Chapter 3

Whether Jaguar's story was real or fabricated, he radiated a perfect broken-man-waiting-to-be-saved vibe, which was practically begging me to take the bait.

The night was deep, and the rain beyond the window poured harder. A faint, dull ache throbbing in my knees made me stagger as I walked.

Ever since getting that injury, rainy days had always come with waves of pain in my knee.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," I said tiredly.

I thought it was Walter, but to my surprise, it was Jaguar. He walked in wearing black pajamas and held a small bottle of essential oil, with his sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows.

When his eyes fell on my knees, his gaze was calm, but there was something quietly insistent in the way he looked at me.

"I'm here to give you a massage."

I frowned. "I don't need it."

Instead of answering, he walked over to me, dropped to one knee, and cupped his hands around my knee.

I instinctively tried to pull my leg back. "Let go."

"If you don't want my body, at least enjoy my services," Jaguar said, ignoring my resistance.

He pressed his fingers gently against my knee and slowly kneaded it. His movements were incredibly practiced and natural, as if he had done this thousands of times before.

"Your knees will ache on rainy days. You need to keep them warm…" he said in a low and steady voice.

"You do know a lot," I said coldly.

He didn't look up and remained entirely focused on the massage. His pressure shifted smoothly between light and firm, easing the throbbing pain in my knee.

"I used to learn about massage therapy," he replied and set the bottle of essential oil on the table. "I formulated this medicinal oil for someone very important to me, and it works pretty well."

I looked at him. "Then why aren't you massaging this important person instead?"

He finally looked up and met my eyes. His gaze was calm, yet it seemed to carry an overwhelming weight of emotions.

"She's… just starting to know me."

With that, he withdrew his hands and stood up. "If your knees hurt again, Ms. Sterling, you can call me at any time."

I reached out and brushed my fingers lightly across his cheek. My voice was soft but carried an undeniable authority.

"Are you trying to please me?"

He chuckled. "Since you're looking to tame a wild pet, Ms. Sterling, I should probably do my part. I wouldn't want you thinking you're making a bad investment."

I fell briefly silent before my eyes fell on the medicinal oil he had formulated.

Suddenly, it seemed like keeping him around might actually be a fantastic idea. Better yet, he was gorgeous, knew how to make me feel pampered, and maybe… He was turning out to be way more useful than I ever expected.

…

After Jaguar left, the dull ache in my knees significantly subsided. I slept well through the night for the first time in a while.

By the time I woke up, it was bright daylight. I immediately called for Walter.

As I touched my knees, which felt much better, a smile tugged at the corner of my lips. "The custom suits I ordered from Winston should be ready by now. Have them delivered to him."

Winston Rhodes was the Sterlings' exclusive private tailor. All his pieces were handmade and served as a major status symbol.

"Mr. Blackwood hasn't visited in a while. Shall I have them sent to his office?" Walter instinctively asked.

Mr. Blackwood?

I frowned, clearly annoyed. "I have a pet now, Walter. Of course, I'm going to save all the good things for my man."

Walter nodded and seamlessly switched names. "In that case, I'll have the clothes delivered to Mr. Reed."

"Good."

…

Over the next few weeks, I finally began to understand what Adrian meant when he talked about the joys of spoiling Poppy.

Jaguar never rejected my kindness. When the custom-made clothes were delivered, he was thrilled and immediately put them on, showing me how perfectly they fit and how much he loved them.

To me, he was too gaunt, so I ordered the kitchen to prepare all kinds of nutritious meals for him. Color slowly returned to his face, and he grew stronger.

Every time I helped him or gave him a gift, he never turned them down or pretended to be all high and mighty. Instead, he sincerely thanked me and showed me just how much he cherished my gifts.

People always expected a return on their investments. It was true when dealing with Poppy, and it was just as true with Jaguar.