Chapter 23
Behind Natalie, Jonas’s deep voice carried a heavy undertone of displeasure. /
Before she could even react, his knee shifted with deliberate force, and her world spun. Gravity pulled her downward, leaving her scrambling for something to grab onto. But it was too late.
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“Ow…” With a soft thud, she fell off the mattress and landed on her back, staring up at the cracked, hole–riddled ceiling, her thoughts in disarray.
From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Jonas’s towering figure looming above her. Any lingering grogginess vanished in an instant, replaced by sharp clarity.
She shot upright, her gaze locking onto his face. Something felt off. ‘What’s with him?”
Jonas sat there, one leg bent, his posture exuding a casual dominance.
He ran a hand through his slightly disheveled hair, the action slow and purposeful. His other hand toyed absently with the silver bracelet wrapped around his fingers–a telltale sign of his rising frustration for anyone who knew him well.
He had spent the entire night wrestling with his assumptions. At first, he’d been certain that Natalie’s closeness was part of a calculated seduction.
But by the end of the night, it became glaringly obvious he’d been giving her far too much credit. ‘Seduction? My ass. This woman’s a menace. A pretty, adorable one, sure, but a menace all the same. She wasn’t trying to seduce me–she was trying to drive me insane.‘
The memory of her restless tossing and turning made his jaw tighten. ‘Damn near suffocated her just to keep her still. She moved so much I’d think she was doing yoga in her sleep. And me? She left me more wrecked than a long day in the field.
His teeth clenched as his sharp gaze flicked to Natalie.
She sat demurely on the mat, her back straight, her wide eyes brimming with a kind of innocence that could almost make someone believe she was entirely blameless and innocent.
‘Innocent? Yeah, right.‘ Jonas let out a low laugh, the sound laced with a dark humor that sent a shiver down her spine. The usual warmth in his gaze was gone, replaced by a shadowy intensity.
“You sleep like a lunatic,” he drawled, his voice dripping with mockery. “What were you doing in your dreams–salsa dancing? Or maybe…” He paused, his smirk widening. “You’re warming up for some morning exercise. Should we test that theory?”
Natalie blinked, completely thrown. She had no idea why he was so angry, but the fiery edge in his tone made her heart race. -Flustered, she quickly shook her head, fumbling for words. “I–I’m sorry,” she blurted out, her voice meek.
Her apology only made Jonas’s smile turn colder, sharper.
The heavy silence that followed was unbearable, and Natalie’s gaze dropped to the ground as anxiety gnawed at her.
Thankfully, Myla’s arrival broke the standoff. “There’s a spot nearby where you can wash up,” Myla said casually, stepping into the room with a bagged instant coffee dangling from her lips. Her words were nonchalant, but her sharp eyes quickly registered the thick tension in the room.
Natalie shot to her feet as though propelled by an invisible force. She snatched the disposable toiletries from Myla’s outstretched hand, muttered, “Thank you.” Then she bolted from the room through the crumbled wall like she had wolves on her heels.
Myla fished another set of toiletries out of her oversized cargo pocket. “Boss, there’s another spot on the second floor.
Usable.”
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Chapter 23
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Jonas glanced up, his sharp features even more striking under the dim light. Myla’s words faltered as her gaze caught on his face.
Her grip on the coffee bag nearly slipped. ‘Wait, what? Dark circles? This man looks like he’s been through hell. What the hell happened? We’re the kind of people who can go two, three days without sleep and still look like we’re running on adrenaline. But him?‘
Her thoughts churned. ‘Even if the boss didn’t sleep, he should’ve at least meditated or something. But why does he look worse than I do? He looks like some woman drained every ounce of his energy last night. Could it be Natalie? No way… It doesn’t seem like it.’
“Myla,” Jonas’s cold voice snapped her out of her thoughts, the chilling edge in his tone sharp enough to cut.
Myla shivered involuntarily at the unspoken menace behind his words and quickly averted her gaze. “Well, guess that confirms it. They didn’t sleep together. I knew it. Boss can’t handle women. This just proves the rumors are 100% true!
*****
After a quick wash–up, Natalie followed Myla at a brisk pace.
She hesitated for a moment when she saw Myla heading upstairs, then abruptly turned toward the car parked outside. No matter what, they can’t go anywhere without the car. If I stick by it, they won’t leave me behind.‘
The vehicle was already parked on the roadside. But as she took her first step toward it, her collar was suddenly tugged from behind.
Startled, she spun around to find Jonas leaning lazily against the battered garage door. As soon as she froze, he let go of her collar without a word.
田
