Page 7 of The Breeding Cave

CHAPTER SEVEN

YEOSIN

“Joseph won’t return for another half hour,” the beast said once he finally pulled out of me. “Let me wash you up. There’s a hot spring deeper in the cave. Molly set out some soaps for us this afternoon.”

“Molly,” I repeated, her name like poison on my tongue. “Who is she?”

In our car ride earlier, Joseph had said that she was apparently his maid. I balled my hands into fists and glared at the rock underneath my feet. If she was anything more than that to him, I would rip her head off her?—

My eyes widened as I realized the thought drifting through my mind.

Rip off her head?! I could do no such thing to anyone.

And yet I couldn’t stop the feelings of possessiveness and jealousy rushing through my entire body. I hadn’t known this man for even two days yet, and somehow, I felt like I had known him my entire life.

“She’s my maid,” he answered once we started down a path that led deeper into the cave. “There’s no reason to be jealous over her.”

“I’m not jealous,” I hummed, crossing my arms.

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Mmhmm.”

“What?!” I exclaimed, throwing my hands up and twirling around to face him. “I’m not!”

While a shadow of darkness covered his face like a blanket, I could see the faintest outline of a smirk on his lips. He placed his large hands on my shoulders and turned me back around to continue deeper into the cave, where a shimmer of light glowed against the ground further up.

“She’s mat—married,” he said. “And I have no feelings toward her.”

“You’d better not,” I hissed before I could stop myself.

Where is this coming from?! Why am I so jealous?

He chuckled softly—a first taste at something more vulnerable in the beast.

“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” I asked. “I don’t know anything about you.”

When we made it to the shimmer of light, the tunnel opened up into the prettiest hot spring that I had ever seen.

Deposits of marble stone surrounded a crystal-clear body of water.

I left the beast at the entrance and walked farther into the room, admiring the moonlight glimmering off the water from an opening above.

To my left, a variety of soaps, shampoos, and lotions sat in clear bottles. Molly must’ve left it, like the beast had said. I picked up a bar of strawberry-scented soap, sat down on a rock, and dipped my feet into the warm water.

After a moment, I slipped into the hot spring and moaned in delight, my muscles relaxing. All the stress from earlier tonight, when the Dragon Clan had paid me a visit, seemed to drift away, and I could finally find some peace.

I closed my eyes and suddenly felt him behind me, sitting on the rock with his legs in the water. He grabbed the bar of soap from my hand and dipped it in the water. While I wanted to turn around, I knew he didn’t want me to, so I moved between his legs to let him wash me.

“What do you want to know?” he asked.

“Hmm?” I asked, relaxing into the hot spring.

“You said you don’t know anything about me, so what do you want to know?”

“Will you really answer my questions?”

“Depends on what it is.”

“What’s your name?”

“Next question.”

“You’re not going to answer anything, are you?” When he didn’t respond, I flared my nostrils and decided to continue in an attempt to try to get something out of this man. “Where do you work?”

“Next question.”

“Come on,” I drew out. “Give me something.”

“Ask me a question that doesn’t reveal my identity.”

“Why can’t I know who you are?”

“I can’t risk anyone finding out about my kind,” he said.

I pressed my lips together. “Why?”

“Because there are packs of wild animals after me, and if you know, then they’ll be after you too.” He scooped up some water in his huge hand and wet my hair. “I don’t want you snooping in my affairs. It’ll only end up putting you in danger.”

“Then why did you involve me at all?” I asked. “Why’d you choose me?”

“Because you have birthing hips and a breeding kink. Perfect to extend my line.”

My chest tightened, and I stared down at the ripples around my smaller breasts. “So, only for my body?” I asked, just disappointing myself. I didn’t know why I had even gotten my hopes up for him.

After a day and a half, I’d thought this beast wanted me for more than just my body.

He drew his fingers through my hair and shifted the conversation. “Someone offered you a job today.”

“How do you know about that?” I asked, raising my brows and deciding to forget all about how disappointed I was after thinking someone actually loved me and wanted to protect me from the cruel, cruel world.

“You should take it,” he urged, almost as if he wanted me there.

“Do you work for Midnight Security Headquarters? Is that why you want me around?” I hummed as a gush of warmth exploded through my chest at the mere thought of how possessive and obsessed he was over me. Even if he didn’t like me like that. “So you can keep an eye on me?”

“No, I don’t work for Midnight.”

“Are you Brent?”

He growled. “No.”

“Oh.” Not that I care that much about Brent.

After Brent had completely walked out on our date— Was it actually a date? —I had decided against taking him up on that job offer to be his assistant. Besides, I didn’t have any experience being an assistant. That ten million should hold over the Dragon Clan.

I could continue working my job at Pink Ivory Coffee Bar until I figured out a way to actually take all the money out in cash, and then I’d quit and never have to embarrass myself in front of Mr. Grumpy ever again.

“You either take the job or I will lock you in my penthouse all day until I come home.”

“So, you’re giving me an ultimatum?”

“Yes.”

“What if I ignore it?”

“You can’t ignore it, Pumpkin.”

Pumpkin?! Warmth gushed between my thighs. God, what is this man doing to me?!

“So, what’s it going to be?” he asked.

I nodded in a haze and placed a hand over my mouth to hide my smile—because had this beast really just given me the cutest pet name ever?! I didn’t know squat about him, and I was all giggly over him calling me Pumpkin! Nobody had ever given me a name like that before.

“What’s it going to be?” he repeated.

“Oh, what?” I asked, snapping out of my daze.

“What’s it going to be? The job or my penthouse?”

My lips formed an O, and I sucked in my inner cheek.

“Maybe I’ll take the job. I don’t want to be inside all day.

Besides, I mean, it can’t be that bad to get out of Pink Ivory.

There’s this one regular who intimidates me there,” I admitted, chewing on the inside of my cheek.

“He orders the same thing every day, he barely says two words to me, and he’s always in a grumpy mood. ”

“What’s his name? I’ll take care of him.”

“Luciano.”

A low growl escaped his mouth.

My eyes widened at the growl, and I wanted to look back at him, but he ran his claws so smoothly over my head that I could do nothing but relax in the hot spring against his legs and close my eyes.

“Do you know him?” I giggled. His growl had surely seemed like he did. “Isn’t he grumpy?”

Instead of responding, he stood up and walked to the exit of the hot spring. “It’s late. Joseph is here to bring you back home. There’s a towel beside the soaps. Use it and get dressed. Don’t keep him waiting.”

Then, without another word, he walked out of the cave, and I didn’t see him for the rest of the night.