Christina’s POV
Hudson explained that Genevieve had been doing more than just trying to poison his mind about and Niall. She’d repeatedly attempted to get him into bed, even trying to slip sothing into his drink multiple tis, hoping to sleep with him and then use it as leverage.
He’d never fallen for it, but constantly being on guard was exhausting him. He was tired of playing defense, so he’d decided to target the root of the problem instead.
"What did you do?" I asked.
"I made her believe she’d slept with ."
"I don’t understand."
"Last night, after you fell asleep, I went to see her. I asked if she wanted to have my child. She said yes. When she went to take a shower, I turned off the lights, left the hotel room, and another man went in. Do you understand now?"
My jaw dropped. "You... that’s... that’s..."
I never would have thought Hudson would stoop to sothing like this. It just didn’t seem like him.
He seed to sense my thoughts. "She tried to drug , multiple tis. I was just returning the favor."
"Holy shit," Akira whispered. "That’s cold, even for him."
I stood frozen, trying to process what I’d just heard.
"You don’t like that I did this?" he asked.
Honestly, I didn’t. Setting up Genevieve to sleep with so random guy felt like a dirty trick, sothing beneath him.
But he wasn’t wrong. She had tried to do worse to both of us.
Still...
"I don’t want her to keep bothering us," he continued, "but I can’t physically hurt her because of a promise I made long ago. This was the only permanent solution. You understand, right?"
"I have to go. A client just walked in," I lied, and hung up, my mind spinning.
The conversation bothered in more ways than one.
It wasn’t just about Genevieve.
"Are you really upset about what he did to that snake?" Akira asked.
"No... yes... I don’t know," I muttered. "But we’ve never actually talked about having children. I know Hudson wants them. As for ..."
"You’re not sure."
What if I told him I didn’t want pups? Not just for now, not for a few years, but ever?
***
The days passed in a strange fog.
By so unspoken agreent, neither Hudson nor I ntioned our uncomfortable conversation.
Genevieve, thankfully, seed to have disappeared from my life completely.
I wondered if Hudson had done sothing else to ensure her silence, but sothing held back from asking.
Maybe because I wasn’t entirely sure I’d like the answer.
Lately, I’d been feeling constantly drained.
No matter what I did, I couldn’t muster any energy.
I was going to bed early, yet I was still exhausted during the day.
"Maybe you’re coming down with sothing," Akira suggested.
"Maybe," I sighed, laying my head on my desk at the studio for just a mont. "Or maybe I’m just run ragged from everything."
Between Hudson’s insatiable appetite for at night and my early mornings at the studio, my body and mind simply hadn’t caught up.
"Christina..." Hudson murmured that night, his voice soft as he moved closer to after his shower, water droplets still clinging to his chest.
This ti, I pushed him away. "I’m exhausted. I just want to sleep."
I knew how this usually went. My resistance always crumbled under his skilled hands, and I’d inevitably get swept up in the pleasure until I couldn’t think straight. The only way to refuse was right at the start, before he could touch .
"I’ve been so tired lately," I continued. "I can barely keep my eyes open, and I’m even worse at the studio. Please, just let sleep tonight. I’m completely worn out."
"Are you feeling sick? Maybe you should take ti off work. Stay ho and rest."
I shook my head. "No, I don’t feel ill, just tired. I think it’s because you want every night. I’m worn out. I’m not like you. I can’t just keep going and never get tired."
"But I’m the one doing all the work," he said with a hint of amusent. "How does that tire you out?"
I shot Hudson an annoyed look. "Anyway, I’m just tired. There’s nothing wrong with . Just let get a few proper nights of sleep. Then I’ll be back to my old self."
"Alright," Hudson said, pulling close.
I could feel the heat of his body against my back and the obvious evidence of his arousal.
But I was already fading, my eyelids growing impossibly heavy. Within monts, I was asleep.
The next morning, I woke up feeling just as drained.
"What ti is it?" I mumbled into my pillow.
"Almost eight," Hudson replied. "But if you’re still tired, just sleep a bit longer. Take the day off. What’s going on with you lately? Is it really just exhaustion?"
"It’s all your fault," I grumbled. "You and your insatiable appetite."
"Yes, yes. It’s all my fault. I’m the one to bla," Hudson conceded.
"I’m getting up. I’m going to work."
"You’re so tired, though. Just take the day. Please." His voice softened.
I shook my head. "No. I’ll be fine."
I was determined not to skip work. I got up, washed, had so breakfast, and then Hudson drove to the studio.
I stumbled into the office, yawning all the way.
Priya took one look at . "Rough night?"
I’d gone to bed early last night, so I’d expected to feel refreshed. But as the morning dragged on, I was still struggling to keep my eyes open.
What was wrong with ?
"Coffee," Akira suggested. "Strong. Now."
"Good call," I muttered, grabbing my purse.
But just a few steps outside the studio, a force yanked off my feet.
Soone pulled roughly into a waiting van.
It happened so fast—I had no ti to react or fight back.
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