Chapter 184: Inside and Outside

The man’s slightly coarse fingers brushed against the dark green satin.

With just a little more pressure, he could grasp the slender waist beneath the fabric.

The quiet patter of rain tapped against the window. A screen, not yet turned off, cast a faint glow, shrouding everything in the corners of the room.

Zoe Pierce’s curled lashes fluttered nervously. Her palm rested on the nape of his neck, where she could feel the steady beat of Chase Shaw’s pulse.

Her liquid eyes wavered for a moment before she tightened her grip on his shirt. "Do as you wish."

It was as if she had personally unlocked a wild beast’s cage. The man’s breath immediately deepened, and the large hand that had been resting lightly on her waist suddenly clenched tight.

Her slender waist, small enough to be encircled by a single hand, was now completely in his grasp.

Chase Shaw hadn’t planned on doing anything. ’All I want is fairness,’ he thought. ’And maybe... just a little something more.’

The dark green satin was already loose, and it slid down to pool around her waist, revealing a stretch of dazzlingly pale skin.

Her breath hitched, and her long hair cascaded down her back.

Chase Shaw carried Zoe Pierce from the doorway to the marble table. She bit her lower lip, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Zoe Pierce, look at me," he said, his voice low and raspy as he stood between her legs.

She raised her head, her expression shy and hesitant.

The man stretched his arms and easily pulled his T-shirt off over his head.

’The abs and chest I’ve caressed every night... now they’re bare right before my eyes.’

Raw, masculine energy radiated from him.

He suddenly leaned in, pulling away the hands Zoe Pierce had crossed in front of her chest. With an almost brutish, unyielding force, he pinned them by the side of her face.

He moved so fast she couldn’t even process what was happening, his proximity stealing her breath.

’I feel like a platter of dessert,’ Zoe Pierce thought.

’Being sampled in every way imaginable by a picky connoisseur.’

’The connoisseur doesn’t say much, but I can read his verdict on the food in his expression.’

"Chase... don’t..."

Zoe Pierce felt like everything was spiraling out of control. She was sinking into a deep mire, and could only cry out instinctively for him to stop.

The marble tabletop beneath her had already grown warm, absorbing her body heat.

She reached up to cover Chase’s mouth.

But Chase dodged, ignoring her plea. Instead, he sealed her lips with his own—the same ones that had been savoring her like a delicacy.

Outside, the rain grew heavier, and the temperature dropped.

But inside, the air remained comfortably warm, now tinged with a feverish heat.

An unknown amount of time passed. The entire living room was thick with the scent of Cedar, a fragrance that clung to the air.

The robot, seemingly detecting the abnormal concentration of pheromones, slid out from the shadows. It stopped with its back to the table. "Detecting pheromone imbalance in master’s companion. Is an inhibitor required?"

Not having disabled this particular robotic function was both a mood killer and a stark reminder.

Zoe Pierce’s fingers, which were resting on Chase’s arm, instantly tightened.

Chase looked up and ordered in a low voice, "Not needed. Leave."

The robot processed for two seconds before obeying the human’s command and sliding away.

Zoe Pierce felt completely drained, as if she were dehydrated. Chase grabbed her hand, pressed it to his chest, and then leaned back down over her.

But in the next second, they both clearly heard a CLICK from the front door.

Without a moment’s thought, Chase knit his brows and instantly used his spiritual power to hold the door shut.

But the person at the door forced it open a crack and called out hesitantly, "Zoe Pierce?"

The voice was familiar. Zoe Pierce abruptly shoved Chase away and asked uncertainly, "Erin Xavier?"

She quickly pulled her straps back into place, her throat tight with anxiety.

"Yes." Standing in the doorway, the initial joy had vanished from Erin Xavier’s eyes, replaced by a sharp gaze peering through the gap.

The pressure on the door was steadily increasing, as if trying to force him to submit and let it swing shut.

"Why are you here now?" Her mouth was terribly dry. Her shimmering eyes glanced at the bare-chested Chase before she bent down, picked up his shirt, and handed it to him.

Erin Xavier replied, "It’s time. Our time."

Zoe belatedly grabbed her Intelligent Brain and glanced at the screen. It was only a few minutes past midnight.

She looked up to say something but noticed that Chase had taken the shirt but wasn’t putting it on. He was just holding it in his hand.

"Chase Shaw is in there, I know," he said with conviction. His eyes were dark and stormy, and the rain behind him drifted onto his shoulders, oblivious to his mood.

"Open the door."

The veins on his forearm bulged as he pressed against the doorframe.

After a long moment, he heard the rustle of clothing, and then the Gravity on the door instantly vanished.

Erin Xavier pushed the door open and stepped inside.

More potent than the sight before him was the scent pervading the living room.

And to top it off, Chase was pulling his shirt on right in front of him.

At this distance, he had a clear view of the red scratch marks on Chase’s arms.

Chase’s expression showed he thought nothing of it, his gaze sweeping over Erin with cool indifference.

An unspeakable rage erupted in his chest, but Erin didn’t let it show. Instead, he stood to the side, his face a cold mask.

His gaze then shifted to Zoe Pierce—to her thin straps and disheveled hair...

Without a word, he tapped something on his Intelligent Brain. The scent in the room instantly began to dissipate.

At that, Chase turned his gaze to Erin.

"Chase, it’s time to go." Suppressing his rage, Erin even managed to crack a smile.

’Everyone has to follow the rules.’

A dark glint flashed in Chase’s eyes, and his jaw tensed.

In the end, he finished dressing and looked at Zoe Pierce. "Zoe, I’m leaving."

Zoe was thinly clad, her slender, pale arms completely bare. His voice was laced with reluctance. ’Ever since Nathan Lockwood’s turn, I’ve been the one benefiting from this arrangement, so...’

’Even if I don’t want to leave, I have to.’

The atmosphere in the room was strange and tense. Zoe hummed in acknowledgment. Even though Erin was still smiling, she could sense the turmoil of his emotions.

The robot, having received its command, brought Chase his umbrella. The Hovercar was parked in the yard, no more than ten steps away.

The front door stood open. Zoe Pierce and Erin Xavier watched as the robot escorted Chase to the car and he departed.

The robot thoughtfully closed the door before rolling back into its corner.

The room instantly plunged into silence.

Zoe noticed that the back of Erin’s shirt was nearly soaked through, and a pang of guilt made her speak up. "Do you want to change into some dry clothes?"

Erin stood there quietly. At her words, he simply pulled off his shirt, which was damp and clinging to his skin from the rain.

Zoe froze for a second.

’It was just as Nathan Lockwood had said: when it came to physiques, no one in the squad was lacking.’

’Even Erin, despite his baby face, was six feet tall. And while he usually had a devil-may-care attitude and wore his heart on his sleeve, the lines of his muscles were fluid and powerful, every bit a match for Chase’s.’