Chapter 42: Aftermath ARES "Were we acting?" She said those words with far too much ice in her tone, and my lips almost curled in a smile. I wondered what made her shrivel the entire time and refused to meet my eyes. So this was it. I kept hushed just a little bit to have her tense from the uncertainty. "Depends," I mouthed, and she scowled, almost taking her chin away from my hold, but I tightened my grip. "You said you’re not attracted to me, so what happened in my office depends on your thoughts about me..." That look I craved far too much filled her gaze, pure defiance. "You’re not going to let that go, are you?" she mumbled. No. But I don’t say that, just taking my time as I let my eyes take in her damp hair, wild eyes, the hazel lighter because of the contacts she wore, which I don’t like, but that was for another day. Her cheeks were flushed, not from the cold, because I had put the car in heater mode. I knew her body still remembers, and I don’t want her to ever forget. "Say it..." I urged, and this time I hope to get the answer I desired. However, Catherine chose my usual mood... silence, toying with me again. This was gonna be fun. I’ll savor every taste of her hunger until it consumes her like madness. I released her and leaned back in my seat, feeling her eyes on me now, and it was suddenly her turn to gape. We remained in silence until we arrived at the penthouse. As usual, she stepped out before Julian could help with the door. I walked behind, eyeing the way she swayed those hips for me, snappy with her walks as if she couldn’t wait to get rid of me. I halted and observed as she punched the password, and the elevator doors opened. She walked in, hoping I would follow, but I didn’t. As the doors shut, the last thing I saw was her deep grimace. A ghostly smirk played on my lips before it vanished when Reed came to me. One look from me and he began the details of today. "We were tailed on our way to the club. It was Issac." Issac. Father was already making his move. I never expected him to make such a hasty decision, but the recurring news of the entire city gossiping about his son’s wife must have gotten to him. It appears a family reunion was near. "Ms. King intervened. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I could deal with Issac alone." "You’re smart to know that. Never deal with Issac alone." If Reed had stupidly done that, his parts would have been all over the city to find. Issac loved a bit of art like I did, but I have never seen anyone so invested. I count it as a good thing that Athena was there, even though I clearly told her to give Catherine space. "I think we need to increase the number of bodies around Mrs. King," Reed suggested. "For more protection." When he met my eyes, he regretted saying those words to my face. "Are you not fit for the task, Reed?" "I’m but—" "You’re a highly trained killer. Your skills are unmatched. Are you going to give me a reason to doubt you?" "N-No." That’s all I need to hear. I walked to the elevator, pressed the password, and the doors opened for me. When I got to the top, Loki was there to greet me. He wasn’t always at the door, so this was a first. He meowed and scurried as if calling me to follow. He doesn’t need to, because my leg worked like a thread following a needle, and I found myself at Catherine’s door. Loki followed through the crack of space to get inside. With a simple push, the door opened, and I stepped into her room. I spotted Catherine on the bed, fully clothed and knocked out in sleep. After hearing everything Reed had to say, I realized that today must have been hectic for her. I came closer, eyeing her delicate form on the king-sized bed. I looked at the nightstand, where I saw her contacts she had taken off. Leaning, I pulled open the drawer, where I knew the ointment was. I sat down on the bed, and it dipped under my weight. I pulled some strands of her hair away so that I could see her face, stroking her cheek gently enough not to wake her. I moved my hand to the rim of her gown, already hoisted, so I shifted it completely until her ass was in full display. I ground my teeth. She’s not wearing any panties. She left the office like this? I exhaled sharply, eyeing Loki, who squinted his eyes at me like he was accusing me of something. I have no idea where he began being clingy with Catherine, but I had my suspicions. I moved my gaze back to her ass, the red marks, and I traced my fingers on it, loving my handiwork. She groaned in her sleep, eyebrows furrowing. "Look at what you made me do," I murmured. She made me lose control. What happened in that office shouldn’t have, but here we are. I pressed kisses on the red areas before I opened the cap of the ointment and dipped my hand into the cream, taking a good amount and applying it, making sure I didn’t miss a spot, then I massaged until the cream settled in. Catherine stirred but didn’t wake, just turning her head the other way, and I took my time. Finishing, I dropped the ointment back where I found it and rose to my feet, and Loki followed me. I set the temperature to warm for her before I exited the room and shut the door behind me. My phone rang, and I dipped my hand into my coat, and a name came up on the screen. Stepmother. Taking a deep breath, I picked. "When are you going to bring this wife of yours to see us?" I walked through the corridor. "Father has already caught me in the chase, hasn’t he?" I replied, checking my watch. I still had time. "You should have let them take her. The last thing you wanna do is anger your father. Be better." Be better. Those two words were like echoes from a dark cave, and they still had a way of affecting me. My neutral mood turned grim. "I’ll bring her when I think the time is right. We’re still in the bliss of newlyweds." "All the more reason to see this woman of yours. I shall plan the day, get ready on your side. Oh, and your sister? She’s not welcome. I don’t want that thing anywhere near my house."