Sweet Hatred
Chapter 181: Important guest

Chapter 181: Important guest

By the time we got back to the villa, I felt like my body had melted under the sun and the weight of his stares.

I needed to breathe. I needed to not think. I needed a bath.

The staff, of course, had already drawn it, because of course he had told them to. Warm water, flower petals, soft steam curling like tendrils in the candlelight. It was too perfect. Too intentional. Too... Kael.

I sunk in with a sigh, head tilted back, eyes closed.

The door creaked open minutes later, and I didn’t even look.

"You’re supposed to knock," I said lazily.

Kael’s voice was closer now. "I didn’t want to miss the chance to join you."

A small splash followed, and the water shifted around me.

He settled behind me, long legs framing mine, chest against my back. Warm, strong, still. His arms slid around my waist like they were always meant to be there. Like I was supposed to fit.

It was silent for a while, except for the soft lapping of water and the sound of my heart threatening to self-destruct in my chest.

He washed my arms gently. Pressed a kiss to the top of my shoulder. Said nothing. Just held me.

Later, we made our way to the bed, me in one of his oversized shirts, him shirtless and smug and walking like sin.

I braced myself.

Expected him to pounce on me. To claim. To ruin. Squeeze out every ounce of pleasure he could from me. Keep going until I pleaded for mercy.

But instead, Kael sat beside me, brushed his fingers against my cheek, and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

Not lips. Not neck. Forehead.

What the hell. It wasn’t that this was his first time giving me a forehead kiss, it was just that...

That one kiss did more damage than all the times he’d had his hands all over me. And I hated how that made me feel.

I wanted him to love me. I wanted to own him. I wanted to break every woman who ever thought they had a chance. And that was terrifying. My own feelings terrified me. The last thing I wanted to be was a love-crazed woman.

So I said, "Let’s play a game."

His brows rose. "A game?"

"Cards. Something dumb. Let’s go."

We played War. Then Snap. Then some twisted version of poker I half remembered from a movie.

Kael won. Every. Single. Time.

I accused him of cheating. He grinned like the devil. And then I gave up, tossing my cards across the bed dramatically.

"I’m done," I muttered. "Take your victory. I hope it keeps you warm at night."

Kael just leaned back against the headboard, watching me as I flopped onto the bed like a starfish having an existential crisis.

I needed to stop being so obvious. Stop staring too long. Smiling too easily. Blushing at every damn thing he did.

How long were we going to keep doing this whole contract-but-not-really thing?

Was he going to get bored?

Was I going to break first?

I was so caught in my spiraling thoughts that I didn’t notice him until I felt the bed shift. Slowly. Deliberately.

Kael’s body hovered over mine.

His hand brushed my hair to the side.

And then his lips met my back, slow, soft, asking.

"Are you mad at me?" he whispered against the back of my ear.

I was mad, alright.

Mad because I couldn’t get enough of him. Mad because he was in my veins. Mad because I couldn’t get him out of my damn head.

But I didn’t say any of that.

I just stayed mute.

And then he added, softer now, "I’m sorry."

I blinked. "My ego’s not that fragile," I muttered, turning to face him fully now.

His eyes softened.

He kissed me again, no rush, no heat. Just... careful.

And I let him.

The ache stayed. The fear pulsed under my ribs.

But in that moment, with his weight over me and the world gone quiet...

I forgot how to want anything else.

☆☆☆

The morning came too fast.

Kael hadn’t said much since we left the villa. Just the usual clipped instructions to the driver, the quiet hum of some business call through his earpiece, and the occasional glance my way like he could still taste me on his tongue.

Meanwhile, I was losing my mind.

I stared out the tinted windows, trying to pull myself together. Back into work mode. Back into the Aria that didn’t blush every time he breathed near her. But all I could think about was how warm his skin had been, how safe I had felt, even if I hated that feeling.

I needed to get my grip back. Fast. I needed to smother some parts of my feelings for him as soon as possible or it was going to get out of control.

As soon as we stepped into the building, the air changed, sharpened. Our steps echoed through the pristine lobby. Staff nodded, bowed, straightened themselves like we were royalty walking through glass halls.

My heels clicked beside Kael’s polished shoes as we entered the elevator. It was quiet. Too quiet.

Then he did it.

That look.

The corner of his lips twitched up, and he leaned a fraction closer to me, so close I could feel his breath against my cheek. "You’re quiet this morning," he said lowly, voice smooth and dangerous.

"I’ve got extra work now, because of you," I replied flatly, refusing to look at him.

"No. You’re thinking," he countered. "About last night?"

I stared at the elevator doors. "Don’t flatter yourself."

He chuckled, and I swear I saw his hand twitch like he was this close to pressing me against the wall.

But then ding, we reached the top floor.

As we stepped out, Rose stood by the reception desk outside his office, looking unusually tense.

"Good morning, Mr. Roman, Miss Aria." Her voice was tight. "There’s... a guest waiting for you."

Kael’s brows pinched. "I don’t remember scheduling anyone."

"I told her to wait in the lobby," Rose said quickly, wringing her hands. "But she insisted. Said she was a very important guest."

Before either of us could respond, the doors to Kael’s office swung open.

And out she came.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.