Following Lucas into the so-called VIP suite, Beauty took in the surroundings.
While it couldn’t compare to the luxury of New York Grand Hotel, the place was decent overall—clean, comfortable, and tidy.
For her, those three qualities were all she needed in a place to rest.
Their "Uncle Lucas," however, seemed far from impressed.
He surveyed the room with a critical eye, his brows furrowed in displeasure, his expression practically dripping with disdain.
Tilting her head slightly, Beauty took a couple of steps closer and asked, "So... what do you think?
It’s a small town, after all—can’t expect the same standards as New York.
Maybe we can just make do here for tonight?"
Her tone was noticeably softer than before.
Ever since their trip back to his hometown together, her impression of him had shifted more than she cared to admit.
Lucas crossed his arms, pulling open the curtains with his other hand.
His deep, inscrutable eyes flickered with shadows, impossible to read.
People always said women were hard to figure out, but in her opinion, Lucas was even more mysterious—his thoughts buried so deep she wouldn’t dare try guessing them.
"So... you take this bed, I’ll take that one," she declared, lifting her chin slightly.
"No crossing the line tonight.
Whoever does is a total jerk."
Lucas shrugged in agreement.
Then, without warning, he started unbuttoning his shirt right in front of her.
The moment the first button came undone, her face flushed crimson.
"L-Lucas!" she sputtered.
Don’t you dare pull any shady moves!"
His cool gaze flicked upward, amused.
"Did you expect me to shower fully clothed?"
Flustered, she averted her eyes, her cheeks burning.
Frowning in displeasure, she said, "Couldn’t you wait until you were inside the bathroom to take your clothes off?"
"Like I haven’t seen it all before. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ ɴovelfire.net
Do you really think you have any secrets left from me?"
He smirked, raising his fingers in a playful "peeking" gesture.
Sure, it was the truth—but did he have to say it out loud?
Besides, those situations only happened because she’d either been bullied or tricked by him.
And now he had the nerve to bring it up?
As she silently fumed, the man in question had already stepped into the bathroom.
The sound of running water soon filled the air, and her mind began to wander.
The sight of the spacious bed triggered a flood of... less-than-innocent thoughts.
"Beauty, have you no shame?
What on earth are you thinking?
He’s your legal guardian!"
Scolding herself internally, her cheeks burned crimson.
Little did she know, she was already on the verge of becoming his wife in the eyes of the law—though that was a story for another time.
After all, this little hedgehog had no idea she’d long been outmaneuvered by a certain big bad wolf.
Twenty minutes later, Lucas emerged from the bathroom, bare-chested, water droplets glistening on his skin.
He wore only snug boxer briefs that left little to the imagination, every sculpted line of his physique on full display.
Her eyes widened as she stared, swallowing hard.
In her entire life, she’d only ever seen one man’s body—this infuriatingly attractive, heart-stopping handsome man standing before her.
"Why is your little face so red?
What’s going through that mind of yours?"
Suddenly, he leaned in close, the fresh scent of his shampoo mingling with the intoxicating musk of his skin—sweet, warm, and undeniably masculine.
Beauty, what the hell are you thinking?!
Snapping back to reality, she lifted her chin and gave him a cold once-over.
If she was going to look, she might as well do it openly.
It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen him before.
Summoning her nerves, she straightened her posture and shot him a dismissive glance.
"What’s so special about your body?
I’ve seen it enough times—it’s all the same, isn’t it?"
The words tumbled out too fast, and a pang of guilt nearly made her bite her own tongue.
Damn it, he’d actually been insulted by this brat.
Tonight, he’d make sure she learned exactly how his body differed from other men’s.
He’d show her what real satisfaction felt like.
Not every man was built like him, after all.
After her defiant retort, Beauty bolted toward the bathroom, moving so hastily that she nearly tripped face-first onto the floor.
Her heart practically leaped into her throat from the scare.
Inside, she dragged out her routine, scrubbing her skin raw and washing her hair over and over until it struck her—
What was she even doing?
Was she just setting herself up to be devoured?
Had spending so much time with Lucas really corrupted her thoughts this much?
Disgusted with herself, she mentally recoiled.
With a cheerful expression, she wrapped herself in a towel and headed toward the large bed.
After all, that perverted uncle had just promised her—anyone who dared cross the line would be a bastard.
Surely he wouldn’t want to be one, right?
So the woman sauntered around the room in her towel, swaying gracefully as she circled near him.
Lucas was hunched over his laptop, occasionally lifting his damp eyes to glance at her with an unreadable expression.
Seeing him engrossed in work and clearly uninterested in entertaining her, she quickly lost her playful mood.
With a huff, she flopped onto the bed, ready to sleep.
Then, suddenly, a sultry moan drifted through the walls.
Her heart leaped into her throat, and she strained her ears.
One after another, the sounds kept coming.
What kind of VIP suite was this?
The soundproofing was absolute trash!
How could they let *those* noises through?
This was beyond mortifying..
Her chest prickled as if tiny ants were gnawing at her, leaving her restless and fidgeting.
Clearly, Lucas had heard it too.
He snapped his laptop shut, a smirk tugging at his lips.
He was never one to back down—not in anything.
First, he’d been mocked by this little brat, and now some guy next door was showing off?
No way was he letting that slide.
Time to reclaim some dignity.
"Hey, kid," he drawled, flashing her a devilish grin, his sharp brows quirking up.
"How about we give it a try too?"
Before she could react, his long legs had already closed the distance.
In one swift motion, he pinned her beneath him, fingers lacing through hers.
You jerk!" she sputtered, eyes wide with indignation.
"Didn’t you just say whoever crosses the line is a bastard?
Or do you *want* to be one?"
His lips brushed against hers, his breath warm against her ear.
"If I didn’t come over, I’d be worse than a bastard.
As long as I get a taste of your meat, I don’t care what you call me."
That sounded so weird.
Before she could process it, she was already sinking into his tender trap—and truth be told, she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to climb back out.