Chapter 542

chapter542

Joe felt a rare sense of hesitation as he stared at Skylar. Although she appeared fragile and weary, there was an undeniable pull to her presence that he couldn't ignore. Scenes from the previous night rushed to the forefront of his mind, making his heart pound as his gaze darkened with intensity.

Taking advantage of his height, Joe crossed the room in a few long strides and leaned in to kiss her. Skylar was caught entirely off guard. She hadn’t expected him to be so bold again so soon. As his hands slid toward her waist, she quickly grabbed his wrists to steady him.

“Joe, can’t you control yourself for once?”

Skylar felt her eyes welling up with a mix of exhaustion and genuine fear. After the relentless events of the previous night, she couldn't understand how he still had so much energy. Her legs were still aching, a constant reminder of his lack of restraint.

Joe leaned down, gently kissing the corner of her reddened eyes. “Don’t overthink it,” he murmured. “It’s just that you looked so captivating a moment ago. I didn't want to let the moment go to waste.”

“You’ve completely misread the situation!” Skylar exclaimed, her lips twitching with annoyance. She hadn't realized until now just how talented he was at twisting the truth to suit his desires. She had been reprimanding him, not inviting him. Men are truly unbearable, she thought.

“Don’t even dream of touching me for the rest of the month,” Skylar said, her voice laced with genuine fury. Because of him, she wasn't just missing work today; she likely wouldn't be able to show her face tomorrow either. The markings on her neck were glaringly obvious and impossible to hide.

Joe smirked, letting out a low chuckle. “If you don’t want to go out, why don’t we just stay in? We could have fondue right here in the hotel.”

“I’m currently full of rage, not hunger,” Skylar huffed, climbing back into the safety of the bed covers.

Joe looked at her fondly, his expression softening. “Let’s try some Wiccan specialty food instead then.”

Skylar glared at him, a silent warning that any further teasing would result in disastrous consequences. Joe choked back a laugh and finally picked up the phone to call room service. “Bring me everything needed for a fondue,” he ordered.

Hearing that he was actually ordering the comfort food, Skylar’s anger subsided slightly, though she remained buried under the blankets.

Meanwhile, across the city, Steven had only gone to bed at 5:00 AM after finishing a grueling shift. When he finally woke up at 11:00 AM, he was grateful for his scheduled day off. After a quick shower, he began preparing a simple breakfast.

While eating, he scrolled through his phone and noticed multiple missed calls from Annie. His heart skipped a beat. Why had she called so many times in such a short window? Was she in trouble? This was unlike her.

Steven lost his appetite instantly. He set his fork down and immediately dialed her back. The phone didn't ring for long before Annie picked up.

“Steven…” Her voice was thick, sounding as though she had been crying for hours. There was a desperate, helpless undertone in her words.

Steven’s heart leaped into his throat. “Annie, tell me what's wrong. Take it slow. I’ll help you find a solution, no matter what it is.”

Hearing his steady voice, Annie’s racing heart slowed slightly, though tears continued to stream down her face. “Let’s talk face-to-face. I can’t explain this over the phone. Can you take a day off today?”

“I worked until 5:00 AM last night, so I have the whole day off,” Steven answered gently. “I’ll come to you.”

“No, I’ll find you,” Annie said hurriedly, her voice strained.

Steven found the request strange. A heavy feeling settled in his chest—an intuition that something life-changing was about to happen. He could tell Annie was falling apart even through the static of the call.

Less than forty minutes later, Annie appeared at Steven’s door, looking like a ghost of her former self.