A Rogue For The Quadruplet Alpha's.

NOAH.

The moment I looked at Maria’s face, I immediately understood what was happening.

I didn’t need anyone else to explain it to me.

The expression she wore...the way her eyes had slightly dimmed...the calmness she was trying so hard to maintain... and even the careful tone with which she had spoken...they all pointed to one thing—She was jealous.

The realization struck me so suddenly that I almost laughed out loud.

A warmth spread through my chest before I could stop it.

For some reason, I liked it, far more than I probably should have.

It wasn’t because I enjoyed seeing her upset.

No. It was because her reaction meant something—It meant she cared and she didn’t like the thought of another woman standing close to me.

She didn’t want someone else occupying an important place in my life.

The possessiveness hidden beneath her calm exterior was strangely adorable.

And if I were being honest...I loved seeing that side of her.

A chuckle threatened to escape my lips, but I quickly bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself.

An idea suddenly crossed my mind.

Perhaps...I should tease her a little more.

I wanted to see how much further she would go, and I wanted to watch her reactions.

"Oh, that?" I replied as casually as I could manage.

I even shrugged my shoulders slightly, pretending the answer was completely ordinary.

"She’s an important woman in my life."

The words had barely left my mouth when I saw the change.

Maria’s expression froze, her eyes widened almost imperceptibly and her jaw practically dropped.

For several long seconds, she simply stared at me without saying anything.

It took every ounce of self-control I possessed not to burst into laughter.

The expression on her face was absolutely priceless.

Inside, my stomach was already aching from trying so hard to suppress my amusement.

She remained frozen only briefly.

Within a few seconds, she composed herself again, at least...she tried to.

She slowly looked away from me, avoiding my gaze altogether.

"I... wasn’t really aware there was an important woman in your life." She said, as her voice remained quiet and carefully controlled.

Almost as though she was forcing herself not to reveal what she was truly feeling.

There was the faintest pause before she continued.

"Then why didn’t you..."

She never got the chance to finish, as that was the final straw...I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

A loud laugh burst out of me before I even realized it. I laughed so hard that I had to hold my stomach.

The sight of her trying so desperately to hide her jealousy reminded me of a little child whose favorite toy had suddenly been taken away.

It was unexpectedly adorable.

After a while, I finally managed to calm myself, and the laughter gradually faded, and then I looked at her again.

The moment our eyes met, I immediately stopped smiling.

She was staring at me, silently without saying a word.

Realizing I had teased her enough, I stepped closer.

Without hesitation, I gently placed both of my hands on her shoulders.

Carefully, I looked into the only part of her face the mask allowed me to see—her beautiful eyes.

My expression softened.

"Look at me, Maria." I said, as my voice lost every trace of playfulness. "You are the only important woman in my life."

I made sure every single word was spoken clearly and firmly without room for misunderstanding.

A small smile appeared on my lips.

"I was only pulling your leg." I added, as my hands remained resting lightly on her shoulders as I waited for her reaction.

"You—" Before Maria could finish speaking, both of her fists immediately landed against my chest.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

"You are a bad man!" She said, and each word was accompanied by another firm hit. "How dare you say something like that to me?"

Her voice trembled with emotion as she continued striking my chest over and over again.

Rather than defending myself, I simply stood there and accepted every single hit.

I deserved them.

Each blow carried the hurt I had carelessly caused.

Instead of stopping her, I reached up slowly, and with gentle fingers, I untied the mask covering her face and carefully lifted it away.

The moment the mask came off, my heart sank.

Tears.

They were silently streaming down her cheeks, one after another. Her eyes had turned red, and her trembling lips only made the sight even more heartbreaking.

"Oh, shit..." I muttered inwardly.

The realization struck me with full force the instant I saw the tears streaming down her face.

My heart dropped.

The playful satisfaction I had been feeling only moments ago disappeared completely, replaced by a crushing sense of guilt.

I had gone too far—much farther than I had ever intended to.

What I had thought would be a harmless tease had clearly wounded her far more deeply than I had imagined.

This wasn’t the reaction I wanted, as I had only wanted to see her pout and to watch her get adorably jealous for a few moments.

I had never wanted to make her cry.

The sight of those tears made my chest tighten painfully.

I silently cursed myself.

How could I have been so foolish?

How could I have let a simple joke go this far?

"I’m sorry, Maria." I said, as the words left my mouth almost instinctively.

My voice lost every trace of its earlier playfulness, becoming soft and filled with remorse.

"Please..." I swallowed hard before continuing. "Forgive me."

Slowly, I lifted both hands and gently cupped her face. My thumbs carefully brushed across her cheeks, wiping away the endless tears that refused to stop falling.

Each tear I wiped away seemed to be replaced by another.

Seeing that only made the guilt inside me grow heavier.

Yet Maria didn’t stop, and her small fists continued landing against my chest again and again.

Each hit carried every bit of her hurt and every ounce of disappointment.

Even though tears blurred her vision...even though soft sobs kept escaping her trembling lips...she stubbornly continued venting all of her emotions on me.

I never once tried to stop her because I deserved every single one of them.

After a long moment, I could no longer bear seeing her cry.

Without saying another word, I gently pulled her toward me. My arms wrapped securely around her, holding her tightly against my chest.

I didn’t leave even the slightest space between us.

One hand remained around her while the other slowly moved up and down her back, patting it softly in an attempt to comfort her.

"It’s true, Maria." I rested my chin gently against the top of her head and a bitter smile appeared on my face as I closed my eyes. "I am a bad man." The admission came easily because, at that moment, it felt true. "I never should have said something like that."

Every word was heavy with regret, and every apology came straight from my heart.

If I could take those careless words back and erase the tears I had caused, I would have done so without hesitation.

Maria continued crying quietly against my chest. Her sobs were soft, yet each one struck my heart with painful force.

I could feel her shoulders trembling in my embrace, shaking ever so slightly every time another sob escaped her lips.

The warmth of her tears seeped through my shirt, serving as a constant reminder of the pain I had caused.

With every passing second, the guilt inside me grew heavier.

I tightened my arms around her just a little more, wishing I could somehow take away every tear she had shed because of my foolishness.

Several long moments passed before her sobs gradually became quieter.

Very gently, I loosened my embrace.

Reluctantly, I drew back just enough to look at her.

My hands slid to her shoulders, holding them with the utmost care, as though she were something impossibly fragile.

Slowly, I lifted my gaze to meet her tear-filled eyes.

The sight alone made my heart ache all over again.

Before she could lower her head or say another word, I leaned forward.

Without hesitation, I captured her lips with mine. The kiss wasn’t hurried, as there was no urgency and no recklessness. It was slow, gentle and sincere.

An apology spoken without words.

A kiss filled with regret, relief, and every ounce of affection I felt for her.

Maria stiffened the instant our lips met.

Her eyes widened in visible surprise, clearly caught off guard by my sudden action.

For a brief moment, she remained completely still, and then, little by little, the surprise faded, as her tense shoulders gradually relaxed.

She slowly closed her eyes and began returning the kiss, with the same tenderness, with the same longing and with the same depth of emotion I was pouring into it.

It felt as though every feeling she had been holding back found its way into that single kiss.

When we finally pulled apart for air, I rested my forehead gently against hers.

Our breaths mingled in the small space between us.

"I love you, Maria," I whispered softly, as my voice was quiet but unwavering, leaving absolutely no room for doubt. "And no one..." I gently brushed away the fresh tear still clinging to her cheek with the pad of my thumb. "...will ever be more important to me than you."

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