In the background, Stephanie's cold voice came through, tinged with stubborn displeasure. "No need to take a detour, just drop me off at the next junction."

"Shut up." Jack's voice was even colder. "Just find her a doctor, Hyde. I don't have time to go."

Glancing at the downpour outside the window, Hyde drummed his fingers lazily against the windowsill. "Bro, humor my curiosity. You're ignoring your feverish little girlfriend, all in favor of taking a detour to send Stephanie home. Is she really that fragile? Or are you planning on cheating on her?"

It was blunt, crude, and hard to hear.

"We're just friends," Jack corrected stiffly. "Stephanie got soaked in the rain, and she looks terrible. I can't just let her be."

"What about Lily, then?"

"What could happen to her, staying in that villa all day? Succubi heal fast, so it's fine even if she starves and has a little fever for a few days. She'll act up again if I don't teach her a lesson."

Hyde couldn't help but laugh, not able to hold back his commentary, "Wow, mistresses really do get all the love, huh?"

Those words seemed to hit a sore spot for Stephanie, and her voice cut in sharply. "You can leave me, Jack. I can handle things myself."

"Sit still," Jack ordered, before turning toward the microphone with a cold, steely tone. "I already told you that we're just friends. If you spout that nonsense again, I'll make sure your racecar team disbands tomorrow!

"Just find her a doctor and leave the villa. I'll go see her in a few days."

After that, he hung up.

Hyde curved his lips in a lazy, mocking smile.

Friends, huh?

What an ambiguous, yet proper word.

He turned around and saw me, burning with fever, half-conscious in bed. My tender skin glowed pink, and my eyes were hazy with tears, unfocused and bewildered as they landed on him.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his lips lifted faintly.

He wanted to be friends with this succubus too…

The kind of friends who could kiss and sleep together.

-

The rain outside only grew heavier, with no sign of stopping.

After a while, the man checked my forehead again and replaced the towel with a fresh one.

Suddenly, his phone rang. After answering it, he was just about to step out of the bedroom, only for me to grab his wrist.

"Don't go…"

I knew this scene too well. These late-night calls either came from the company or Stephanie.

Maybe it was the sickness making me extra fragile, but tears welled up in my eyes. I butted his wristbone softly with my head, clinging to him. "Jack… Won't you stay with me…?"

Someone was still speaking on the other end of the phone, and I saw his Adam's apple bob very lightly.

Outside, thunder roared, and the rain wrapped the world in sound.

Silently, my hunger crept up on me again. I sniffled and widened my eyes to make myself look more pitiful. "Don't go… I'll starve to death…"

The man just stared at me, not saying a word.

In the heavy silence, the hope in my gaze slowly dimmed.

Suddenly, I remembered what he said to me once, when he pushed me away coldly. "Do you think of anything other than kissing and hugging all day?"

I bit my lip, muttering, "B-But I'm really hungry…"

"Can't you just endure it? Isn't once a week enough for you? If you don't know how to control your urges, what difference do you have from wild animals by the side of the road?" He was clearly irritated, and every single word was laced with poison and aimed where it hurt.

I couldn't help the tears that fell from my eyes, yet bit my lip and stifled any noises that would come out, in fear of annoying him even further.

He wanted me to have dignity. Self-respect.

But a succubus's instincts never bowed to reason.

Prolonged hunger would eat away at all our rational thought, leaving only the most primitive, pathetic instinct to survive.

So after the first time I couldn't help sneaking out to eat, he was so furious he almost laughed, before coaxing me into forming a contract with him.

He called it discipline and protection.

"The men outside are filthy."

He didn't like it when I came into contact with others, yet always refused to let me eat my fill, just like today.

The man in front of me hung up the phone, glanced my way, and let out a soft scoff. "Tsk, what a hassle."

His cold tone was exactly the same as always. I watched him leave the bedroom, and tears welled up in my eyes once more.

-

I didn't even have five minutes to be sad.

The man returned to the room, appearing within my blurry field of vision, and a mug of warm, sweet milk was pressed against my lips.

I blinked, looking up at him and staring with my teary eyes.

"What's that look for?" he asked. "Aren't you hungry?"

I parted my lips.

As the warm, sweet milk slid down my tongue into my throat, my gaze never left him.

After holding the mug there and feeding me half of the milk, he unnaturally averted his gaze and ordered, "Hold the mug yourself."

"Oh, okay." I sniffled and held the mug gingerly, and the tears clinging to my lashes fell straight into the milk, one after another, more and more.

Seemingly unable to watch anymore, he reached out, wiped the corner of my eye and softened his voice. "What are you crying for?"

I pouted. "I thought you were leaving."

"You want me to stay that badly?" His lowered gaze met mine, and I nodded my head.

"Yes, I do."

He had always been busy, and he had spent even less time on me after we formed the contract. Perhaps it was because he had his career to pursue, or maybe because he no longer had to waste energy on maintaining our relationship.

He never cared about how I felt, but I couldn't help but still have hopes for him... just like now.

"Are you still leaving tonight?"

"Nope," He replied lightly, staring at the tears in my eyes before casting his gaze towards the downpour outside. "Can't you see the storm outside?"

-

Because of the storm and how remote the villa was, my fever medicine only arrived after an hour.

The man pressed his hand against my forehead to check my temperature, before feeding me warm water so I could take the medicine.

As he turned to leave, I gathered my courage and tugged at his shirt, reminding him with teary eyes, "I'm… I'm so hungry…"

He paused, furrowing his brows slightly. "You're still hungry?"

"I am…" My gaze was earnest and pitiful. "I want kisses…"

His eyes glinted in an unreadable way, but he didn't move a muscle.

I couldn't help but try and turn up the charm. "Please, honey…"

My succubus tail slipped out against my will, carefully brushing against his abdomen.

With a clear gulp, he grabbed my wrist and pulled it away.

"Jack!"

Panicked, I was about to tell him that even a hug would be fine if kisses weren't on the table, only for him to set the cup down, grab my wrist, and pin me down on the bed in one fluid motion.

Unlike the cool scent of cedar he usually carried, the air around him was hot, heavy, and passionate. His nose brushed against my cheek, pressing a kiss upon my damp eyelashes.

Just that simple touch was enough to awaken a deeper, fiercer hunger inside me. This warmth… It felt strangely familiar.

I couldn't help but press my body closer, my eyes red as I begged, "Honey, I want kisses…"

He easily pinned my arching waist, his lazy tone bringing with it a hint of mischief. "Hey, don't move."

Seeing the overflowing desire in my eyes, he poked my cheek, raising his eyebrows. "Wow, are you that hungry?"

"You haven't fed me in so long…" I complained.

"Then would kisses be enough to make you full?" He asked.

Of course not.

I gulped.

Chuckling lowly, he released his hold on me, before pulling me onto his firm waist and leaning back lazily against the bed.

"If you want it… come and get it."