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Novel Catalog
Chapter 17
Roxanne immediately tensed when she realized the man was thoroughly drunk. She could smell the alcohol on his breath and saw the lecherous gleam in his eyes. Desperate to avoid trouble, she forced a polite smile and apologized again, “I’m really sorry. Are you okay?”
The man suddenly grinned, his smile growing sinister. His voice took on an unsettling edge, “Hello, pretty babe… I’m fine. You’ll see just how fine I am once you have a few drinks with me. If you make me happy, I’ll forgive you for today’s little ‘accident.’”
Roxanne’s frown deepened. She could tell he was too far gone to reason with, but she wasn’t about to entertain him. Stepping back, she lowered her head, intent on walking past him.
As she moved to pass, his voice rang out again, this time louder and more insistent. “Don’t leave, pretty babe. I’m really rich. If you come with me, I promise you’ll live a life of comfort. All you have to do is—” He broke off with a perverted laugh, his eyes scanning her body up and down. “—spend a little time with me.”
The longer he ogled her, the more his excitement seemed to build. His gaze wandered over her skin, which glowed softly in the light, and his drunken mind imagined things that made Roxanne’s skin crawl.
Without warning, he reached for her face, his hand moving toward her in a slow, predatory arc.
That was the last straw. Roxanne’s expression hardened into ice as she took a swift step back, and in one fluid motion, she kicked him hard in the stomach.
The heel of her shoes added to the impact, and the force of the kick sent him stumbling backward, his face draining of color. He collapsed to the ground with a thud, clutching his abdomen.
“You little b*tch!” he roared, his voice high with rage. “How dare you disrespect me? You should be honored that I’m attracted to you!” He writhed on the floor, glaring up at her with bloodshot eyes.
Roxanne gave him a disgusted glance before turning to walk away. She didn’t have time for this kind of nonsense.
But just as she thought she could escape the confrontation, the drunkard yelled out, “Someone, get here! That woman attacked me! Get her into the private room now! I want to see how she handles me after this!”
Within moments, two hulking bodyguards appeared from the shadows, their heavy steps echoing through the corridor. They froze as they saw their boss sprawled on the floor, clutching his stomach in pain. The larger of the two hesitated, clearly unsure how to respond.
“Boss…” one of them started.
“Don’t just stand there!” the drunkard snarled, his voice thick with venom. “Just get her!”
The bodyguards exchanged glances before moving toward Roxanne with steady, menacing strides.
Roxanne’s pulse quickened. She reached into her bag, her fingers brushing the small packet of powder she always carried with her. If they get too close, they’ll regret it.
She turned around to face the advancing bodyguards, the powder in her hand ready to use. But before she could react, a shout cut through the tension, followed by a loud, crashing sound.
The first bodyguard was sent flying past her in an instant. The second one was swept away just as quickly, his body crashing into the wall with a heavy thud.
Roxanne froze, wide-eyed in confusion, before she realized someone had intervened.
She turned around quickly and found a tall, slender figure standing a few steps away. Her heart sank, her stomach churning in discomfort. No… it can’t be him.
Lucian.
He stood there with an unreadable expression, his sharp eyes locked onto her. His tailored suit fit him perfectly, and his sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, a sign of barely contained impatience. A few buttons at his collar were undone, and the loose look of his clothes only seemed to amplify the tension in the air.
Her mind raced. What is he doing here?
Before she could gather her bearings, he caught sight of her and immediately started moving toward her, his eyes burning with an intensity she could feel from across the room.
It took all of a second for Lucian to close the distance between them. His hand shot out, grabbing her wrist with surprising force.
“Roxanne,” his voice was low, tinged with fury. “Stop hiding from me.”
Roxanne’s heart skipped a beat. Her entire body stiffened as her pulse raced. She hadn’t even noticed when he’d managed to catch up to her. His grip sent an electric jolt up her arm, and she froze, panic bubbling up inside her.
Let me go!
She tried to wrench her arm free, but Lucian tightened his grip, not giving her any room to escape. “Let go!” she demanded, her voice shaking slightly as she turned to face him head-on.
“Let go?” he repeated through gritted teeth, his gaze like ice. His eyes locked on hers, sharp with anger and a touch of disbelief.
It had been six years since they last saw each other. And though Roxanne had changed—matured—there was no mistaking the beauty that still held him captive in a way he couldn’t explain. But it wasn’t just her appearance that stirred him.
The Roxanne he remembered had been gentle, accommodating, and quiet. She had never challenged him before. Yet now, standing before him, she had become a woman of strength, of fire. Her defiance, her distance, it angered him more than anything.
“Do you think I’ll let you escape again?” Lucian’s words were colder than ice, each one like a blade slicing through the air between them.
Roxanne’s heart trembled in her chest, but before she could speak, Lucian’s voice rang out, commanding. “Cayden, deal with these scums!”
Without giving her a chance to protest, Lucian jerked her arm, pulling her toward the private room nearby. Roxanne stumbled, caught off guard by the force he used, but no matter how hard she pulled, she couldn’t break free.
Every step she took toward the private room only deepened the knot of unease in her stomach.
