Chapter 7 Mr. Tatto's Hidden Wound
KARA’S POV
I didn’t know how things unfolded, but I found myself being swept along by Sir Stewheinz into his car. I had no idea what he did to me, yet as he pulled me out through the exit, I could only stare into his eyes, dark beyond measure. It felt like he was carrying something heavy inside him, something I couldn’t quite understand.
“Where are we going?” I asked as I watched him start the engine.
He merely smirked, but the smile never reached his eyes. Something had happened that I didn’t witness, and I could feel that it was the reason he suddenly became like this, even though I had only been gone for a few minutes earlier.
“Somewhere, away from everything,” he answered, and I nearly lost my soul when he suddenly sped the car away.
He didn’t say another word for the rest of the drive. All I could hear was the sound of the engine, the rush of the wind, and the steady pounding of my own heart.
Eventually, the city lights faded, replaced by a darkness that felt endless.
The car stopped in a wide, quiet place.
The beach.
The surroundings were completely dark, guided only by the moonlight and the soft sound of the waves. He got out immediately and began walking toward the far end of the shore, to a place that was quieter and farther from the road. I hesitated and stepped back for a moment.
“Sir—” I called out, torn between following him or not. There wasn’t a single person around. No voices. No signs of civilization. But when he turned around and looked straight at me, it felt like I had no other choice but to follow.
As we walked, my stilettos kept sinking into the sand. With every step, it felt like I was being pulled down, as if my patience was being tested.
“Great,” I muttered irritably as I almost stumbled again.
Out of frustration, I took off my stilettos and held them tightly in my hand. I felt the cold sand beneath my feet, every grain clinging to my skin. I walked with a scowl, not caring how ridiculous I must have looked, a woman in an elegant dress walking along a dark beach, shoes in hand, following a man I didn’t understand.
“Seriously,” I complained, “this was not part of my plan tonight.”
He didn’t answer.
Before I could complain again, he suddenly lifted me off the ground.
“A-ah!” I cried out in shock, instinctively gripping his shoulder.
Without a word, he took my stilettos from me as well. It was as if my weight meant nothing to him, as if he was used to doing this. I felt the warmth of his body and the strength of his arms holding me.
My face grew hot.
“Are you okay?” he asked softly in firm yet gentle English. “Am I making you feel uncomfortable?”
At that question, my heart began to race even faster. I couldn’t answer right away. I didn’t know what to say.
He lowered me carefully, as if he was afraid of hurting me.
He then stood near the water and stretched. Under the moonlight, I could clearly see how well-shaped his body was. Every movement he made felt natural, effortless, yet impossible to ignore. His hair moved freely with the cool night breeze, and in that moment, I couldn’t help but admire him.
And I hated myself for it.
“You know,” he suddenly said, still facing away from me, “you’re weird.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
I didn’t know if he saw my reaction because of the darkness, but I heard his soft laugh afterward.
“With all due respect, sir,” I replied with irritation, “you’re the one who’s weird here.”
In an instant, he moved closer to me. In less than a second, our faces were almost touching. I felt his breath, its warmth against my skin.
“Really?” he asked.
I immediately turned my face away and frowned at him. “You dragged me out of that party without asking for my permission,” I said, raising my brow.
He smirked arrogantly. “But you let me do it. I guess you like being with me.”
I straightened up and put my hands on my hips. “Just because—”
“There was no one else I could pull out from that party,” he interrupted quickly, cutting me off. His voice dropped, and the arrogance disappeared. “I just hate seeing my stepdad kissing my mom.”
My eyes widened.
It felt like something suddenly tightened in my chest.
“Your… stepdad?” I asked quietly.
He turned his back on me and faced the sea. The tough, teasing expression he had earlier was replaced by exhaustion and anger he was trying to hide. I could see from the way his fists clenched how heavy the burden he was carrying truly was.
“I didn’t expect to see that tonight,” he added. “Not in front of everyone. Not like it was normal.”
I stood silently behind him. For the first time, I saw not my boss, not the tattooed man filled with confidence, but someone wounded.
And for reasons I couldn’t explain, I wanted to step closer.
But I stayed where I was, because I knew that at that moment, there was a boundary I wasn’t ready to cross yet.