Chapter 323: I Trust You Cause You’re Real

When the car finally pulled up to the grand stone entrance of Nat’s private estate, Samuel stepped out to open the door. Before April could even swing her legs out, Nat leaned in, scooped her up, and threw her straight over his shoulder like a sack of grain.

April hung upside down against his solid back, her eyes blinking as her view was suddenly replaced by Nat’s broad, muscular rear and the gravel driveway.

"Why do you always prefer this crude method of carrying?" April asked, her tone entirely flat and deadpan as he took heavy, deliberate strides toward the double doors. "Can’t you carry me like a normal person?"

Nat let out a loud, booming laugh, slanting a wicked smirk back over his shoulder at her. "Nope. This is way more efficient, sweetheart. Plus, I like keeping you right where I can hold you tight."

Samuel walked a few steps behind them, his notebook held tucked under his arm, his expression completely unreadable as he followed them inside.

Nat carried her straight into his spacious, dimly lit living room, finally setting her down onto a leather sofa. April adjusted her cream blouse, sitting upright with her usual composure.

Nat dropped into the seat directly across from her, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, his golden eyes burning with intense, unyielding focus. "Alright. No more interruptions, no more stalling. Talk to me, April."

April looked at him calmly. She had weighed her options logically over the course of the day. She was practical, and avoiding the inevitable served no purpose. But before delivering a verdict, her analytical mind sought to understand the foundation of his relentless push.

"Nat," April began, her raspy voice soft yet steady, cutting through the heavy silence of the room. "If I asked you... why do you like me? Could you answer that question?"

Nat blinked, the hard, impatient edge in his expression catching for a brief second.

"You, who can have any woman and not have to bother looking at her twice," April continued, her dark eyes locking onto his with absolute clarity. "You, who never trusts anyone, yet have full faith in me... if I asked you why... would you be able to answer that question?"

Nat didn’t respond right away. The sharp, arrogant smirk that usually graced his features softened into something far more grounded. He sat back slowly against the leather chair, running a hand through his vibrant red hair as he held her gaze.

"Why?" Nat repeated in a low, gravelly rasp, a short, dark chuckle escaping his throat. "You think I haven’t asked myself that a thousand times, sweetheart?"

He leaned back in, his elbows resting on his knees once more, bringing his face closer to hers. The dangerous, predatory glint in his eyes shifted, replaced by a fierce, raw intensity that exposed the sheer truth beneath his ruthless exterior.

"In my world, everyone wants something from me," Nat said smoothly, his voice dropping into a quiet, gravelly murmur. "They want power, they want protection, or they’re just waiting for the right second to put a knife in my back. Women lie to me, kiss up to me, and cower the second I show my teeth."

His hand reached across the small distance between them, his calloused thumb gently brushing against the side of her wrist.

"Then you showed up," Nat murmured, his eyes searching her calm face. "Or more like, I kidnapped you, haha. You didn’t flinch when I pulled a gun, you didn’t give a damn about my title, and you looked at me like I was just another variable in your math equation, a means to an end. You don’t play mind games, you don’t fake your smiles, and when you look at me... you actually see me. Not the dragon, not the boss of the underworld. Just me."

A slow, crooked smile touched the corner of his lips, filled with an undeniable, fierce devotion.

"I trust you because you’re real, April. In a city full of fake, plastic garbage, you’re the only thing that feels solid. So yeah... I can answer it. I don’t just like you. I’m completely consumed by you, and I have zero intention of letting you go, even if it means I have to burn the world for it."

April listened silently, processing every word with her usual quiet precision, the absolute sincerity in his raspy confession sinking deep into her chest.

So, he felt that deeply after all. But why did it always feel like he was just deeply lustful? If it wasn’t for her system—where she could clearly see his maxed out trust value—she would have assumed he was simply doing all this because he was driven purely by physical desire.

"So, you don’t lust for me?" April asked, her tone dry and direct.

"Bullshit, I fucking lust for you," Nat declared without a second of hesitation.

April’s heart skipped a beat and she pursed her lips at his blunt response. That came completely out of nowhere.

"But..." Nat added, his raspy voice softening just a fraction as he reached out. His large, warm hand slid a stray strand of hair away from her face, tucking it gently behind her ear. His fingers lingered against her skin, the callouses lightly brushing her cheek as he looked straight into her brown eyes with raw, unshielded honesty. "That’s just because I fucking love you. I want to have you so badly—all of you. Not just your body, and not just your heart... I could try to get your soul if I could."

A quiet stillness settled between them as those words hung heavy in the air. Her heart was racing. His confession was so raw, so unhinged, so... so him.

"I see," April said softly, taking a slow, steady breath, her eyes locked onto his once more. "Then, regarding my decision—"

Before the words could fully leave her mouth, the double doors of the estate main hall burst open with a loud, resounding crash.

Xavier and Alexander stepped into the room, their long coats trailing behind them, flanked by their own security detail.

Because their vehicles had tailgated Nat’s convoy directly through the main gates, his perimeter security had assumed they were authorized guests and hadn’t dared to block them.

"You really thought you could isolate her in your lair, Collins?" Xavier demanded, his raspy voice dropping into a lethal, dangerous register as his dark eyes locked onto Nat.

Alexander stepped up beside him, a sharp, icy smile on his lips as he straightened his cuffs. "It’s terribly ungentlemanly to rush a lady into a corner, Nat. We couldn’t possibly let you have the final word without us."

Nat was on his feet in an instant, a savage, predatory glare ripping across his features as his fists clenched tight at his sides. "How the hell did you bastards get past my gates? Get the fuck out of my house before I have my men fill your cars with lead!"

"Try it," Xavier growled, taking a step forward, his broad frame tense and ready for a brawl. "See who walks out of here standing."