her knuckles turning white. Under the flickering shadows, she felt the raw, predator-like power of him - a man who had finally caught his prize. The sheer intensity of his weight and his hunger left her feeling completely lightheaded.

He broke the deep kiss, the sound of their parting lips a wet, quiet pop in the silence. Ateş leaned back just an inch, his eyes dark with desire and his pupils blown wide as he looked down at her. Softening for a brief second, he pressed a tender, lingering kiss to the tip of her nose. Mercan let out a tiny, breathless giggle, her chest rising and falling in jagged rhythms as she tried to catch her breath. Deep in her core, a rhythmic, pulsing heat began to build, a heavy sensation that made her hips twitch involuntarily against him.

Ateş noticed her slight movement, and his lips curved into a slow, playful smirk. It was a sudden flash of the arrogant, flirty man she loved so dearly - the side of him that always made her heart race. He stepped closer, moving with a quiet, patient power that demanded her absolute attention. She couldn't look away even if she wanted to. The rough stubble of his beard grazed the tender skin of her jaw, sent a shiver down her spine. He leaned in a d took a sharp breath, drawing in the shared heat of the room while the gentle flames of the candles flickered against the dark walls

Mercan gasped, her back arching slightly as the sheer presence of him seemed to envelop her completely. A wave of intense emotion shot through her, leaving her trembling In the room. At the same time, he moved his hands slowly over her body. His warm palm slid down her ribs, tracing the curve of her waist and grounding her against the rush of adrenaline.

The flickering candlelight cast long, dancing shadows across the room, mirroring the intensity of the bond between them as they got lost in the moment were creating together. The tiny flames on the nightstand were the only source of light, making the rest of the bedroom melt into the darkness.

"You have no idea how long I've been thinking about this," Ateş whispered, his voice a low, gravelly vibration against her skin.

"Every single hour in that ward, every time I closed my eyes, I saw you and I knew that I needed you."He leaned in slightly closer, his breath warm against her cheek. The rough texture of his voice showed just how much he had held inside during those lonely weeks under the bright, sterile lights of the hospital.

She laid perfectly still, afraid that even a small movement might break the spell. His words sent a shiver through her body... instantly melting the heavy knot of worry she had carried in her chest for a month.

She looked up and traced the lines of his face to assure herself that he was truly standing right here in front of her. Slowly, she lifted her hand and rested her palm against his jaw, feeling the steady, reassuring warmth of his skin.

"I missed you too Ateş, çok my love," she whispered back, her voice small but steady in the quiet room.

He moved back up to her face, his gaze searching hers. Slowly, his fingers found the zipper of her white gown. The metallic slide sounded like a thunderclap in the quiet room. He peeled the fabric back, exposing the pale, creamy curve of her shoulder. Mercan shivered, a shiver ran through her entire body. She looked away, to hide her cheeks ad they were burning now and turned crimson.

Ateş stopped. He didn't pull away, but he paused, his breath warm against her collarbone.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Mercan?" He asked it softly, the dominance replaced by a genuine, aching concern.

"Hmm why?" She whispered without looking at him as she was feeling too shy to look at him

"If you aren't ready, we can wait. I can wait a lifetime for you, as long as you're by my side." He said and Mercan felt a surge of love so potent it felt like a physical weight in her chest.

She reached up, cupping his face with both hands, and pulled him down into a kiss that was no longer shy. It was an answer. She pulled back just enough to whisper against his lips, her voice trembling but certain.

"Seni çok seviyorum, Ateş." She confessed. The confession broke something inside him. The last of his restraint snapped. He devoured her, his mouth crashing back onto hers with a desperate, starving energy.

He tasted of mint and longing. Mercan whimpered, her hands sliding down to his chest, feeling the steady, strong beat of the heart she had almost lost. She felt shy, the exposure of her skin making her want to curl inward, but the way he looked at her - as if she were the only holy thing left in a ruined world - kept her open.

Ateş shifted, and began to undress her. He stripped her of the white gown, the fabric fluttering to the floor like a fallen cloud. Then he moved to his own clothes. He opened his shirt and jeans in a flurry of motion, tossing them aside without a glance, and same with his innerwears.

When he stood before her completely naked, Mercan’s breath hitched. She looked down, at him and her eyes widened seeing him. She had known he was a man of strength, but the sight of him fully aroused left her stunned. His co*k was thick, heavy, and pulsing, a vein tracing a jagged line up the length of the shaft. The head was a deep, flushed purple, already glistening with a bead of pre-cum.

She instinctively recoiled a fraction, a flicker of fear crossed her face... The fear of the sheer scale of him, fear that she might break or that she might hurt the wound that had only recently closed. Ateş chuckled, a dark, vibrating sound. He stepped closer, his thighs brushing against hers.

"Scared, my little mouse?" He teased, his voice dripping with desire and lust.

"Every single inch of it belongs to you." He leaned down, his lips brushing her ear and said it in a husky voice. Mercan bit her lower lip and looked everywhere but him. She felt too shy to respond to his dirty talks. She can't believe he still have guts to talk like this after coming back from hospital.

"Ateş, please," she murmured in a low voice, and pressed her face harder against his chest.

A fierce, burning blush flooded her cheeks, and she squeezed her eyes shut, desperately wishing she could hide from the sheer intensity of his words and she fisted the bedsheet tightly as here hands were trembling with a mix of overwhelming shyness and sudden anticipation.

She felt completely exposed beneath his heavy, husky gaze and velvety whisper that begged him to stop teasing while secretly wanting him to go on.

"Please what?" He teased with a smirk and moved his index finger from her forehead till her chin

"Bana bakın, Mercan" he commanded and she met his gaze. His eyes were burning, filled with a mixture of predatory hunger and absolute devotion. But then her gaze fell on his wound and she felt bad for him.

"You're injured Ateş, what if I hurt you? Let's wait for a few days then I will never stop you" she whispered with concern and pushed him softly and sat

"My İnci, you are a delicate flower. You cannot hurt me. The only thing that can hurt me right now is the distance between your skin and mine." He pushed her back onto the pillows, and hovered over her again.

She let out a soft, low hum of agreement, and felt the sound vibrating in her throat as she melted back into the closeness of the man she fell for. He leaned closer and placed his lips over hers again. When his lips  met hers she realized, that she could never stop him. She can never, and she don't even want him to. But even if she want, she can never stop him because the love for him is so powerful that his touch makes her forget whole world.

His touch is so intoxicating that  it pulls her towards him completely, making any resistance entirely impossible. She had resisted enough, and she can't do that anymore. She tried hard not to love him this much, but the more she tried to move away, the more closer he pulled her towards himself. And now she is heads over heels in love with him.

Ateş looked down at her, his chest puffed with pride and with love so pure that he felt it like a dream. A girl so beautiful like a mermaid is caring for him, loving him. It must be a dream. How God made him so lucky? He must be Gods favourite child.

To him, she wasn't just a woman he desire; she was his entire world, a fragile treasure he wanted to protect and worship all at once. Every line of his body, the gentle pressure of his hands, and the warmth of his gaze conveyed a deep, consuming devotion that went far beyond mere passion.

Ateş looked down at her for a second, and his breath hitched as he took in the sight of her flushed cheeks and the soft rise and fall of her chest. The love and devotion in his heart only deepened, and his mind smiled with pride. She is his. And that he belonged entirely to her.

"You dominate my every thought, Mercan," he whispered and he brushed a stray lock of hair away from her forehead. His touch was incredibly tender, a sharp contrast to the raw intensity of his gaze.

"Loving you is the best thing I've ever done. I feel so lucky that you love me" He leaned down again, capturing her lips in a slow, deep kiss that felt more like a vow than a simple touch. The heat between them flared, closing the tiny distance that remained. Mercan wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as she gave in entirely to the rhythm of his touch, all her previous shyness melting into the warmth of his consuming love.

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I hope you like this chapter ❤️❤️✨✨

I’m actually thinking of shifting the continuation of this chapter to the Stroll stack app (I’m yet to make an ID there though 😪🤣) just to keep my work safe. Wattpad has been behaving really weird lately, and honestly, I don’t want to risk losing this book or, worse, my account.

But don’t worry, I’ll keep all the chapters free there too ❤️. The only reason I’m considering moving the continuation is because here I constantly have to re-edit certain words while writing, and I honestly don’t know whe

ther it’s completely safe or not. I’d rather have a backup and make sure the story stays safe than regret it later.