Chapter 113 - 112
Outside the window, dark clouds hid the moon. Simon Lockwood closed his eyes, forcing down the gloom that welled within him.
’Please, don’t let it be what I think it is.’
He heard the faint sound of running water. Through the frosted glass door, he could just make out the girl’s slender figure under the showerhead, a tempting and alluring sight.
The door was made of a special kind of glass. You couldn’t see out from the inside, but once it was heated, you could see in from the outside.
The girl was washing her hair, her small face tilted upward. Droplets of water trickled down her pale neck, streaming toward the most intimate of places...
Simon Lockwood’s gaze darkened instantly. He felt a scorching heat rise within him, and his Adam’s apple bobbed slowly.
He remembered Joanna Kennedy didn’t have to be on set tomorrow.
His large, well-defined hand gripped the doorknob. Without a moment’s hesitation, he turned it and pushed the door open.
In the next instant, a shocked and indignant cry rang out from the bathroom, soon melting into soft, breathy moans...
The TICK-TOCK of the clock on the wall mingled with the girl’s soft, muffled sobs from within the bathroom.
An unknown amount of time passed before the bathroom door finally opened again.
Warm steam, carrying a tantalizingly clean fragrance and a musky scent, filled the entire bedroom...
The girl was limp and dazed, nestled in the man’s arms. A deep bite mark was visible on her long, pale neck, surrounded by a dense cluster of red marks.
He held her, his well-defined, muscular arms faintly marked with a few scratches. His forehead was beaded with droplets that could have been either water or sweat.
A single drop slid down the sharp line of his handsome jaw and fell into the hollow of the girl’s neck. Feeling her body tremble at the touch, Simon Lockwood’s gaze grew dark and heavy once more.
"Good girl, I’ll stop teasing you," he soothed, his voice deep and hoarse, though it lacked any real conviction. His fingers were still restlessly roaming.
When she felt his strong hand slide toward a certain spot again, Joanna Kennedy was furious but lacked even the strength to glare at him.
The city gates had fallen, but the conquering general was still itching for another campaign. To fight for a sliver of a chance at survival, Joanna Kennedy had no choice but to bow her proud head.
She softened her voice, putting on a cutesy, tearful whine. "Simon... I’m really tired..."
"Mm," Simon Lockwood murmured, placing her on the bed.
Joanna Kennedy immediately scrambled toward the far side of the bed, but before she could even breathe a sigh of relief, a large, searing hand clamped around her slender, pale ankle and yanked her back.
She turned her head nervously, her gaze locking with a pair of dark eyes simmering with desire. Her heart hammered in a panic.
"Simon Lockwood!"
The man paid her no heed, using his grip on her ankle to press down on top of her.
Joanna Kennedy’s eyes flew wide, but she didn’t even have the strength to struggle. "You bastard, sob..."
Her curses quickly dissolved into breathy sobs.
The moon sank in the west, and the horizon began to pale. Dazed and drowsy, Joanna Kennedy was carried back into the bathroom.
In her hazy state, she finally realized how wonderful the abstinent Simon Lockwood had been. Not like this one, who could so easily make her come undone again and again...
Sunlight streamed through the window and into the bedroom. A small lump was curled up under the soft, white goose-down duvet, with only the top of a dark-haired head peeking out.
Simon Lockwood pulled the duvet down a little. "Time to get up and eat," he said in a low voice.
The girl under the duvet simply turned her head away, ignoring him completely, and went back to sleep.
Simon Lockwood: "..."
He narrowed his eyes, his tone laced with an unreadable threat. "So you like staying in bed?"
Joanna Kennedy: "..."
Joanna Kennedy: "!!!"
Recognizing the veiled threat in his tone, she yanked the duvet down, her eyes flying open to glare indignantly at the man beside the bed.
His goal achieved, Simon Lockwood rose unhurriedly. "Time to eat."
"I can’t walk!"
The girl’s voice was tinged with irritation and an unconcealable sense of being wronged.
’How was this fair? They both put in the effort and stayed up all night. She was exhausted and her entire body ached horribly, yet Simon Lockwood was completely fine. He even looked particularly energetic and full of vigor.’
’Unfair! So completely unfair!’
The girl’s small face was scrunched up in a pout. Her lips were red and swollen, and her exposed neck was mottled with red marks, some of which had already started to bruise.
A wave of tenderness washed over Simon Lockwood. Feeling as though he could never get enough of this sight, he softened his voice and coaxed, "I’ll carry you."
Joanna Kennedy opened her arms without a shred of courtesy.
Simon Lockwood was strong and surprisingly adept at taking care of someone. He carried the girl with one arm, using his free hand to squeeze toothpaste onto her brush and pour a small cup of water.
Joanna Kennedy finished washing up with his help. When her collar inevitably got a little wet, she finally found an excuse to complain. "It’s all your fault. You’re not paying attention at all, you’re so clumsy..."
Simon Lockwood shot her a glance and gave her a small, threatening bounce in his arm. Startled, Joanna Kennedy immediately tightened her grip around his neck, glaring at him resentfully.
’Men are all the same! Once they get what they want, they stop cherishing you and start pushing you around!’ she thought bitterly.
The housekeeper was off for the day, so Simon Lockwood had made breakfast: a sandwich with fresh vegetables and beef, small purple sweet potato buns, and a bowl of sweet egg custard with brown sugar.
Joanna Kennedy looked at the plain congee in front of him, then back at the sweet egg custard in front of her. "What’s this for?" she huffed. "I don’t want to eat this!"
’It’s not like I’m in postpartum confinement!’
’It makes me seem so weak.’
"Eat it," Simon Lockwood said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
He had asked the doctor; Joanna Kennedy’s constitution was a bit weak. He had definitely gone too far last night. The moment his long-held wish came true, he’d lost control. Thinking of this, Simon Lockwood felt a pang of regret.
Seeing how truly furious she was, he softened his voice. "Your constitution is weak."
"What do you mean, weak?" Joanna Kennedy retorted, instantly getting worked up. "I’m perfectly healthy! Probably healthier than you! I could carry two buckets of water by myself, no problem!"
"Oh? And who was it that couldn’t walk a minute ago?" Simon Lockwood pointed out mercilessly.
Joanna Kennedy: "..."
She ate it resentfully.
Simon Lockwood was an excellent cook. The brown sugar was sweet, and the egg custard was soft, smooth, and springy. She wasn’t sure what else he had put in it, but there was a faint, clean fragrance of medicinal herbs. After finishing the bowl, she licked her lips, wanting more.
After breakfast, Joanna Kennedy went to look for her phone. She wanted to see if anyone had messaged her and make sure she hadn’t missed any work-related notifications.
She searched for a long time but couldn’t find it. ’I remember leaving it on the sofa last night. Where did it go?’
Simon Lockwood was sitting at the desk by the living room’s floor-to-ceiling windows, working.
Joanna Kennedy called out, "Simon Lockwood, have you seen my phone?"
Simon Lockwood’s fingers paused on the keyboard for a moment. He answered, perfectly composed, "I put it on the charger. You can use mine if you want."
Joanna Kennedy didn’t suspect a thing. She shook her head and said there was no need; she didn’t really feel like being on her phone anyway. After being nearly run ragged by Simon Lockwood last night, all she wanted now was to go back to the bedroom, catch up on sleep, and recuperate.
Simon Lockwood dutifully carried her back to the bedroom, placed her on the bed, and thoughtfully pulled a fresh duvet over her.
Utterly exhausted, Joanna Kennedy fell asleep almost instantly.