Chapter 009 Her Face Against His Abdomen, Clasping His Waist
When Ryan opened the room, he only saw Xavier sitting on the bed.
"Get out!" Xavier's voice was deep and cold. His rage made Ryan freeze at the door; it was as if someone had grabbed him by the throat, making it difficult to breathe.
"Did you not understand me? Is this how Patrick taught you to behave?" Xavier's piercing gaze wielded an intangible power of deterrence.
"Xavier, I just heard the maid say that Grace entered the wrong room. I was concerned that she might have offended you without realizing it, so I came to check on her," Ryan remarked.
Ryan had been punished for so long, his knees still aching. Wendy was sure that Grace had come in, and she had someone watching; Grace surely hadn't left.
He had to find Grace. That way, even if Xavier was targeting Ryan, he'd have to explain why he was with Grace in the same room for so long.
"Are you sure you're here to look for someone and not to start trouble?" Xavier's sharp features became even more formidable in the light.
"Of course, I have no intention of offending you, Xavier." Seeing Ryan was convinced that Grace was in the room, Xavier understood that Grace hadn't entered on purpose; she must have been set up.
"If you leave now, I won't pursue the matter," Xavier said, aloofly.
"Xavier, are you trying to protect Grace? Or is there some indecent secret between you two?" Ryan grew more convinced that Grace must be in the room because he couldn't understand why Xavier wouldn't let him in otherwise.
"And if she isn't here with me?" Xavier asked.
"Then I apologize to you," Ryan promised.
"An apology just to me? Aren't you offending Grace too? Aren't you going to apologize to her?" Xavier pressed.
Ryan gritted his teeth. He was certain he would find her. "Then I'll apologize to her as well!"
"Fine, start looking," Xavier said, nonchalantly.
Grace heard every word between Ryan and Xavier from under the covers. She was incredibly moved, and she could hardly believe that Xavier had spoken up for her just now.
At that moment, she clung tightly to Xavier, daring not to make a move for fear that Ryan would notice something amiss.
The situation had escalated quickly, and jumping out of the window was simply not an option; Grace did not want to get hurt in a fall.
And if she had hidden in the bathroom or in a wardrobe, Ryan would surely check there.
Grace could find no other hiding spot. The safest place seemed to be under the blankets, next to Xavier. As long as she stayed close to him, Ryan would probably not be able to tell there was another person there. She was betting that Ryan wouldn't dare to lift Xavier's blanket.
Underneath the blanket, she couldn't see a thing. Her senses were heightened, amplifying every sound. She could hear Ryan's footsteps as he entered, first going to the bathroom and then rustling through the cabinets on the other side.
Grace pressed herself as close to Xavier as she could, almost holding her breath.
Her head was against his thigh, feeling the power of his muscles. Xavier had just taken a shower, and the scent of body wash mixed with his natural cedar smell was surprisingly pleasant. Grace even had a fleeting thought about creating a cedar-based perfume.
Ryan had searched in vain for her. His footsteps grew louder again.
"Can you get out now?" Xavier's chilly voice broke the silence.
Ryan, unable to find Grace, was panicking. Yet, he couldn't believe she was not there, trusting Wendy's words over his own search. He glanced at Xavier's blanket, which seemed oddly puffed up. Despite Xavier's large and muscular frame, the stillness under the blanket was odd to Ryan.
"Xavier, can I just take a look under your blanket?" he asked.
For a moment, Grace dared not breathe. Her nervousness made her grab Xavier's waist.
The waist is a sensitive area for anyone, and with Grace's face pressing against Xavier's lower abdomen, her hot breath and warm cheeks sent a jolt through him, causing an involuntary moan to escape his lips.
It was as if a flame had surged through his entire body. Gradually, he became aroused.
Xavier's self-control was usually impeccable. With his hectic work schedule, he rarely indulged in solo acts, let alone been intimate with a woman. He had never felt an attraction to any woman.
Grace was the first. Just like the previous night when, intoxicated, she clung to his waist and refused to let go. And he had made love to her several times then. Logically, he should not have been overcome with desire too soon.
But there she was, unknowingly holding him even tighter.
"Do you want to see my blanket? Are you looking for trouble?" Xavier's expressionless face barely contained his low, cold inquiry.
The more Xavier had resisted, the more Ryan suspected that something was amiss. "Xavier, if Grace isn't here, then why won’t you just let me have a look under the blanket?" he countered.
Meanwhile, underneath the blanket, Grace thought Ryan was acting like he ruled the world. Here he was completely at odds with Xavier whole his father wouldn’t even dare to offend Xavier..
"Why would you think Grace would be in my bed? You don't even like her. What makes you think I would?" Xavier wondered with a scoff.
Grace thought, feeling insulted, "Why is he still putting me down?" In reaction, she pinched Xavier's waist, but she dared not to use too much force.
Xavier was barely hurt by her pinch; it felt like a kitten's scratch that didn't hurt but rather sent a tingling sensation through him.
Xavier immediately reached in, grabbed Grace's hand to prevent any further mischief. If she kept touching him like that, he wasn't sure he could control what would happen next!
Grace's hand was suddenly gripped firmly. She tried to pull away, but Xavier's grip was too strong, and so, fearing too much noise might alert Ryan, she didn't move and let Xavier hold her hand.
There were still subtle movements under the covers, but Ryan, lost in thought about Xavier's words, didn't notice. He mused, ‘Xavier is a big shot in Betaqule, quite powerful and influential. How could he possibly fancy someone as unattractive as Grace?’
Yet, Ryan still had this nagging feeling that Grace could be under the covers.
"Xavier, I'm just going to look, and if Grace isn't there, I'll leave immediately. It's no loss to you," Xavier insisted.
"Ryan, who gave you the right to talk to me this way?" Xavier cut in before Ryan could respond.
"I..." Ryan started.
"Get out!" Xavier's cold gaze fixed on Ryan. It was evident that he was about to lose his temper.
Patrick downstairs heard the commotion. After he had gone to such lengths to keep Xavier around, he was willing to meet Xavier's every demand to please him.
"What's happening?" Patrick ascended the stairs, to find the infuriating Ryan in Xavier's room.
"Why are you here? Don't you know Xavier needs his rest? Get out now!" Patrick knew at a glance that Ryan had crossed the line.
Xavier was not someone Ryan could afford to provoke!
Although Patrick appeared to be scolding Ryan, he was actually trying to save him. He wanted Ryan to leave so he could later reason with Xavier.
"Wait." Xavier spoke with a cold, still calm.
The piercing chill made Ryan shudder, followed by Xavier's command, "Apologize!"
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