Chapter 153: Kissing Her

Sierra added, “He had it coming. He messes with everyone.”

Hearing this, Kason couldn’t help but ask, “So you know who he offended?”

“No clue!” Sierra replied indifferently. “But with an attitude like his, it was only a matter of time before someone put him in his place.”

Kason didn’t doubt it and nodded in agreement. “That’s true. Because of him, things have been under strict scrutiny lately. Even those who used to stir up trouble don’t dare to anymore.”

Sierra felt a flicker of disappointment. She had come here expecting to gain something useful. With Brendan’s downfall, Kason would be even more cautious, making it harder to catch him slipping. But she had another reason for coming tonight. She shifted gears and said, “Enough about that. Didn’t you say you had a gift for me? Where is it?”

She extended her hand toward Kason. Her slender fingers had an almost hypnotic grace, making Kason’s heart skip a beat. He had the urge to take her hand, but before he could, Sierra retracted it.

She spoke coolly. “What’s going on? You can’t even hand over a gift?”

“Of course I can!” Kason said, pulling out a USB drive and tossing it lightly in his hand. “You’ll definitely be pleased with this.”

Sierra reached for it, but Kason smoothly pulled it out of her grasp. Her eyes darkened with displeasure. “Seriously? You’re this stingy over a gift?”

“Not at all,” Kason said with a knowing smirk. “I just don’t like how distant you are with me.”

Sierra’s expression turned cold. Without hesitation, she stood up and walked away.

Kason hadn’t expected such a reaction. He hesitated for a moment before hurrying after her. “I don’t even get a little sweet talk?” he asked, half-exasperated.

Though she was younger than him, Sierra’s presence was just as commanding. She lifted her foot and kicked him lightly. “Get lost.”

Kason should have been annoyed, but instead, he found himself enjoying this. He quickly handed her the USB drive. “Alright, don’t be mad. My bad.”

Mateo, who had been eavesdropping on the entire exchange, nearly dropped his drink. This woman is something else. She’s got Kason wrapped around her finger. Is Jon caught in the same trap?

His gaze shifted toward Jonathan. This time, Jonathan’s expression was no longer indifferent. Even though he knew Sierra was merely playing a role, irritation still stirred within him. He could imagine every expression she had made while speaking to Kason—expressions he himself had never seen, yet another man had. The moment Sierra finished dealing with Kason, the first thing he would do was make sure Kason never laid eyes on her.

Mateo had an idea what Jonathan was thinking, but the air around him grew increasingly tense. Instinctively, Mateo shifted. That was when Jonathan finally acknowledged his presence. Jonathan cast him a frigid glance. Mateo stiffened, his mind racing before he blurted, “I didn’t hear a thing.”

Jonathan finally withdrew his gaze. “You can leave now,” he said flatly.

Sierra was on her way out, and if Mateo hadn’t been the one who set up the surveillance, allowing them to listen in, Jonathan wouldn’t have tolerated his presence in the car at all. Used and discarded without a second thought. But Mateo knew better than to complain. He slipped out of the car immediately.

Sierra had no idea her conversation with Kason had been overheard. Clutching the USB drive, she made her way outside. Her heart pounded against her ribs. Part of it was the confrontation with Kason. The other part was that she wasn’t sure if the USB drive truly contained what she was looking for.

From a distance, she spotted Jonathan’s car and broke into a run. Once inside, she shut the door, finally feeling a sliver of safety. Just as she wanted to speak, a tall figure suddenly leaned in.

She froze. Before she could react, Jonathan’s lips crashed onto hers. Her eyes flew open in shock. For the past two days, their interactions had been limited to hand-holding and forehead kisses. Now, Jonathan was kissing her outright, catching her completely off guard. His kiss was searing, laced with a silent fury.

“Jo…” She instinctively tried to speak, but Jonathan seized the opportunity, deepening the kiss. Sierra felt her breath hitch. She had never been this close to anyone before.

At first, she resisted, pushing against his chest. But at some point, her strength drained away, and instead of pushing him away, her hands clenched onto his coat, gripping him tightly. Just as she thought she might suffocate, Jonathan finally let her go.