ログインI chuckled, low and mocking.
"Mind?""What right do I have to mind?""Have fun, you two. Just don't bother me."Ethan Knight's throat tightened.An empty ache spread through his chest.She used to get frantic if he even glanced at Winnie.Now she could smile and wish them a good time?Winnie Carter's smile froze.Lisa's reaction wasn't in her script.This indifference was more infuriating than any scene she'd imagined."Let's go, Clara."<A flicker of competitive spirit sparked in me.I narrowed my eyes."Mr. Knight, does your surveillance network cover the entire planet?""Still diligently checking up on me even when you're abroad?"A few seconds of silence."You're using the VIP lounge of the airline Knight Group has a long-term partnership with.""Pulling your record takes one minute.""As for checking up on you...""Which kind do you want it to be?"He flipped it back on me, kicking the ambiguous ball into my court, letting me define it.Underneath the calm text, there it was—that quiet, relentless possessiveness.The tips of my ears warmed.My fingers tapped against the screen."Neither!""And you, Mr. Knight? It's 2 a.m. in Zurich. Can't find your Zen?""Guess the Zurich night sky isn't quite enough to help you meditate."The moment I hit send, my phone rang.Alexander was calling.A smile tugged at my lips as I lazi
Ethan's head spun. A vein bulged at his temple.She dared to call him that?He instinctively took it as a vicious insult, payback for the things he'd hurled at her back at the cove."Lisa!"His voice came out as a low growl. His fists clenched tight at his sides.He wanted to grab her, force her to explain. He wanted to wipe that infuriating mark off her neck.But when he met her mocking eyes, the pent-up fury deflated like a punctured balloon.What right did he even have?"You're calling me that?"His voice was hoarse.---"Think whatever you want."I didn't bother looking at him again. My eyes fixed on the glowing red numbers above the elevator doors.Ethan's chest tightened, choked by my indifference.The rage that had nowhere to go was forced down.All that was left was a burning ache in his gut. Sour. Weak."Lisa. These three days you didn't come to the office... was it because of me?"He pause
Copying sutras?Last time, he’d done it with such ruthless focus because desire had burned inside him with no release.Copying scriptures had been the only way to force down the urge to pin her right on the pages and take her apart.But last night, she’d calmed that restlessness at its core in a different way.It hadn’t been fully settled, no.But it had been enough to douse the raging fire in his chest.So today, he had no need to rely on self-deceptive scriptures.But could he actually tell her that?Alexander set his coffee cup down and lifted his gaze."Copying sutras is an old method. Inefficient."His voice was low, slower than usual, every word deliberate.I raised an eyebrow, intrigued."Oh? So you’ve found a better way, Mr. Knight? And it worked that quickly?"Alexander’s gaze slid from my face to my right hand, resting on the edge of my bowl."The results are promising."
I stormed into the bathroom still fuming.On the marble counter, next to a full set of untouched luxury skincare products, sat several neatly arranged boxes of tampons in various sizes.I grabbed a box and walked back to the bathroom door, leaning against the doorframe.I held up the box and shook it at him."Mr. Knight. You keep these stocked at home at all times?""After your last stay, the house manager added a full set of women's essentials."Alexander tied the belt of his robe, looked up, and caught the surprise on my face.He added,"Better safe than sorry."Something tapped softly against my chest.The house manager stocked them?He approved it?Or did he order it himself?"Your house manager is incredibly thorough, Mr. Knight."I turned and tossed the box back onto the counter.The bathroom was soon filled with the sound of running water.When I finished cleaning up and walked out, I was back in
After what felt like an eternity, the car rolled to a silent stop.The driver's voice rumbled low through the partition."Mr. Knight, we've arrived."The arm coiled tight around my waist finally slackened.Alexander slowly sat up straight, pinching the bridge of his nose. The haze of alcohol in his eyes seemed to clear slightly, or maybe just dig deeper.He didn't look at me. He just opened the door and stepped out.I followed.The evening air hit my face, cooling some of the heat still burning under my skin.Alexander stood by the car, his silhouette stretching long under the streetlights. His stance wavered just slightly.He turned and held out his hand to me.Palm up.The posture still carried that habitual command of a man used to giving orders. The message was clear:he still needed steadying.I looked at his outstretched hand, then at his eyes, which had sharpened back to something close to sober.My molars ground
The call ended abruptly.I stared at my phone, frowning slightly.Luke Cole?That notorious playboy friend of Alexander's?He wanted me to head to a bar right now and pick someone up?Alexander was drunk?The thought barely crossed my mind before I dismissed it.Someone with that level of self-control would never let himself get to the point where someone had to come collect him.This had Luke's prank written all over it.Whatever. I'd go.Besides, I hadn't seen that ice sculpture of a man in three days.It was the perfect excuse to show up, make my presence known, and stay on his radar.---Alexander came back from the bathroom.He sat down and noticed his phone had been moved from the couch to the coffee table.He shot a look at Luke."You touch my phone?"His voice was cold, roughened by whiskey.Luke clamped a cigar between his teeth, a shit-eating grin spreading across his face."Took







