Rehab for SuperVillains (18+)-Chapter 253: wandered

Kael wandered into the kitchen, the clatter of dishes and the soft rush of water greeting him as Tila stood at the sink, sleeves rolled up, her wild black hair tied back, her black eyes focused on scrubbing plates with fierce intensity.

The tail plug swished faintly behind her, her t-shirt and shorts damp from splashes, clinging to her lean frame.

Lila stood beside her, drying and stacking, her curls bouncing, her black eyes soft, a quiet hum escaping her lips.

"How’s it going in here?" Kael asked, his voice casual, his hazel eyes glinting with a playful edge as he leaned against the counter.

Lila smiled, her black eyes warm, her curls shifting. "Almost halfway done."

Kael stepped closer, his footsteps quiet on the tile. "Lila, I’ve got this. Go take a bath—relax a little."

She hesitated, her gaze drifting to Tila, a flicker of concern in her eyes.

But then she handed over the towel, her smile turning playful. "Alright. A nice, hot bath it is."

Tila shot her a glare, her black eyes narrowing, her tail twitching sharply.

Lila giggled, her curls bouncing as she left the kitchen, her footsteps fading down the hall.

Kael rolled up his sleeves, taking position beside Tila, his hands dipping into the soapy water to start on the next stack of plates, the air between them thick with unspoken tension.

...

Silence stretched, broken only by the clink of dishes and the soft rush of water.

Then Kael tugged gently at her tail, his fingers brushing the dark fur, a teasing spark in his touch.

Tila yelped, snatching it away, her black eyes blazing as she spun to face him, her cheeks flushing crimson.

"Don’t touch that!" she snapped, her voice sharp, her tail tucked protectively behind her.

Kael grinned, his hazel eyes dancing with mischief. "I saw you peeping, you little minx."

"I wasn’t peeping," Tila shot back, her black eyes flashing, her voice fierce but shaky. "I went to clean the dining table and just... looked over. That’s all."

"Liar," Kael said, his voice mock stern, his grin widening as he leaned closer, his hazel eyes glinting. "Your furry tail was sticking out. Peeking at your master is a bad habit for a maid."

He reached again, his fingers grazing the air near her tail, and Tila spun, her black eyes wide, her tail tucked safely out of reach.

"I said I was sorry," she hissed, her cheeks burning, her voice betraying a flicker of embarrassment beneath her defiance.

Kael chuckled, returning to scrubbing, his hands moving through the soapy water, his hazel eyes warm.

"You’re cute when you’re flustered," he said, his voice low, teasing, laced with a gentle warmth. "You’ve got this hard exterior, but I can see right through it. I wish you’d stay forever."

Tila didn’t answer, her black eyes fixed on the sink, her silence heavy, her ears twitching faintly, the tail swishing with a nervous energy.

She scrubbed harder, her movements sharp, as if to drown out his words.

Then, abruptly, she spoke, her voice low, sharp. "I’m leaving. I don’t like this place. Or you."

She placed the final dish in the drying rack, untied her apron, and tossed it onto the counter, her black eyes blazing with defiance, her tail twitching sharply.

Kael didn’t flinch, his hazel eyes steady, his grin subtle but unyielding.

"Fine. But before that, I’m sleepy, and I want you to be my body pillow tonight."

Tila blinked, her black eyes widening, her voice a shocked squeak. "What?!"

Kael shrugged, his hazel eyes glinting with mischief, his voice calm but firm. "That’s what I want."

She groaned, her fists clenching, her black eyes flashing with exasperation. "You’re abusing the maid contract."

"You agreed to the terms," Kael said, his grin teasing, his hazel eyes locked on hers.

Tila sighed dramatically, her tail swishing, her cheeks flushing anew. "Fine. But I’m taking a bath first."

"No need," Kael said, his voice dropping, a sensual edge curling his words. "You smell great. I like your natural scent."

She rolled her eyes, her black eyes blazing, and stormed off, her tail twitching with each step.

But five minutes later.

She was lying stiffly on Kael’s bed, arms crossed, her black eyes fixed on the ceiling, her wild black hair spilling across the pillow, the tail plug swishing faintly.

Kael curled up beside her, his body warm, his face burying into her neck, his breath soft against her skin, a quiet intimacy that made her heart race despite her defiance.

Tila didn’t push him away, her black eyes softening, a flicker of vulnerability beneath her fiery facade.

Her tail flicked once, a nervous twitch, then stilled, the weight of their closeness settling over them.

___________

Tila lay on her side on Kael’s bed, arms crossed tightly, every muscle in her body strung taut, a coiled spring of defiance and nerves.

The warmth of Kael’s chest pressed gently against her back, his stupid, warm, infuriatingly strong arm wrapped around her waist like it belonged there, his body a furnace seeping into her skin, coiling around her nerves, tugging at something traitorous in her chest.

Her black eyes stared at the wall, unblinking, her wild black hair splayed across the pillow, the tail plug swishing faintly behind her, a constant, humiliating reminder of her role as his maid.

She cursed herself silently, her cheeks puffed out in frustration, her black eyes burning.

Why did I agree to this?

Because she had to.

Because she was his maid—temporary, one week of servitude, a bargain struck in arrogance and desperation.

That’s all it was supposed to be.

But her heart pounded like a drumline, wild and uncontrollable, betraying her with every beat, especially when his breath brushed the back of her neck, warm, slow, maddeningly tender.

His legs shifted, the subtle brush of his calf against hers sparking heat she fought to ignore, his fingers curling gently into her hip, like she was something precious, something he wanted to keep.

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