Wife by Day, Boss by Night by Thalia Quillspeak

Chapter 32
Gavin had said he’d swing by, so Natalie left her door unlocked.
She waited with a sense of ease untii the prolonged silence behind her sparked a nerve. Something felt off.
She turned around, only to catch Brian leaning casually against the wall, his gaze fixed on her with an unreadable expression.
Despite bracing herself for any encounter with him, Natalie couldn’t help but shiver, instinctively taking a step back.
“Disappointed for my presence?” Brian’s voice cut through the tension, laced with a hint of mockery as his lips parted in a faint
sneer.
Natalie couldn’t recall when he had slipped in, silent as a shadow. The hotel’s partially open restroom had offered no clues, her
focus having been on the running water and her reflection in the mirror. And then there was the voicemail she had sent to King.
Had Brian heard that, too?
She remained quiet for a moment before responding in a low voice, “Please leave.”
But Brian seemed to ignore her request, chuckling softly instead. “I’m curious, does Gavin pay as he goes, or does he have
some sort of subscription with you?”
His insinuation hit her like a slap. Brian thought she was engaging in that sexual business? What did he take her for?
Natalie frowned, unable to hide her irritation. Pointing towards the door, she demanded with more force, “I said get out!”
Before her hand could retract, Brian grabbed it fiercely, pulling her towards him against the wall.

She found herself enveloped in his unexpected embrace, her other hand lashing out towards his face without a second thought.
The sound of her slap was dull, the pain profound.
Brian didn’t dodge but simply bore the brunt of it, and Natalie was momentarily stunned to see his lip bleeding from her strike.
“Enough?” His eyes shimmered with scorn as he spoke softly.
She had learned self–defense as a child, and it was Brian who had taught her. Now, she was using those very skills against him.
As panic flickered across her face, he gripped her waist tightly and lifted her onto the bed.
“Brian, let me go!” Natalie had three years of training with King’s security company, where even the toughest instructors had
trouble with her agility. Yet, with Brian, she seemed to have no chance to fight back.
She struggled to break free, but he captured both her hands with one of his, pinning them above her head on the bed.
“Since we’re settling Audrey’s debt, am I not a better deal than Gavin?” His eyes were icy as he stared down at her, his voice a
low growl through clenched teeth.
This wasn’t like Brian at all. He was always cold, always biting, but never had he spoken such shamelessly vile words, never had
he forced her to do anything she didn’t want to.
Pain whitened her face, and she gazed at him, close enough to feel his breath, lost and helpless.
“Don’t look at me with those eyes. I’m sick of it!” he snapped, taking a deep breath.
The pressure on her wrists increased.

Ever since she had been brought into the Howard family at six years old, she had looked at him with those innocent eyes. It
wasn’t until that fateful night he realized it was all a ploy, a trickery of Natalie and Audrey to wear down his defenses and get
what they wanted.
Natalie turned even paler. After a moment, her voice trembled as she replied. “You’re not tired of me looking at you. You’re just
tired of me.”
She had spent sixteen years trying to find a way to open the heart of a devil, yet no method seemed to penetrate his armor.