Kiss Me if You Can Novel Completed - Chapter 38

Everyone knew that fact too. They just didn’t want to admit the reality.

The fact that they could never leave this place until the contract period ended.

Mark continued, feigning strictness.

“Everyone signed up for this, what can we do now? It seems Chase Miller’s condition has worsened compared to a few years ago, but what can we do about it now?”

His last words were a little rough. He himself couldn’t suppress the rising anger. Mark, who had groaned, added weakly,

“We just have to endure it, doing our respective jobs. There’s nothing else we can do.”

He concluded his words with a promise to himself. There was no other alternative. In the gloomy atmosphere, Josh stood up.

“Where are you going?”

Isaac asked. Josh replied readily.

“Patrol. It’s my turn.”

Everyone took turns patrolling the vicinity of the mansion and the garden at a set time. Since there were no alternatives anyway, sitting around endlessly was meaningless. Josh left early and exited the mansion.

Phew.

Breathing in the cold night air, his stuffy chest felt a little clearer. He suddenly missed Pete and pulled out his phone as he walked. Even though he already knew, he checked the time, but nothing had changed. It was too late to call. The best he could do was watch the video of his child after finishing his patrol.

I wonder if Pete is doing well.

Suddenly, his chest ached, and Josh stopped walking.

An unexpected object was a few steps away. He immediately tensed, trying to identify it. A permitted firearm was tucked into his waistband. He planned to identify it first, but if he saw anything suspicious, he would shoot immediately.

Would there really be a man bold enough to lie down and sleep sprawled out in Chase Miller’s mansion garden?

The moment Josh realized who it was, he relaxed his shoulders.

It was Chase Miller himself.

After causing such a commotion during the day, he was calmly lying on the lawn, enjoying the night breeze. Josh barely managed to suppress a “Ha,” a choked breath. He truly thought he did all sorts of things. If something happened while he was rolling around like this, who would he blame? Josh, who had frowned, soon corrected himself.

Well, it’s his own garden, so what if something happens?

Moreover, it was a grand mansion constantly monitored by security guards and CCTV. There was no chance of anything happening to him.

That’s why he can do things that incur grudges from others so nonchalantly.

Of course, Duncan was wrong to begin with. Everyone would think so. But the response was excessive. Thanks to that, that man would never mock Chase again.

No, no one in the world would.

Josh thought, gazing intently at Chase. Lying with his arms outstretched, eyes closed, savoring the wind, he looked more peaceful than anyone. For a moment, it seemed as if he might be asleep. As proof, he seemed to be barely breathing. His calm, low breaths probably made him appear that way.

Josh stood there watching him for a while. It was strange. Even though he had just seen how cruel and wild he was hours ago, Chase now looked as pure and fragile as an angel. The man who had been drenched in blood and laughing madly was not here now.

Then where did Chase Miller disappear to?

Josh suddenly wondered. Chase’s sweet pheromones, mixed with the wind, faintly reached the tip of his nose. He should have taken out a candy and put it in his mouth, but he just stood there. His hesitant gaze turned to Chase’s face. His pale cheeks, framed by long eyelashes, were completely devoid of color. He even felt as if he wouldn’t be able to find him if it snowed.

Just as a corner of his heart felt a pang, Chase suddenly opened his eyes. Josh flinched. He wasn’t asleep. He had just been lying there, holding his breath.

Chase’s gaze slowly moved towards Josh. For a moment, they just looked at each other without a word. Suddenly, Josh almost reached out his hand to him. Fortunately, he immediately realized his mistake and stopped, but it left him in an awkward posture.

Chase was still looking at him. As if trying to distinguish whether the person standing in front of him was an illusion or reality. He might still be half-asleep. Josh cleared his throat quickly, saying, “Ahem.”

“If you’re going to stay here, would you like me to bring you a thin blanket?”

Chase didn’t answer. He recalled the fact that Chase had always ignored him, and the silence that had preceded Duncan’s tongue-biting incident.

Did I say something I shouldn’t have?

Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine, and Chase frowned. As if he was finally recognizing reality.

The silence that followed this time was different from the previous one. Josh wanted to run away from the ominous atmosphere. As he subtly took a step back, Chase opened his mouth.

“No.”

He whispered slowly, like a breath.

“I don’t need it.”

That was it. Josh was subtly surprised by his unexpectedly quiet reaction. I guess I don’t need to say I’m leaving. He was about to back away and subtly leave when Chase suddenly spoke.

“If you want to stare, go ahead. As much as you want.”

“Pardon?”

Josh paused at the unexpected words. Seeing his reaction, Chase twisted his lips into a sneer. To the flustered Josh, Chase spoke in a still fading voice.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it? Go ahead and stare. You probably want to go tell everyone, right? How strange an extreme Alpha looks.”

Josh blinked in confusion.

“I don’t treat people as spectacles, and I don’t talk about clients’ appearances or private lives. That goes against professional ethics.”

His tone automatically stiffened. He was displeased that his profession, which he took pride in, was being treated so lightly. Chase quietly watched Josh’s serious face. His half-lidded purple eyes rested idly on him.

Despite intending to argue with him, Josh felt his energy drain away. Was this how a fisherman reacted after hearing a siren’s song? It felt as if anyone would do as this man commanded with just a flick of his finger.

Then Chase extended his hand towards him. It was merely a light wave of his hand, but that was enough. No one in this world would be able to refuse that hand.

Josh found it hard to distinguish whether the reason his mind was so blank was due to the pheromones or his face. The only certainty was that if he didn’t do what he wanted now, he would surely regret it.

“…!”

As he approached, Chase suddenly sat up and pulled Josh’s hand. Josh fell onto his body without even making a sound.

“What is this…”

Josh, raising his head in surprise, was utterly mesmerized. Chase was looking at him with narrowly opened eyes. His usually perfectly combed hair was now disheveled, and his pale cheeks were faintly flushed. Moreover, his moist purple eyes shone dazzlingly, as if reflecting the moonlight directly. Josh stopped breathing.

With that maddeningly sweet face, Chase looked at Josh and spoke.

“Do you want to kiss me?”

Josh’s heart instantly sank. Chase’s neat face came into his widely opened, surprised vision. His white fingers touched Josh’s neck. Slowly, his hand tightened, and Josh tilted his head as he was led. As Chase’s lips approached, the scene of Duncan spitting blood simultaneously replayed before his eyes.

My tongue might get cut off too.

Fear and excitement rose within him at the same time. He just kissed Duncan right before this. Unreasonable jealousy and bewilderment intertwined, and all sorts of emotions swirled. But amidst the confusion, he couldn’t push Chase away. Instead, he tilted his head as he was led.

Chase’s long eyelashes, slowly lowering, came into his vision. Josh closed his eyes, and then a warm breath touched his lips. Ah, as he let out a low sigh like a lament, Chase opened his mouth.

“You fucking bastard, you’re happy as long as anyone sleeps with you, aren’t you?”

Josh opened his eyes and looked down at him. Chase was still looking at Josh. But his face was filled with contempt and mockery.

Belatedly, Josh realized that Chase had mocked him.

“…Ugh.”

He groaned like a lament and hastily stood up. Chase simply watched him.

Josh stood blankly, wiping his lips, and looked down at him. His face slowly flushed, and his eyes burned. The wind was cold, but his body was still hot. He had to say something, but nothing came to mind. His wildly beating heart couldn’t distinguish whether it was from humiliation or regret. When he finally calmed down, only a sense of emptiness remained.

Chase, who had somehow returned to his usual doll-like expression, was looking at Josh. Josh, meeting his gaze quietly, suddenly gave a bitter smile. Chase flinched and frowned.

“…Your tongue almost got cut off.”

In his usual calm voice, Chase said nothing. He just looked at him as if he was in a bad mood. Josh continued nonchalantly.

“Are you alright? Even if you don’t go back to your room.”

Chase looked at him blankly and then let out a scoff. As if he despised him. Josh casually said, “Then,” and turned his back. Chase still said nothing.

I have to run.

His steps, which had been slow, gradually quickened. It felt as if Chase’s gaze was still clinging to his back. He was running now. He had to run away. If he stopped, he felt like that man would catch him. What would happen then?

He finally ran into the house, gasping for breath, and urgently closed the door behind him. Silence instantly fell. In the vast hall, only his ragged breathing echoed eerily.

Naturally, Chase didn’t follow him. A sense of emptiness mixed with relief washed over him.

“Get a grip, you idiot.”

Josh deliberately swore aloud. Tossing the remaining candies into his mouth at once, he re-evaluated the situation. He must never be captivated by that man.

By no one else but Chase Miller.