Chapter 27

Chapter 27

“You simply needed time. Anyone would.”

Tears like glistening pearls fell from Rose’s violet eyes.

James instinctively reached out and brushed them away with his thumb.

In that brief moment, something unspoken and deep stirred between them.

Late at night. Alone together.

Their distance had suddenly vanished; their racing heartbeats made their bodies heat up.

If she stayed like this, she felt as if her whole self would get sucked into this man in front of her—like they’d kiss any moment.

Just a single touch feels this good… what would it be like if our lips met…

“…Revenge.”

She forced herself to speak, clutching at her fleeting sanity.

“I’m going to take revenge.”

“Did you just say… revenge?”

The sudden, chilling word made James wonder if he’d misheard her.

“It was in my uncle’s letter. Clues about who did that to my parents.”

He fell silent.

“I can’t catch them alone. I hate to admit it, but I’ll have to borrow the Golden Crow’s power. That’s why…”

She opened and closed her small hand as she spoke.

“That’s why I have to join the Golden Crow.”

“Miss Taylor. Do you really think your parents would have wanted—”

“I’m sure they’d want me to get revenge from heaven.”

James actually let out a disbelieving laugh before she even finished.

“They spent ten years chasing this organization on their own. I think ending it for them is my duty as their child.”

She nearly added And the truth is they… but bit it back.

This wasn’t just about avenging their deaths at all costs.

That description of the crime ring… it sounded so much like the cult that offered me as a sacrifice.

‘They’re dangerous, Rosie. That’s why even the best in the Golden Crow had to take them on themselves. At first, they seemed like just a new religion, but they weren’t. We didn’t go on that mission because we wanted to, but because we had to stop them from hurting your future. From hurting the future of those you love.’

Worshipping an ancient demon, of all things?

There can’t be two or three such cults in Mythos.

If it was the same group, she’d know for sure.

She’d see if their plan to end the world had been ruined thanks to that night with James Dautryche, or if they were already looking for another way.

“Miss Rose Stellania Taylor.”

He couldn’t tell exactly what she was thinking, but he couldn’t treat that fierce, determined look in her eyes lightly.

“Minister Crowley entrusted me with your safety. I can’t allow this.”

“Mr. James R. Dautryche.”

Her eyes still red, she tilted her chin with a defiant little smirk.

“Whatever my uncle told you, who are you to allow or not allow anything? James. You’re not my lover, my fiancé, or my husband, are you?”

She wasn’t wrong about any of it.

“Even if you were my lover, fiancé, or husband, you’d still have no right to lecture me.”

She set her teacup down on the table with a deliberate clack.

“Besides, my dear Uncle Crowley already encouraged me to join the Golden Crow himself. Ahem!”

That was the truth.

In her past life, she’d been powerless—couldn’t even fathom revenge or stopping the end of the world.

But this time was different.

Now she had Uncle Crowley backing her, laying out the board for her move.

James lifted both hands in surrender before her smug, triumphant expression.

“All right. You’re right, Rose. You’re absolutely right.”

As she settled down a bit, he pounced with another question.

“But isn’t it the case that even the Golden Crow hasn’t managed to catch this group in over ten years?”

“I’m not saying I’ll catch them overnight. I’m saying it’ll be the purpose of my life.”

“I hear the work is brutal once you’re in.”

“What, you think I can’t handle it? Even you managed to become a member despite not being from Mythos.”

“As I explained earlier, I’m an honorary member, thanks to being a private sponsor of the Golden Crow. You could do the same if you can pay as much as I did—then you wouldn’t have to work at all.”

“How much?”

“2.7 billion.”

The number was so absurd that Rose forgot all dignity and gaped at him.

“You crazy tycoon!”

“Not crazy. Just happened to have that much to donate.”

“So being an honorary Golden Crow member is worth 2.7 billion?”

“Well, there were some side deals too.”

That was true. He’d also secured land approvals for rail expansion and won harbor development rights.

And while those were “side benefits,” it had been the single most lucrative personal investment he’d ever made.

Of course, Minister Crowley hadn’t just handed him favors for nothing.

James remembered the two things the minister had asked of him as he rose to his feet.

“All right. Enough teasing you.”

“You were teasing me?”

“Calm down. I/m taking your choice seriously.”

He turned toward his room.

“Come with me. There’s something I want to show you.”

“…Your room?”

“And just James, please. Not Mr. James.”

He smoothly ignored her question as he opened the door.

“For someone who was about to break it down with your pounding earlier, you sure seem shy about going in now.”

“Well, it is rude for a lady to enter a gentleman’s room alone at this hour…”

He decided not to argue with her sudden, prim act—even though they’d literally spent the night together before.

Instead, he held out his hand.

“I invited you. There’s nothing improper about it.”

“Mhm.”

“Are you planning to leave my hand hanging again?”

As he pressed her, she hesitantly tugged at her sleeve, trying to hide her hand.

“Really.”

But her little scheme was doomed from the start.

As if that’ll work.

He watched her try to sneak her hand out of her sleeve with great amusement, biting back a laugh.

The moment their hands touched, Rose flinched and tried to pull back.

But James was faster.

Like a hawk grabbing prey, he seized her hand firmly and pulled her closer.

“Ah!”

As his hand closed around hers, a gentle yet electric wave of power surged through her.

“I thought you might know that clothing doesn’t actually block this. Frankly, being more direct would be less stimulating.”

And he was right.

Not that the magic flowing between them wasn’t still intensely felt.

Rose tried to pretend she didn’t notice, but her body tensed at the invasion of his energy.

James led her—rigid as a board—toward the couch inside his room.

“Have a seat.”

When he finally let go, Rose looked around.

Even though it was just a room separated by one door, it felt completely different.

Heavier. More solemn.

Probably because it was filled with his scent.

Musk and cedarwood…

And a faint trace of whiskey.

Standing there surrounded by his scent, she couldn’t help remembering that night when she’d rested her head against his neck and breathed him in to her very core.

Oh God. Get a grip, Rose Taylor!

She widened her eyes, trying to stomp down the runaway memories like a wild horse.

But maybe it was the aftereffect of feeling his magic just now.

James’s hard chest, his muscular thighs…

The low groan of his voice, his burning heat…

Dear God. Am I possessed by some lascivious demon?

While Rose silently begged whatever shred of faith she had left to save her, James spoke.

“Take this.”

“Ah… what is this…?”

Before she could lose every bit of self-control, he took out a small black box and offered it to her.

“Your Golden Crow badge. It’s yours.”

“Why do you have this?”

“Minister Crowley entrusted it to me. Told me to give it to you when you were ready.”

She fell silent.

“He said you’d be the one to ask for it. I didn’t expect that day to be today.”