Chapter 208 - 207
Simon Lockwood impassively lifted his eyes. "The dinner party isn’t over. Why are you out here?"
As he spoke, he glanced nonchalantly at the restaurant behind her. A sudden panic seized Joanna Kennedy. She scrambled into the car and slammed the door, blocking his view.
"Why are you here? You didn’t even text me..." Joanna Kennedy said, her voice softening.
Simon Lockwood said nothing, his eyes still fixed on her.
Meeting his somber, dark eyes, Joanna Kennedy’s fingers unconsciously curled into fists. Steeling herself, she stammered, "I... I’m not feeling well. I wanted to go back to the hotel and rest..."
She lowered her head as soon as she finished speaking, feeling his cold gaze sweep over her, inch by inch, making her skin crawl.
The air inside the car was eerily silent, like the calm before a storm.
In the driver’s seat, Julie didn’t dare to breathe. She sat ramrod straight, staring ahead, wishing she were deaf and mute.
One second... Two seconds...
As if he’d had his fill of "admiring" the scene, Simon Lockwood spoke at a leisurely pace. "Did I scare you?"
"I’ll let you know in advance next time," he promised with a soft chuckle.
Before Joanna Kennedy could breathe a sigh of relief, he took her hand. He traced a line across her palm, a teasing gesture, his voice hovering between a laugh and a sneer. "Your palm is sweaty. That nervous?"
"..."
He gave her palm a squeeze, neither too hard nor too soft, snapping Joanna Kennedy back to reality. She instinctively searched for an excuse to talk her way out of this.
’If I say I just have sweaty palms, will he even believe me?’
"Made up your excuse yet?"
As she was thinking, his deep, pleasant voice sounded next to her ear. Joanna Kennedy subconsciously shook her head. "No."
"..."
Joanna Kennedy: "...!"
Simon Lockwood’s expression grew cold. He sat up straight, his true thoughts completely unreadable.
Joanna Kennedy scrambled to recover. "No, that’s not what I meant!"
Silence. Endless silence.
Joanna Kennedy swallowed nervously. "Simon?"
The man remained silent, and even closed his eyes.
Joanna Kennedy: "..."
She bit her lip. In a calculated show of vulnerability, she wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled into the crook of it. "I wasn’t trying to lie to you. You just showed up so suddenly, you scar—you gave me a pleasant surprise..."
Joanna Kennedy corrected herself quickly, then cautiously raised her eyes to peek at him.
’It wasn’t that I was deliberately hiding it from Simon Lockwood. It’s just that I didn’t actually have dinner with Liam Valentine, we just exchanged a few words. Telling Simon would only make him angry.’
’Besides, I swore to him so solemnly. And now, just a few days later, I’ve already broken my promise. If Simon Lockwood finds out, he’ll kill me.’
She tried a few more awkward words of appeasement, but Simon Lockwood kept his eyes closed, treating her as if she were thin air.
When they arrived at the hotel, Joanna Kennedy got out of the car slowly. When she saw him extend a hand to her, she could hardly believe it. "You’re not angry anymore?" she asked, her eyes full of hope.
Simon Lockwood frowned, but he took her hand and led the way, his face a cold, silent mask.
He was just angry; it wasn’t as if he’d stopped loving her.
Joanna Kennedy, oblivious to his thoughts, assumed he was no longer angry. Her eyes curved into a smile, and she began chattering away about the funny things that had happened on set over the last couple of days.
She indignantly ranted about Leah Shaw’s despicable behavior. But after getting it off her chest, she worried Simon Lockwood would be concerned, so she quickly added that Leah Shaw had learned her place and didn’t dare bully her anymore.
As the elevator ascended, Simon Lockwood glanced at his phone. After he finished reading whatever was on it, his expression turned terrifyingly dark. Unfortunately, Joanna Kennedy was still babbling away and didn’t notice.
They reached the room and swiped the key card. Joanna Kennedy was about to say more when she was suddenly shoved onto the bed. She bounced once before being swiftly pinned down.
Joanna Kennedy’s eyes flew wide. The first syllable of his name, "Lock—," had barely escaped her lips before her mouth was covered.
Joanna Kennedy: "...??"
Yes, not a kiss. It was covered, in the most literal sense.
His dry, warm palm covered the lower half of her face. Joanna Kennedy struggled to breathe, unable to speak, and could only blink helplessly.
’I’m suffocating... I’m going to die...’
Simon Lockwood seemed to get the message. He moved his palm down a fraction, revealing the tip of her nose, which was red from the pressure.
Joanna Kennedy felt like she could breathe again. The moment she regained some strength, she tried to pry his hand away.
When she found it wouldn’t budge, she glared at him in frustration, muffled whimpers escaping from behind his hand.
’You dog, Lockwood! Let go!’
Her glare was so furious it could have shot sparks, but unfortunately, in her current state, she looked anything but threatening.
She looked as pitiful as a kitten with its tail caught...
Simon Lockwood loomed over her, watching her for a moment before saying nonchalantly, "I don’t understand."
Joanna Kennedy: "..."
"Want to talk?"
Joanna Kennedy: "??!"
’Duh! Who wouldn’t want to talk?!’
The accusation in her dewy eyes was unmistakable. Simon Lockwood let out a soft, unreadable chuckle. "Weren’t you the one who didn’t want to talk just a moment ago?"
Joanna Kennedy: "..." ’I thought you weren’t angry anymore?!’
Joanna Kennedy was once again reminded of how petty Simon Lockwood could be, and how he held a grudge.
He half-knelt over her, a domineering presence. The hotel’s stark white lights highlighted his prominent brow, his long lashes casting a shadow beneath them.
Joanna Kennedy couldn’t make out the look in his eyes, couldn’t guess his mood. A strange nervousness gripped her. She pointed at his hand, then nodded vigorously.
Simon Lockwood narrowed his eyes. "Willing to talk now?"
’He understood that?’ Joanna Kennedy’s eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously again.
Simon Lockwood finally showed a shred of mercy, loosening his grip. Joanna Kennedy felt the pressure on her face ease, but before she could even take a breath, a shadow fell over her. He kissed her, his movements forceful and demanding.
Joanna Kennedy: "!!"
He gave the corner of her lip a punishing bite, and only then did Joanna Kennedy realize what was happening. Her gaze fell into his deep, bottomless dark eyes. She turned her head away, rushing to say, "I’ll talk! It was Liam—MMMPH—"
He squeezed her cheeks, rendering her speechless. Joanna Kennedy’s eyes widened. Simon Lockwood planted a kiss on her lips, which were now pinched into a pout. His voice was low and melodic. "I don’t feel like listening anymore..."
One by one, the buttons of her blouse came undone. One of his large hands slid unimpeded to the soft skin of her waist, kneading it firmly. His other hand released her face, only to grip the nape of her neck.
Completely under his control, Joanna Kennedy shivered. In the bright light, her almond eyes glistened with a mixture of emotions. Her voice was a flustered, shy whisper. "T-turn off the lights..."
’She wasn’t used to Simon Lockwood staring at her so intently. Except for the very first time, they always turned off the lights, or at most, left a small night light on.’
She waited, but he made no move to turn off the lights. Anxious, she tried to get up and grab the remote herself, but Simon Lockwood caught her by the waist and pulled her back.
Tightening his grip, his eyes dark and inscrutable, Simon Lockwood leaned in and breathed against her ear. "Joanie," he said, "I want you to watch closely..."
...and see just how similar he and Liam Valentine really are.