I firmly believe when a man truly loves you, he is extremely careful and intentional with his touch.

It's not that he is not attracted or that he’s 'nonchalant' and playing hard to get, no. He values and reveres you so much that he doesn’t want even a fingertip of his to lay on you without your permission.

And thus he waits for you to initiate gestures. So he can be completely sure that he's not hurting you, staining you with the unholy lust that has been coursing through his veins for you from the moment he got closer to you. He is so considerate and careful, asking for permission repeatedly even as his hands practically vibrate with restrained desire.

The touch starts slow and barely there.

The kisses start hesitant, soft.

His hands shake as they move upwards from your hips to your waist to your back, pressing you against his chest abruptly as the desire spikes before catching himself;

“Is this okay? I’m not hurting you am I?”

You let out an astonished giggle before kissing him again “You are not…I’m not so fragile, baby. Give me a little more credit here.” You tease as you begin to unbutton his shirt, his breath hitching with every inch of skin that is bared.

Oh God…it was happening, his mind is ringing as you are busy unwrapping him like a candy box (you licking your lips as you undress him is just making it worse actually).

He becomes a bit bolder as you walk to the bed tangled up each other, peppering kisses first on your cheeks, nose and then sniffing your neck before landing a sloppy kiss on your neck, making you shiver.

“Is it good? May I continue?” He asks hopeful and you nod.

“Yes…do it.”

Intoxicated by your scent, he leans in and now starts to kiss up and down your neck, unscrewing the cap on his desire a bit more with each trail of desperate spit that lathers on your skin as he tastes you while you both try to undress as quickly as possible.

And when you lie back on the sheets completely naked before him, he inhales so sharply it pricks his throat, pupils dilated in a way that makes him look almost inhuman. But he’s still trying to rein it in, afraid to hurt you in his frenzy.

So you grab his face and pull him close:

“Touch me like you mean it. Like you want to make sure I will never forget your touch.” You say, looking right into his eyes “I won’t break…but try anyway.” You say, voice thick with desire and something in him snaps like a thread that’s has been stretched taut too long-

Because now that you have given him that clear and explicit green light?

May God save your soul🙏

—————————————————

Kai: You were flirting with Sloane last night.

Xavier: So? She's my wife.

Dante: You asked her if she was single.

Dominic: And then cried when she said she wasn't.

Vuk: You're far too hot, and I manage just fine

Ayana: (blushing) Oh-

If you’re the type who enjoys watching emotionally stunted billionaires self-destruct over women they can’t have, welcome. You’re home.

🎀 The Vibe:

Obsessive alpha who communicates via deadly glares and hands

Beauty and the Beast, but make it silent and Serbian

Forbidden romance

Low on plot, high on pining

Ana Huang’s signature universe crossovers

🎀 What works:

Vuk: This man is obsessed. He’s intense, reserved, terrifying to everyone except Ayana, and it’s hot. He’s the best part of this book, hands down.

Ayana: She is a supermodel. She has a functional family and no tragic past. She is..... okay. (I mean, there is nothing really special about her character. But I like her.)

ASL Representation: It’s rare to see a love interest who uses sign language and has chosen silence as a trauma response.

The crossovers: If you’re a fan of the Twisted and Kings of Sin series, the cameos here were chef’s kiss. They actually made sense, unlike some other shared universes (cough Dark Verse's Syndicator). Kai and Dante especially stole every scene they were in.

❌ What Didn’t Land:

Pacing issues: The first half is decent, but around 70% in, it just... drags. Characters start keeping secrets for the sake of “tension,” but we all know what’s going on. That “if we just talked this would be over” energy was frustrating.

The plot: Barely there. If you read the blurb, you already know the entire trajectory. No shockers, no big twist, just a long, slow emotional spiral.

Vuk being Cristian Harper, just mute edition: Obsessive, protective, emotionally constipated billionaire? Yeah, we’ve seen this man before. Vuk felt like Cristian 2.0—but this time with a tragic backstory and no spoken words. Same vibes, less dialogue.

🎀 Spoiler Zone (because we’re being real):

Ayana’s fiancé? A placeholder with zero depth. We all knew he was getting dumped.

The sex scenes? Worth the wait, but maybe a bit too delayed. When it finally happens, it hits—but girl, we were starving.

We get a spicy little setup for Maya and Sebastian—which I will be seated for.

🎀 Final Verdict:

🌟 Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Is it the best-written thing out there? Nah. But did I eat it up like it was my last meal? Hell yes.

Read it for:

The intense stares

The unspoken obsession

Slow burn

The moment Vuk finally breaks (you’ll know it when it hits)

Skip if you need:

A fast-paced plot

Big twists

Would I recommend it? Yep. Will you scream at the characters for being emotionally constipated? Oh, absolutely. Will you love every second anyway? Without question.

King of Envy headers

kink: dacryphilia meaning: arousal from tears or watching others cry pairing(s): vuk markovic x afab!reader warning(s): kinda dark elements, crying, overstim, rough sex, unprotected sex (wrap it pls), slight mention of impregnation word count: 619 a/n: i honestly feel sleep deprived icl, but i also dont think this will do well, but i loves him and ayana so much. remember to eat and drink something, love yas, mwah! -Cilla