Chapter21 Striptease in Public
"Linnea, didn't you say your feelings for me were deep?"
"Turns out, you're nothing but a liar."
His teeth tore and ground her neck flesh.
The pain in her neck washed over her like a tidal wave, almost shattering the last of Linnea's composure.
Caius pushed her against the wall, her wrists pinned behind her back, held in a vice-like grip.
"It hurts, Caius, stop!"
Linnea's soft plea was ignored. Caius just buried his head deeper, clamped onto her thin layer of skin, and delivered a sting that felt like it would never end.
...Had Caius entered a full-blown frenzy?! This lunatic! A senseless murderer, was he really going to bite her to death like an animal hunting its prey?!
Linnea's body began to slump, the pain making her lightheaded.
Then, an unusual sensation came from the back of her neck.
The pain suddenly lessened. His cruel teeth retreated from her skin, replaced by a dense, tickling sensation.
It was Caius. He was licking the spot he had bitten.
"Painful?" He let out a deep, chesty laugh. "Linnea, what's a little pain like this? You didn't think this was all the punishment I had for a partner looking for trouble, did you?"
He suddenly released Linnea.
Linnea's entire body was weak, and she slid down the wall to her knees, the tear in her dress fully exposing her body.
Caius looked down at her, able to see the edge of her bra. She was wearing a nude-colored bra.
...Damn it! How many people had seen her? He was going to kill every last one of those scumbags!
A storm brewed inside Caius, but his expression was eerily calm. He half-squatted, gripping Linnea's wet chin, tilting it up, and kissing her deeply.
The taste of blood spread in Linnea's mouth. Everything was spinning wildly on the brink of losing control.
When the kiss ended, Caius used his thumb to wipe away the saliva spilling from her mouth, then let go of her.
Linnea instinctively touched the back of her neck. It was the thick, cold touch of blood. Damn it, had Caius actually eaten her flesh?!
He stared at her, his eyes icy cold: "How many?"
"What?"
"How many men have fucked you?"
Linnea looked at him in disbelief.
Caius actually thought she would do something like that?!
But no, Linnea, don't be angry. You don't need to care what he thinks. You only want to use Caius as a tool for revenge...
She forced herself to calm down and took a deep breath. "Caius, please believe me, I didn't do any of that..."
"Don't you still have guests to attend to?" Caius said without expression. "Lead the way."
Linnea hadn't even processed this when the bodyguards were already paving the path ahead.
She had no choice but to clench her teeth and follow.
Back in the VIP room, the drunken guests jolted awake and trembled when they saw the man.
Why was the CEO of the Thorne Group suddenly here?
The crowd forced down their unease, greeting Caius, bowing, rushing to pour him a drink, and seating him in the main chair.
Then, their eyes unconsciously darted between him and Lina.
No, if he really had a relationship with Lina, then the dirty things they had just done... everyone was terrified.
"You... you know Ms. Lina?"
"Her?" Caius scoffed. "A lowly escort. Why would I know her?"
Linnea's face instantly went white.
Everyone's eyes fell on Linnea again, full of disgust.
"Ms. Lina, you're really bold to have offended Mr. Caius! You should perform a special show to apologize to him, shouldn't you?"
Before Linnea could respond, they roared:
"Ms. Lina, you aren't thinking of performing for our honored Mr. Caius in those rags you picked up from a dumpster, are you?"
Caius did not stop them.
Linnea could only grit her teeth and accept the bag of "clothes."
It was an incredibly sexy bunny outfit.
A pair of huge rabbit ears, a fluffy bra, a thong—the fabric was minimal, barely covering her private parts. What's more, a metal ball was attached to the tip of the rabbit tail...
Linnea's palms were scorching hot as if they were being burned. "Please let me go out and change."
But the crowd encircled her:
"Why leave? Change here!"
"Are you trying to waste Mr. Caius's time?"
That's right, Caius was still here!
He wouldn't just stand by and let everyone humiliate her, would he?
Clutching onto this last hope, she looked at Caius for help.
Caius met her eyes. They were wide and pleading like a doe's, yet he only clapped his hands lightly. "Bring it over."
A subordinate brought up a safe box, opened it, and revealed a chest full of cash.
Caius gestured at the money with his chin, speaking in a tone of granting a reward:
"Take your clothes off here, and I'll give this to you. How about it, Ms. Lina? Is this enough to pay for a few of your 'special performances'?"
For a moment, Linnea was speechless.
Her throat and lungs felt completely choked with cotton.
Were the things she did really so terrible? Wasn't she the one who was framed?
By what right was Caius punishing her like this?!
The people around them roared with laughter.
"Lina, you're such a lucky girl! Caius is even giving you a chance to atone!"
"Why aren't you listening to him?"
"Strip!"
The atmosphere was reaching a climax.
Linnea's hands hung by her sides, clenched so tightly that her nails drew blood in her palms. Humiliation threatened to tear her apart. How badly she wanted to cry, but who would care for her tears?
Caius? No! He wanted to see her make a fool of herself, to see her become a despicable woman scorned by everyone!
If that's what he wanted, she would show him!
Linnea tilted her head back and flashed an incredibly brilliant smile:
"Just taking off a dress? How could such a dull 'show' be worth this chest of cash from Mr. Caius?"
Linnea smiled, suddenly pulling the male server next to her toward the pole in the center of the room.
"Gary and I will perform a strip pole dance for everyone. Would that be acceptable?"
"Will that be enough to satisfy all the guests, especially you—?"
The poor soul she chose was, of course, one of Kevin's lackeys.
Hours ago, after these men tore her dress, she tried to ask him for help, but he not only did nothing but also snitched on her to the disgusting men. This resulted in her being unable to escape their surveillance for the next few hours!
Gary was practically ecstatic.
If he could get noticed by these VIPs with this chance, how much money could he make later!
He didn't notice that the powerful man in the main seat was staring intently at the wrist Linnea was gripping. In that moment, Gary was already a rotting corpse in his eyes.
"You ask if I'm satisfied?" Caius answered after a few seconds. "That depends on your performance."
"I certainly won't disappoint you."
She stepped onto the stage, gripped the cold pole, and pressed her body against it. With her other hand, she unbuttoned her dress, one button at a time.
At the last button, she grabbed the collar and pulled down.
The final button snapped off, fell to the floor, and rolled to a stop at Caius's feet.
Caius stared at the button and said, "Indeed, spectacular."
"This is just the beginning. After all, Mr. Caius loves to watch, so how dare I be careless with you?"
As she spoke, she hooked her finger into Gary's tie, pulling him closer, and whispered: "Gary, I think we need some stimulating physical contact to satisfy the guests..."
Her lips were perhaps a little pale because she wasn't wearing lipstick, but the words she spoke were like a honey-filled rose. Was she flirting with me? Gary was practically dizzy. No man could resist this temptation.
So, just as she was about to unbutton his collar, he even reached out to stroke her neck.
His movement was too sudden, and Linnea instinctively flinched back.
In the process, the fabric on one shoulder of her white dress slipped down, exposing her bare shoulder and neck.
In that instant, no one dared to speak.
Because, under the spotlight, her soft neck revealed a mark...
A blood-soaked bite mark.