Ste looked at her phone, a little bewildered. Susanna''s voice Coming through the speaker was calm, almost too calm.
"So, where''s Hull?" Ste asked.
"He went out," Susanna replied, her tone noticeably lighter. She clearly preferred not sharing a roof with Hull at the moment.
Just then, Ronald walked in. Ste quickly ended the call with Susanna, saying, "I gotta go."
Ronald seemed to have had a few drinks.
Ste stepped forward, while Idris, who was supporting him, nodded respectfully at Ste and said, "Miss, he had a bit to drink."
"Got it," Ste acknowledged, taking Ronald from Idris''s hands.
A faint yet pleasant scent of whiskey lingered on Ronald, and Ste found herself understanding the notion that distasteful smells only apply when they''re not associated with someone you care about. Once the scent lingered on the beloved one, things would alter.
Idris ced a paper bag on the coffee table. "This is for you, Miss. He brought it along."
Ste raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
He''d specially made the call, telling her he''d bring snacks to her. Ste was intrigued by the food inside.
Idris answered, "It''s some apple pie. He had a piece and thought you''d love it. So he took it with him."
Apple pie, huh? She used to enjoy it back in Ferrond, but the pies in Portis City were often too sweet for her liking. Still, if Ronald thought she''d enjoy it, the taste must be something different.
As Idris left, Ste guided Ronald to the couch. Just as she was about to rise, her waist was sped by his broad hands.
Before Ste made any reaction, he pulled her down onto hisp. Startled, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "What are you doing?"
His breath, infused with the warmth of the whiskey, mingled with hers as he pressed his forehead to hers.
"Let me make you some hangover soup," she offered, thinking a hot hand towel might help, too, or he''d suffer tomorrow morning.
Ronald cupped her face with his warm hand. "Star."
"Yes?" she replied softly.
"You''re wonderful," he said, his usual calm demeanor reced with a childlike contentment.
Ste wondered, "Why''s that?"
"Because you''re mine."
Ste was silent.
This guy... All right, she was his, and he was hers as well.
Meanwhile, Susanna''s stomach growled as she hung up with Ste. With Hull out
of the house, she decided to raid the kitchen for some food.
Finishing dinner before that horrible man returned would save her from the confrontation. But as she
stepped out of her room, the
housekeeper hurried over. "M
you
swne
need toe quickly. Sir is hurt."
Susanna''s eyelids twitched violently at her words. "What? Wh-Where is he?" "Downstairs."
Susanna hesitated. She barely knew Hull, so why was she the one being called? Then she remembered how he''d helped her at the Portis City airport, despite his gruff demeanor. Maybe she should check on him.
"Shouldn''t he be at a hospital since he''s injured?" she asked as she headed down.
"I don''t know," the housekeeper said, being a mere staff who worked here temporarily. She got frightened as she spotted the blood.
When Susanna reached the ground floor, she found a doctor working on Hull.
"We need to get you to the surgery room. The bullet''s still in there."
Bullet?
?
Susanna''s mind reeled. What had Hull gotten himself into? It seemed like going out with him was as risky as buying a lottery ticket, only with worse odds.
nove
Fear imbued Susanna. No way was she going anywhere with him again. It was way too dangerous. How could she handle it once something happened? Noticing Susanna''s approach, Hull slightly narrowed his eyes. "Come here."
She was like, "!!!”
"You should go to the surgery room."
Despite thepact vi, there was surprisingly a surgery room equipped.
She felt faint at the sight of Hull''s blood-soaked shoulder. The ominous aura around Hull made her knees weak, and she hesitated to get any closer.