Chapter 103: For You To Find Out
The silver fork vibrated against the plate as Nina picked up her cutlery.
Across the wooden table, Rodrigo sat casually, cutting into his steak. He had asked the servants to bring breakfast to the balcony, inviting her to join him the moment she stepped out of the bathroom. The blade slid through the meat without a sound, his eyes fixed on it with absolute precision. He looked completely normal. Unfazed.
Less than an hour ago, he’d pinned her under him, his teeth sinking into her shoulder. Now, he sat under the pale morning sun, casually slicing meat as if nothing had happened.
Nina stole a glance as she dug her fork into a bowl of grapes, trying to ignore the dull ache radiating through her legs. He’d been rough that morning—and the night before. She couldn’t remember the details of the previous night, only that she had followed him into the closet, and he’d pinned her to the wall like she weighed nothing.
Nina’s toes curled as more memories of the previous night came back to her.
Her eyes flickered to his mouth. She hadn’t realized he could be so feral, licking every inch of—
Nina, what are you thinking now.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to lock the memory away, but her shallow breathing betrayed her. A dizzying heat bloomed low in her belly, mocking her restraint.
Nina bit down on her lower lip, hard. Was it the mark? Was that what was doing this to her? She had wanted him before, certainly, but this was different. It felt like she could barely think of anything else, except the thick length of him deep inside of her.
Control yourself, Nina...
Rodrigo set his knife down snapping her out of her deranged thoughts. His gray eyes lifted, tracking the flush creeping up her neck, and a slow smile reached the corner of his mouth. Reaching across the table, he placed a perfectly seared slice of beef on her plate.
"Eat," he said. His voice was smooth, the gravelly growl from the bedroom entirely gone. "You need your strength."
Nina’s throat tightened, her cheeks burning. He didn’t mean it like that, she scolded herself, forcing a polite smile. "Thank you," she whispered.
He didn’t reply. Instead, he spooned a heavy portion of roasted potatoes next to the meat. "What kind of food do you like to eat?" he asked, casually breaking a potato with his fork.
Nina blinked, caught off guard by the mundane question. "What?"
"Your preferred food," Rodrigo repeated, the corner of his mouth tilting up slightly, his eyes looking interested in whatever she had to say.
Nina fell quiet, searching her mind. "I don’t have one," she said honestly. "I’ve never thought about it."
It wasn’t a lie. In her father’s house, she ate whatever scraps remained in the pots after Marjorie and her daughter were full. Preferences were a luxury for people who had more than enough.
Rodrigo’s eyes narrowed, a sharp crease forming between his brows. He didn’t push for details, but the sudden intensity of his stare told her he understood. He looked away, pouring a glass of water from a crystal pitcher and sliding it across the table to her before dished his own meal.
"What about you?" Nina asked after a long silence, her voice dropping low.
Rodrigo paused, staring out past the balcony before shaking his head. "I don’t like food."
"What?"
"I eat because it is a necessity. Otherwise, I would go without it."
Nina frowned. "That’s strange. Why don’t you like eating?"
Rodrigo was quiet for a moment. "It is one of the few times I lose absolute control over whether I live or die. One wrong decision, one drop of poison, and it’s over."
Cold seeped into Nina’s fingers. She realized then how little she actually knew about him—his dark sides, his deep-seated paranoia. He only ever showed the world what he wanted them to see.
Then, the tension broke as the corner of Rodrigo’s lips lifted. "But I like eating when I am with you."
Rodrigo’s words derailed Nina’s thoughts instantly. Heat rushed to her face. Flustered, she looked away and grabbed her glass, taking a hurried sip to hide from his gaze. She set the glass down too quickly, and a single drop of water escaped her lower lip, tracing a path down her chin.
Before she could raise her hand, Rodrigo leaned across the narrow table. His thumb caught the droplet, the rough pad of his skin scraping slowly against her lips as he wiped the moisture away.
Nina froze, her breath trapped in her chest. As soon as he drew back, she quickly wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Thank you," she muttered, suddenly focused entirely on her plate, eating rapidly to avoid his eyes.
They continued eating in silence. Nina forcing herself not to think of anything else other than the plate of food in front of her.
"Nina." Rodrigo suddenly called, and Nina stiffened.
His voice had dropped an octave, and he’d stopped eating. She looked up, and her eyes met his.
He was gazing at her, a strange look in his eyes. The air in the balcony dropped a few degrees. Nina’s hands tightened around her spoon.
Was he going to ask her about the earthstone?
Her heart thudded violently against her ribs.
She wasn’t ready.
Please, not yet... I don’t want this to be over.
Her heart squeezed so tight it was hard to breathe.
Forcing a tight smile, she dug her fingernails into her thighs. "Alpha...?"
Rodrigo listened to the frantic, erratic rhythm of her heart racing in her chest. She looked terrified, as if she knew exactly what he was about to ask.
What is she hiding that makes her this afraid?
He held her gaze.
For a moment, Rodrigo wasn’t sure he wanted to find out. Not yet. He needed more time. At least until Seven came back with more information.
He swallowed. For now, he would pretend that there was nothing wrong.
A smile stretched the corner of his mouth.
"Don’t call me that."
Nina blinked, taken aback as her mouth fell open.
"What?"
"Don’t call me by the title."
Nina’s mouth moved, surprised by his words. This was not what she was expecting to hear. She cleared her throat.
"What do you want me to call you?" she asked softly.
Rodrigo stared at her once, his eyes flickering over her head. He stood from the table and closed the gap between them.
Nina held her breath as she watched him approach. Rodrigo hovered over her face, placing a soft kiss on her cheek that instantly flushed her skin.
He looked at her now, holding her gaze as he smiled again.
"That is for you to find out."
Before she could form a thought, he walked out of the balcony, leaving Nina completely dazed.