Janelle frowned. She hated being pressured more than anything. And Erik was pressuring her now.
She glared at him.
"Erik, I said I'm not drinking it." Janelle was genuinely resistant. She shouldn't have come back to his villa.
"Janelle, look at my hands." Erik held out his scalded hands. The once finely-knuckled fingers bore several angry red burns.
"..." What was this supposed to mean?
"Does that concern me?" Such beautiful hands, ruined by his own actions.
"How doesn't it? Janelle, your mother is alone at the border! She needs your care. You're her only daughter. If something happens to you, what becomes of her?" Erik knew her mother was her deepest concern. It was the only leverage he had to make her take the medicine.
"Erik, you've crossed a line." Janelle stood firm, refusing to drink.
"I never imagined the formidable Miss Rovella would be afraid of a little herbal medicine."
"Don't try to provoke me. It won't work."
Seeing her continued refusal, Erik picked up the bowl, took a large sip, then pinned her beneath him. He kissed her, forcing the bitter liquid into her mouth.
"..." Janelle was genuinely shocked he'd resort to this method. She fought back, but he used his body to hold her down firmly. In her struggle, some medicine trickled from the corner of her mouth. Seeing this, Erik licked it clean.
"..." Her mouth flooded with bitterness. Janelle was speechless.
Erik took another sip.
"Stop! I'll drink it myself!" Janelle was utterly exasperated.
But Erik used the same method again, forcing another mouthful down.
Janelle snapped. She bit down hard on his lip.
His lip split, but Erik seemed unfazed. He handed her the remaining medicine.
"You can drink the rest yourself."
Janelle snatched the bowl and downed the remaining liquid in one go. The medicine was intensely bitter. She almost gagged.
Seeing her distress, Erik pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply, trying to distract her from the taste.
It worked. Janelle's focus shifted entirely to the kiss. Erik was a skilled kisser, his touch making her limbs go weak, threatening to drown her in sensation. He, too, became lost in it. What started as comfort turned into his own surrender. The kiss deepened, yet it wasn't enough. Every cell in his body screamed its desire for this woman. He covered her body, his breathing ragged and thick with need.
Janelle pushed him away and stood up.
"The medicine's drunk. I'm leaving." Simon had returned to Imperial Capital. In Graham City, she was on her own now. Many things required her personal attention.
"Where?" He caught her arm, unwilling to let her go.
"Home." The Rovellas? Could that place still be called home? Neither Westin, Amber, nor her daughter would ever see her as family.
"If those people make you unhappy, just get rid of them. Why waste time?"
"Death is too easy for them." They drove her mother mad. She intended to drive them mad, to inflict something far worse. Death was a clean escape.
Erik pulled her back against his chest. "I wish I'd known you five years ago." If he had, he would have protected her and her mother fiercely, never letting anyone hurt them. He knew the brutal struggle for survival at the border. She'd been just a girl, forced to shoulder crushing responsibility.
Janelle frowned. What was he doing? Was he pitying her? She truly needed no one's pity. Yet, held fast by his arms around her waist, she couldn't break free.
Erik was undeniably magnetic. Once entangled with him, no woman escaped unscathed.
He sat on the sofa, his face pressed against the sensitive skin of her lower abdomen. Between them pulsed the most potent attraction – the primal pull between man and woman.
Janelle didn't understand love. She didn't believe in pure, selfless love in this world. It was all just animal instinct, something to be overcome.
"Erik, don't you just want to sleep with me? Stop pretending to be so devoted." A man like him, born into privilege, didn't need to beg for affection so humbly.
Seeing her like this only made his heart ache more. He wanted to crush her into his very bones. "Janelle, it's alright. We have plenty of time."
The more time he spent with her, the deeper his ache grew. He ached for all she'd endured, even though his own path had been strewn with thorns. He'd narrowly escaped death multiple times to reach his current position. Yet, while he could face his own darkness, he recoiled at the thought of her having to face such things.
He pressed a reverent kiss against her abdomen. Even through the fabric, Janelle felt seared by the contact.
"Alright. I'll take you." Though the walk between the two villas was only minutes, he insisted on escorting her.
"Unnecessary. I can go alone."
Erik ignored her refusal and walked out with her.
Outside, they encountered Bryan, returning from a driving session. The nineteen-year-old wore his racing suit, looking strikingly handsome and wild.
"Erik, Miss Rovella, heading out?"
"You're competing in the Graham City Formula Racing Championship, right?" Janelle knew the event. She hadn't raced competitively in a while, but seeing Bryan's suit stirred the restless energy inside her.
"Yeah! Miss Rovella, you know about racing?" Bryan asked, pleased by her interest.
"Mm. Tell me the date. I'll come watch." She hadn't entered this time, but she wanted to feel the atmosphere again. She craved the speed that shattered limits, the rush that made her feel truly alive.
"Sure! I'll call you. Miss Rovella, what's your number? I don't have it."
"Stop calling me that. We're not in the relationship you imagine." Janelle stated coolly, but still recited her phone number.
Bryan saved it in his contacts. "I'll let you know about the race."
"Mm."
The night was clear, stars scattered across the dark sky. They walked towards the Rovellas villa. Janelle was silent. Erik, focused on companionship, didn't push conversation.
They hadn't reached the villa yet when a luxury car approached. Inside were Nelson and Lillie.
Spotting Erik and Janelle, Nelson slammed on the accelerator, aiming the car straight at them.
"Nelson! What are you doing?!" Lillie shrieked from the passenger seat. Was he insane? Trying to hit someone so blatantly?
"I'm going to kill him!" Nelson was unhinged, consumed by the humiliation Erik had inflicted. The car surged forward, hurtling toward Erik and Janelle standing by the roadside. Death hurtled toward them.