“Sophia came too?”
His eyes immediately shifted to Magnus. The surprise twisted into a sharp glare.
‘He definitely brought Sophia here on purpose.’ The thought burned hot in his mind, sharp and bitter, making his jaw tighten.
‘Last time, when he dragged me here straight from that restaurant, he didn’t even let me catch my breath. He made me run a hundred laps until my lungs felt like they were on fire and my bones nearly broke—just to find an excuse to get revenge on me for having a crush on his wife. And now he brought Sophia along, just so she can watch him defeat me all over again.’
Harold stood off to the side, his shoulders stiff as stone. His hands curled slowly into fists at his sides, knuckles whitening as he glared daggers at Magnus. The anger simmered in his eyes, dark and restless, his jaw working as if he were grinding his teeth to keep himself quiet.
Sophia, completely oblivious to the silent war raging between the two men, suddenly spun around on her heel, her ponytail swaying with the movement.
“Alright,” she announced cheerfully, clapping her hands once. “I’m going to look around.”
Gregory shifted his weight and nodded easily, one hand slipping into his pocket. “Sure. The entire place belongs to Magnus. Feel free to roam around.”
Sophia froze mid-step. Her head snapped back toward Magnus, eyes widening as surprise flickered across her face.
“You own this entire place?”
Magnus leaned back slightly, posture relaxed, a slow, arrogant smirk tugging at his lips. “Why do you think you can’t find my naked pictures all over the internet?”
Sophia let out a short snicker, amused by both his words and the expression on his face.
“So Mr. Graves likes protecting his dignity that much?”
“I’m very protective about showing my body,” he replied calmly, voice smooth and unhurried. “Not everyone deserves to see this.”
As he spoke, his finger lifted and traced lazily from his chest down to his abs, the deliberate motion slow and teasing. Sophia’s lips curved into a grin, her gaze following the path of his finger without even trying to hide it.
She had to admit it—he was ridiculously sexy.
Even though she didn’t remember much from the night they had spent together, the memory of how itfeltwas still there. She remembered the heat of him under her palms, the way her hands had wandered freely, hungry and unrestrained, as if she hadn’t seen a man ever before.
She quickly turned away from him, pretending sudden interest in her surroundings, and began wandering around the space.
Her fingers brushed over cool marble surfaces, skimmed along a sleek glass railing overlooking the pool, and tapped lightly against a polished stone column. A low table held a silver ice bucket with champagne resting inside, condensation slidingdown the metal. Through the glass wall at the far end, she could see a sauna and steam room glowing softly.
Harold instinctively started following Sophia, his steps quickening, a grin already spreading across his face, but then Gregory suddenly grabbed his arm and yanked him back.
“Do you want to die?” Gregory muttered under his breath. “It’s better you keep some distance from her before Magnus beats you up again.”
Harold shot him an annoyed glare, jerking his arm free, but he didn’t move again.
Magnus walked beside Sophia at an unhurried pace. Whenever she picked something up—a crystal glass, a neatly folded towel, a decorative tray—or paused to look around, he explained its purpose in a low, even voice, occasionally reaching past her to adjust something, his presence pressing in close without actually touching her.
“Go into that room.”
His voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
Sophia lifted her gaze and met his eyes. He was pointing behind her.
“There are swimsuits for you. Come back in five.”
Before she could respond, he turned on his heel and walked straight into the room opposite the one he had indicated.
“Aren’t they husband and wife?” Gregory leaned closer to Harold and muttered in a low voice, confusion creasing his brow. “Is he still shy about changing in front of his own wife?”
Harold glanced at Gregory and nodded in agreement.
