Chapter 135 Let's be friends
Nora’s Pov
All I had prayed for was for the concert to end. After that, I hoped to never see Hank again, but my wish remained unanswered.
Watching him enjoy Marie's flirting made me upset. Why did he keep following me around like a stalker? All I could recall was Marie slapping me twice and injecting me with something after bringing those men to harass me.
"Wait, where is Marie?" I asked Hank, who stared at me with mixed emotions.
"She should be dead by now for what she did to you."
Dead? The only person I knew capable of eliminating someone without hesitation was Don Gio. Was he responsible, or was it Hank who had done it? "You killed her?"
"You know Gio. He ordered those men to do to her what she wanted done to you, and then they were to be declared missing."
That was a relief. Marie was terrifying, and I didn't want to encounter her again. Not only did she drug me, but she also wanted four men to take turns raping me.
How evil. But what I couldn't understand was how I ended up here. "Where is Molly?" I asked, and disappointment flashed in Hank's eyes.
"With Gio, of course. I'll get you something to eat and some clothes too. The shower room is on your left."
Gosh, what was he made of? Steel? His body was so fine, but his words to Molly still echoed in my mind, and I couldn't comprehend how I ended up here.
Damn Marie for getting me into this mess. No, I have to go home. “Thanks for everything," I said earnestly. It seemed like he had saved me, and that should suffice.
"And don't worry, I'll take care of the hotel bills," I added, preparing to leave when he grabbed me and pushed me back onto the bed.
Before I could get up, he was standing over me. "Stop pretending. Didn't you want me before?"
For some reason, I slapped him hard in the face, but he didn't flinch, and my hand only ached from the impact. "Don't let my gratitude turn to resentment. I'll handle the bills," I said seriously, though I was afraid.
My only comfort was knowing that he was a friend of Don Gio. If he tried anything inappropriate, I could report him to Molly and seek Don's assistance.
"But this is my house, and it would cost more than a few thousand dollars if you really want to pay."
His words made me freeze, even though he sounded playful. I had never seen him smile, but that only made him more appealing.
Damn, what was I thinking? Out of all the places I could have ended up, it had to be his house? I still had a crush on him, and that made it difficult to be around him.
"Your house? How did I end up here?" There was no way he could have brought me, right? Or did Don instruct him to take care of me? I hoped Molly wasn't trying to set us up.
Despite the attraction I felt for him, I knew there could never be anything between us. "I brought you here to look after you."
Him? Someone must have pressured him. "You should have left me at a hotel. I would have been fine, but thank you." I couldn't find my shoes anywhere, and his words caught me off guard. "Stop pretending. Didn't you call me yours?"
Was he really going down this path? "You made it clear that you're not interested in me, and a woman who makes the first move is a turn-off for you. I'm still that woman. Did you forget so soon?"
He seemed surprised as I echoed his words. "You heard that? No wonder you've been acting strange," he muttered.
"Thank you for noticing. Can I leave now?" I didn't want to spend more time with a man I had a crush on and risk making another mistake, but he unexpectedly refused.
"No. I brought you here to talk. I'm sorry you overheard that, but I genuinely want to get to know you," he said bluntly, surprising me with his directness. However, I saw no reason for further conversation.
"That's not necessary. I want to go home, shower, and sleep." Despite my desire to leave, I felt powerless against him and waited for his permission, which didn't seem to come.
"This is my house, Nora. You can't leave until I allow it. The security measures here are impressive," he stated, instilling fear in me, though I tried to remain composed.
"What do you want, Hank? I apologize for kissing you. I had no right. Can you please release me now?" I asked, trying to reason with him.
His expression softened, as if my words had wounded him. "No. Just stay with me for a while, okay? Shower, get dressed, and have something to eat. Let me make it up to you. I'm not a bad person."
His offer was tempting, but my shame prevented me from accepting even friendship. "I'm no longer interested," I insisted.
His demeanor turned stern, but his voice remained gentle. "It doesn't matter. I don't mind doing the chase this time."
"Chase?" Was I imagining things? I must be honest, your behavior was a turn-off at first, but when you started ignoring me, I felt like I had lost a treasure. Nora, if you give me a chance, you'll realize I'm not the man who said those things."
He seemed sincere, but I was worried he was only doing it because Molly had told him to or because he thought I was too vulnerable.
Either way, I needed to find a way out. "Okay, let's be friends."
A rare smile crossed his face, highlighting his attractiveness, but it didn't last long. "That's all I need, Nora. Thank you so much, but on one condition."
"What is that?" I asked, completely taken aback by his request.