The Villain's Keeper

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[Who understands? The shut-in villain's first solo shopping trip was to buy ultra-thins!]

[Making a brooding recluse talk dirty in bed? That is a serious life achievement.]

I nodded as I watched the comments scroll across the screen.

Yeah. That was me.

He was so handsome. And so incredibly fragile.

I couldn't help myself. Every single day, I forced him to do it with me No. I was trying to save him.

He refused to go outside. So I peeled the clothes off his body.

The sun is massive today. Speaking of huge, Husband

He brooded in the shower. I barged right in.

Husband, you've been showering for a long time. Speaking of long

He went on a hunger strike. I shoved my hand down his shirt.

If you don't eat, your abs will shrink. Speaking of hard muscles, let me feel

Then I found out the truth. He wasn't the hero. He was the villain.

I ran.

He caught me.

He stripped off his own clothes, item by item, looking at me with red, aggrieved eyes.

Wifey. I won't reject you anymore. My clothes only open for you. Do you want sweet talk? Or dirty talk?

Chapter 1

The day I found Elian.

I knew he was the main character.

He was God's favorite. Devastatingly handsome.

Too bad he was bankrupt.

I kept him in my private villa. I caged him.

But it wasn't just the money. He was broken.

He became a recluse.

During the day, he never left his room. He never stepped foot outside his room.

At night, he sat on the floor, hugging his knees. Silent tears streamed down his face.

I wanted him to pull himself together.

I slapped a marriage certificate on the table.

He stared at me. His eyes were numb. Dead. He didn't say a single word.

I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling the awkwardness in the air.

Sure, the System gave me the certificate.

But from Elian's perspective? I was a predator.

I was the woman who got him drunk. The woman who tricked him into signing his life away.

He must hate my guts.

Chapter 2

Late night.

Elian retreated to the guest bedroom, just like always.

I stood outside the door, listening.

The sound of the shower running the steady hiss of water against tile

It did things to me.

Sure, Elian was a recluse now. A broken man.

But his body?

That was a certified work of art.

Lean muscle. Broad shoulders tapering into a dangerously narrow waist. That perfect V-line cutting down towards his hips.

And Id seen the print in his sweatpants.

He might be shutting the world out, but he was definitely healthy.

The thought crossed my mindif he ignores everyone in real life, does he ignore them in bed too?

A cold-faced, silent hate-f*ck.

My breath hitched.

I actually kind of liked the sound of that.

I went back to my room. Slipped out of my clothes.

I put on my flimsiest nightgown. A scrap of silk and lace that was more of a suggestion than actual clothing.

I pushed open the bathroom door.

Steam curled through the air, thick and heavy.

Elian stood under the spray. He reached up, raking a hand through his wet hair, slicking it back.

The movement pulled the muscles of his back tight. Defined. Sculpted.

Water rivulets chased each other down his spine. They pooled in the dimples of his lower back before sliding over the curve of his glutes.

Perfect. Firm.

Elian heard the door click. He spun around.

Those dead, numb eyes flashed.

Shock first. Then, a flicker of heat. Anger.

He snatched a towel from the rack, hastily wrapping it around his waist. Covering his legs.

"What are you doing in here?"

His voice was rough. Unused.

I dropped my tone. Soft. Syrupy.

"Husband I was worried about you. Youve been showering for so long."

I stepped into the shower stall.

The water hit me instantly.

The white silk plastered to my skin. It turned transparent. A second skin that hid absolutely nothing.

I saw Elians gaze drop to my chest.

His throat worked. A harsh, audible swallow.

The tips of his ears turned a violent shade of crimson. He jerked his head to the side, refusing to look at me.

Panic flashed in his eyes.

He bit his lip. Hard.

He looked cornered. Like prey realizing the trap had already snapped shut.

He took a step back. Then another. Until his wet skin hit the cold tiles of the wall.

I pretended not to notice his panic.

I stepped into his space.

I lifted my leg. Slid my foot up his calf. Friction. Skin on skin.

"Husband. Do you need a hand? Why are you taking so long?"

I leaned in. My breath ghosted against his wet neck.

"Speaking of long"

I reached down.

And yanked the towel away.

Elians eyes went wide.

He pressed himself flat against the wall. Nowhere left to run.

I glanced down.

A low, mocking laugh escaped my throat.

"Look at that. You might be broken upstairs"

I looked back into his eyes. Teasing. Cruel.

"but you seem pretty energetic down here. Terrifying."

"You"

He cut himself off.

His jaw clenched so hard I thought a tooth might crack.

Thick veins pulsed against the side of his neck. A map of his restraint.

He was vibrating with it. Holding it back. A dam about to burst.

He wouldn't speak? Fine.

I hooked my arm around his neck. Dragged his head down.

And smashed my lips against his.

If he wouldn't use his mouth to talk, I'd find another use for it.

That was the snap.

Elians eyes went red. The restraint shattered.

He didn't push me away.

My forehead hit the cold, fogged-up glass with a thud.

I reached back, my nails digging into the shoulders of the man working silently, desperately behind me.

His grip on my waist tightened. Bruising.

Possessive.

Chapter 3

After that night? I found the blueprint. The cheat code to fixing my broken husband.

Elian stopped eating.

He sat there. Pale. Sullen.

I didn't beg him to pick up a fork.

I just slid my hand under the hem of his shirt.

My palm skated over his stomach. Cold fingers. Warm skin.

Husband. Let me check. Are your abs disappearing?

I felt the muscles contract under my touch. Rock hard.

Speaking of hard

Elian flinched. A full-body shudder.

I didn't stop. I kneaded the muscle. Teasing. Cruel.

Are you going to eat?

Elian wasn't just depressed. He was stubborn. A mule.

No.

I climbed onto his lap. Straddled him.

My weight settled over his hips. I felt the immediate reaction beneath me. The betrayal of his own body.

I leaned in. My lips brushed his ear.

I'm hungry. If you won't eat I will.

Elian's pupils blew wide. Black swallowing the iris.

He lowered his gaze.

Don't.

You know what they say. When a man says no, he means yes. Starving yourself? That's just playing hard to get.

He looked up at me. Disbelief written all over his face.

His cheeks flushed a dark, humiliating red.

I I'm not.

I didn't listen.

I drained him dry.

That night, Elian cleaned his plate and asked for seconds.

It wasn't just the food. He had a habit.

Late at night, he would stare at a notebook. A diary.

I knew what it was. His obsession with Rosalie. The woman he could never have.

He was pining. Wasting away over a ghost.

I snatched the diary from his hands.

Elian lunged.

His long, narrow eyes flashed. Anger. Real, hot anger.

Give it back.

I flipped through the pages.

Aww. Look at this. True love. So sweet it's giving me cavities. Pink bubbles everywhere.

I looked him up and down.

Speaking of pink Husband. You're pretty pink down there.

I reached out. I grabbed him. Hard. Right at the root.

Elian choked. A strangled noise trapped in his throat.

The fight drained out of him instantly. He slumped back, defeated.

He never touched that diary again.

I pushed further. I crossed every line.

My therapy methods were unorthodox.

My classic motto?

Husband, I'm happy to listen to your childhood trauma. I'm all ears. But you know exactly what I'm going to do to you the second you stop talking.

Chapter 4

Elian was getting better. Physically.

But mentally? He was still a vampire. He refused to step outside.

I walked over to the window.

I grabbed the heavy velvet curtains and ripped them open.

Sunlight flooded the room. Harsh. Unforgiving.

Elian flinched. He threw his arm over his eyes, cowering from the brightness.

I didn't close the curtains.

I grabbed a silk tie from the dresser.

I tied it around his head, covering his eyes.

Husband. Look at the sun. It's massive today.

I climbed onto the bed. Crawled over him.

Speaking of massive

Elian couldn't fight me. He lay there, surrendering to the weight of my body.

I moved.

His hands gripped the sheets beneath him. His knuckles turned white. The fabric looked like it was about to tear.

His lips were pressed into a thin, bloodless line.

But he couldn't hide the sound. Broken gasps. Ragged breaths escaping his control.

I leaned down. I bit his earlobe.

Husband. Say something. If you speak, I'll stop.

Elian was unraveling. I was torturing him.

Finally, he deigned to speak. His voice was a rough, desperate rasp.

I want to see.

Oh.

He finally wanted to see the outside world? Progress.

I reached back and untied the knot. The silk fell away.

Elian blinked. His eyes were rimmed with red. Swimming in a haze of lust.

I sat up, wiping a bead of sweat from my chest.

I was dizzy. Overheated.

I didn't notice where his eyes went.

He wasn't looking at the window. He wasn't looking at the sun.

His gaze was glued to my skin. To the sweat. To me.

Greedy. Starving.

Afterward, I found the bedroom door locked. Again.

I stood in the hallway, banging on the wood.

I thought you wanted to see? You're done looking?

Elians voice came through the door. Strained. Trying to sound steady.

I saw enough.

What?

Clearly, I hadn't gone hard enough. He still had the energy to lock me out.

Husband. If you don't open this door, I'm picking the lock.

I pulled a hairpin from my messy bun. I was going to drag him out of that room if it was the last thing I did.

I bent down to the keyhole.

Suddenly, glowing text floated in the air right in front of my face.

[Oh my god. She doesn't get it. What did he want to see?]

[He wanted to watch the storm batter against her perky peaks. He wanted to see her face when she fell apart.]

[Haha. Blair still doesn't know she's force-f*cking the Villain, does she?]

[Look at him. He's crying like a total softie now, but he's keeping score. He hates her for taking his innocence. He's going to destroy her in the second arc.]

[Help. Blair is a disposable extra who doesn't even exist in the original plot, but I ship it.]

My hand froze. The hairpin clattered to the floor.

A chill shot down my spine.

The System finally decided to show up.

[System Alert: Apologies, Host. Critical Error.]

[You were assigned the wrong script. You were supposed to be a background character. The fake wife used to make the Heroine jealous. There was a glitch. You were assigned to the Villain.]

[Warning: For your safety, cease all interaction immediately. Do not provoke him.]

What the f*ck.

I didn't hesitate.

I scrambled to my room. I grabbed my ID. My passport. My emergency cash.

I stood by the front door, heart hammering against my ribs.

I forced my voice to sound calm. Cheerful.

Husband! If you don't want to go out today, that's fine!

I opened the door.

I'm just running to the store to buy some protection. Ultra-thins. You stay there and be a good boy!

I slammed the door.

And I ran for my life.

Chapter 5

I booked the first flight out. Destination: City A.

I spent two weeks looking over my shoulder. Sleeping with one eye open.

Finally, my heart rate settled. The System was offline. The plot was broken. I had a window.

I hit the club.

Bring me your best.

The manager didn't disappoint. A parade of jawlines and abs marched in. Ryder and his crew were top-tier.

I lounged back in the VIP booth, chin resting on my hand. I pointed.

You. And you. And Ryder.

I was ready to party.

Then the floating text in my vision went nuclear.

[It's over. Run, Blair! Run!]

[Does anyone else see this? The Villain walked from City C. He hasn't eaten. He hasn't spoken. He's just hunting.]

[He's been haunting City A for three days. He looks like a wraith. He's giving off major haunted vibes.]

My blood ran cold.

Ryder didn't sense the reaper standing behind us. He laughed, grabbing my hand and pulling it to his lips.

Gorgeous, leaving so soon? Don't you want to feel these?

He guided my hand toward his sculpted abs.

I turned around.

Freeze.

Elian.

His hair had grown out. Messy black strands hung low, shadowing his face. But they couldn't hide his eyes.

Obsidian. Bottomless. Staring right through me.

I flinched. My body jerked backward, colliding with Ryders chest.

Elian stepped closer. The air in the booth dropped ten degrees.

His gaze licked over my body like a snake's tongue.

His voice was a low rasp. Gloomy.

Wife. Did you throw me away?

Ryder tightened his grip on my waist.

Who's this guy? She's mine. Back off.

Elians expression shattered.

Panic. Desperation.

I shoved Ryder away.

Get out.

Elian didn't attack. He didn't rage.

He dropped to his knees.

Right there on the sticky club floor. He looked up at me. Total surrender.

This was the future tyrant? The man who would burn the business world to the ground?

He looked like a kicked puppy.

His trembling fingers reached for his collar. He undid the top button. Then the second.

Pale skin exposed. Vulnerable.

He lowered his lashes, unable to meet my eyes. His knees shuffled forward on the carpet until his chest pressed against my legs.

Wife I won't fight you anymore.

My clothes they only open for you.

I can learn. Do you want sweet talk? Or dirty talk?

My jaw hit the floor.

That was the longest sentence Elian had ever spoken in his life.

The comments section went feral.

[Excuse me? Is this the Villain arc? What did Blair do to him?!]

[He's shaking! He's actually shaking!]

[Hurry up and bang! I need to see proactive Elian!]

[Hahaha! The shut-in went shopping for ultra-thin condoms! Look at his face, he's red as a beet! He's stuttering like a total virgin.]

[Screen recording this immediately. Evidence.]

[Future Elian in court: Delete that video.]

I froze. The System hadn't given me the new script. One wrong move and I was dead.

Silence stretched.

Elians eyes filled with hurt.

He dug a hand into his pocket. He pulled out a small, crumpled box.

I I bought them. I'm ready. Now.

He looked like a submissive waiting to be claimed.

My palm burned. Heat flared in my chest.

I shoved the desire down.

I don't like that brand. Come on. Let's go home.

Elian flinched. Hurt flashed across his face again. He jutted his chin out. Stubborn.

They're ribbed. Textured. You said you liked that.

[WTF!]

I slammed my hand over his mouth before he could say another word.

Silence.

Elian looked at me. His eyes were swimming with tears. Innocent. Wrecked.

Then I felt it.

Wet heat against my palm.

I yanked my hand back like Id touched a live wire. A jolt of electricity zapped up my arm.

Elian tilted his head. His tongue darted out to lick his lip.

Wife likes it when the puppy licks right?

Wait, is this even legal?

Shock paralyzed me