The bastard. “Well, I am. Now, leave me alone.”

“You need to quit the habit of chasing me out, Aurora. That will never happen unless it’s on my terms. Understood?”

I purse my lips but say nothing.

“What did I say about answering my questions?”

“Fine. Okay. As you wish, your majesty.”

“I thought you weren’t feeling well, yet it seems like you fancy a mouth fuck.”

“I’ll never let you do that.” I might like the pain he lashes out, but degradation is another thing altogether.

“I’m the one who decides whatever the fuck I want to do with you. After all, you’re my property.”

“I’ll never do it willingly, so if you’re in the mood to force me, go for it.”

He narrows his eyes, but seems to let it go. It’s the deceptive type of reassurance he shows now and again. As for what he’ll actually do? Yeah, no one knows that.

“Now tell me, why are you feeling unwell?” He sits on the edge of the bed and places his knuckles on my forehead. “You’re not warm.”

If I wasn’t before, I am now. I suck in a breath at the way his skin burns on mine and swiftly pull away.

“Can’t you leave me alone?”

“That’s a no. You should’ve learnt by now that I always get what I want, so you might as well tell me.”

“Arrogant prick,” I mutter under my breath.

“I heard that. And I’m not arrogant, I’m goal-oriented. Arrogance comes from false beliefs I don’t have.”

That is true. Jonathan is the type who never starts anything unless he already knows the end result.

“I’m waiting, Aurora.”

“Don’t you have work?”

“You also have work and your black belt friend must be throwing a search party, but you’re not making a move to go. This is your last chance to freely divulge information before I resort to my methods.”

“And what are those? Spanking me?”

“Not in your current situation, but I’ll take a rain cheque on that.”

“You’re impossible, did you know that?”

“That doesn’t answer my question. You’re wasting both our time.”

“I’m sore, okay?”

He pauses, but his expression remains blank, non-existent even. “Huh.”

Huh?

I don't know what I expected, but ‘huh’ wasn’t it.

“How sore are you?”

“Enough that I can’t move.”

“Should you see a doctor?”

“No. It’s not as bad as that.”

“Then what do you need?”

“Rest, Jonathan. Ever heard of the word, or was that erased from your workaholic dictionary?”

“Very funny.” His face is caught in that snobbish state, which means he doesn’t find it amusing at all.

He pulls the covers off my body and I yelp as he wraps his strong arms around my back and picks me up. The room tilts off balance as he carries me effortlessly, bridal style.

There’s a faint recollection of us being in this same position before. Did he also do it yesterday?

Were those words that came to my mind his?

I must be imagining things. This is Jonathan, after all. He doesn’t feel — at all. Even if he does, he’s perfected the art of deception so well, no one sees past his cool façade.

I wince, but the palpitations of my heart take me more by surprise. “Jonathan? What are you doing?”

“Finding a solution.” He marches to the bathroom, and I catch a glimpse of us in the mirror. Me, entirely naked and small in his arms. Him, suited up and looking every bit the king from his last name.

My hair is dishevelled and my eyes are slightly puffy from sleep. I don’t only look fucked, but also like I enjoyed every second of it.

Jonathan gently lowers me into the bathtub and I wince as my hip bone touches the cold surface.

His attention slides to me at the sound I make. “Endure it for a bit.”

“Is that your answer to everything?”

“You have to endure it to get past it, Aurora. That’s how it works.”

That’s an interesting philosophy, but… “That doesn't mean it goes away, you know.”

“That’s why you have to endure and take action. It doesn’t make a difference if you only endure. If anything, that’ll hurt you in the long run.” He turns the tap on the slightest bit, tests the water on his fingers, and lets it fill the tub. And me.

My muscles relax a little as the cool water loosens the ache between my legs and the soreness in my arse.

He reaches over my head to the countless bath products and retrieves one that was already here when I moved in.

“I use the apple one.” I motion to the bottle beside it.

“Always an objection.” He shakes his head, although he does comply and pours the apple-scented one.

Then he watches with unnerving silence as the water fills the tub and the bubbles cover me to my breasts.

I squirm under his scrutiny. While I’m good with handling silence, I’m rubbish when it comes to Jonathan’s. Considering his reticent nature, it always feels like he’s communicating something with silence.

And it’s not usually good. Jonathan’s silence is the type that’s meant to keep you on your toes.

“You can go. You don’t have to keep watching me."

He doesn’t move or say anything. He remains at the edge of the bathtub, his arms crossed over his chest, and studies me intently, as if reading imaginary words off my face.

The intimidation that is Jonathan King knows no bounds. It’s like he was born to play the role of a bastard with no soul.

The fact that he has his emotions trapped in a vault, or worse, they don’t exist at all, makes him unpredictable.

There’s no way in hell to figure out what he’s thinking about, and I guess that’s what turns me into this confused ball whenever he’s around.

Despite steering clear of puzzles, there’s no denying how much I love solving them. The idea of digging my fingers into something and figuring it all out fills me with a rush of adrenaline.

The thought of never being able to do that with Jonathan is what’s throwing me into an endless loop with no way out.

“You have work, right?” I mutter.