Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3470

A dangerous chill seeped into Carson's eyes. "If she ever shows up again, tell her my mother is meditating and not receiving guests. Do not let her through the gates."

Claire looked stricken with guilt. "It was my careless mistake!"

Carson stared out into the freezing autumn night, his voice devoid of emotion. "I understand."

Leaving the estate, Carson watched his driver take the usual turn toward his private villa. "Take me to The Riverside Apartments instead."

The driver immediately changed course.

*

Marina was dreaming. She dreamt of the day she visited the Foster estate. They were in Miranda's study, and she was tangled up in a chair with Carson, kissing him.

The man pressed his weight against her, his fingers gripping her chin as he kissed her with a tender, agonizing slowness.

At some point, the curtains had been drawn. The room was pitch black, making his intoxicating scent all the more overpowering.

Had he been drinking at lunch?

But they had eaten lunch with Miranda.

The sharp, potent burn of liquor flooded every corner of her mouth, searing like liquid fire.

Marina's mind was a hazy blur. Why was she having a dream like this? Was she actually starting to obsess over this man?

Drifting between the boundaries of sleep and reality, she found the whole thing absurd.

But if she wasn't falling for him, why did she keep tolerating his advances? Why was she dreaming about his kisses?

Wait... he definitely hadn't touched a drop of alcohol that afternoon!

So where was this overwhelming stench of liquor coming from? Marina's consciousness snapped into sharp focus. Her eyes flew open, and in the pitch-black darkness of her bedroom, she realized there was a heavy, muscular body holding her down.

Breathing in the heavy scent of alcohol on him, Marina suddenly remembered the gossip from the girls in the elevator. God only knew whose lips he had been tasting tonight before he decided to crawl into her bed.

A wave of suffocating disgust crashed over her. She fought back with everything she had, kicking wildly at his legs. "Go sleep in your own room! You reek of booze!"

Surprisingly, Carson didn't put up a fight this time. He pushed himself up and walked out into the dark.

Now that she was alone, Marina was far too furious to sleep. She threw off the covers, marched into the bathroom, aggressively re-brushed her teeth, and crawled back into bed, her heart still racing with anger.

An eternity passed. Just as the exhaustion finally started pulling her under, she heard the unmistakable click of the bedroom door opening again.

She shot straight up in bed. "Carson, what the hell do you want now?"

"I couldn't sleep alone."

Before she could react, Carson sat heavily on the edge of the mattress, wrapped a massive arm around her shoulders, and dragged her right back down into the pillows with him.