The Billionaire's Intern (Maya Thompson) novel Chapter 301

Chapter 142: Dangerous Heat-1

Claim

The cave still smelled of blood-iron thick in the air, sharp enough to taste. Yet somehow, between the flickering shadows and the steady thrum of torchlight, something heavier pressed between

them.

Harper shifted her stance, chin lifted, eyes hard. “Talk about what, exactly?” she snapped, her voice sharp but trembling at the edges. “I’m not in the mood for your games, Ashcroft!”

Ashcroft’s grin unfurled slow and knowing, the kind that promised trouble. “That’s quite bold coming from you. Between the two of us, you’re the one who loves playing games, Harper Lin.”

He stepped closer, the firelight slicing across his features in harsh gold and shadow. The silence stretched-taut, deliberate-before his tone dipped low, smooth as poison.

“Or should I say…” he paused, eyes glinting with cruel amusement, “…Harper Takahashi?”

Harper rolled her eyes, folding her arms with a huff. “So it’s about my identity, then. What else is there to talk about? You were there-Aunt Dahlia already said everything there is to know… and more, actually. But so what?” Her tone hardened, sharp and proud. “Of all people, you should understand why I did what I did. So yes, I’m a Takahashi. Big deal!”

Ashcroft’s gaze didn’t waver. “I get all that. But what happened between us last night-”

She cut him off before he could finish, her words tumbling fast, defensive. “Look, we had sex. And like you said, we’re both adults and it was consensual, so there’s no big deal, alright?” She lifted her chin, daring him to argue. “If you’re worried I’ll demand you ‘take responsibility,’ relax-that’s never going to happen. So there. Are we good now?”

Ashcroft’s smirk faded, replaced by something darker-quieter. He studied her, head tilted slightly, as if dissecting every word she’d just said.

He stepped closer, the distance between them shrinking until the cave walls might as well have disappeared. “You really think I’d let it be that simple?” he murmured, his gaze flicking to her lips before meeting her eyes again. “Because I don’t.”

Harper rolled her eyes, but her pulse gave her away, quick and unsteady. “What’s your problem? You know what? Don’t push it, Ashcroft. It was what it was. We both got what we wanted-end of

story.”

Ashcroft’s smile returned-slow, dangerous, dripping with amusement. “We both got what we wanted?” he echoed, his tone dipping low. “So you did want it, then… hmm?”

He leaned in, close enough for his breath to graze her skin, his voice a dark whisper. “Tell me,

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