Chapter 34: Chapter Thirty-three

Mirabella lay on her bed, restless, staring at the ceiling as her thoughts fought against each other. She had been debating with herself for what felt like hours. Should she just face him and talk about her job? Try to make him see reasons with her? Should she stay away?

Finally, with a sharp exhale, she swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her bare feet touched the cool floor. Her body moved before her mind could catch up. She stepped out of her room and into the hallway, the silence of the house pressing against her ears.

Hunter’s room was just beside hers.

Her heart raced the closer she came to his door. She paused in front of it, her breath caught in her throat. She pressed her ear against the wood, straining to hear a sound from inside. Anything. But there was nothing—no movement, no voices, no sound of him at all.

With slow, hesitant fingers, she pushed the door open a crack and peeked inside.

The room was dim, shadows stretched across the walls from the fading light outside. Her eyes fell on him almost instantly.

Hunter lay on the bed, his body turned slightly to the side, one arm tucked under his head. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, his expression calm. Almost peaceful.

Mirabella’s lips parted slightly. She didn’t think he was the type to nap. In fact, the thought of him lying there, resting, was almost strange.

She stepped inside quietly, shutting the door behind her. Her feet padded across the carpet until she stood close to the bed. Her gaze softened as she took him in.

Asleep, he looked… very good. His jaw was sharp, his brows were smoothened. He looked like something out of a magazine. ‘Asleeping seduction’. His lips—those full, tempting lips—were relaxed, almost inviting.

Mirabella lowered herself into a squat beside the bed, leaning closer to his face. Her hand trembled slightly as she lifted it, tracing the curve of his brow with her fingertips. She trailed her touch down the bridge of his nose, then paused at his mouth. Her finger brushed over his bottom lip, and she swallowed hard.

He looked seductive even in sleep. More dangerous, even like this.

Her face rested in her palm as she studied him, leaning so close that her breath mingled with his.

And then—without opening his eyes—his voice rumbled low, startling her.

“Do you love what you see?”

Her whole body jerked back. She gasped softly, eyes widening. He wasn’t asleep at all.

She scrambled to her feet, intending to leave, but before she could even make a step to the door, his hand shot out and caught her wrist. His grip was firm, unyielding.

“Where do you think you’re going, baby?” he drawled, his voice thick with amusement.

“Let me go,” she said quickly, her voice trembling.

Instead of letting her go, he tugged her forward with surprising strength, pulling her onto the bed. She landed on her back against his hard chest with a gasp, struggling against his grip, but he only tightened it.

“Stop moving,” Hunter whispered against her hair, burying his face there. He inhaled deeply, his voice vibrating through her as he said, “You smell so good. Like something I could feast on all day. Sweet. Addictive.”

Mirabella’s heart thumped wildly, her cheeks heating from his words. She froze as he tilted her face slightly, his rough fingers trailing across her lips.

“So fucking soft,” he murmured, his eyes dark. “I love them wrapped around my cock.”

Her breath caught, and before she could respond, he pressed his thumb against her mouth, wanting entrance.

When she didn’t react, he pushed it in slightly, his lips brushing her ear. “Suck,” he commanded, his voice a husky whisper.

Heat spread through her body. Almost instinctively, her lips closed around his thumb, and she began to suck. Slowly, hesitantly at first, but then more firmly as he kissed her hair continuously.

A deep groan escaped him, his chest vibrating against hers. “That’s it. Good girl.”

The sound of his pleasure made her thighs clench together. She sucked his finger as if it was the only thing she could focus on, the intimacy of it dizzying her.

After a while, he slipped his thumb out from her mouth, dragging the wet digit to trace her lower lip. Then, slowly, he slid his hand lower, cupping her breast through the thin fabric of her shirt.

She gasped when his warm palm squeezed her softly. Her nipples hardened instantly under his touch.

He slowly moved his hand again, down the length of her top and pushed his hand under to cup her bare breast.

He exhaled deeply, pressing his face harder into her hair. “Perfect,” he murmured.

As his fingers teased her breast, he spoke again, his tone lazy, almost mocking. “Now tell me… why did you wake me from my nap?”

Her voice trembled, almost breathless. “I… I didn’t wake you up.”

“You came into my room.” His hand pinched her nipple lightly, making her whimper. “That means you wanted something. Tell me what’s on your mind… unless you came here because you wanted me to fuck you.”

Her eyes widened, her lips parting. “No,” she said quickly, her face heating. “I came to talk… about my job at the club.”

The moment the words left her mouth, his grip on her nipple tightened sharply, making her moan involuntarily.

Her mind was screaming at her to stay focused, but his touch was clouding everything.

Hunter’s voice dropped lower, serious now. “I don’t want you working at the club. It’s dangerous.”

“It’s not dangerous,” she argued breathlessly, struggling to ignore the way his fingers twisted her body. “What could possibly be dangerous about working at the club? You own it. You know how everything works there.”

He gave a low, dark chuckle, his mouth brushing her hair. “There’s more to Devil’s Den than you see. More than music and drinks and crowds. I don’t want you there. It’s not a place for you. It’s not a place for…” He trailed off, his tone sharpening. “For someone like you. It’s a place for adults.”

Her body stilled at his words. Her brows furrowed.

She twisted in his hold, sharply turning to face him, her eyes blazing. “I am an adult.”

The sudden move earned her a growl, low and threatening, vibrating from his chest. He clearly didn’t like that she disrupted his hand on her breast or pulled her hair from his reach.

Hunter’s eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening. With a rough tug, he pulled her back against him, reclaiming her body as if it belonged to him. His hand slid right back under her shirt, seizing her breast again.

“You’re a kid,” he muttered darkly, his voice full of disapproval. “Just nineteen. Still a teenager.”

Her lips trembled but her resolve stiffened. “I am not a kid. Adulthood starts at eighteen. I can make my own decisions. Legally, I’m an adult, Hunter.”

He growled again, his hand tightening around her breast as if punishing her for her defiance. “You may be legal, but you’re still too young to work in a place like Devil’s Den.”

Her pulse raced, anger mixing with heat. Slowly, deliberately, she met his gaze.

The silence that followed was thick, almost unbearable. Hunter’s nostrils flared, his eyes flashing with something wild, something dangerous.

A guttural sound tore from his chest, more animal than human.

And before she could even gasp, his lips crashed down on hers—hot, demanding and furious.