Chapter 138

So tonight, Joshua and Shermaine were sharing a room. To Joshua, it was undeniably a raw temptation, an open challenge to his self-restraint. But truth be told, he didn’t feel like resisting.

“Two double rooms, then,” he said.

After James secured the keys, Shermaine and Joshua took their luggage upstairs. Not long after, the rowdy group they’d encountered on the road burst in, cursing loudly as they stumbled through the door. They had three cars, more than ten people.

All of them were soaked to the skin, shivering from the cold and dripping water onto the floor. Even worse, they were cursing loudly.

Shermaine and Joshua’s room was on the third floor—the top of the old building. The air reeked of mildew, poorly masked by cheap air freshener. The result was a nauseating chemical mess.

The stairs were wooden and creaky. Every step groaned under pressure, like it might snap any second.

At the door, Joshua unlocked their room. It wasn’t large, but it was clean enough.

James, whose room was a few doors away, said, “Mr. York, Ms. Shue, if you need anything, just call me.”

“You’ve been driving all day. Get some rest,” Joshua replied.

James and another assistant took their leave.

Once inside, Joshua closed the door and began checking the room.

The two beds were separated only by a wooden nightstand with a lamp.

When he finished the inspection, he went into the bathroom to double-check for hidden cameras or surveillance devices. Everything looked clear.

When he returned, he saw Shermaine crouching by her suitcase, pulling out toiletries. On the white sheets beside her, she’d laid out a small collection of food—mostly instant meals.

Joshua watched her back, his gaze intense. “Planning to eat all that for dinner?”

Without looking up, Shermaine said, “They serve dinner downstairs. We can grab something light. The instant meals are for later, maybe after we get to the village.” Wherever she was, Shermaine never neglected feeding herself properly.

“I’ll head down and see what they’ve got,” he said.

“Mm-hmm,” she responded, completely at ease sharing a room with him. There was no hint of awkwardness.

“Need anything while I’m down?”

“Slippers,” Shermaine said. “The ones they gave us are terrible for showering.”

“Got it.”

Joshua made his way downstairs. Just as he reached the lobby, the same thugs from before came in from the storm. They were dripping wet, teeth chattering from the cold, and cursing nonstop.

They were loud, vulgar, and not remotely civilized.

Joshua approached the front desk. “What do you have for dinner?” The innkeeper handed him a menu. Half the dishes were crossed out. “Do you still have fresh ingredients?” Joshua asked.

“Of course we do,” the owner replied.

Joshua slid a wad of cash across the counter. “I’ll borrow your kitchen,” he said.

Seeing the hefty payment, the innkeeper eagerly moved to take Joshua to the kitchen.

A thuggish guy slung an arm over Joshua’s shoulder and leered, his grin full of mischief. “Well, well, look at the big spender. Must be rolling in it, huh? How about sparing some cash for us?”

It was practically robbery, only with a smirk. The other guests didn’t intervene. They weren’t stupid. Everyone here was headed for that same tomb in the mountains. Picking fights before they even got started wasn’t worth it.

Joshua, unfazed, grabbed the man’s wrist and flung it off. He looked up, voice calm and razor-sharp. “You think I’m a charity?”