Chapter 65
"Damn you, girl, you're so clueless," Gracie muttered, facepalming herself. "Anyway, just don't be the first to reach out. Play it cool. I've got to get back to the underworld; my time's up." She said pouting like a child about to get separated from it's mother, her usual lively energy was now replaced with a sad expression.
Natasha chuckled lightly. "You're always so dramatic."
Gracie smirked. "I have always been, and it's a coincidence that this woman also is."
"Can you believe she caught her husband with another woman kissing at a restaurant where they went on a date behind her back, she walked up to them and started pulling the woman's hair like crazy, the two of them ended up fighting, and she won too, she eventually had to pay for the woman to get a hair transplant because all her hair ended up falling out" Gracie whispered as if someone else might hear her, they both bursted out laughing as she narrated the womans memories.
After a while of laughter and gossip, they hugged tightly as Gracie bid farewell, neither wanting to let go. Natasha held her breath, already dreading the loneliness that always followed Gracie's departures. But, as always, the moment came when they had to part.
"Take care of yourself, dummy," Gracie said as she stepped back.
"Don't get caught sneaking into bodies again," Natasha shot back with a teasing grin.
Gracie winked and left, leaving Natasha alone in the quiet hotel apartment. Natasha let out a shaky breath, her shoulders sagging. The entire day had been an emotional rollercoaster, and her nerves were aching from exhaustion. She needed a hot bath to relax.
She headed to the bathroom, her feet dragging slightly. Closing the door behind her, she peeled off her clothes and stepped into the warm, soapy water waiting in the tub. The bubbles glistened, masking her silhouette as she sank in, letting the water envelop her like a comforting embrace. She leaned her head back against the edge, exhaling deeply.
Her mind wandered, replaying the chaotic events that had unfolded since she met Drogen. Her life had been anything but ordinary since their paths collided. Despite everything—the danger, the arguments, the mysteries—there were moments she couldn't forget. Moments that left her heart racing.
Her cheeks flushed as memories of their most intimate encounters surfaced. The stolen kisses, the heated embraces—the couch, the shower, his room. Her fingers brushed her lips absentmindedly as a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"Stop it," she muttered to herself, shaking her head. "You're supposed to be mad at him, remember?"
After soaking for a while, she washed up and stepped out of the tub. Wrapping herself in a bathrobe, she rubbed at her damp hair with a towel. As she exited the bathroom, her breath hitched at the sight of a figure standing just outside the door.
She yelped slightly, clearly shocked by his sudden appearance "Can you not keep sneaking up on me like this?"
Drogen leaned against the wall, his expression calm. "Are you still angry with me?"
Natasha didn't look at him, but her heart skipped a beat. He cared enough to ask. "I won't answer," she said, feigning indifference as she continued drying her hair.
"Then I won't leave," he murmured, his voice low.
Before she could protest, he stepped closer, gently taking the towel from her hands. Natasha froze as he began drying her hair himself, his fingers brushing against her scalp. She wanted to step back, to maintain her composure, but his touch was too soothing, too familiar.
"Well, if you're staying, you're taking the couch," she said, her tone firm but her resolve faltering.
"I don't mind," he replied with a faint grin.
She rolled her eyes, hiding the small smile tugging at her lips. "By the way," he asked, his tone shifting, "where's that aunt of yours? You never mentioned having one before."
Natasha stiffened, not expecting him to ask, but she quickly regained her composure.
"Ohh, em ....she, she's gone. I never mentioned it cause you never asked " Natasha said smoothly, laughing inwardly at how gullible he was.
Drogen tilted his head slightly, studying her for a moment, but he didn't press further. Instead, he finished drying her hair in silence. As soon as he was done, Natasha darted into her room, eager to escape the tension. She quickly got dressed and lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
But her thoughts kept drifting back to him. She tossed and turned, glancing at the door every few minutes, half expecting him to walk in. When thirty minutes passed without a sign of him, she huffed and frowned.
"Tsk, so he just left like that?" she muttered, annoyed.
Getting up, she headed to the living room to check if he had actually left, and there he was, sitting on the couch with a laptop in front of him, completely engrossed in his work. Natasha watched him quietly, surprised by how focused he looked. It was easy to forget that behind his mysterious aura was a man running a multi-million-dollar company. He had already changed into his pyjamas, but he still looked so imposing. How convenient it was to be able to teleport to anywhere you wanted at anytime.
She tiptoed closer, intending to surprise him. But before she could get close, he spoke without looking up.
"Don't bother. I know you're there."
Natasha froze, turning away and clearing her throat awkwardly, pretending like she was walking somewhere else."I wasn't sneaking up on you!" she quickly defended . "I just came to get water."
Drogen chuckled, finally glancing up at her. "Funny. I never said anything about sneaking, yet here you are, explaining yourself."he said, still smiling. Natasha felt her cheeks heat up, flushing instantly as she realized her mistake
"I'm going to bed" she mumbled, rushing back to her room embarrassed.
As she lay down, her cheeks still burning, she couldn't help but smile. His teasing always got under her skin, but it was part of what made him him.
Exhaustion finally caught up with her, and she drifted off to sleep. Meanwhile, Drogen finished his work an hour later. Glancing at the time, he noted it was past 10 p.m. He stretched, then quietly made his way to her room to check on her.
She was sound asleep, her face peaceful. He sat on the edge of the bed, his hands found her face and brushed a few strands of hair away, His fingers lingered, gently caressing her cheek.
"Sleeping so soundly, not realizing what you've gotten yourself into," he murmured, his voice gentle and soft
He hesitated, his expression unreadable. "I wonder… if things would've been different had I not made that blood pact with you." he said, his hands still caressing her face.
she reacted to his touch, her face rubbing against his hands as she turned sides, She murmured something he couldn't understand and pulled his hands closer, resting her head on it. Her gentle yet simple act made a genuine smile appear on his face without even realizing.
"Don't want to let go, huh?" he whispered, his voice filled with both teasing and amusement