His need was so intense that he couldn't bear to pull out of her body. Slowly caressing her and watching her, he became lively again, pressing down on her and wanting it once more.
Both were sweaty, and the bed was hot and damp, making them uncomfortable. He carried her to the bathroom to wash off, and only after drying her off did they return to bed.
"Are you still scared? Are you ready to sleep?" Capone leaned against the headboard, lit a cigarette, and pulled the blanket over her.
He could tell she was already very tired, but her large eyes were still wide open. Was her insomnia really this severe? Did consuming so much energy not make her fall asleep?
"If you don't want to sleep, I'll just have to do it again. You'll get tired eventually!" He didn't believe her stamina was better than his.
In the past, when he asked her for it, she was so exhausted she didn't want to move and would fall asleep with just a few blinks.
Sophia remained silent, looking up at him and said, "Do you have any cigarettes? Can I smoke now?"
Capone was taken aback, and his expression darkened immediately.
Was his recent tenderness and comfort nothing to her? Did it not compare to a cigarette?
It seemed she had grown accustomed to letting him have his way, exchanging her desires for what she wanted after he had satisfied his needs.
That's why she hadn't resisted too fiercely just now, despite her reluctance.
Capone felt something was terribly wrong with this realization!
"I told you not to smoke anymore. Don't you understand?"
He held a cigarette between his fingers and smiled maliciously. Pointing at her chest, he said, "Girls really shouldn't touch these things. You shouldn't be addicted, should you? Do you need me to burn a few marks on you before you understand fear?"
His hand was very close to her chest, the tiny ember right in front of her eyes. She could see it clearly if she looked down. The smoke swirled around, stimulating her senses.
Was she addicted? The affairs of men and women, smoking, and hallucinogens were all things she had been forced to accept. They were things she used to find shameful and unbelievable, but now she seemed to crave them shamelessly.
Sophia, not sure where the courage came from—or maybe it wasn't courage, just defiance—thrust her body forward, causing Capone's cigarette to press directly against her chest.
She closed her eyes in pain, gritting her teeth but still letting out a cry.
"You're crazy!" Capone panicked and quickly flicked the cigarette onto the floor, but it was too late. Her chest had already been burned with a scar the size of a fingernail, a mix of yellowed flesh and blood, uneven and glaring against her pale skin.
He grabbed a piece of clothing, got out of bed, and found the first aid kit to tend to her wound. The sensation of the high temperature melting into her skin was something he couldn't forget!
It was terrifying and unsettling, like the feeling he had the first time he pulled the trigger to take a life! "What's wrong with you? Do you just enjoy tormenting yourself? Aren't there enough scars on your body? Why should I even save you if you don't care for yourself, huh?"
Sophia, with tears in her eyes, swatted his hand away and cried out, "I never expected you to save me! From the first time we met... from the first time we met, you should have let me be shot by those guns. Then I wouldn't have to suffer your torment, wouldn't be given to other men to be abused! I'd rather be dead, rather be dead…"
He couldn't understand her despair. Did she think nightmares would end? Her nightmares were like brands burned into her life, becoming a part of it, unable to be awakened from.
Capone was very averse to the word "dead." Hearing her repeat it only made him more frustrated. He leaned in and kissed her, stopping her from saying more.
Her lips were cold again, her face wet with tears. His heart tightened. He let go of her, wiped away her tears with his hand, and forced her to look at him. "Don't think about the past anymore, okay? Don't be afraid. Deadly nightshade causes hallucinations and a bit of a floaty feeling, but it's not addictive. Lucas didn't really do anything to you. Forget all of this! I'll stay with you tonight. Relax a bit, and you won't have nightmares or insomnia anymore!"
Sophia sobbed and looked down in silence. How could he not understand that he was the nightmare itself!
He cleaned and dressed her wound, touching the area gently with his fingertips, and frowned. "This scar probably won't go away. Maybe I should just get you a nice tattoo here in the future!"
Just like the white wolf on his chest.
Sophia glared at him fiercely. A tattoo? She didn't want one, especially not something like the white wolf on his chest!
wolf?
Ah, what was she thinking! Sophia scolded herself, tapping her own head in frustration.
After all the commotion, she was really tired. Once the wound was taken care of, she turned over and fell into a deep sleep.
Capone sat on the edge of the bed, watching her delicate back, but he found he couldn't sleep.
Capone went to ROYAL alone, without notifying anyone or bringing Joey and the others. However, as soon as he arrived, one of his subordinates informed him that Joey was also there.
He wasn't surprised. With Zoey around, Joey practically lived at ROYAL.
He didn't care. He instructed his men not to make a fuss, just to bring Zoey and Penny to him.
He waited in the office, rather than doing as he usually did—booking a private room, drinking, and dealing with things seemingly nonchalantly while listening to the deafening music.
Though he was accustomed to the smoke-filled, noisy environment with laughter, shouting, and low, seductive sounds, today he was in a bad mood and wanted a quiet space. The matter he needed to handle was also quite significant to him.
Zoey and Penny knocked and entered, followed by Joey. A subordinate at the door tried to stop Joey, but Capone waved his hand, signaling for him to let Joey in as well.
Zoey was as composed as ever. At this time, ROYAL was at its busiest. She might have had a few drinks to handle the social demands, her face slightly flushed. She wore a neat suit with light makeup, her hair neatly styled, her expression a mix of efficiency and unspoken gentleness.
Penny, on the other hand, was different. Though she no longer personally accompanied guests, she originally came from a background of being a dancer and hostess here. Her demeanor exuded seductiveness in every gesture. She wore a black dress with a deep V-neckline almost reaching her lower ribs, and a gold and diamond necklace hung down from her neck, sparkling faintly in the ambiguous cleavage.
Capone vaguely remembered that necklace was a gift he had given her. When he had distanced himself from her, it was the last gift she chose for herself, serving as a token of their past.
He had never seen her wear it before, but today it was conspicuously displayed in front of him. No, she had probably been wearing it these past few days, waiting for this moment to remind him of their past together.
Capone sneered. It seemed she was well aware he would come looking for trouble. But did she think this would be effective? He detested scheming women, especially when their schemes were directed at him.
"Any news on Lucas these days?" Capone asked Zoey.
Since she worked at ROYAL, she was responsible not only for managing internal and external affairs but also for gathering various kinds of information—whether from the underworld or legitimate sources—and reporting it to him in a timely manner. The exchange and sharing of information were the greatest values of this exclusive, high-end club.
"Since that day, there have been no further updates from the port. The old man from the Donkin family's been having complications with his illness, and he's recalled several key members, including Lucas. But from what I've gathered from his subordinates, it seems he's only temporarily left and should return in the short term!" Zoey reported truthfully.
"Oh?" Capone lightly stroked his chin. "Still for the Nishiyama property?"
"That's just part of the reason," Zoey paused slightly before continuing, "He seems to still be fixated on the Diaz family's young lady. He might want to use her to win over the Diaz family, or to drive a wedge between you and the Diaz family, making it impossible for IDGM and the Diaz family to cooperate. This way, he could be the opportunistic outsider who benefits from the chaos!"
Capone's smile remained cold as his gaze shifted to Penny. "When someone takes advantage on my turf, of course they'd want to press their advantage! It's not entirely his fault; after all, we gave him such an opportunity ourselves! Have I been too lenient with you recently, so much so that you've become lax? Or did I overestimate you, failing to even keep an eye on a woman?"
"It's my fault…"
"Boss, you can't blame Shadow. She wasn't even at ROYAL that morning. Who could have anticipated such a thing happening?" Joey quickly interjected to defend Zoey.
It was the end of the year, a time for renewing contracts with suppliers. All new cooperation plans had to be reviewed by Zoey before being finalized and signed by Capone. Unexpectedly, a major liquor distributor defaulted on their agreement, forcing Zoey to rush to renegotiate. If she didn't, ROYAL would face a shortage of liquor supplies for the coming year. Finding suitable and reliable suppliers on short notice was no easy task.
Zoey knew Lucas was supposed to come that noon. Ideally, she should have been at ROYAL to oversee things. However, given the significant stakes for ROYAL, she had to handle the negotiation personally, believing she would have enough time to return before anything went awry. She didn't expect Lucas to arrive early and to confront Sophia.