Chapter 4 Part 4

•~•Solane's POV

I forced myself to breathe, trying to calm my racing heart, even as my chest tightened and a cold knot formed in my stomach.

The air between us had shifted, like the stillness before a storm, and for a split second, I wondered if he'd heard everything.

He couldn't have heard, right? If he had, he would have said something by now.

But still, that damn look in his eyes remained-unreadable, cold as the Baltic in winter. His gaze flicked to the phone at my feet.

"Bad news?" he asked finally, his voice calm, too calm.

I frowned, confused. "What?"

"Did something happen?... You're shivering," he said, tilting his head. Then, he wheeled closer and reached down to pick up my phone from the floor.

He glanced at it briefly before speaking again. "You're lucky it doesn't have a crack... Here."

Suspicion tightened in my chest as I hesitantly took the phone from him.

Unable to hold it in any longer, I spoke. "How long were you standing there?" My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I needed to know if he'd overheard anything.

He looked at me, his brows furrowing in confusion before his expression shifted into a knowing smile. "Oh, I see... My sudden appearance must have startled you."

I straightened up, forcing the unease in my chest to remain buried.

The last thing I needed was for him to see how shaken I really was. So, I did what I always did-mask everything beneath a cool exterior.

"Yes, you did... So, are you just going to stand there and stare at me?" I asked, keeping my voice steady despite the racing pulse in my veins.

He didn't respond right away, his gaze lingering on me, sharp and calculating, before he broke the silence. "I don't understand... You want me to-"

"I expect you to apologise for startling me." I interrupted sharply, my words cold, precise.

He blinked, momentarily thrown off guard by my interruption, but the faintest trace of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

It was a smile I couldn't quite read-amused, maybe, or something else.

"I see," he said slowly, his voice low, as if testing the waters.

He leaned back slightly, his gaze still locked on mine. "Look, Solane, I know our marriage is nothing more than a business arrangement between my mother and your uncle, but I think you should at least give it a chance before resorting to cheating on me."

I frowned. "Cheating?" My voice was sharp, genuine disbelief lacing my tone. "What makes you think I-"

He exhaled, his gaze unwavering. "I overheard you."

A chill ran down my spine. If he really did, what part of the conversation made him think I was cheating?

But then he continued, "I heard you say 'Love you too' to the guy on the phone. Then, the moment you turned and saw me, you dropped the phone and froze like a deer caught in headlights..."

"...So forgive me if I don't see why I should be the one apologizing when it was the fear of being caught red-handed-not my sudden presence-that startled you."

A wave of relief washed over me. So that's what he thought? That meant he didn't hear the earlier part of my conversation with Dad.

A laugh bubbled up in my throat, and I let it out, shaking my head.

Nathaniel's brow furrowed, his lips pressing into a thin line. "What's so funny?"

I crossed my arms and tilted my head. "Mr. Grant," I mused, my tone teasing, "we've known each other for what? Two, three days? And you're already getting jealous of my closeness with my uncle?"

I could see his confusion deepening as his brows remained furrowed, but then his expression shifted as realization dawned. "Wait, that was your-"

"Yes, my uncle," I finished for him, smirking. "He was just calling to check up on us."

Nathaniel exhaled, nodding slowly. "That makes perfect sense... that you'd tell him you loved him too, considering he raised you since-" He stopped abruptly, as if catching himself before saying too much.

I offered a small, knowing smile. "Since my parents passed?"

He nodded, almost hesitantly.

"It's okay," I chuckled softly. "The accident that took my parents happened a long time ago. I was really young, so it doesn't bother me to talk about it."

He studied me for a moment before nodding. "I'm sorry. I guess I got a little paranoid."

I arched a brow. "Paranoid?"

"Well," he shrugged, "we just got married. Whether it was arranged or not, I want to give this a real shot..."

"... And if we're aiming for a healthy, happy, and lasting marriage, then cheating should be off the table. More importantly, we shouldn't keep secrets from each other."

"Secrets?" I echoed, letting out a short chuckle. "Wait-if this is your way of asking whether I have any, shouldn't you go first?" I leaned in slightly, watching him closely. "Tell me yours, and I'll tell you mine."

His gaze held mine, as if he were weighing something, before a faint smirk curved his lips. "Alright." He exhaled, leaning back in his wheelchair with an almost lazy grin.

"Here's my secret... I married a woman who, about a month ago, just so happened to be one of my exclusive strippers at a club." He said, giving me a pointed look.

"And I still can't wrap my head around why the niece of someone as wealthy as Zane Lancaster would do something like that for money."

My smirk didn't waver, but my mind raced-so, he did remember that night.

Nathaniel had always been the type to forget or overlook people unless they made a lasting impression on him. I never thought I had made enough of one that night for him to remember my face.

Back then, he wasn't in a wheelchair. He was still engaged-to her. Shoshana Bates.

But looking back... if I had known he'd end up like this, that his wedding would be called off, and that no other wealthy family would agree to marry their daughters to him... I probably wouldn't have chosen that route to get his attention.

But here we were.

I met his gaze, my smirk widening. "It wasn't for the money."

That caught him off guard. His brow lifted. "It wasn't for money?" he echoed.

I shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Stripping was just a hobby for me," I mused. "I enjoyed the attention men gave me."

His lips twitched. "Was just a hobby, huh?"

I smiled sheepishly. "What?" I shrugged defensively. "I'm married now. And marriage-especially to someone like you-comes with some sacrifices... So no more stripping for me. And by the way, that's also my secret."

He let out a low chuckle. "I guess you're not as naive as my mother claimed you were."

I laughed softly. "I used to be naive. But who stays that way forever? Especially at twenty-seven."

Nathaniel leaned in slightly, a flicker of something unreadable flashing in his eyes. "You know," he said slowly, "you don't have to stop just because you married me."

I gave him a skeptical look. "Stop what?"

He smirked. "Stripping."

I let out a dry chuckle. "You're not the kind of husband who minds?"

"Not as long as I'm the only man you do it for."

A flicker of amusement crossed my face-was he flirting with me right now?

Fine. If that's how he wanted to play it...

I tilted my head, letting my gaze briefly drift down to his groin before meeting his eyes again.

"No offense, Mr. Grant," I began sweetly, "...but I don't strip for men who can't get their dick up." I gestured toward his groin with my index finger.

His gaze followed mine before he let out an exasperated scoff. "Oh, come on. That's just a rumor." He met my eyes, dead serious.

"Just because my legs don't work doesn't mean my..." He trailed off, gesturing toward his groin. "...dick doesn't." He finished with a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

I arched a brow, giving him a skeptical look.

His smirk widened. "Fine, you're more than welcome to debunk those awful rumors yourself." His voice dropped, teasing yet laced with challenge. "After all, tonight is... our wedding night."

Before I could respond, he pressed a button on the armrest of his wheelchair, effortlessly wheeling himself out the balcony and into our suite.

I stood there for a moment, watching him. The seductive look in his eyes was unmistakable, an invitation-one I hadn't expected from him, considering how cold he had been to me since we met, and especially today, during and after our wedding.

I had thought it would be hard to charm him, but it seemed he was going to make my job of getting him to fall for me a whole lot easier.

I followed him inside, closing the glass door behind me. My fingers toyed with the belt of my robe before loosening it and letting it slip off my shoulders, pooling at my feet to reveal the lace bra and panties I wore underneath.

His eyes darkened as they swept over me, hunger flickering beneath his carefully controlled expression.

But then... something changed. His gaze froze on one particular spot-my hip.

The jagged scar that ran from my hip up to my rib.

His jaw tightened. His eyes darkened-not with desire, but with something else. Something like... anger?

His gaze flickered back to mine, his tone now serious. "What happened to you there?"

For a moment, I simply stared at him, trying to understand why he seemed almost angry at the sight of it.

I hesitated, holding his gaze for a second before answering smoothly, "I was in a car accident as a child-the same one that killed my parents. Surely you didn't think I survived without a scratch?"

He was silent for a moment, his eyes locked on mine, as if processing my words while also searching for the lie in them.

Finally, he nodded. "Right."

To break the heavy moment, I took slow, deliberate steps toward him, placing my hands on his shoulders before sliding onto his lap. "Let's not ruin the moment with something that happened years ago... Okay?"

He didn't respond. His gaze searched mine, as if still trying to read something deeper. But then, as if giving in, he leaned in.

The kiss started slowly. Testing. But then it deepened-urgent, consuming, as if he couldn't get enough of it-of me.

My breath hitched as I pulled back slightly, stunned. Okay, that... was not how I expected that to go.

And then I made the mistake of locking eyes with him, which was dangerous, considering how those green eyes were dark with desire, heavy with heat.

Damn it.

I knew that look too well. I had seen it before-too many times during our days back in the university. Back when melting under that specific gaze had been... impossible to resist.

I looked away quickly, trying to compose myself-only to freeze when I felt it.

The hard bulge pressing against me.

My head snapped back to him in shock.

Nathaniel smirked. "Told you."

I blinked.

He tilted his head, amusement dancing in his eyes. "So... should I order a dancing pole for you? Or should we skip the foreplay and move on to something much more interesting, preferably on the bed?"

I bit my lower lip seductively, leaned in closer, and let my breath graze his lips. "I'd very much prefer the latter."