Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella) novel Chapter 958

So the rumors were true—Derek really did only acknowledge the children he’d had with Adelle. Any others were just a nuisance to him, something he’d rather not see.

All these years, and not an ounce of guilt. Yet he still expected her to care about the bonds of blood. The nerve.

A wry smile touched Susanna’s lips. “Maybe you should go see a doctor,” she said coolly.

Derek glared at her, his expression already stormy.

She didn’t stop. “You might be infertile.”

His face, already dark, turned downright glacial. It was as if an icy, dangerous energy radiated off him—something Susanna seemed immune to lately, no doubt after spending so much time around Barnaby. She’d picked up his habit of saying whatever crossed her mind, consequences be damned.

Even now, with Derek clearly fuming, she pressed on: “The twins… they don’t look a thing like you.”

As for Dan… well, now that she looked closely, there was a definite resemblance in the mouth. So maybe he was the only legitimate one; who could really say?

Derek’s breath grew heavier. The twins, again—he’d heard too many whispers lately, people murmuring that Ivanna and Leanne Nelson might not even be his.

…

In the end, Susanna turned and left.

Hull was waiting not far away. When he saw her, he strode over and drew her puffer coat snugly around her shoulders. She looked so small standing before him, especially from Derek’s vantage point. In Hull’s presence, she was almost childlike—someone precious and protected. The affection in Hull’s eyes made it all the more obvious.

It was a side of Hull that no one in Ferrowland’s underworld—or upperworld, for that matter—had ever witnessed. He was someone men whispered about in fear. Who could have imagined such gentleness from him?

Caden approached Derek from behind, his manner deferential. “Sir, any progress? Is Miss Susanna willing to mediate between you and Mr. Miguel?”

Caden glanced across to where Hull had wrapped an arm around Susanna, enveloping her small frame in his trench coat.

The sight only made Derek’s jaw clench tighter. “Ungrateful girl. Turning her back on her own blood for an outsider!” His words came out with a snarl, every syllable coated in venom.

From Derek’s reaction, Caden knew instantly—Susanna hadn’t budged.

Just like that, in his eyes she was back to being a helpless little thing.

Susanna rubbed at her nose, already reddened from the cold. “Wasn’t thinking about anything. The steps are just icy.”

Hull eyed her with a sideways look, taking in her red nose and watery eyes. “You’re not coming down with something, are you?”

Her voice had gone nasal, and she punctuated it with a couple of soft sneezes.

Hull didn’t say a word, just watched her.

Susanna gave her nose a gentle rub. “I think I might be getting sick.”

“And you dared to go out dressed like that—saying you’d be too warm, of all things!” Now his voice carried the sharp edge of concern disguised as reproach.

Susanna sniffled, suddenly looking like a child caught in the act. “But you can’t dress too warmly when you’re skiing,” she protested, her tone slightly whiny.