Chapter 130

Alicia hurled her accusation at him, clearly frustrated. “Even an animal needs rest! You didn’t let me have any that night!”

Caden replied calmly, “Animals rest and continue the next day. You’ve had a whole week.”

Alice retorted sternly, "Are you really comparing me to an animal now?"

Caden remained silent. The conversation had taken an unexpected turn, and knowing better than to escalate, he chose to remain still.

Alice persisted, "So you finally understand how wrong you were, do you?"

Caden shook his head. “Technically, I haven’t done anything wrong according to the agreement. But I’ve learned that sometimes it’s smarter to admit guilt.”

Alice blinked in surprise. Was he referring to her experiences with other men?

Maintaining her composure, she said, “I thought you were more of the controlling type in relationships.”

Caden offered a weak smile, his expression softening. It was clear he was thinking of someone else. “I wouldn’t dare. He’s a nervous wreck.”

Alice had never seen him smile like that before. Whoever he was thinking of seemed to leave him both frustrated and amused. She wanted to tease him—such a self-assured man, yet outdone by a woman.

Attempting a smile, she found her lips stiff. She rubbed her cheeks, quickly averting her gaze. “I need to review the agreement. Some parts are unreasonable.”

Caden’s smile vanished. Without comment, he replied, “If agreements could be changed at will, they wouldn’t mean much.”

Alice frowned. “You said you would respect me, but you only cared about your own pleasure. Isn’t that rape?”

Caden retorted sharply, "Weren't you enjoying yourself, too?"

She had no answer. Her face flushed, but she maintained a firm tone. “In any case, you’ve gone too far. I insist on making changes to the contract.”

Her determination was clear. Caden paused before agreeing. As she worked on the revisions, he moved closer, pulling down her pants. She usually wore loose pants for comfort, which made this easier. Alice quickly tossed aside the mouse and tried to stop him. “What are you doing?”

Caden held her legs. “I’m just checking to see if you’re hurt.”

Alice glared. “Yeah, right!”

“Why are you so angry all of a sudden?” Caden looked directly into her eyes. “I admit I went a little overboard that night, but I checked, and you weren’t hurt. I even gave you a week to recover. If you’re still angry, I must have missed something. I need to find out why.”

Alice was silent. His question caught her off guard. Was she really angry? No, just irritated by his lack of control.

She quickly pulled up her pants. “I’m not hurt. What bothers me is how you keep tormenting me.”

“Who stays angry for a whole week?” he asked incredulously.

She had no answer. Something felt amiss, but she chose not to dwell on it. Finishing her pants, she returned to the agreement, muttering, "I'm not mad anymore. Let's focus on fixing the deal."

Caden commented, “We can deal with that later.”

She gritted her teeth, speechless again. “No, I’m not in the mood.”

She typed furiously, detailing their sexual activity, including frequency and duration. When finished, she calmly presented the revisions and read them aloud. “Let me know if you have any problems with it.”

Caden showed little interest in formality. He slipped his hand inside her shirt, attempting to arouse her. "No. I’m fine with that.”

Despite his dismissive tone, his eyes remained fixed on the screen, ensuring Alicia wasn’t adding anything he disapproved of. She had no time for such subterfuge.

Though she'd claimed disinterest, Caden's touch ignited something within her. Their encounters hadn't been frequent, but he knew her sensitive spots. A strange attraction already existed, and his touch quickly weakened her resolve.

Caden gently cupped her neck, leaning in to kiss her. Pulling back, he noted the excitement in her eyes. A smile spread across her face. “Are you starting to feel it yet?”

Alice turned her head.

“No,” she mumbled, trying to push him away.

Caden saw through her resistance. “I came on strong last time because you made me wait too long. If you reject me today, we’ll end up back where we started.”

Alice was speechless.

“Isn’t that a bad deal?” Caden’s voice was soft as he removed her remaining clothing. Startled, Alicia grabbed his hand. But he pulled her close, against the table, his arms around her waist. He held her wrists, her fingers intertwined, immobilizing her.

Alice struggled, but her body betrayed her. She bit her lip, embarrassed. “Fine. We can do this once.”

Caden chuckled softly, his lips brushing her ear. "Okay. Whatever you say. Good luck."