The Unwavering Heart That Broke novel Chapter 69

His big, slender hands wrapped around her foot, pressing and kneading with a gentle touch. It barely hurt, just a dull ache, but she couldn’t ignore it.

“No.” Nathalie’s face was like stone, her refusal fast and cold.

Lance’s dark brows drew together, his eyes—sharp and almost too intense—locked onto her. “Then what do you want me to do?”

She turned her head away. In the soft light, her profile looked even softer, but her voice wasn’t any warmer.

“Can we just not talk about this? Us staying out of each other’s way is working fine.”

They weren’t breaking up… at least not yet. But she was nowhere near ready to go back to how they used to be.

Suddenly, a sharp pain jabbed at her foot. She sucked in a breath and glared at him. “Are you doing this on purpose?”

Lance barely shifted his tone. “That’s your body’s fault, not mine. You’ve got problems, that’s why it hurts.”

Nathalie tried to pull her foot away. “Let go. Get someone else to do it. You don’t even know how.”

You’re just making it worse.

“Nathalie, a little pain is normal.”

Across the room, Damaris cut in, sounding so smug it almost made Nathalie roll her eyes. “Say what you want about that jerk, but at least he can use his hands. Yours actually knows how to make your foot react. Look at mine—he might as well be tickling. I’m about to fall asleep.”

Bagot blinked in disbelief.

His eyes went wide as he pressed in harder. “Tickling? Seriously? Is this better? Tell me now.”

Damaris sighed like she was completely over it. “Did you skip dinner, or what?”

Bagot just stared, totally fed up.

He clenched his jaw and shot daggers at her foot, like he could overpower her stubbornness with sheer will.

“How about now? Happy?”

Damaris shut her eyes. “It’s okay, I guess.”

Bagot looked defeated.

He glanced around, spotted a massage tool, and immediately grabbed it.

They left the room together, so it was only Damaris and Nathalie now.

Damaris hobbled over, still rubbing her foot. “Never thought that jerk actually knew how to give a massage. Do you think he ever did it for that snake Felice?”

Nathalie just stared at her, face unreadable. “Honestly, I want to chop my foot off now.”

Damaris slapped her own hand over her mouth. “Okay, okay, don’t mind me. I’m just talking shit.”

The two of them changed out of their spa robes and stepped outside. Not far off, the guys were talking to the spa owner, who looked way too eager to please.

As they got closer, they caught the tail end of the conversation.

Lance’s voice was cool and almost bored. “Add her to the blacklist. Don’t accept her booking again.”

The owner nodded eagerly. “Absolutely, Lance. Whatever you say.”

Nathalie’s brow creased right away. “Who are you putting on the blacklist?”

Lance turned and reached easily for her hand, the move so natural it made her heart stutter for a second. “It’s late. Let’s go home.”