Chapter 13
Cherise instinctively yanked her hand back and pushed the man in front away, but it was useless. It was like pushing a mountain of muscular mass that simply wouldn't budge. Giving up on pushing the man, Cherise asked, her eyes narrowing with irritation and her voice full of impatience, "What do you want, Hudson?" Honestly, she knew they would meet since she would now reside in Country B, but she never expected it to happen this soon after their divorce!
And as far as she knew, he never liked to go to clubs. He only came back late, reeking of alcohol, if he had to attend social gatherings as the CEO of the Amery Group. So, never in her mind would Cherise expect to meet him in a place like this and so soon after their divorce. If she knew, she wouldn't have agreed to meet Erika and Logan here in the first place!
And what was he doing dragging her into a dark and secluded corner? Was he going to do something to her?
Ever since she was seven years old, Cherise had been taking martial arts lessons to protect herself. Right now, every muscle in her body tensed up, ready to fight even if she might not be able to win against him. She would find a chance to escape from his towering figure, trapping her against the wall.
Hudson's lips curled into that slight smile that always seemed to be able to make Cherise fear him, but right now, it only disgusted her.
"What do you want?" Cherise asked her question again through gritted teeth, her fists clenched tightly beside her body, ready to attack anytime.
Instead of answering, Hudson raised his hand and his thumb swiped across Cherise's lips, smearing what was left of her red lipstick, making her look more enticing.
"Julian Alster... And now Logan Jennings," Hudson said in a calm voice that seemed to be the beginning of a storm. "You seem to have a good life after we divorced. Going to clubs, being surrounded by rich CEOs."
"What's that good to do with you?" Cherise snorted, knowing full well what he was implying.
"It seems you are desperate for a man's touch." Hudson's thumb moved to trace her neck to a small sensitive spot that never failed to arouse her.
Cherise gritted her teeth harder to stop herself from moaning. After three years of being with him, it wasn't a surprise he knew all the right places to touch to arouse her. And she wasn't the only one feeling it. She could feel the change in Hudson's lower abdomen. His hands moved even lower, and just as Cherise was about to swat his hand away, Hudson suddenly leaned down and claimed her lips into a searing kiss, startling her and making her gasp.
The moment she gasped, Hudson took the chance to let his tongue enter her mouth, and she could taste the aftertaste of Whiskey in his mouth and breath. Cherise couldn't believe Hudson would do this to her in a place like this, even after they divorced.
She started struggling, pushing him with all her might, but Hudson easily took her hands and pinned her wrists above her head with one hand, and his other hand started to roam around. He was like a beast whose animalistic instinct had taken over and needed to
mate.
When Hudson's hand caressed Cherise's smooth thighs and his mouth traveled to her neck, Cherise unconsciously let out a moan, and it only made Hudson wilder. He loved hearing Cherise's moans during their lovemaking.
While Hudson's mind was getting wilder with the idea of taking Cherise there and then, Cherise felt ashamed of herself and humiliated. This was her ex-husband who had cheated on her! He had impregnated his mistress and deemed her unworthy of having his offspring, yet he still did this to her. She felt like a plaything to him, a toy he could use and discard anytime he wanted.
Hudson's mouth went back to her lips, and his hand moved closer to the place between her legs. In her last attempt to stop him, Cherise bit his lips until she tasted the coppery taste of blood in her mouth. That successfully made Hudson release her and wipe his thumb across his bitten bottom lip. The red blood smearing his lips made him seem even more frighteningly wilder and sexier.
Just as Cherise thought he would let her go, he grabbed both her arms and pinned them against the wall again, whispering into her ear in a dangerously low tone, "Do you think such a little attack can stop me?" Cherise gasped and couldn't stop the tears pooling in her eyes as Hudson had accidentally rubbed against her scabs roughly. "Hudson, please... You are hurting my arm..." Finally, she caved and begged him. Thinking she was just pretending, Hudson sneered, grabbed her arms even more forcefully, and dived down for another kiss.
"Please, Hudson..." Cherise's soft plea sounded again as their lips were about to touch.
Hudson was startled to see her reddened eyes and long and curly eyelashes wet with tears before a tear dropped from the corner of her eye.
He looked at her arm and, for the first time in his life, felt terrified for his ex-wife when he saw how his thumb had reopened her scab, and it was now pressing on the freshly opened wound again.
He swallowed, his guilt flashed through his usual cold eyes and loosened his hold to check her wound. It turned out she was really wounded, and there was more than one wound! He had forgotten how he had seen the reports from the hospital.
There was an inexplicable feeling in his heart when he saw the vulnerability in Cherise's eyes. He felt like an a*****e for forcing himself on her just now, and there was a feeling of wanting to take her into his arms and soothe her, to make her stop crying and take care of her.
Hudson was confused by his feelings. He had never felt anything, even when Cherise used to hover over him, complaining about her small injuries, and he never took her feelings into his heart during their marriage.
But at this time, seeing her tears drop silently like small and beautiful pearls and the nearly-healed wound he had accidentally opened again, he felt distressed.
He gently rubbed the scabbing part with the pad of his thumb, carefully avoiding the newly exposed bleeding skin, and asked with a tenderness he didn't even know he was exhibiting. "Does it hurt?"
Cherise froze and stared at him in disbelief. Never had in the time they had known each other had he ever shown any tenderness toward her. Even when in bed, he was rough and fiery. What was he doing now? This drastic change in his demeanor made her speechless; even her tears stopped flowing, and her pain seemed to vanish.
Her mouth opened and closed a few times, not knowing what to say, when suddenly the man in front of her was pulled backward forcefully, and as Hudson turned around to see who dared to make such a move against him, Cherise heard the sound of a fist connecting with flesh.
Hudson, caught unaware, staggered a few steps back, nearly crushing Cherise against the wall with his weight if she didn't sidestep fast enough.
In front of her was Logan, who looked nothing like the man she had seen from tonight. He looked like the boy from the first time she saw him. His eyes blazing with anger, his face twisted darkly. He looked like the Devil himself.
Logan was worried after Cherise didn't come back to them for long, so he went after her and saw her and Hudson together. He could imagine what had happened between them from Cherise's reddened eyes, her bloody wound, and her swollen lips.
No one knew how much he hated Hudson after learning how he had treated Cherise during their marriage. Cherise was his savior, and he would willingly lay down his life for her. Why should he let others bully her? Whoever bullied her would feel his wrath! Hudson wiped the blood from his broken lips with the back of his hand and smirked, mocking Logan, "So the prince charming has come to save the damsel in distress."
"You bastard!" Logan raised his fist, ready to strike the scumbag who had hurt his savior again.
Hudson sneered and even gestured to Logan with his hand to hit him. He was confident he could win this fight.
Seeing how the situation was spiraling out of control, Cherise shouted at the two of them. "Stop it, you two!"
At the same time her shout sounded, a figure flashed between Hudson and Logan, blocking them from attacking each other.