Love's Cunning Ruse




Blood trickled from the corner of Rowan's mouth, and with a nonchalant swipe of his thumb, he wiped away the crimson streak. The commotion had already drawn the attention of the neighbor, Kleist, who upon seeing Rowan's injury, had his gaze sharpen with concern.

"Back off," Rowan calmly directed toward Kleist.

Kleist had already pinned the blame for Rowan's wound on Dylan, since Kieran had departed the scene with Julie, which Kleist hadn't witnessed, leaving Dylan as the prime suspect in his mind.

"Back off!" Rowan's tone hardened, his voice icy.

Reluctantly, Kleist stepped back but kept a watchful eye on Dylan.

The cut at Rowan's mouth was a clear sign of Kerry's force. A member of the Fitzgerald clan, Kerry could have easily turned a gun on Rowan, and if he hadn't intervened in time, he believed Kerry might have actually pulled the trigger.

Dylan glanced at the disheveled bathroom, piecing together what Kieran and Julie were up to. Knowing he couldn't follow, he turned to Rowan and coughed, "This is one hell of a misunderstanding."

Rowan seemed to ignore Dylan's mutterings and turned to leave.

Dylan, thinking Rowan was going after Julie and Kieran, quickly grabbed Rowan's arm, "I mean, she's a married woman, Mr. Kyle. Don't you think this is unbecoming of your stature?"

Rowan simply gave Dylan a piercing look at the hand on his arm.

That gaze was sharp. Dylan was there to watch Rowan's back, not to dig his own grave, so he quickly let go.

But from Rowan's eyes, Dylan sensed a deeper meaning.

He looked in the direction Kieran and Julie had gone, then back at Rowan, his brow furrowed as he grasped Rowan's arm again, "Mr. Kyle, I shouldn't need to remind you, she's a married woman, right?"

Rowan's eyes had burned with passion when he followed Julie's departure. Although he didn't step forward to pursue her, Dylan was convinced that if Kerry and he hadn't arrived in time, even if it was all a misunderstanding, Rowan wouldn't have minded letting the misconception continue...

Dylan held Rowan back, "A love triangle is immoral, especially when two renowned men fight over a woman, and that woman is already married. If you dare to step in, you're not just the third party-you're an unethical, unscrupulous third party..."

"Who are you calling a third party?" Kleist, fiercely loyal and increasingly fluent in English, immediately stepped up behind Rowan and coldly rebuked Dylan.

Rowan, throughout this, remained silent.

Dylan, though tall, realized that Rowan was even taller, his presence unmatched. He admired Rowan's ability to remain composed even when caught in a compromising situation in a bathtub.

But then...

"Let me put it straight-you'd rather hop into bed with my brother Kerry than with my sister-in-law. Who drugged her?" Dylan's loyalty blazed as he looked up defiantly at Rowan.

Yet, all he got in return was Rowan's dismissive, "Remember to have Kerry send over the medical bill."

"Kleist, show the gentleman out." With a wave of his hand, Rowan shrugged off Dylan's grip.

After Kieran left Rowan's suite with Julie in his arms, she hung limply against him, biting his neck with alternating gentleness and force, her grip on him as relentless as an octopus.

The room manager, who had failed to stop Kieran earlier, now recognized his status and hurriedly called out, "Mr. Hernandez..."

Kieran kicked open a nearby room door and commanded, "Open up!"

Intimidated by Kieran's aura, the manager quickly swiped his master key, forgetting to check if the room was occupied.

As the door swung open, shrieks erupted from within. A couple, caught in the midst of an intimate act, hastily covered their heads with the blanket.

The manager's mind raced-the balding man in the throes of passion seemed strikingly familiar. Wasn't he the managing director of Simpo Co.'s talent agency? And the leggy beauty? The leading lady from a hit TV show...

The managing director, never having imagined being caught in the act by his own boss, stammered in terror, "Mr... Mr..."

"Get dressed and go write your resignation letter at the office!"

Kieran closed the door behind the startled pair and had the room manager open the adjacent door.

Once inside with Julie, he shut the door behind them. She continued her assault, her hands fumbling with the buttons of his shirt, every clumsy move seemingly designed to entice him.

"Bro Kieran..." The incoherent murmurs of the woman in his arms revealed the depths of her desires.

He had been furious at the thought of his wife in Rowan's embrace, but her soft whispers defeated him utterly.

She clung to him like a koala, calling his name repeatedly.

Her lips sought his lower lip, her breath heavy and intermingling with his.

Propped up by the pillow, he finally took control, deepening their kiss. Slowly, he guided her down onto the bed, her restless hands suddenly grasping him-

Kieran's eyes popped wide open, his hand snapping out to grab Julie's. His Joyce, nearly the death of him.

Unfulfilled and frazzled, Julie tugged her hand away, reaching to tear at his shirt. But the darn thing was made of such good quality that it just wouldn't rip.

"Joyce, let me," he whispered near her ear, his warm lips brushing past.

Sweet nothings were usually captivating, but at that moment, they meant nothing to Julie.

Right then, all she felt was like she was caged, desperate for release. And this man, taking his sweet time on her, was worried about hurting her.

Where she got the strength from, she didn't know, but she flipped him over and pinned him down. Her hands moved to his belt, and she positioned herself just so.

Silence. This was the most ferocious Kieran had ever been overpowered.

And for Julie, it was the one and only time she took the reins...

***

When she woke up, it was already dark outside.

Julie felt like she'd been run over by a train-sore and achy, as if her bones were

fractured.

Her memory, however, retained nothing.

She only remembered accidentally bumping another car, getting out to apologize, and then getting clonked on the head with something. She collapsed on the ground, the last image in her mind being a pair of velvety black high heels and a pair of shapely, pale legs... Content belongs

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What happened after that?

Was she carried off to a circus act to break stones with her chest? Why did her

chest feel like it was about to break?

The room was dark, the meds hadn't

fully worn off, and Julie was groggy. She couldn't tell where she was feeling around in the darkness, only

to find herself alone. Content

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Every part of her hurt. She reached to feel her chest and let out a sigh of relief-still

intact.

With that thought, her eyes snapped open.

Where was she?

What had just happened?

The unfamiliar surroundings sent her heart racing. Yet, there was a scent in the air

that calmed her, unmistakably Mr. Hernandez's...

"Awake?" A familiar voice came from afar.

Indeed, it was Mr. Hernandez's voice.

Like a startled bird, Julie turned, seeking Kieran in the darkness.

Kieran, standing by the door, reached for the light switch.

The room flooded with light, too bright for Julie's eyes. She shielded them until they

adjusted and she could see the man before her. Yes, it was her Mr. Hernandez.

He stood neatly dressed by the door.

And herself... She looked down to

find she was sitting up in bed, under the covers, wearing nothing. The odd sensations in her body were a

stark reminder of what might have happened during the time she'd lost her memory. Content belongs to Novelxo.org

The layout of the room, the font on the phone sticker on the nightstand, it all clicked

-this was the Cardinal Hotel.

She was in a hotel, sitting on the bed with not a stitch on, her body aching.

And Kieran... he stood across from her, by the door, clearly having just entered.

He just stood there, silently watching her.

Realizing something, Julie shook her head, clutching the covers tighter as her eyes welled up...

"Joyce." Kieran moved closer.

Julie shook her head, shrinking back until her spine hit the nightstand, "No... it can't

be... it's not like that..."

"Joyce, listen to me—"

"Don't, please don't come any closer." The tears she'd been holding back fell, splashing onto the covers.

She clutched the blanket tight, covering her ears.

"Mr. Hernandez sighed helplessly, gently taking her shoulders, "Honey..."

"Kieran..." Her eyes were red, she grabbed his hand, crying like a child, calling his name but unable to utter another word.

She clung to his hand as though the whole world had forsaken her.

As he looked down at her, she felt ashamed and pulled the covers over herself, until

she was completely enveloped, not a single hair showing...