Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella)

"When I said I'd take responsibility for you before, you didn't say a word. Does that mean you don't want to get married?"

Hull raised an eyebrow at her, saying nothing, just watching Susanna in that silent, unreadable way of his.

Susanna forced herself to meet his gaze, but the look in his eyes was so intense, so dark, she couldn't help but swallow hard. "So... is it just my body you're after?"

The room fell completely silent.

Hull's stare, already deep and impossible to read, seemed to grow darker.

Susanna's mind spun.

Oh God, did I really just say that out loud? Well, subtlety's gone out the window... but what else am I supposed to do?

She'd spent ages agonizing over how to ask, and in the end, just blurted it out, no sugar-coating.

She cleared her throat awkwardly. "I mean, I... uh.....”

But with Hull just sitting there, silent and brooding, she completely lost her train of thought.

The pressure was mounting, and all she could think of was how badly she wanted to see her mom.

Seconds crawled by. Five minutes passed-still, Hull didn't say a word.

Under his gaze, Susanna felt sweat prickling down her back. She coughed. "So... um, how many times?"

Hull's eyes narrowed. "What?"

How many times?

He was clearly caught off guard by her sudden shift. Then again, anyone would be. She was practically impossible to keep up with.

Susanna pressed on, cheeks burning. "I mean, how many... times would be enough? You know, as payment, for letting me see my mom."

"My body?" Hull echoed.

She nodded, feeling like her whole body was on fire. She could only imagine how red her face must be.

Hull stared at her, silent.

The quiet stretched out again, suffocating.noveldrama

The thing that scared Susanna t

most was this-him, not saying. anything, those eyes of his giving

ng away. She just couldn't tell

what he was thinking.

But she was desperate to change the situation, and even more desperate to see

her mother.

Besides, it wasn't like Hull's

reputation hadn't already been

ruined by her, no less. Maybe giving him her body as "payment" was just her way of taking responsibility, in her own twisted way.

She'd already promised to marry him.

But if he wasn't saying anything, did that mean he only wanted her body and not marriage? Was she reading this all wrong?

The silence was driving her crazy. Had she completely misunderstood him? The embarrassment would be unbearable if she had.

Just as Susanna was about to die of

mortification, suddenly she felt Hull's strong hand wrap around her wrist. "Ah!" she yelped, startled. At the same time, the plate of apple slices she'd been holding crashed to the floor, apple pieces scattering everywhere.

Before she could process what was happening, she found herself on the bed- inside Hull's arms.

They were so close now, she could feel his warm breath mixing with hers.

She was already burning up, but now, with his face just inches away, his eyes looking right into hers, she swallowed again. "H-Hull. Mr. Miguel...”

She barely got the words out before he shifted, and suddenly she was flat on her back on the bed, his arm pinning her gently but firmly.

Susanna caught her breath, starting to push herself up-only for Hull to grab her arm, leaning over her...