Nathaniel froze, shock coursing through him. All this ti, he had believed Zara hadn’t recognized Jaxon because of the drug’s effect.
He rembered how she had recoiled from him, her own husband, unable to even register his presence. He had assud her mind was too clouded to identify anyone. But now he realized she had known exactly who had pushed her into that nightmare.
"I started feeling strange after the champagne," Zara went on quietly. "I went to the bathroom, thinking I could calm myself, maybe ease the heat in my body. But it only got worse. That’s when I knew... sothing was wrong with the drink."
A shudder rippled through her as dread filled her chest. If Nathaniel hadn’t arrived at that mont, she didn’t dare imagine what might have happened.
"I just wanted to leave," she whispered, her voice trembling. "But the mont I stepped out of the restroom, he was there. He blocked , ignored my protests, and dragged into a room."
Her skin crawled as the mory of that man’s hands on her body resurfaced. "I begged him to let go, but he didn’t care. He just left there... left with that man to be destroyed."
Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision.
Across the table, Nathaniel’s fist tightened around the fork until the tal threatened to snap, fury burning in his gaze. "Why didn’t you tell earlier?" he ground out, his teeth clenched with barely restrained rage.
Zara blinked back her tears and fixed him with a sharp gaze. "I wasn’t in any condition to talk last night. And by the ti I woke up this morning, you were already gone. Tell —how was I supposed to say anything to you?"
Nathaniel fell silent, heat rising to his cheeks. Embarrassnt tugged at him as the mory of that vivid, indecent dream resurfaced along with everything that had followed. How could he ever confess that to her?
He had left, fearing she would catch his nervousness and figure out sothing was wrong with him.
"I—" he dropped his eyes, fumbling for words. "Sothing urgent ca up at the office. You were sleeping soundly, so I didn’t want to wake you."
"Yes, of course," Zara muttered bitterly. "Work always cos first. Everything else cos after."
"That’s not true... You matter to ."
"You say that," she cut in, "but your actions tell otherwise. Sotis I feel you are serious about us, but the very next mont, you do or say sothing that makes question whether you really care at all."
Nathaniel exhaled, realizing the root of her anger. "About last night... I left—"
"You abandoned ," she snapped, her voice cracking. "In that state. I begged you shalessly, but you..."
Her teeth sank into her lip, her emotions threatening to break free.
Seeing her disappointnt pierced through him, making his chest ache. "I had my reasons," he said softly, trying to justify himself.
"Then tell ," Zara pressed. "I need to know the truth. If it’s because there is soone else in your heart, just say it. Or is it sothing else—sothing you are hiding from ? Is there a problem? A health issue?"
"Health issue?" Nathaniel echoed, his eyes narrowing in bewildernt.
"Just tell the truth. If you are struggling with..." Zara’s voice faltered, the words catching in her throat before she finally forced them out, "...any kind of physical problem, you can confide in . We can see a doctor together. I promise I’ll support you."
Nathaniel went rigid, staring at her in stunned silence, as if he couldn’t quite believe what she had just implied.
Her certainty only grew when she saw the shock on his face.
"Don’t feel ashad," she urged gently. "You are not the only one who deals with such things. It can be treated—but only if you acknowledge it and get help. We can go see a doctor."
A doctor?
His thoughts instantly snapped to Eugen.
’That snake...’ Nathaniel’s chest tightened with fury as he rembered Eugen suggesting the very sa idea before. ’So it was he who planted doubts in her mind. You are a dead man, Eugen.’
"I’ll stand by you," Zara said with conviction. "If you want, I’ll go with you to the doctor." Every word carried sincerity; her only intent was to ease his burden.
But the more genuine she sounded, the hotter Nathaniel’s frustration burned.
"So this is what you think of ," he hissed, his pride bleeding through his tone.
Zara’s chest constricted at the anguish in his voice. "I know this upsets you, but pretending it doesn’t exist won’t help. You need to address your problems."
"You..." Nathaniel’s voice trembled with barely contained rage and humiliation. "You really believe I’m impotent."
He had held back for her sake, kept his restraint out of care, but she misunderstood him. Since things had turned out like that, he had to show her his strength. His chair screeched against the floor as he shot to his feet.
Zara flinched when she caught the raging tempest in his eyes. Instinctively, she tried to rise as she saw him striding toward her, but her body locked in place, trapped by the intensity of his burning gaze.
"You think I’m incapable?" He growled. In one swift move, he seized her arm, yanking her upward with a force that made her stumble into his chest. "Then tonight, I’ll prove you wrong."
Before she could protest, he lifted her effortlessly, tossing her over his shoulder as though she weighed nothing. The room spun for her as her stomach pressed into his broad shoulder, leaving her stunned.
"Nathaniel," she gasped, her palms beating against his back in frantic taps. "Put down—I’m getting dizzy."
Her heart hamred in her chest, terrified by his sudden dominance and the shock of what he intended to prove.
Nathaniel carried Zara down the hall, ignoring her desperate protests. Her long hair swayed with every stride, brushing against his calves. Once he stepped into the bedroom, he kicked the door shut with a loud thud.
He tossed her onto the bed with a force that made the mattress quake, her body bouncing slightly before sinking into the sheets. Shock filled her wide, trembling eyes as she looked up at him.
"Nathaniel, what are you doing?"
His lips curled into a mocking sneer. "Scared? Just monts ago, you were questioning if I was a man in full. Let give you the answer with proof."
The intensity in his gaze was wild, almost feral, making Zara’s chest tighten in dread. Heart racing, she scrambled backward across the bed, desperate to put distance between them. But he was faster. His hand shot out like a snare, clamping firmly around her ankle. With one swift tug, he dragged her back toward him.
"Tonight, there is no escape." His voice was rough. "You provoked , wanted to see my limits—you have unleashed the demon I’ve kept buried. Now, you’ll have to face it."
Nathaniel’s mouth crashed onto Zara’s with a hunger that left her breathless, the impact bruising yet electrifying. His lips moved against hers with a punishing intensity, demanding surrender rather than asking for it. At first, Zara’s instincts scread to resist, her hands pushing at his chest, but the sheer force of his passion burned through her fear.
The kiss deepened, his lips prying hers apart, his tongue sweeping in to claim her mouth with a ruthless dominance. Each movent was wild, unrestrained, as though he wanted to erase every doubt she had about him with raw, undeniable proof.
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