Chapter 514:
“You haven’t…tried it, have you?” Her voice was laced with worry. “You’ve been here a while. Have you been able to resist?”
Seeing her concerned expression, Caden suppressed a smile. “I wondered when you’d ask.”
Alicia shuddered. “What do you mean by that?”
Caden’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “I didn’t think you’d ask, so I wasn’t planning on telling you.”
A chill ran through her as she trembled. “You…you actually used it?”
“Yep.” Her heart dropped. “How much? Was it just that stuff?” Though she had never seen such substances up close, she knew enough about their dangers: once you start, there’s no going back.
“Oh, it’s something even stronger,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her neck, a hint of laughter in his voice.
Her chest tightened with panic. “Stronger? Caden, what is it? Is there any way to stop it?”
He threw his head back, laughing. “It’s your body, Alicia. It’s like an aphrodisiac, and there’s no cure.”
Alicia’s heart, wound tight with fear, suddenly relaxed as relief flooded her. Anger replaced her panic, and tears of frustration welled in her eyes. Caden’s laughter faded, and he gently brushed her tears away.
“Why are you crying?” he asked softly, a hint of concern in his voice.
She punched and kicked at him, furious and too overwhelmed to form words. He knew she’d believe whatever he said, yet he’d toyed with her feelings, watching her panic for his amusement. She pushed him away, turning her back, refusing to speak.
Caden leaned in, pressing against her from behind. “Come on, let’s just finish this, and then you can be mad.”
She whirled around, her hand aiming for a slap. He caught her wrist quickly, but it was a diversion—her true target wasn’t his face; it was elsewhere. With a swift move, Alicia’s hip collided with his lower body. He let out a strangled groan as pain shot through him, his vision momentarily blurring as he stumbled back. Not satisfied, Alicia gave him one last kick, sending him off the bed.
“Serves you right!” she muttered, pulling the blanket around herself as she turned over and promptly closed her eyes, letting sleep claim her.
Caden lay sprawled on the floor, wondering if he’d taken the joke too far. How did she react so fast? He shook his head, silently cursing himself for teaching her self-defense. Meanwhile, Alicia drifted off to sleep, completely unaware of the chaos she’d caused.
The next morning, she stirred, feeling a strong arm wrapped securely around her. She blinked, then relaxed into his warmth, turning to hug his waist tightly. Caden’s eyes opened slowly, a frown settling on his face as he let out a low groan.