I Bought A Male Escort, Turns Out He's The Lycan King novel Chapter 74

**Leaves Falling Like Promises**
**By Amara Grant**
**Chapter 74**

**ΚΑΤ**

As I stepped into the lounge downstairs, the atmosphere felt charged, almost electric. Mr. Rivers, sitting there with an air of restrained power, seemed to watch my every move with those piercing golden eyes of his. It was as if a wild beast lurked just beneath the surface, barely held back by an invisible tether.

“It’s nearly noon. Are you going to live up to your name, Princess, before you even return home?” he remarked, placing his book down on the couch beside him with a deliberate slowness.

The chill that had enveloped our earlier journey returned, replacing the man who had driven me for hours with this cold, distant figure. I moved deeper into the room, taking in the lavish yet serene surroundings. Each item in this space spoke of wealth that ordinary people could only dream of, yet there was a strange warmth that made it feel almost inviting. I settled onto an overstuffed couch across from him, my posture tense as I tried to make sense of the situation.

Was he upset with me? Or was it the phone call about the body that had him on edge?

“I didn’t realize I needed to be up early,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m sorry for oversleeping.”

“With all the racket coming from your room last night, I’m surprised you managed to sleep at all,” he shot back, his tone cutting.

Heat flooded my cheeks at his words. The vivid memory of my dream crashed over me like a wave. Had I really called out Hunter’s name in my sleep? Mortification washed over me, and I averted my gaze from his penetrating stare.

He picked up his book, rising with a fluid grace that seemed almost predatory.

“I have matters to attend to,” he stated. “If you need anything, ask someone.”

I watched him stride toward the door, and suddenly I noticed that the house was no longer the silent fortress it had been upon our arrival. The hum of a vacuum cleaner echoed somewhere in the distance; I could hear the rhythmic sound of a hammer striking wood outside; the clattering of pots and pans wafted in from the kitchen. A tantalizing aroma of something delicious filled the air, suggesting that his staff had returned. For a fleeting moment, I felt a sense of safety, but I quickly reminded myself that it was merely an illusion. I couldn’t afford to let my guard down.

“Wait,” I called out, rising to follow him. He paused but didn’t turn around. “How long are we going to be here? You mentioned the Bureau is looking for us. Shouldn’t we be making a move?”

“Have you forgotten that I’ve been summoned to your father’s banquet, Princess?” he replied, his voice laced with irritation.

He still intended to go? I found it hard to believe he was the type to follow rules. If he were, he would have sent me back the moment he discovered my identity. I lingered behind him, grappling with the dissonance between this man and the one who had promised to protect me. But what right did I have to question him? Especially when I was no longer certain of his intentions. It had been simpler when I thought he only wanted my fighting skills and my presence in the gym.

“You can stay here or return with me,” he continued, his tone steady. “If neither option suits you, I’ve provided you with enough money to arrange your own escape. No one here knows who you are or your situation, so you’re free to leave.”

Free to leave?

“Leave? I have no idea where we are!” I retorted, my voice rising in frustration. “You’ve kept me close with threats and then brought me to this isolated place, and now you’re telling me I can just walk away?”

He turned to face me, and the intensity of his fury made me instinctively step back. His eyes glowed like molten gold, and a snarl twisted his lips, revealing the beast lurking beneath his composed exterior.

“You are the most ungrateful, naive little girl I’ve ever encountered,” he spat, his voice low and dangerous.

“I’m twenty-one—”

“You’re a child who believes the world owes you something,” he interrupted, his tone sharp enough to cut. “Three years away, and you’re still entitled and selfish.”

I took another step back, stunned into silence. Selfish? Entitled? I was out here fighting for my right to exist!

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