Chapter 9 I Will Help You Undress
"You said there was no food, right? How about I take you out to eat?" Truth be told, he hadn't eaten enough himself. He'd been hungry all afternoon and, worried she might run off or get into trouble since she wasn't answering her phone, he rushed back as soon as he got off work.
"Hey, how about I whip up some noodles for you? Trust me, my noodles are amazing."
Jack scrutinized Alison again and said, "Emily, don't think you can fool me by playing the perfect housewife. That's not gonna work." With that, he grabbed her wrist and started pulling her towards the room.
Alison tried to break free, but he tightened his grip. Then, bending down, he scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom.
"What... what are you doing?" The sky outside had just darkened; it wasn't even late yet, but Jack carried her into the bedroom without hesitation.
"No." She really didn't want to go out with him.
The thought of appearing in public with him made her heart race with anxiety.
But his arms held her tightly, and he gently kicked the door shut behind them.
Thinking about having to change clothes in front of Jack to go out, Alison closed her eyes and bit down hard on Jack's arm, hoping the pain would make him let her go.
To her surprise, his arm remained strong, holding her tightly.
Now, they stood in front of Emily's old wardrobe. He released one hand to let her stand, but kept the other firmly around her waist, preventing her from escaping.
With a gentle push, a row of colorful clothes was revealed to Alison. He pointed at the clothes, picked up a light purple dress, and tossed it onto the bed. Then he turned to start unbuttoning her loungewear.
Alison's body tensed. Despite their intimate encounter the previous night, she still felt panicked. His strong masculine presence made her want to flee.
Her small hands quickly pressed against his large ones. "Jack, let's not go out. I'll cook noodles for you, okay? My noodles are really delicious, I promise. Just try them once. If you don't like them, I'll go out with you next time."
She didn't know if he would agree, but she had to try. She couldn't bear the thought of walking the bustling streets with him at night.
"I just want to go out to eat." The more she resisted, the more he insisted. He flung her hand away, and at the same time, her robe's tie came undone, revealing the white undergarments beneath.
His fingers suddenly stopped, and in a magnetic voice, he said, "Emily, the old you wouldn't wear such troublesome clothes as soon as you walked in. Take them off."
Alison shook her head. She really didn't want to undress. The humiliation Jack brought her made her want to fight back. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms, and stared back at him with determination—Alison's stubbornness.
"Emily, I told you to take them off. Did you hear me?" Jack growled. He saw the unwillingness in her clear eyes, but her resistance only fueled his desire to conquer her.
Alison remained silent, her fists clenching tighter.
"Fine, I'll help you," Jack said, yanking the fabric, which instantly fell to the carpet.
Alison instinctively raised her arms to cover her chest. She bravely met Jack's gaze, her heart in turmoil, but she refused to appear too vulnerable in front of him.
Jack first noticed her hands, then looked up to meet her eyes. In that moment, he felt she had changed, different from the Emily he once knew.
But the face before him was undeniably similar.
He gently placed his hand on her small hand, slowly caressing her soft skin. Her body trembled slightly.
She didn't pull away because she had no right to. From the moment she stepped into this apartment, she belonged to him, at least for the next three months.
She let him hold her hand, the panic in her eyes gradually surfacing. Thinking about what might happen next, she recalled the pain from the previous night.
Seeing her like this, Jack's lips curled into a wicked smile. The more nervous she was, the more excited he became.
Her fair cheeks gradually turned red.
He stared at her face, the blush making her look like a ripe apple, tempting him to take a bite.
He lowered his head, his thin lips gently touching hers.
At first, the kiss was as gentle as a breeze, but soon, he tightened his grip on her waist, and his lips and teeth began a wild pursuit, an indescribable sense of pressure.
Alison felt like she couldn't breathe. He was like a frenzied lion in heat, and she had no way to resist.
Her mind was in chaos, her willpower fading. In an instant, he pushed her against the cold wardrobe behind her.
She cried out in panic, "Jack Winston, stop..."
Her soft call made Jack's movements pause. What was happening to him? He had lost control because of her again.
He suddenly stepped back, his mouth quickly leaving her lips. "Fine, but after dinner, we need to finish what we started."
His words clearly reached Alison's ears. Taking advantage of his distance, she quickly ran to the bed and grabbed the purple dress.
After that kiss, she seemed to have gotten used to his presence and even to changing clothes under his watchful eyes.
As long as it made her feel less awkward, she was willing to leave the apartment with him.
She dressed quickly, but Jack was no slouch either. By the time she had the dress on, Jack walked up behind her like a gentleman, skillfully zipping up her dress. Then he extended his arm in front of her and said, "Let's go."
Alison hesitated for a moment, then naturally took Jack's arm.
She was Emily now, not Alison. So, even if she appeared in public with him, there was nothing to fear, right?
But as they stepped out of the room, images of Jack's various personas flashed through her mind: sometimes wild, sometimes cold, sometimes passionate, sometimes gentle, and sometimes cruel.
Alison wondered, which one was the real him?