Bought by the Beast King (Katerina and hunter) novel Chapter 54

**Leaves Falling Like Promises**
**By Amara Grant**
**Chapter 54**

**KAT**

I perched on the edge of the couch, every muscle in my body tense, as a young woman in a crisp hotel uniform carefully placed drinks on the table before me. I couldn’t help but notice the way she cast shy glances at Mr. Rivers, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink each time his eyes lingered on her. A moment later, her hand trembled, and the cup slipped, crashing against the saucer with a sharp clatter that shattered the silence like glass.

“I’m so sorry,” the girl stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

She looked no older than nineteen, her youthful features betraying her nervousness.

“No harm done,” Mr. Rivers replied smoothly, his voice dripping with charm as he stretched his legs out and casually draped his arm over the back of the couch opposite mine. He had shed his jacket and tie, the top two buttons of his shirt undone, a deliberate move to appear more approachable, perhaps even alluring. It was a tactic that seemed to work, given the way the girl was now furiously mopping up the spill, her focus entirely on her task.

“Come back later if you want to make it up to me,” he added with a sly grin, the implication hanging in the air like a thick fog.

Pervert.

The word burned in my throat, but I swallowed it down. I was too preoccupied with my own swirling fears. This girl was my only shield against the wolf, a man whose moods shifted like the wind. My heart ached with a festering dread, and I found myself paralyzed by the potential consequences of crossing him.

Once the girl finished her task, she wheeled her trolley out of the room, leaving just the two of us in the heavy silence.

“Am I making you uncomfortable?” Mr. Rivers inquired, his voice smooth as silk.

“No,” I lied, the denial escaping my lips far too quickly, betraying the truth.

“That’s good,” he replied, his gaze sliding slowly down my body, lingering in a way that made my skin crawl. “We’ll be spending a lot of time together from now on, after all.”

My heart raced as I snapped my eyes up to meet his.

“How long do you expect me to do this?” I demanded, my voice steadier than I felt.

“As the saying goes, we’re going to ride this bike until the wheels fall off,” he drawled, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

He reached for a delicate teacup that looked comically small in his large hands, his gaze unwavering as he took a sip. I felt like a specimen under a microscope, something he was toying with before revealing his grand design.

“To what end? Until my brother finds me and drags me back home?” I shot back, my voice laced with bitterness.

Or until Hunter found me, and my own wavering resolve convinced me that leaving him had been a mistake?

“Why would I want that when you and I work together so well?” he mused, a hint of amusement glinting in his eyes. “Do you know how many people have asked when your next match is?”

“I haven’t trained long enough to warrant that sort of attention. What will you do when I lose? Hand me over to Kostas?”

“I hope we don’t have to find out anytime soon,” he replied, setting the cup down with a soft clink. “Besides, you are the great Malcom Leighton’s prized student. That alone is enough to earn you a spot in my ring.”

Was that genuine praise for Mal? With the way Mr. Rivers had sent people to the gym repeatedly to disrupt our training and try to lure Mal away, I found it hard to trust his words.

“Tonight will be harder. Make me proud,” he continued, his tone shifting slightly.

The memory of my first time in the ring flooded back, and I felt a wave of nausea wash over me.

“And I have a surprise for you,” he announced, rising to his full height, a sly smile curling his lips. My stomach twisted in anticipation; I already sensed this surprise wouldn’t be pleasant.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify