Chapter 470

There were many ways to interpret the word miss, especially between two adults who were not only lovers but husband and wife.

When Joshua asked if she missed him, he hadn’t just meant her heart. He meant her body too.

Once a man who lived with monk-like discipline, Joshua had long since crossed that line with Shermaine. From the moment she got pregnant to the birth of Gracie, they had spent almost a year apart.

A kiss wasn’t nearly enough. Joshua wanted more. He always had and always would.

And he’d noticed that since Shermaine gave birth, her waist had become much more sensitive to his touch.

The lightest brush, and she’d go soft in his arms, pliant, like he could do whatever he wanted if he just applied a little more pressure.

Of course, Shermaine knew exactly what he meant. She smiled, saying nothing either way.

If she dared say she did miss him, he wouldn’t let her walk away so easily.

But with Gracie sleeping right next to them, and a high-stakes match waiting for her later tonight, there was no time or energy to deal with Joshua right now.

Instead, she stretched out lazily and said, “You’ve already had your kiss. Time to go get me that warm water.” She’d been through enough today. What she really wanted was a quiet moment to rest before her tournament.

Her voice was low and sultry, faced with effortless allure.

“What temperature?” he asked.

“Somewhere around 100 degrees. Not hot enough to burn my lips.”

Joshua refocused, rose from the bed, and headed off to prepare the water.

Once he left the room, Shermaine finally sat up. She reached for her chest, rubbing lightly.

Sometimes, it really was unbearable, a kind of pain that lingered no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.

Thankfully, she’d worn moisture-absorbing underwear. If it had been anything else, she would’ve had to change several times already.

Gracie was fast asleep, not even stirring.

Shermaine checked the time. Gracie would likely stay down for a while longer. By the time she woke up for her next feeding, Shermaine would already be competing.

Outside, the sea breeze was calm and refreshing. Laughter drifted across the deck of the cruise ship, as if Mandy’s brutal death earlier had already faded into a distant illusion, like fireworks, bright for a moment, and then gone without a trace.

But Joshua’s appearance had sparked speculation among the guests.

Violet hair? That was a known trait of someone on the country’s most-wanted list.

Still, the people surrounding him were intimidating enough to shut down any reckless curiosity. Combine that with the kind of destruction Shermaine had caused on her own, and no one was brave enough to make a move.

No one except Simon.

Simon had already ordered an investigation into Joshua’s identity.

At that moment, one of his men stood by with a report. “Mr. Lambert, based on our intel, there’s an eighty percent chance that the man who appeared tonight is the same one on the wanted list. His background is complicated.

“He’s the leader of the Eagle Assassins and goes by the name Mr. Cain Reaper. If we try to confront him directly, the risk may outweigh the reward. My recommendation is to report this to the military and let them handle the arrest.”

It was the safest and most cautious approach.

But Simon shook his head. “Are you underestimating me?”

He scoffed inwardly, ‘He’s just the boss of some assassin group. What’s there to be afraid of?’

“That’s not what I meant,” his man replied quickly. “I’m only thinking of the task your father assigned. I wouldn’t want this to distract from your greater mission.”

Simon’s gambling skills were unmatched, but his talents extended beyond the table. He had once been awarded the kingdom’s highest honor by Judy and held the top rank on Xyperia’s warrior registry.

“I want the champion’s trophy,” Simon said coolly, “and I want the woman too.”

His ambition knew no bounds.

‘That man who showed up tonight? He has to die,’ Simon said to himself.

The thought of another man holding Shermaine, touching her, tasting her lips sent Simon into a jealous rage.

He was used to getting everything he wanted. This would be no exception.

Tonight’s tournament was set to begin at 9 PM. Now, there was only one hour left.

Back inside the room, after Joshua had left, Shermaine took out a sterilized baby bottle and breast pump. She expressed a small amount of milk, stored it, and then lay down to rest for a few minutes.

Outside, the silver-haired assassin knocked and entered.

He found Joshua in the kitchen, heating water.

Men in the Kingdom of Xyperia were raised to treat women with respect and gentleness. But this level of devotion was rare.

Joshua wasn’t just making warm water. He was baking a cake.

“Sir,” the assassin began, “that man, Simon, is Bronx Lambert’s son. I looked into it. He’s been trying to get close to Mrs. Y for days, even invited her to dinner. She turned him down every time.

“Earlier today, when she went to buy medicine, his men tried to block her path, but the woman who died disrupted their plan.”

Not that it would’ve worked. Even without interference, Shermaine was never going to go with Simon.

“I’ve got a detailed file on him. Would you like to review it?” the assassin asked.

Joshua slid the cake into the oven and shook his head calmly. “No need.”

“Sir, Simon wants you dead,” the assassin added.

Joshua had never made a secret of his identity. Plenty of people wanted him gone. None had succeeded.

Should Simon be foolish enough to show himself, Joshua would make sure he didn’t leave alive.

He had never shown mercy to any man who dared covet Shermaine.

And Simon… Simon would be the first man he’d personally deal with.

Because anyone like him, anyone who claimed to like Shermaine, was nothing short of an insult to her.

“You all know who I am,” Joshua said quietly. “If any of my information leaks, intercept it immediately.”

Shermaine’s reasons for joining the International Gambling Tournament had to be deeper than just making herself easy to find. She was up to something else. He didn’t want to disrupt her plans.

Especially since he had no intention of carrying out Bronx’s assignment. His real target… was Judy. This was the perfect opportunity. Barkeep was only the beginning.

“Yes, sir.”

Joshua’s voice dropped even lower. “Baykeep will be ours.”

At those words, the assassin felt his blood rush with excitement.

Joshua finished preparing the warm water and plated the cake. When he returned to the room and sat at the edge of the bed, the scent of milk from Shermaine’s body hit him again, thicker this time, laced with her natural perfume. It was dizzying.

One whiff, and his desire only grew.

The moment Shermaine caught the scent of something sweet, her eyes fluttered open. The first thing she saw was Joshua’s face hovering close.

And then, without a word, he leaned in and kissed her again.

Another long, drawn-out kiss—deep and unrelenting.

His hand slid to her waist and then slowly wandered upward.

Her breath caught as a sharp sting spread through her chest. A sound slipped from her throat, quiet and tense. Her lashes trembled, and her eyes grew damp.

Joshua froze instantly, his expression tense. He looked down at her, voice quiet and apologetic. “Sheary… I didn’t mean to hurt you. I wasn’t pressing that hard.”