Chapter 99 Chapter 99
As she looked at him—the perfect line of his jaw, his long lashes, the firm mouth that had uttered such harsh words to defend her—Caroline felt something dangerous blossom in her chest.
After all... this man was too attractive for her sanity.
Nicholas noticed her silence. He noticed that Caroline's large eyes were fixed on him, glazed, almost mesmerized. She didn't even blink.
A slow, smug smile curved his lips. The tension of the fight disappeared, replaced by pure masculine satisfaction.
He slid his hand to her chin, squeezing it lightly.
“What is it?” he teased, his voice dripping with charm. “Have you suddenly realized that your husband is irresistibly handsome?”
Caught red-handed and still in a trance, Caroline nodded her head in a foolish, honest gesture. “Yes...”
The sound of Nicholas's laughter filled the car, rich and triumphant.
All traces of exhaustion vanished from his face. He looked radiant. Knowing that she desired him, or at least admired him, was the best cure for his anger.
He leaned forward, brushing his nose against hers, taking advantage of her vulnerability.
“Since you think your husband is so handsome...” he whispered against her lips, his warm breath mingling with hers. “Why don't you let me hear you call me ‘Husband,’ huh?”
“Huh?”
The spell was broken. Caroline blinked frantically, returning to reality as if she had been electrocuted.
Her cheeks instantly burst into flames.
“W-What?” she stammered, trying to back away, but his arms held her tight. “I-I... I didn't hear you right.”
Ahhh!
She wanted to dig a hole in the floor of the Rolls-Royce and hide.
How could she be so silly? How could she have been so enchanted by his beauty that she agreed out loud? And now... he wanted her to call him that?
Caroline had always prided herself on her rationality. She was never the type of girl to lose her footing over a pretty face or fall in love easily.
No man, not even Edward, had ever made her feel like she was going to faint.
But... had she just exposed that weakness to Nicholas?
It must have been a lack of determination. Or maybe... it was entirely his fault. That man was a perfect trap, designed to destroy her defenses.
“Didn't you hear me?” The man let out a low chuckle, the sound vibrating against her skin. "Hmm, I'll repeat it then.
My dear, I want to hear you call me ‘Husband’. We are already married on paper and in law, but you have not yet given me that pleasure.
Her chin was still trapped between his long fingers, preventing her from looking away. She was forced to stare into that dark, seductive ocean.
Caroline felt as if her heart had been struck by an arrow. She simply couldn't calm the frantic rhythm in her chest.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
It was deafening.
“Call me husband, okay?” he whispered, his voice hoarse, seducing her, drawing her into the abyss.
Caroline felt her knees tremble, even though she was sitting down.
The man in front of her was almost criminally handsome. His voice was dangerous velvet, and his aura... incredibly dominant.
Her face burned with embarrassment.
“N-Nicholas...” she stammered.
Call him husband?
Ahhh.
Shame consumed her.
Although he was her husband, the word seemed heavy, too intimate. It was sweet, it was definitive... it was real.
She felt that... she wasn't ready to take that verbal step.
“Hmm? Honey, I'm waiting.” Nicholas moved even closer, invading her space, his voice dropping an octave.
Caroline's heart felt like it was about to fail.
She swallowed hard, panic rising. “I... I can't. The words won't come out.”
She really couldn't. She was soft, surrendered, but shyness held her back.
“If you haven't tried, how would you know?”
Silence. She bit her lip, looking away.
“Call me twice and you'll get used to it. Come on, try it for me.”
Caroline's eyes welled up with nervousness. “I really can't right now. Can you give me a break?”
Nicholas saw the wet glint in her eyes and felt a pang of disappointment mixed with tenderness. He didn't want to make her cry under pressure.
“All right,” he conceded with a sigh. “I'll give you a break with ‘Husband.’ But... if I agree to wait, you'll have to grant me a small request in return.”
“What?” Caroline exhaled in relief and looked at him with cautious curiosity.
A sly, cunning smile curved Nicholas's lips.
“If you can't bring yourself to call me Husband... then call me 'Darling.
Caroline was speechless.
”It's your choice,“ he continued, amused by her shock. ”Either Husband or Darling. Pick one.
Caroline opened her mouth and closed it again.
They both sounded equally embarrassing!
He was a cunning fox. He gave her a “choice” where he won either way.
But compared to the weight of “Husband,” ‘Darling’ seemed... slightly less terrifying. It was easier to force out.
“All right.”
She took a deep breath, trying to muster every ounce of courage she had left. Her cheeks burning, she whispered so softly that he almost had to read her lips:
“Darling...”
Her voice came out sweet, tremulous, and soft as cotton candy.
It was enough to blow Nicholas's self-control to smithereens.
A rush of adrenaline coursed through his veins. His eyes darkened instantly, dilating with desire.
“Say it again,” he demanded, his voice thick. “Louder.”
“Honey... Uh...”
Before she could finish, Nicholas attacked.
He captured her lips in a kiss that was anything but gentle. It was passionate, fiery, possessive. He kissed her deeply and forcefully, as if he wanted to devour the sound of that word directly from her mouth.
In seconds, all the air was stolen from Caroline's lungs. The world spun, boiling down to his scent, his taste.
When she was about to faint from lack of oxygen, Nicholas finally released her, but kept his forehead pressed against hers.
Both were breathing heavily.
The man's voice sounded hoarse, drawn out, and dangerously laden with intent. He held her face in his hands, preventing her from escaping.
“You have a beautiful voice...” he murmured. And then, his tone changed. It became serious. “Caroline, do you remember our one-week agreement?”
Caroline, still dizzy and trying to catch her breath, blinked in confusion. “Agreement?”
“The one-week promotion,” he reminded her, brushing his thumb against her swollen lip. “The deadline for consummating our marriage.”
Caroline's body instantly stiffened. Her blood ran cold.
“Today is the deadline,” Nicholas whispered, relentless. “Don't tell me you're not ready yet.”
This time, the promise in his eyes was clear: he had no intention of letting her escape. Ready or not, the wedding night, postponed for a week, would happen today.
Caroline's eyes widened in panic.