Alicia’s neck had been cut, but the injury wasn’t severe. After two days of rest, only a faint pink scar remained. Her skin was still sensitive.

Caden pressed his lips to the scar. His kiss was soft, deliberate, and almost playful. The warmth of his mouth seemed to carry some sort of magic, slowly dissolving Alicia’s defenses until her resistance slipped away.

Before long, she found herself clutching his shirt, torn between pulling away and wanting more. Caden took that moment to deepen the kiss, becoming more demanding, seeking more with each passing moment.

Alicia wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands slowly moving upward until her fingers tangled in his hair, lightly brushing the wound at the back of his head.

Caden loosened his hold just a little. “It doesn’t hurt,” he said, pulling her close again. Their heartbeats began to fall into rhythm, as if their hearts were beating as one.

Alicia felt tears welling up inside her.

“Thank you, Caden,” she murmured with sincerity. He had saved her again.

When Joshua had her, she had given up on everything—even the will to survive. She was ready to die. But the moment Caden appeared, relief flooded through her, and for the first time, she truly believed things would be okay.

Caden cupped her face, their noses nearly touching. “If I hadn’t gotten there in time, did you have any plan?”

Alicia shook her head. “I didn’t.”

Caden’s expression darkened. “When you were unconscious, I asked Cliff what happened. Monica was used as bait, wasn’t she?”

Alicia nodded. “She got caught up in this mess because of me.”

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“Don’t blame yourself. Joshua is the one responsible. Even if you had given in, he wouldn’t have spared Monica,” Caden said firmly.

Alicia realized he was right. Some people simply harbored malice. But in that moment, her fear had taken over, clouding her judgment.

Caden continued, “If you ever find yourself in a situation like that again, contact the police immediately. Don’t hesitate. No matter what threats they make, don’t get involved. Sacrificing yourself to save someone else is the worst thing you could do. Understand?”

Alicia couldn’t bring herself to agree right away. “I can’t,” she admitted quietly.

The thought of standing by while Monica was in danger was unbearable.

Caden understood her hesitation and didn’t push further. He knew she’d come to understand in time. Everyone needed time to grow. He would be there to guide her through it.

Alicia eventually broke the silence. “It’s one thing to avoid danger, but what if something happens anyway? What if someone attacks and I have no way out? What am I supposed to do?”

Caden looked at her. “Did you pick up everything from the coach I hired?”

“I did, but what if I’m outnumbered?”

“When we get back, I’ll set up a personalized training course for you. Once you complete it, you’ll be ready for anything.”

Alicia couldn’t help but laugh softly. She hadn’t expected to face such challenges, but being prepared never hurt.

Their conversation slowly faded as their kisses deepened. Feeling drained, Alicia whispered, “We can’t keep this up here. We should stop.”

Caden’s lips brushed over hers again, his gaze unrelenting.

Being with him made Alicia think of things she’d only seen in explicit films.

Her body reacted, but she gently pushed him away, turning to the side. “Let’s sleep. It’ll pass.”

Caden never believed in forcing her. While he could be relentless at times, pestering her for intimacy again and again, Alicia often teased him, calling him a greedy animal. Yet, she couldn’t deny she enjoyed it. If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have allowed him to have his way each time.

He held her close for a moment longer, but then, mindful of her injuries, he decided to stop. He got up and headed to the bathroom to take care of things on his own.

The bathroom was freezing without heating, but he didn’t seem to mind.

Alicia knew exactly what he was doing and waited in silence. Eventually, unable to resist, she slipped out of bed, clutching her waist, and opened the bathroom door. The lights were off, and the only sound in the room was his labored breathing.

Through the darkness, he looked at her.

“Why are you here? Feeling sorry for me?” His voice was rough. “If that’s the case, you’d better think carefully before taking another step. If you’re not ready, go back to bed. Even the smell of you might make me lose control.”

Alicia hesitated, feeling the tension between them. She battled with her thoughts for a moment before taking a deliberate step forward.

With that step, Caden stood and scooped her into his arms.

Alicia trembled, kissing him.

Caden returned the kiss for a long moment before murmuring, “Let’s go to bed so you can take care of me properly.”

He wasn’t the type to hold back. In truth, he had been wanting this for a while.

When the moment arrived, he realized that he hadn’t prepared as well as he thought and nearly embarrassed himself. But he managed to keep his composure until Alicia was utterly spent. By then, he was satisfied.

Alicia squinted at him, refusing to say a word.

The look in Caden’s eyes showed that he still wanted her.

“Did it taste good?”

Alicia glared at him. “I should just cut it off.”

“Then you’d never feel this good again,” Caden teased.

“You’re useful in other ways,” Alicia replied dismissively.

Caden caught the underlying meaning in her words. He laughed quietly to himself.

Serving a woman had never crossed his mind before. But now, instead of being put off by the idea, he found himself strangely curious about it.

Well… Maybe he really was losing it.