Only the name “Julian” wouldn’t enrage him. A smile curled at the man’s lips. “If it weren’t for your sake, it wouldn’t matter who it was, not even Julian.”
“You’ve been beating around the bush for ages. You just want me to keep you company, don’t you? Now get over here, and we’ll call it even after tonight.” A woman’s roar came through the phone.
It seems only she dared to yell at him like that. Yet, the man responded with a helpless, bitter smile. It wasn’t her body he wanted. It was her heart, but…
“Wait for me.” His deep voice faded from the phone.
On the other end, Irene was already fully awake, her beautiful black eyes shimmering with sadness in the darkness of the night.
She hugged her legs tightly, curling herself into a small shrimp, as if this would protect her from harm.
Irene, usually commanding and enchanting, now appeared utterly pitiable. Where was her domineering charm now?
The man was always decisive and quick to act. Within half an hour, he had entered her home. No matter how often she changed the password, he always found a way to know it.
It was as if she could never escape his confinement, with every breath she took seemingly granted by him.
“Irene…” His voice resonated in the darkness. He knew her home better than anyone.
By then, Irene had already hidden her rare sadness and turned on the light.
She wore only a silk nightgown, her graceful curves subtly outlined, her long, beautiful legs fueling endless fantasies.
Upon seeing her like this, his heart tightened. Irene, without her seductive, heavy makeup, revealed a stunningly pure face.
What man could resist a pure face and a devilish figure? After all, she was the woman he loved.
It wasn’t their first time, yet each time, she enchanted him, as if born with a bewitching allure.
His intense gaze stirred something within her, but outwardly, she smiled even more enticingly. “You wanted me, right? Then come here now.”
In his eyes, everything about her was perfect. How could he not want her? He dreamed of her every day.
But what he truly wanted was her heart. Unable to restrain himself any longer in the face of this scene, he slowly caressed her.
As he touched her skin, Irene’s heart trembled.
The man slowly leaned in, his thin lips about to cover her enticingly red lips, but her hand stopped him.
“You know my rules. I don’t kiss someone I don’t love,” Irene stated coldly.
A hint of pain flashed through the man’s eyes. “I forgot.” He rose, shedding his shirt and pants, and took a bathrobe from the wardrobe to the bathroom.
The sound of running water echoed. Irene’s face filled with sorrow again as she whispered softly, “Nick, how did we end up like this?”
The man returned, fragrant from his shower, having shed his bathrobe, revealing toned, athletic legs and a perfect eight-pack, every muscle just right.
He wasn’t overly muscular like some, yet he was far more robust than a frail scholar. His physique was exactly what every woman desired.
No matter how many times she saw him, she never grew tired. The man lifted the covers and climbed into bed. She was mentally prepared, ready for the storm that usually followed.
With a click, the room went dark.
Didn’t he prefer to keep the lights on? Why the change in habit?
Irene was enveloped in a familiar embrace, but he merely held her, making no further moves.
“What are you doing?” she murmured.
“Aren’t you tired? Let’s sleep,” his uniquely gentle voice replied.
Did this domineering man let her go?
Had he changed, or did she no longer tempt him? At that moment, Irene was disoriented.
Unbeknownst to her, Nick was deliberately suppressing his desires. He didn’t want to hurt her anymore.
Irene’s body was tightly confined in his arms, his hold as commanding as ever. His nature hadn’t changed.
Just as she questioned whether her allure had diminished, she felt something growing behind her, prompting her to quickly pull away, which only stoked the flames further.
“Go to sleep,” he commanded, his voice no longer as calm.
She knew all too well what that tone meant. He was struggling to restrain himself.
“Why?” she asked sullenly.
“If you don’t want to, I won’t touch you, Irene. I don’t want to hurt you anymore,” he said huskily.
“You’ve already broken my heart!”
“I know, Irene. I’ve done terrible things, and I’ve long lost the right to have you. I just want to hold you and do nothing else. Is that okay?”
When had this man ever begged so humbly? In the past, everyone had fawned over him. He was like an emperor.
Her lips throbbed with pain as she bit them in the dark, reminding herself not to be deceived by him again. He was despicable, after all!
“Irene, it’s been seven hundred and seventy-two days since we last met. Have you thought of me even once?” His sudden warmth caught her off guard.
“Never. I wouldn’t think of you!” she scoffed, closing her eyes only to see the scene of their last encounter.
“Nick, the biggest regret of my life was meeting you,” she declared before storming out the door.
Over the past two years, they had countless opportunities to meet, but she always avoided him, unwilling to rekindle anything with that man.
If it weren’t for Julian, she wouldn’t have sought his help this time.
Nick seemed to have anticipated her response, his smile deepening as he hugged her tighter. “But I’ve thought of you every day, Irene.”
Nick’s soft murmurs slowly melted Irene’s resolve. Why couldn’t she just forget him?
“I want to sleep now, Mr. Coleman. Please keep your things to yourself,” she said coldly, breaking the increasingly tender mood.
“Seeing you, how could it possibly back down? You know what it takes to calm it,” he replied.
This rogue!