The Cat Who Weeps in the Dark - Chapter 89

Katie gave him a puzzled glance. By all rights, Helion should have been the next emperor. The Empress’s firstborn son—a bloodline so impeccable, no one could dispute it.

Yet he had surrendered the throne to his half-brother without regret. He acted as though he had no interest in power, the crown, or any of it.

‘Then why did he distinguish himself in the war?’

If Helion had coveted the throne, she would have assumed it was for the Emperor’s sake—but he had no ambition for it. Perhaps he had wanted recognition, just not from the Emperor.

‘If he has no desire to impress anyone in this world… Does that mean there’s someone next he wants to impress?’

Katie thought of the late Empress. Perhaps Helion had wanted to show her—to prove how strong he had become in her absence.

Feeling her gaze, Helion looked up. Startled, Katie quickly turned her head away.

Helion studied her profile for a moment before lowering his eyes back to the catalog. What had been dull moments ago now became intriguing.

On the pages, a naked Katie seemed to float before him. One by one, he dressed her in the sketched outfits. She looked good in everything. Each time he imagined tearing off one garment and replacing it with another, his arousal grew.

Finally, Helion shut the catalog with a snap. Heat pooled in his eyes—he couldn’t bear to look at the paper any longer. He’d had enough of the dress designs. Now, he wanted to observe the real Katie, not the imagined one.

The Tailor slid the measuring tape beneath Katie’s arm. At her feet, a loosened bandage lay neatly folded for sizing. The tape stretched taut as it traced the curve of her b*****s, crossing their peaks. Helion couldn’t tear his gaze from the concealed, pert shapes beneath.

“Good thing I called you in the evening. If I’d had her measured during duty hours, I might’ve lost my temper.”

“Taking longer than expected? Just a moment, we’re nearly done.”

The Tailor smiled warmly as she recorded the measurements. Helion uncrossed his legs and rose from his chair.

“That’s not what I meant. I was saying there’s no need for others to know the measurements hidden under those loose clothes.”

“My, how considerate.”

The Tailor’s eyes widened at the unexpected remark. Helion stepped directly behind Katie and raised his hand. His outstretched fingers brushed the nape of her neck, then slowly trailed downward in a straight line.

“36.”

His fingers passed where the measuring tape had been, stopping at the dip of her waist.

“23.”

As his hand slid lower, grazing the curve of her hips, Katie abruptly turned.

“36.”

Helion was reciting her measurements. A faint flush crept over Katie’s face. She clenched her teeth and muttered,

“What are you doing? It tickles.”

“At this rate, it seems the Tailor will be here all day. I have no intention of spending this rare evening with three people.”

“Oh my. My apologies, Your Highness.”

The Tailor’s face flushed as red as Katie’s. She hurriedly gathered her measuring tape and catalog, sensing she should make herself scarce after such a pointed hint.

‘No wonder he summoned me today of all days.’

There was only one reason a man would know a woman’s measurements in such detail—they’d already gone far beyond propriety.

“I’ve recorded all the necessary measurements, so I’ll take my leave now. Have a pleasant evening, Your Highness.”

The Tailor bowed deeply, offering Katie a knowing glance as well. But Katie couldn’t return the gesture—she was too busy shoving at Helion’s shoulders as he pressed closer.

The moment the door shut behind the Tailor, Helion’s hands locked around Katie’s hips. He buried his face against her shoulder, where she wore nothing but his shirt.

“Ah, damn it. Just seeing you in nothing but my shirt gets me hard now.”

He’d been suffering since the moment she removed her jacket for measurements. The sight of her—sleeves rolled up, collar loose—had left him straining against his clothes.

This was Katie’s fault. If she’d just rolled around naked from the start, he wouldn’t be getting worked up over scraps of fabric. But they’d done this too many times with her wearing this damned shirt.

Katie bites the hem of this shirt to muffle her moans. Katie’s skin glistened through the dampened fabric. Every time he saw it, those memories flooded back, torturing him.

“No pressing duties today? I thought your desk was piled high with unfinished approvals.”

Katie pushed at his hands, but Helion didn’t release her hips—instead, he ground his e******n against her.

“I can spare this much time.”

In one motion, he lifted her clean off the ground. Katie gasped, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.

She was far from lightweight. Though lean, her height and muscle made her heavier than most women. Yet he handled her as if she weighed nothing. Then again, given his size, acting like she was a burden would’ve been laughable.

Before she could register his movement, her world tilted. Her back hit the plush bedding, the impact making her bounce slightly.