Chapter 68

Chapter 68

"Ella," his tone wasn't great, "did I ask you to return it?"

I looked completely confused.

Why would he be unhappy when I returned something to him?

I still insisted on explaining: "I've already paid my tuition, and I don't really need the rest of the money."

James suppressed his anger and asked impatiently, "Ella, do you know how much money is on that card?"

I shook my head: "No idea."

James held the card between his fingers and handed it to me again, "Since I gave it to you, just use it. Buy whatever you want. You could even buy an island if you wanted."

I didn't take it.

James stuffed the card directly back into my bag.

He looked me up and down, his tone quite helpless: "If you don't know what to buy, at least go get some decent clothes."

I replied weakly: "I have clothes."

James suddenly smiled and reached up to tug at the unfashionable black T-shirt I was wearing, "Ella, are you sure?"

I still had a bit of a temper, so I gently pushed his hand away and argued back: "This brand is very famous in Astoria, and the quality is really good. They don't even have stores for this brand here."

Hearing my words, James repeated: "Really good quality?"

I nodded.

James bent down slightly, brought his lips to my ear, and said in a low voice: "Then should we test whether I can tear it apart?"

Hearing this, my heart trembled, and my body instinctively shrank back.

James extended his long arm and easily pulled me back.

"Ella," he leaned close to my ear, speaking as slowly as possible, "I'm asking you one more time, don't you have anything you want to tell me?"

This was the second time he'd asked this question.

I could feel his suppressed anger.

What had I done to upset him now?

I bit my lip, lowered my eyes, and stammered: "No... nothing..."

James lifted my head, his eyes showing anger: "Then explain to me what's going on with the dorm?"

I met his deep eyes, my breath catching.

"I just thought," I gathered my courage to explain, "that living at your place would disturb you, so..."

"Disturb?" James looked at me intensely, "What do you take me for?"

What do I take him for?

He was the one who forcibly kept me by his side.

And now he's asking me what I take him for?

In my heart, he's naturally—a bandit.

"Ella," James raised his voice slightly but still kept it controlled. "Speak!"

He was probably afraid of making me cry again.

I didn't dare to speak.

"Taking my money but running off to live in that crappy dorm, Ella, what do you take me for?"

"I'm asking you a question," his tone rose at the end.

I licked my lips, seriously thinking about the relationship between us.

He wanted me, treated me as an object to satisfy his desires, and I had no way to escape.

What kind of relationship was this exactly?

I thought for a moment, then said, "Sugar daddy?"

Or maybe... "my bankroller?"

"Sugar daddy?" James barked, grabbing me and throwing me onto the bed.

"Ella, you're asking for it."

I trembled all over in fright. My first reaction was to crawl backward, calling out softly: "James."

James pulled me back under him, "Since you say I'm your sugar daddy, then fulfill your obligations."

James's kisses fell fiercely on my neck again.

The next second, I felt his hand reaching under my skirt.

"James, let go of me first."

I reached out and randomly slapped his back and shoulders.

After a few slaps, I felt something wet and hot on his shoulder. I realized something was wrong.

"James, your wound opened up again!"

I held up my blood-stained hand in front of James, crying out in shock: "You're bleeding again."

James stopped, glanced at his shoulder, sighed softly, and rolled off me to sit on the bed.

After breaking free from his grip, I curled up to one side, trembling and breathing softly.

"What are you spacing out for?" James looked at me, "Come help me take off my shirt."

I didn't move, looking at him in surprise.

James said, "You made my wound open up, don't you want to take responsibility?"

I frowned and straightened my clothes and skirt.

How could this be my fault? It was clearly because he insisted on doing this that his wound opened up.

"Still not moving?" James urged again.

Only then did I cautiously walk over in small steps, stand in front of him, and slowly start unbuttoning his shirt.

James watched me with interest.

My movements were slow and clumsy, and my hands kept shaking.

"Ella, what are you afraid of?" James couldn't help but laugh seeing me fumbling around, "Haven't you seen it all before?"

After hearing his words, I didn't respond, just blushed and continued carefully unbuttoning.

My hands kept shaking. Maybe I was too nervous, because the buttons weren't coming undone smoothly.

James placed his hand on the back of mine, guiding my hand to unbutton his shirt one button at a time.

"Ella, when you're with me from now on, you don't need to be so uptight." he paused, then continued, "I told you, my body—you can look whenever you want."

The blood-stained black shirt was removed and thrown on the floor.

The bandage wrapped around James's right shoulder was already stained red with fresh blood.

Seeing such a large patch of blood, I got a little scared and stammered: "I'll go get a doctor for you."

As soon as I turned around, James grabbed my hand.

I looked back at him.

James held my hand with one hand, and with the other, he reached for the silver six-pointed star pendant at his neck and yanked it hard.

The pendant came off his neck.

He pulled me onto his lap and put the pendant around my neck.

After fastening the clasp of the pendant chain, he gently kissed my lips.

"This pendant, no matter what, never take it off, understand?"

I didn't quite understand what James meant, so I casually asked: "What is this thing anyway?"

James lightly tapped my nose with his index finger and said, "This is something that can save your life at a critical moment."

Something that can save a life at a critical moment? Wouldn't the bandit James need it more?

After all, he has so many enemies—his life is the one more likely to be in danger.

"Did you hear me?" James asked calmly.

I could only nod obediently.

After nodding, I stood up from his lap and said, "I'll go have Sophia call a doctor for you."

With that, I hurriedly ran out of the room.