Chapter 13
Sam leaned on the lowered window frame, that handsome face still tipped forward. He raised a brow.
“Not bad technique. But Kim doesn’t look very willing.”
William pressed his tongue against his back teeth.
“She gets shy when a dog is staring.”
As soon as the words fell, William pressed the window button.
Sam frowned and drew back. As the glass closed, he said with that same half smile, “Kim, if you have any trouble, you can come to me anytime.”
The tall black shadow outside walked away.
William abruptly gripped Kimberly’s chin, his eyes dark.
“Getting capable now?”
“You hooked the only man in Rivermont with the power to stand against me?”
“What? Planning to borrow his strength against me?”
Kimberly’s cheeks were still burning. She shook her head again and again.
“No.”
“Kimberly Martinez, you’d better not get tangled with other men behind my back.”
Kimberly gave him a conflicted look.
These past few days, it felt as if she had only just met him.
He had always been domineering and unreasonable, but she had never imagined he could be domineering to this degree.
Because he had helped her, did that mean she belonged to him for life?
Kimberly said nothing. Crowded into the corner by him, she lowered her head.
William brushed the hair from her forehead and tucked it behind her ear.
In a deceptively even tone, he asked, “Did that bastard James Anderson do anything to you?”
Thinking of how he knew exactly what James was and still had her come alone, Kimberly’s expression cooled.
“What does Mr. Carter think he would do to me?”
William moved a little closer.
“How did you close the contract?”
Kimberly lifted her head and met his eyes. Only then did she see a trace of mockery there.
She couldn’t help asking, “What do you mean by that, Mr. Carter?”
William released her and asked in a low voice, “Answer me.”
Kimberly had intended to roughly explain how she hired Aline and Nina.
But that mockery...
Her red lips parted.
“Mr. Anderson drank happily, so he signed.”
“Is that so? He didn’t drink happily with me last time, but he did with you?”
Kimberly was not especially shocked. The look in his eyes had already humiliated her.
Her heart seemed beyond pain now.
Only bleakness remained.
Kimberly placed the card he had just given her, along with the old card he had given her before, onto the car seat.
Her tone was light.
“If Mr. Carter is done insulting me, please unlock the door.”
William’s gaze followed her movement. Frost covered his eyes.
“You have a new sugar daddy now, so you’re in a hurry to draw a clean line with me?”
Kimberly did not explain. She lowered her head and said nothing.
William’s breathing grew heavier and heavier. His icy voice followed.
“Do I need to do something before you’ll behave?”
Kimberly stared at him in shock, fear rising inside her.
“What do you mean?”
William did not answer. He looked her over for a moment, then picked up a white cloth pouch from the storage box in the car.
From it, he took iodine and a bandage.
The next second, one of her calves was gripped by his burning hand and placed on his leg.
Kimberly tried to pull back, but he held her firmly.
Without changing expression, he removed her thin high heel, lifted her pant leg, and held her foot in his palm while applying iodine to the wound.
Kimberly watched his cold profile lowered in concentration, her brows slowly knitting.
She truly could not understand what went on inside this man’s head.
That morning, had he not ordered her to apologize to his woman in front of everyone with that cold face?
Her foot had already been cut that morning. Had he cared then?
What was this diligence now?
Did he want to soften her heart this way so she would obediently be his secret mistress?
After applying the bandage, William released her leg and pressed the unlock button. His voice was cool.
“Get out.”
Kimberly glanced at him. His face was even colder than before.
He wasn’t only strange. There might actually be something wrong with his mind.
Kimberly grabbed her bag and pushed the door open.
Just as she was about to close it, his cool voice sounded behind her again.
“Stay away from wild men.”
Kimberly’s steps paused.
Every little thing he had done over the past few days was wearing away the enormous debt of gratitude she carried in her heart.
If he had told her the moment he made her move out of the villa that he was getting married, and that from then on they would only be boss and employee, she would have hurt in private but never hated him even a little.
Now, whatever he was using to suppress her, she believed he knew perfectly well.
She had overestimated him.
Inside the car, William’s expression was terrifyingly dark. He dialed a number and asked in a low voice, “Did you find out? Was Kimberly Martinez the one who asked James Anderson out tonight?”
On the other end, Eric Scott quickly replied, “I checked. Ms. Campbell said Kimberly Martinez arranged it herself. Kimberly said she was short on money and wanted to close the project to earn the commission.”
William glanced at the bank cards on the seat and scoffed.
“She’s capable now. Doesn’t want to spend my money anymore.”
Eric frowned. “Mr. Carter, I don’t think Kimberly Martinez would risk herself like that.”
“So you’re questioning Janet Campbell?”
“I wouldn’t dare...”
William hung up, opened the door, and walked straight into the bar.
James Anderson, still drunk and dazed, staggered up to greet him when he saw William enter.
William gave him a sidelong look and went to sit on the sofa.
“Did you invite Kimberly Martinez tonight?”
James quickly shook his head. “Ms. Martinez invited me.”
William frowned. “She called you personally?”
“Not exactly. The person who called said she was her assistant.”
A trace of doubt appeared in William’s eyes.
Someone from the executive office?
...
