The soft morning light filtered through the heavy curtains of the master suite. Sarah’s mind slowly drifted back to consciousness, her thoughts a hazy blur of wind, heights, and the scent of expensive leather. As her eyes fluttered open, the first thing she saw was a wall of bronzed, muscular chest.
She looked up and realized she was being held firmly by a completely naked Ethan. The mories of the night flooded back—the helicopter, the open air, the literal leap of faith.
"AH!" Sarah scread, jumping back so fast she nearly fell off the other side of the king-sized bed.
Ethan’s eyes snapped open, a lazy, amused smirk spreading across his face as he propped himself up on one elbow. Sarah scrambled to pull the silk sheets over her body, her face turning a shade of red that rivaled the helicopter they had flown.
"Good morning to you too. You’ve got a hell of a pair of lungs on you, Sarah," Ethan said.
"Ethan! You—we—you’re not wearing anything! I’m not wearing anything! Oh my god, the guards saw us!" Sarah said, hiding her face in her hands.
"The guards saw a blanket. I, however, saw everything. Including that face you made when we were two thousand feet up," Ethan said.
Sarah peeked through her fingers, her blush deepening. "You are a maniac! Who jumps out of a moving vehicle while... while doing that? I thought my heart was going to exit through my throat!" Sarah said.
"But you didn’t close your eyes, did you? And if I recall correctly, that ’heart-stopping’ mont led to a very vocal conclusion on your part," Ethan said.
Sarah groaned, throwing a pillow at him, which he caught effortlessly. "I hate you. I actually hate you. I can’t believe I let you convince to do that. My legs feel like they’ve been replaced by overcooked noodles," Sarah said.
She tried to stand up to head to the bathroom, but as soon as her feet touched the floor, her knees buckled. She let out a sharp hiss of pain, clutching the bedpost.
"Ouch... Ethan, I think you actually broke . I’m serious, I can’t even walk," Sarah said.
Ethan’s laughter softened into sothing more caring. He stood up, completely unbothered by his nudity, and walked over to her. He picked her up bridal-style and carried her into the steaming bathroom.
"Wait, Ethan! The water looks too hot!" Sarah said.
He ignored her playful protest and stepped into the massive, sunken marble tub, lowering them both into the water. As the heat touched her skin, Sarah let out a sharp hiss, her body tensing up.
"Ouch! Hot, hot, hot! It stings a little... you know where!" Sarah said.
"It’s just the circulation returning to your ’noodles,’ Sarah. Stay still," Ethan said.
He grabbed a sponge and a bottle of expensive, scented soap, creating a thick mountain of white foam. He began to lather her shoulders, but Sarah, recovering her spirit, scooped up a handful of bubbles and blew them directly into Ethan’s face.
"Take that! That’s for the freefall! My heart is still sowhere over the Atlantic Ocean because of you," Sarah said.
Ethan wiped a stray bubble from his nose, his eyes glinting with mischief. "You’re blaming ? I rember you screaming ’don’t stop’ while we were falling at terminal velocity. I think the sky suited you," Ethan said.
"I was delirious! Oxygen deprivation! Any girl would say crazy things if her boyfriend decided to turn into a skydiver mid-act," Sarah said.
She took the sponge from him and started rubbing the soap against his chest, her hands lingering over his scars. "But really... that last part. When the parachute opened and we were just... floating. I’ve never felt anything like that. It was like the whole world stopped just for us," Sarah said.
"It did stop. In that mont, there was no Royal, no Scavengers, and no parents. Just gravity and us," Ethan said.
He leaned back, letting her wash him, the steam filling the room with a sense of dostic peace that was rare in his life. Sarah started making a beard out of foam on his chin, giggling like the girl he had known years ago.
"You look like a very grumpy Santa Claus," Sarah said.
"And you look like a very ssy assistant. If you keep playing with the soap, we’re going to be late for the execution of several corporate careers," Ethan said.
Ethan stood up, the water cascading off his powerful fra, and lifted her out of the tub. After drying her off, he sat her down on the edge of the tub.
"Hold on. I’m not going to have my new favorite assistant hobbling around like an old lady," Ethan said.
He navigated the system store in his mind and materialized a small glass vial filled with a shimring translucent liquid.
"Drink this. It’s a high-grade recovery potion. It’ll fix the muscle tears and the... discomfort," Ethan said.
Sarah took the vial, eyeing it suspiciously before drinking it all. Almost instantly, a soothing warmth spread through her lower body, erasing the soreness.
"Wow. I feel... normal again. Does this an we’re going back to the helicopter tonight?" Sarah said.
"Don’t push your luck, kid. I have a boardroom full of people to terrify. You’re going to stay here, finish your breakfast, and rest. That’s an order," Ethan said.
She watched with unashad fascination as he began to dress.
He caught her reflection in the full-length mirror and noticed her intense gaze. He turned around slowly, fastening his luxury watch, a ghost of a smirk playing on his lips.
"Do you like what you see, Sarah? Or are you just making sure I didn’t leave any soap behind?" Ethan said.
Sarah’s face flushed a brilliant pink, but she didn’t look away this ti. She bit her lip, her eyes roaming over his sharp silhouette. "I like it. A lot. You look... like a king. It’s hard to believe you’re the sa person who was jumping out of helicopters a few hours ago," Sarah said.
"A king has many faces, Sarah. Last night was for us. Today is for the empire," Ethan said.
He walked back to the bed, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. The contrast between his cold, professional attire and the warmth of his touch made her heart skip a beat.
"Eat the breakfast I’ll send you in a mont. Don’t leave this room until you’re fully recovered. If I find you wandering the halls while you’re still shaking, there will be consequences," Ethan said.
"Yes, Master. I’ll stay put," Sarah said, a playful but submissive glint in her eyes.
Ethan gave her one last lingering look of satisfaction before turning toward the door. As he gripped the handle, his expression shifted; the warmth evaporated, replaced by the icy, calculating mask of the CEO of Royal. He opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, the click of the lock echoing behind him as he left her resting in the safety of his bed.
Ethan walked down the long, marble corridor, as he reached the main hall, he saw the group gathered near the tall windows. Jason was leaning against a pillar, laughing at sothing Lena had said, while Alexandria and Cassandra were discussing the logistics of the new supply routes.
"I’m telling you, if we don’t recalibrate the drones, the Arctic wind is going to knock them out of the sky before they even reach the coast," Alexandria said.
"Then recalibrate them. I don’t pay for excuses; I pay for results," Lena said, though her tone was lighter than usual.
As Ethan stepped into the center of the hall, the conversation died down instantly.
"Good morning, everyone," Ethan said.
"Good morning, Boss. You look like you slept well. Or didn’t sleep at all," Jason said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"The night was productive. Now, what’s the status of our ’guests’?" Ethan said.
"Everyone is being directed to the alternate headquarters. We’ve secured the periter and moved the eting there. This main base remains our greatest fortress; nobody enters or leaves without your direct clearance." Jason said.
"Excellent. Then let’s move. I don’t want our victims to wait too long. It’s rude to keep people waiting for their own execution," Ethan said, a cold laugh escaping his lips.
He paused for a mont, adjusting his collar, then turned back to Jason with a more relaxed expression. "One more thing, Jason. Send one of the girls from the staff to take breakfast up to Sarah. Make sure she has everything she needs. She’s... a bit indisposed at the mont," Ethan said.
A wave of knowing smiles spread through the group. Lena let out a soft chuckle, and even Cassandra couldn’t hide a smirk of complicity. They all knew exactly what "indisposed" ant when it ca to a night spent with Ethan.
"Consider it done, Chief. I’ll make sure she gets the royal treatnt," Jason said.
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