Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella)

You could just tell she was feeling hurt.

Hull raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"

Susanna rolled over in bed, clutching the comforter around her. Her voice was muffled. "Nothing. I'm fine."

But she was obviously not fine.

Hull sighed. “Look, I know women from Portis City have all these big ideas about, you know, waiting for the right moment..... maybe even saving it for their wedding night. But come on, that's old-school stuff. Are people really still that conservative?"

Susanna's eyes went wide. "Are we really having this conversation?"

Seriously. Was this the kind of thing you just talked about so casually?

Well, whatever, she had bigger things on her mind right now.

Hull, seeing she wasn't answering, started rummaging through the medical kit, snapping on latex gloves. "Alright, pants down."

Susanna sat up, alarmed. “I can do it myself.”

Just the idea of him telling her to take her pants off made her freeze up.

"Or I could ask the housekeeper to help, if you'd prefer," Hull offered.

"You sure about that?" he added.

Susanna hesitated. Was she? No way. If the housekeeper got involved, she'd die of embarrassment. "I'll do it."

So, she braced herself, cheeks burning.

Hull gave her a look-intense, unreadable. Susanna squirmed under his gaze.

“Um..... what's with the look?" she mumbled. "Can't I just do it myself?"

Hull shrugged, completely unfazed. “Feeling shy?"

Susanna glared. "Is that not allowed?"

Seriously, what was with this guy? He talked about stuff like this the way someone might ask if you wanted more mashed potatoes.

If she hadn't already experienced firsthand how relentless he could be in bed, Susanna would've started to wonder if he even had a pulse.

But that was the thing—when it came to this stuff, he was just... indifferent.

Hull smirked. "I've already seen everything."

Susanna groaned.

Just listen to him. Like he was saying he'd already had dinner.

So calm. So matter-of-fact. Like none of this fazed him at all.

Susanna clung to the last bit of dignity she had.

In the end, Hull lost patience. With one swift move, he just pulled her pants down himself.

She barely had time to protest—she was helpless.

Burying her face in the pillows, Susanna muttered, “Our deal was just one time, right?”

Her voice was tiny, almost desperate.

Hull shrugged again. "I don't really remember."

Susanna sat up, affronted. "What?

Of course you do! You said if I

helped you, I'd get to see my met

But still haven't seen her. I got totally ripped off."

It was enough to make her want to cry.

But ever since learning the truth about her family, Susanna had started to find her own strength.

When Stella heard what had happened, she was thrilled for Susanna.

That night, over dinner, Ronald turned to Stella. "You know Susanna spent the whole afternoon at the shooting range?"

Stella almost dropped her fork. "She did what? She actually went?"

"Hull's idea," Ronald said, shrugging.

Stella was stunned. She'd already been shocked that morning when Susanna called, her voice trembling as she talked about that pair of twins.

Now she was out practicing with firearms?

Stella's tone softened, pride shining through. “She's a lot tougher than I thought."

Ronald nodded. "Yeah."

Stella frowned. “Hull's really letting her train like that? I mean, he acts all cold, but he's actually pretty protective."

She remembered how, years ago, after she'd been kidnapped, Yvonne had tried to get Hull to train her fornoveldrama

self-defense.

It hadn't lasted long. The minute

Stella complained her hands hurnet

Hull just shrugged and said,

vel?

"Whatever, Ronald will keep you

safe," and that was that.

“Maybe we should get your sister's people to train her instead,” Stella suggested after a moment.

Yeah, Yvonne's people. They were

the real deal-no mercy. She remembered when Yvonne had left for a few days, and the training had been brutal.

Not that bringing Ronald into it had helped. He'd just let them carry on.

But it was that tough training that gave her the skills to handle whatever life threw at her during those three

years away.

Ronald just shrugged. "Up to you."

He paused, then added, “Actually, it's probably a good idea. She's up against Dan next."

Stella's eyes widened. "Wait, what?”

Not Dan...