Free Web NovelChapter 76: Two Girls... More Stress
Wren and Leah continued their slow stroll down the sun-drenched cobblestone promenade.
The massive white awnings stretched overhead, casting long comfortable shadows that shielded them from the worst of the afternoon heat.
Wren easily tossed the last remnant of his roasted corn cob into a nearby brass waste receptacle, wiping his hands on a simple paper napkin.
Beside him, Leah did the same, letting out a soft, completely satisfied sigh.
"I’m telling you," Leah murmured, her bright green eyes crinkling at the corners as she looked up at him. "A five-star Michelin restaurant couldn’t have beaten that. The charcoal flavor makes all the difference."
"It does," Wren agreed with his deep voice rumbling smoothly. He cast a sideways glance at the striking heiress.
The dark jagged meteorite pendant he had just bought her rested perfectly against her collarbone, catching the ambient light and glittering with deep iridescent flecks of purple and silver.
They continued down the promenade as Leah’s cheeks still held a small rosy dusting of pink from the moment Wren had aggressively licked the stray butter off the corner of her mouth.
As they neared the end of the commercial district, preparing to turn back toward the exclusive VIP residential sector, Leah suddenly stopped.
Her green eyes locked onto a small, highly decorated artisan stall tucked between two luxury boutiques.
The vendor behind the counter was actively tempering rich, dark chocolate on a chilled marble slab with the heavy aroma completely overpowering the salty sea breeze of the island.
"Oh, absolutely not," Leah declared, her vibrant purple hair bouncing as she immediately pivoted toward the stall. "We can’t walk past that without getting something and before you even start pulling out your digital wallet, Wren, I am paying for this. You are not allowed to argue."
Wren let out a quiet chuckle, sliding his hands casually into the pockets of his dark trousers.
"Be my guest."
Leah practically skipped to the stall, engaging in a rapid, excited conversation with the vendor.
Within a minute, she was walking back toward Wren, triumphantly holding a small elegant matte-black box filled with beautifully crafted, dusted artisan truffles.
"Here," Leah said, popping the lid open. She reached in with her slender fingers, picking up a rich, cocoa-dusted truffle.
Instead of eating it herself, she stepped directly into Wren’s personal space. Without asking, she lifted the chocolate, pressing it gently against his bottom lip.
Wren didn’t hesitate.
He parted his lips, allowing her to feed him the treat. His teeth grazed the incredibly soft tips of her fingers for a fraction of a second, sending another visible jolt of electricity straight up Leah’s arm.
The chocolate melted instantly on his tongue, exploding with a rich, dark bitterness that was perfectly balanced by a sweet caramel center.
"Good?" Leah asked softly as she stared at his mouth.
"Incredible..." Wren admitted, chewing slowly.
Leah picked out another truffle, finally eating one herself. She chewed in silence as they resumed their walk back toward the sprawling VIP villas.
However, the intimate act of feeding him seemed to have flipped a switch in her mind, emboldening her to ask a question that had clearly been burning a hole in her brain for days.
"So..." Leah started, her tone suddenly shifting into a terrible attempt at casual indifference. "Remember when I caught you kissing Isabella back in the Celestine?"
Wren’s entire body stiffened mid-stride.
The relaxed comfortable atmosphere instantly evaporated, replaced by a sudden spike of high-alert tension.
He remembered the exact moment Leah had walked in on him practically devouring Isabella in the room.
"I thought we agreed not to talk about that..." Wren stated with his voice dropping slightly.
Leah held her hands up defensively, almost dropping the box of truffles. "Oh, no! I’m not reporting it or anything. I’m not mad. We’re way past that."
Wren raised an eyebrow, his piercing blue eyes locking onto her face. "Then why bring it up?"
Leah nervously bit her lower lip which was a stark contrast to the confident woman who had just bought him out at the jewelry store.
She looked away, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of crimson.
"I was just... curious," Leah admitted, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "I know for a fact that you haven’t dated anyone even after College finished... before this whole chaotic thing started. I know you. So, I just wanted to know how you got... experience. In kissing."
Wren blinked, genuinely caught off guard by the direction of the conversation.
"Because," Leah continued, her green eyes darting back to meet his, "I’m pretty sure you had never kissed anyone before all of this. So I was just curious... who was your first kiss?"
Wren stared at her for a long moment.
The mental gymnastics required to navigate the density of his current situation was staggering.
Well he couldn’t say he bought a skill from Nyx however Instead of panicking, Wren leaned into the persona that always served him best when dealing with Merrett women.
A slow dark smirk curved his lips as he shrugged his broad shoulders dismissively. "That’ll be a secret."
Leah frowned, clearly dissatisfied with the non-answer.
"Besides," Wren added smoothly. "We kissed afterward, right? In the same place. So I guess that means I’m not half bad."
Leah’s breath hitched.
"You weren’t half bad," Leah shot back with her chin lifting in defiance. She completely ignored the frantic beating of her own heart. "But... it could definitely be better."
Wren stopped walking.
They were standing near the edge of the residential sector, the polished marble pathways of the VIP villas stretching out before them.
Wren turned his body entirely toward her, completely boxing her in with his physical presence.
"Is that so?" Wren challenged quietly.
Leah swallowed hard, but she didn’t back down. With a sudden burst of sheer, unfiltered bravado, she reached up, tapping her index finger directly against her own plush, pink lips.
"Yeah," Leah whispered, her green eyes burning with a mix of terror and undeniable desire. "You could... practice with me. If you wanted to."
Wren’s blue eyes darkened instantly. The invitation hung in the warm tropical air, completely devastating in its simplicity.
He didn’t need to be told twice.
Wren stepped directly into her space, his towering frame casting a shadow over her. He reached out with his warm hand cupping her jaw effortlessly.
His thumb brushed over her cheekbone, and he leaned his head down, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat.
Leah’s bravado instantly shattered into a million pieces.
The reality of what was about to happen... Wren kissing her with dominance right out in the open completely short-circuited her brain.
Her eyes went wide as a massive burning blush completely consumed her entire face and just as his lips were about to brush against hers, Leah panicked.
She took a rapid, stumbling step backward, breaking his hold on her jaw.
"N-not now!" Leah stuttered wildly, her voice cracking as she clutched the box of chocolates to her chest like a physical shield.
Wren paused with a highly amused smirk on his lips as he looked down at the completely flustered heiress. "Not now?"
"We... we’re out in the open!" Leah reasoned frantically, glancing around the empty marble pathway as if a crowd was secretly watching them. "If... if I wanted to kiss you, I would do it in the privacy of your room. Not out here on the sidewalk!"
Wren chuckled which only made Leah blush harder. "Alright. The privacy of my room. Lead the way."
Desperate to change the subject and lower her skyrocketing heart rate, Leah frantically grasped for an excuse.
"We... we should watch a movie! A horror movie. In your room. Yes. That’s exactly what we are going to do."
"A horror movie," Wren repeated, his tone dripping with absolute amusement. "Sure. Let’s go."
...
Ten minutes later, the polished mahogany door of Wren’s luxurious VIP suite loomed before them.
Leah was still nervously fidgeting with the edge of her designer shirt, clearly psyching herself up for whatever "practice" was going to happen once that door closed behind them.
Wren pulled the sleek, black keycard from his pocket and he tapped it against the electronic lock.
The mechanism beeped cheerfully, a small green light flashed as the heavy door clicked open.
Wren pushed the door inward, stepping into the cool aggressively air-conditioned interior of the massive suite.
The living area was pristine, the floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the island’s private cove.
He took two steps inside, preparing to gesture for Leah to follow, when he completely froze.
Standing dead center in the middle of the master bedroom, directly in front of his open wardrobe, was Isabella.
The stunning older woman had completely abandoned her usual highly tailored designer business wear.
In fact, she had abandoned almost all her clothes entirely.
Isabella was wearing nothing but one of Wren’s dark blue, oversized button-down shirts.
The fabric draped over her incredible curves, the hem barely reaching the absolute upper crest of her flawless, pale thighs. freeweɓnovel.cѳm
The top three buttons were completely undone, offering a dangerously deep plunge that showcased the swelling curve of her cleavage.
She was holding a pair of his dark trousers, analyzing the fabric and completely at home in his personal space.
Isabella turned around, tossing her rich blond hair over her shoulder asa brilliant stunning smile broke across her mature features when she saw him.
"Wren," Isabella greeted, her voice a smooth, wealthy purr that echoed in the quiet suite. "You’re finally back. I was just looking for something comfortable. I brought popcorn, I thought we could order some room service and watch a movi—"
Isabella’s words died instantly in her throat.
Her green eyes shifted just past Wren’s broad shoulder, landing squarely on the vibrant purple hair of her biggest rival.
Leah stepped into the room, her green eyes widening to the size of dinner plates as she took in the audacity of the scene before her.
The beautiful older woman, completely pantless, standing in Wren’s bedroom wearing his clothes.
"What the hell is she doing here?!" Isabella demanded with her tone instantly dropping thirty degrees into pure ice.
"I was about to ask you the exact same fucking question!" Leah fired back instantly, completely dropping her flustered, shy demeanor as her territorial instincts violently activated. "Why are you in his room? And why are you half-naked in his clothes?!"
Wren let out a long, exhausted sigh, bringing his hand up to massage the back of his neck.
The chaos of his existence was staggering. He looked at Isabella, ignoring the furious heiress standing behind him.
"How did you even get in here, Isa?" Wren asked, genuinely baffled. "I took the keycard."
Isabella didn’t even flinch. She crossed her arms beneath her breasts, a move that only served to push her cleavage higher up against the open collar of his shirt.
"The door wasn’t fully latched," Isabella claimed smoothly with her face becoming the picture of innocence. "You should really be more careful about your security, Wren. Anyone could have just walked in. And as for my attire..."
She shot a completely condescending look toward Leah. "...I was having a coffee on the balcony and accidentally spilled milk all over my blouse and skirt. I sent them down to the island’s dry cleaners so I needed something to wear in the meantime."
It was a blatant lie, and absolutely everyone in the room knew it.
"Spilled milk?" Leah scoffed, stepping fully into the room with her hands planting firmly on her hips. "Are you a toddler? You’re literally a millionaire! You could have had a brand new designer wardrobe delivered to your suite in five minutes! You are doing this on purpose!"
"I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about," Isabella replied, her voice dripping with venomous sweetness.
She took a step toward Wren, completely invading his space. "I was just making myself comfortable."
"Okay, enough," Wren commanded and both women instantly snapped their mouths shut, their eyes darting to his face.
The authority he carried completely overrode their squabbling.
Wren looked between the two of them. A headache was already forming behind his eyes, but he knew exactly how to handle this. He wasn’t going to play into the drama.
"Both of you, calm down," Wren instructed calmly.
He looked directly at Isabella, his blue eyes raking over the incredibly short hem of the shirt riding up her thighs. "It’s fine. I really don’t mind you wearing my shirt, Isa. It looks good on you." freeωebnovēl.c૦m
Isabella’s mature features immediately softened, a massive triumphant blush spreading across her cheeks as a thoroughly smug smile curved her lips. She shot a devastating, victorious look right at Leah.
Leah’s brain completely short-circuited.
Wren wasn’t kicking Isabella out... He wasn’t telling her to put on pants... He had just complimented her.
Leah’s green eyes narrowed into highly dangerous slits.
Without saying a single word, Leah marched straight past Wren, her shoulder checking Isabella out of the way as she aggressively stormed into the open wardrobe.
She reached up, forcefully yanking a thick, dark grey button-down shirt directly off its wooden hanger.
"Excuse me," Leah muttered darkly, spinning on her heel and marching directly into the massive, marble-lined master bathroom.
The heavy wooden door slammed shut behind her, the lock engaging with an aggressive click.
Wren stood in the middle of the bedroom, blinking slowly. He looked at Isabella, who merely shrugged her shoulders, completely unbothered by the dramatic exit.
Two minutes later, the bathroom door swung open.
Leah stepped out. Her incredibly expensive, custom-tailored tropical designer outfit was completely gone, likely folded and shoved into her purse. In its place, she was wearing Wren’s dark grey button-down shirt.
Because she was significantly shorter than Wren, the shirt swallowed her entirely. The hem reached down to her mid-thigh, and the sleeves were so long she had to aggressively roll them up just to free her hands.
She marched back into the center of the room, crossing her arms tightly over her chest, mimicking Isabella’s exact posture, and leveled a fiercely competitive glare at the older woman.
"There," Leah declared stubbornly. "Now we are both comfortable."
Wren couldn’t help it.
A genuine laugh tore from his chest. The sheer absurdity of two incredibly wealthy, stunning women fighting over the right to wear his oversized laundry was too much.
He walked over to Leah, reaching out to gently tug on the oversized collar of the grey shirt.
"You look ridiculous," Wren murmured.
He leaned down slightly, his blue eyes locking onto hers. "But you look incredibly cute doing it."
Leah’s defiant glare melted instantly. A violent, burning red blush exploded across her entire face, her breath hitching wildly in her chest.
The whiplash of his compliment completely shattered her defenses.
Isabella practically growled under her breath.
’Why the hell does this woman have to want Wren too?’ She thought and sighed, she just needed alone time with Wren. Leah didn’t matter... that much.
"Right," Wren announced, clapping his hands together once to break the tension.
He walked over to the incredibly plush bed that dominated the center of the room, which also faced an absolutely gigantic flat-screen television mounted on the wall.
"You said we were watching a horror movie. Let’s go."
Wren dropped onto the center of the mattress, kicking his shoes off and leaning back against the heavily padded headboard.
Instantly, it was a race.
Isabella scrambled onto the right side of the bed, immediately pressing her warm, completely bare thigh directly against Wren’s leg.
Leah practically dove onto the left side, shoving her shoulder firmly against his ribs, ensuring absolutely zero space existed between them.
Wren just sighed internally, reaching for the remote. He flicked the television on, navigating to the island’s private streaming service, and selected the first high-rated horror movie he found.
The lights in the suite automatically dimmed to pitch black as the opening credits rolled.
For the first twenty minutes, the tension in the bed was competitive.
Isabella kept subtly shifting closer, resting her hand on Wren’s thigh. Leah countered by wrapping both of her arms around Wren’s left bicep, completely trapping him.
’Why are they dragging over me like this?’
It was funny the first few times but now he was genuinely scared, what if they managed to rip him in half?
"Well Host, both of their affections are currently maxed out. You really are a smooth criminal~" Nyx projected directly into his head then, the movie actually started getting scary.
The music cut out completely and the screen went pitch black for three agonizingly long seconds.
Suddenly, a massive heavily distorted face blasted onto the screen, accompanied by an ear-shattering, screeching audio cue that rattled the walls of the suite.
"AHHH!"
Both women shrieked simultaneously in terror.
Isabella abandoned all attempts at seduction, throwing her arms around Wren’s neck and burying her face directly into the crook of his shoulder with her nails digging into his skin.
Leah practically climbed into his lap, squeezing her eyes shut and burying her face directly into his chest, letting out a muffled, terrified whimper.
’Why is she terrified? She’s literally into Horror movies!’
Wren didn’t even flinch at the jump scare.
He sat perfectly still in the dark, the flickering light of the television illuminating his handsome, completely unbothered face.
He slowly lifted his arms, wrapping one securely around Isabella’s waist and the other around Leah’s back, letting them completely cling to him.
’I’ll just enjoy it while it lasts.’
The situation was entirely ridiculous, but as he rested his head back against the pillows, Wren couldn’t deny that it was also entirely comfortable.
[Hours later... Deep into the night.]
The sprawling VIP suite was completely submerged in darkness, the only illumination coming from the pale, silver moonlight filtering through the sheer curtains of the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The massive television was off, casting a dead, black reflection over the room.
The silence was absolute, save for the soft synchronized sound of deep breathing.
Click!
The electronic lock on the front door of the suite disengaged with a microscopic, barely audible beep.
The heavy mahogany door cracked open an inch.
Zoe slipped through the gap like a professional burglar, pushing the door shut behind her with precision so it didn’t make a sound.
