Leonid spoke in a low voice as he headed toward the bathroom. He paused for a moment and gestured for her to get up, but Charlotte, as usual, was far too stubborn to leave the bed. The moment he turned away, she clutched the blanket tightly and lay back down, ignoring his gesture.
In the bathroom, Leonid caught sight of the small stain on his shirt in the mirror the familiar mark she left every time she slept on him. He stared at it for a moment, as if it were her personal signature on him.
He smiled faintly before speaking into the phone.
"Five minutes, and I'll be there."
After a brief pause, Leonid hung up and returned the phone to his back pocket. He exhaled deeply and glanced again at the stain, as though it truly was her personal mark.
Whether Charlotte slept on a pillow, a table, or his chest, the result was always the same: she slept deeply and left her little trace behind.
He shook his head with a smile before leaning over to wash his face.
Meanwhile, Charlotte lay with her eyes closed but remained alert. She enjoyed a brief moment of rest before hearing Leonid's footsteps returning to the bedroom, prompting her to sit up immediately.
She pulled the blanket off herself, her hair swinging across her back as she slid off the edge of the bed. She almost stumbled, but Leonid's arm caught her waist at the last moment, pulling her toward him before she could fall.
A short silence fell, broken by a dry laugh from him, laced with clear sarcasm.
"Walking while asleep? Trying to pick up a new habit?"
He mocked in a low, rough tone, still heavy with sleep.
Charlotte's lashes fluttered as she stared at the floor she had almost hit. A feeling of annoyance took hold of her, as if she wished she could dig a small hole to hide in.
She lightly rested her weight on his arm before straightening and stepping back.
"Of course not!"
Charlotte denied, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"And what do you mean by 'new habit'? I was just trying to get up."
She lifted her head to meet his eyes.
Leonid kept smiling as he gazed at her displeased expression.
"Nothing."
He replied calmly, lowering his arm, then added:
"Anyway, work called… they want me there urgently."
"Okay, so why don't you go quickly?"
She asked, frowning, surprised at his nonchalance.
Leonid's smile widened mischievously, and a mischievous glint shone in his eyes as he stepped toward the door.
"No need to rush… I still have to change and shower."
"Sometimes you're so cold-blooded."
"That's my nature… I take things slowly."
He turned toward her and winked before disappearing into the living room. Charlotte exhaled in disbelief and rolled her eyes as she removed his jacket and her coat, finally free in a light white shirt, then hurried after him. But the moment she crossed the threshold, she found herself trapped in his arms, her back pressed against the narrow wall.
"Huh?!"
Charlotte froze, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
"But I won't be cold-blooded with you, my dear~"
Leonid whispered with a crooked smile.
"What—! What are you doing!?"
Charlotte stammered, her eyes wide, her breath nearly stopping.
Leonid moved closer, his voice lowering to a near whisper by her ear:
"Relax… I'm just looking for a morning kiss before I really leave."
"Are you crazy?! You could have just kissed me, not trap me like a criminal!"
Charlotte shouted in frustration, trying to push his face away with her hand, but not too hard, so as not to hurt him.
Leonid chuckled lightly, catching her hand smoothly as he leaned closer:
"Ooooh… calling me crazy now? While I'm trying to be romantic? That's terrible~"
When her hand resisted further, Leonid grabbed it and lifted it above her head, trapping her body between him and the wall. With his free hand, he tilted her chin upward, his eyes fixed on her lips.
"Don't you agree with me~?"
He murmured near her mouth, daring her to respond.
Even with her other hand free, he knew she wouldn't do anything except shrink in her blush, just as he expected.
Her lashes fluttered shyly, the redness spreading from her cheeks to her ears, while her lips trembled under his warm breath.
That innocent, bashful expression fueled and refreshed his desire.
"Alright…"
He released her hand, but pressed a deep kiss on her lips, followed by scattered kisses across her face, slowly descending toward her neck, hidden beneath her shirt collar.
Leonid smiled as he gently pushed aside the collar, his fingertip brushing her sensitive skin. Charlotte closed her eyes, her fingers clutching his shirt in confusion, her breath uneven, her blush coloring her face clearly.
Suddenly, he bit her skin, close to her collarbone. She gasped lightly, her small body shivering in his grip.
What began as an intimate nibble somehow became painful. Charlotte opened her eyes in shock, her gaze mixing embarrassment with protest, as if she hadn't fully registered what he had done.
Leonid lightly ran his tongue over the bite, as if easing the pain, then lifted his head, a confident, almost distracted smile forming on his lips.
"It didn't hurt much… right? Consider it a small punishment for calling me crazy."
He stepped back, his eyes studying her closely: her flushed cheeks, tears of frustration, and a hidden desire lurking behind her pursed lips.
"Don't cry… your tears make me want to do more."
Leonid was about to tap her forehead with his finger when the sudden ringing of the phone interrupted him. The five minutes were up, and his father had run out of patience, but he barely cared.
"Anyway, I have to go."
He tapped Charlotte's forehead lightly, then turned toward the door, adding coolly:
"Call me if anyone dares to bother you… agreed?"
He paused briefly, raising a warning finger:
"And one more thing… don't open the door for anyone, even a friend."
"Do you dare give me orders after biting me?!"
Charlotte exploded angrily, her eyes shining with tears.
He knew she would be furious, perhaps seeing his actions as an insult, but what insult is there in a small mark he left on her?
Leonid smiled coldly and spoke in a soft, fake tone laced with sarcasm:
"You just need to change your way of thinking."
Then he grabbed his bag and left, leaving his words echoing in the room.
Charlotte clenched her hands tightly, then shouted at the top of her lungs:
"Pretending to be kind doesn't suit you… you pervert!"
In the hallway, Leonid stopped before entering his apartment. A moment of silence was followed by a short laugh, as if a confession.
He whispered, enjoying himself:
"Pervert… oh my, when did I ever call myself a noble man?"
In her apartment, Charlotte took ragged breaths, trying to release her pent-up anger.
It took her time and effort to regain her composure. She lifted her hand, fingertips brushing over the warmth left by his kisses… traces invisible, yet lingering on her, as if etched into her skin.
But that wasn't all; with her thumb, she traced the unexpected mark he'd dared to call a "punishment," though it had been nothing more than a small bite on her skin.
Embarrassment washed over her, followed by a shiver of arousal, then a heavier feeling…
Like a hidden stab to her pride.
For him, it had been nothing more than a light slap to discipline a child.
For her, she couldn't bear the thought of being "disciplined" by anyone.
Especially in such an intimate way!
Charlotte's face flushed, her fingers tensed with frustration, and she muttered through gritted teeth:
"I swear… I'll bite you next time."
She had made up her mind. She might be kind by nature, but leniency with Leonid ended here.
A pervert like him deserved nothing but perverse treatment in return.
At least, that was what she tried to convince herself of… until she realized the truth.
The mere thought of biting Leonid's taut skin and hearing the kind of moan that followed made her melt like butter under flames.
Her skin grew even redder.
"Ah… enough! I'll forget it for now."
She waved her hand in the air, trying to shoo away the thoughts, then entered the bathroom to shower.
Meanwhile, Leonid was taking his time in the shower, ignoring his phone's incessant ringing from his father's side.
As always, he paid it no mind, as if the calls were nothing more than distant buzzing.
Once his body was dry, he donned a black formal suit that amplified his cold aura.
Nonchalantly, he ran his fingers through his silver hair, pushing it back lightly, then stepped out with measured steps.
It took him a few extra minutes to reach his workplace; he stopped at a café to buy cold coffee for everyone and a single slice of tiramisu.
Finally, he arrived at the building. Adjusting his tie with one hand, he cast a heavy, somewhat annoyed glance before pushing the door open and entering.
In the meeting room, everyone was already waiting… as usual.
"Good morning~."
Leonid greeted cheerfully, a stark contrast to his usual cold demeanor, as he swung the double doors open.
He moved the cup holder into his free hand while carefully holding the tiramisu in the other, almost exaggeratedly.
"…Good morning?"
Vasili's eyes widened in surprise before he commented sarcastically:
"You're giving a greeting? Oh my… a historical event!"
As for Alia, she crossed her arms and said mockingly:
"Really?! I never expected to hear that word from you."
"I do greet seriously every time, but yes, this is a historical event."
Leonid smiled coldly as he approached to take his seat. He placed the cup holder in the center of the table, then pushed the tiramisu toward Dmitri, whose eyes gleamed with interest beneath his brown hair.
"Coffee for everyone… and the tiramisu is all yours. I'm in a good mood today."
Kozlov, barely keeping his temper in check, muttered under his breath with restrained anger:
"We're investigating a serial killer… and you're handing out coffee and dessert?"