After the divorce, he begged

Chapter 12

Rebecca answered by biting his finger hard.

She put all her pent–up anger into the bite, clamping down with surprising force.

Jeffrey winced but didn’t let go. Instead, he cradled her face, his voice still gentle. “Since when did you get so feisty?”

Rebecca responded by biting down even harder.

Jeffrey tightened his hold on her face just enough to make her release his finger.

“Keep that up and I’ll return the favor later,” he warned, his tone deceptively soft as he tilted her chin up. “I’ll have you crying and begging me to stop.”

“Let me go!” she demanded, struggling against him with tears of frustration in her eyes.

Her resistance only made him want to see her defiant attitude crumble into pleading submission.

He pulled her firmly against him, and when she began struggling again, he leaned close to whisper, “If you keep squirming like that, I won’t wait untii we’re somewhere more private.”

Rebecca froze as she felt his body tense up and his skin grow warm against hers. After five years of marriage, she knew exactly where this was heading.

“We’re in a hospital,” she said, her eyes widening with alarm at what he might try “Have you lost your mind?”

“Nobody’s coming in here without my permission,” Jeffrey said, his intense gaze never leaving hers as his hands grew more daring. “I’ll give you time to think about whether you’re going to apologize.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Rebecca protested, trying to stop his roaming hands. “Why should I be the one to apologize?”

Jeffrey lowered his head and nipped at her neck, leaving a faint mark behind. “Just think about it. I’m not asking for an answer right now!

Rebecca pushed against him with all her strength, but he didn’t budge an inch.

“You can’t even scrape together fifteen grand right now,” Jeffrey said, his hand sliding higher on her waist while keeping a straight face. “How are you gonna come up with a hundred fifty? Unless you don’t really want your mom to wake up.”

Trapped against him, Rebecca bit hard into his shoulder.

Jeffrey caught her chin, forcing her to release him and look at him.

“You’re not the only one with money in this world,” she shot back, her chin throbbing but her defiance unwavering. “I may not have the money, but I’ll

find someone who does”

“Is that so?” Jeffrey’s voice turned icy.

“Yes,” Rebecca shot back, her eyes rod but blazing.

her harsh words would make Jeffrey storm off. He’d always been possessive, never allowing anyone else to matter more in

did.

was afgry, yet

that infuriated him most. Releasing her chin, he gripped the back of her head

bit down hard, and the coppery taste of

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Chapter 12

he only kissed her more intensely. His free

Rebecca’s eyes, but against

too

against him with all her might just to steal a

sensitive to his

why the tears?” he murmured, gently wiping them away

is, right?” Rebecca

stayed completely calm. “What

“Rape.”

shot back without hesitation.

serious

is flirting with my own wife considered rape? We’re not divorced yet,” Jeffrey said smoothly, doing what he always did–making se things sound trivial. “You’re misunderstanding the meaning

too well. No matter what she said, he’d find a way to spin

watch and

your decision?”

second she was free, Rebecca scrambled away from him like he

didn’t even som to

said firmly. There was no way in hell she was getting

still warm from her touch. “So you’ve

her stubbornness

they’d just had coffee instead

men in Jelasburg,” Jeffrey said, straightening his cuff. “But none will loan you money. Not even your best

do?” Rebecca

he said, moving closer. “But we’ll have a problem if you try to borrow

at her sides. She actually had been counting on borrowing from Jessica as emergency

thing.” Jeffrey drawled, making Rebecca’s heart clench with

his wrinkled shirt with

overflowed, and she swung her hand to slap

tied to pull back,

before releasing it. As he turned to leave, he added, “You should focus on how to

of your concern, Rebecca retored, her voice sharp

adjusted his suit jacket, his expression returning to its usual detached demeanor. “We shall see about that,” he responded

away without looking back, as if the intimate moment