Master of Lust

Chapter - 248

Rick glanced down at his phone, noticing a few missed calls from Olivia. He sighed, his thumb hovering over the screen for a moment. This was supposed to be a simple day. He had planned to pick up Emily and Oliva from the hospital in the morning and then help them settle back into their house. Emily had been in the hospital ever since the attack, and Olivia had stayed by her side through it all. Rick had offered to help them move back, to make things easier for them.

But now, everything had spiralled out of control. Why did everything bad have to happen today? He thought, shaking his head. The fight, the explosion, the interrogation—it was like the universe had conspired to throw every possible challenge at him in a single day.

He shoved the phone into his pocket, gripping the steering wheel tighter. He’d have to deal with everything else later. Right now, he needed to get back to the hospital, fast. He had already made Olivia and Emily wait long enough, and they didn’t deserve that.

Rick pressed down on the gas, his mind racing as fast as the car.

As Rick drove through the dimly lit streets, his mind kept circling back to one thing: the Warmers. Erica’s approach still gnawed at him. Pressing charges? It wasn’t their style. The Warners operated their illegal doings in the shadows, dealt with things ruthlessly. They used the police to do the dirty work but didn’t rely on laws or court proceedings for their dirty works or settling scores. So why had they chosen this route?

Something didn’t add up. Was this some kind of elaborate distraction? Or was there something he didn’t know? The Warners didn’t make moves without a plan, and the fact that they had resorted to legal action suggested there was a layer to this situation he hadn’t seen yet. What were they after? And why now?

Erica had suggested that if Rick forget about Zack and leave him alone, the Warners would too. She made it sound so simple—like Zack would just forget about everything and move on. But Rick knew better. Zack wasn’t the type to let things go. The humiliation, the fights—Zack had been bested by Rick time and time again. A guy like Zack didn’t just forgive that. Even if Marnus Warner had decided to shift tactics, there was no way Zack would let things slide so easily. Would this really be the end of it? Or was there another storm brewing, one that Erica was trying to hide?

The idea of forgetting the past seemed laughable. Rick wasn’t foolish enough to believe that Zack would walk away without another attempt to settle the score. The question was just when, not if.

His thoughts then drifted, reluctantly, to something that troubled him far more—his father. Of all the betrayals Rick had faced, this one cut the deepest. His own father, trying to poison him. And for what? A girl he had barely known. Rick’s knuckles whitened on the steering wheel as he replayed the scene in his mind. The rage he felt toward his father was a different kind, a burning betrayal that wasn’t so easily shrugged off.

The system had suggested eliminating his father, finishing him off for good. It was a logical solution; one Rick had brushed aside. But even in his anger, something held him back. Was his father truly beyond redemption, or had it been a moment of jealousy? Was he now regretting the choice, realizing the enormity of what he’d done? Rick didn’t know, and it tore at him. Was it better to just end the problem once and for all, or did he owe his father one more chance?

As the hospital came into view, Rick sighed, trying to clear his mind. He’d have to deal with this eventually—his father, Zack, the Warners. But for now, he needed to focus. Emily and Gloria were waiting, and they deserved his full attention. Whatever came next, he’d face it when the time came. For now, he just wanted a moment of peace, however brief it might be.

Rick hurried through the hospital hallways, his footsteps echoing off the sterile white walls. As he reached Emily’s room, he saw Olivia sitting beside the bed, her eyes flicking up to meet his as he entered.

"Olivia, I am so sorry," Rick began, almost out of breath. He felt a wave of guilt wash over him as he continued, "I’m ten hours late. I should have called, I know, but things got crazy. I was at the police station."

Olivia raised an eyebrow, concerned but curious. "The police station? Was it about the other day, when Zack attacked you at the hospital? You said it was self-defense…"

Rick shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, it was Zack, but... not that. Something else happened today. I don’t want to get into it now—just a mess I’d rather not think about." He sighed, looking genuinely regretful. "I should have at least called to let you know what was happening, but I was caught up with the police and everything. I’m really sorry you both had to wait this long because of me."

Olivia gave him a warm smile, dismissing his apology with a wave of her hand. "Don’t worry about it, Rick. You didn’t make us wait. Emily had to go through a few extra tests, and they just finished a little while ago. If you had come earlier, you would’ve just been sitting here getting bored."

Rick blinked, surprised but relieved. "Really? I thought—"

"Really," Olivia assured him. "No need to beat yourself up. It worked out fine."

Rick exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing. "Thanks, Olivia."

Rick and Olivia carefully helped Emily out of the hospital bed. Emily winced slightly but managed to keep a smile on her face as they steadied her. Rick held her arm gently as they moved towards the door, while Olivia carried her small bag. Once they reached the car, Rick opened the door and helped Emily ease into the back seat.

"Take it slow," Rick said softly as he made sure she was comfortable.

"I’m fine, Rick," Emily smiled, her tone reassuring, though her body still carried the fatigue of her recovery.

Olivia handed her a water bottle before stepping back, while Rick moved around the car, loading up Emily’s things in the trunk. The hospital visit had been long and draining, but now that they were finally leaving, the weight of the day felt a little lighter.

Once everything was set, Rick got into the driver’s seat, and they started the ride home. The quiet hum of the car filled the air as they pulled out of the hospital parking lot, but it wasn’t long before Emily broke the silence.

"Ah, finally," Emily sighed with relief, her voice filled with satisfaction. "It feels so good to be out of that damn hospital. Fresh air, no more being confined to a bed, and best of all, no more bland hospital food."

Rick smirked, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. "Yeah, but now you won’t have the excuse to sleep all day like you did in the hospital. And no more personal maid—what was her name, Nurse Claire? I’m sure you’ll miss being waited on hand and foot."

Emily let out a playful scoff, rolling her eyes. "Please, as if I had it so easy. And for your information, I wasn’t sleeping all day. Just… resting." n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Rick chuckled. "Sure, resting. You were practically snoring the last time I visited."

Emily threw him a mock glare. "I was not!"

While driving, Rick’s eyes moved to the rear-view mirror, his brow furrowing sl. The biker was still following him. The biker had been trailing him since he left his house for the hospital, and Rick had taken noticed. Previously at a stop, Rick sneakily took a good enough look at the biker. Riding on Harley-Davidson, with a full-face black helmet, the rider covered in black leather spandex from head to toe. Although the face wasn’t visible, Rick had already figured out that the rider was a beautiful woman. Her long blonde hair just escaping from the helmet and swaying in the wind, her supple breasts, exposed top cleavage, wide waist and her slim figure, which were outlined beautifully by her tight leather spandex suggested that a gorgeous one too.

Given the recent circumstances, Rick thought she was a Warner spy and he didn’t think much at that time. At any other moment, Rick could have thought of taking a "closer look" at her but now he was with Olivia and Emily, He couldn’t risk taking any chances now..

Rick’s grip tightened on the steering wheel as he took a sudden right turn, his eyes on the rear-view mirror. The biker took the same turn, keeping a distance but still following. He frowned and took another sharp left, weaving through side streets, trying to shake her off without alerting Olivia and Emily in the back. But she was still there, always hanging back, faraway enough to fool most, but close enough to keep an eye.

"Rick, you, okay?" Olivia asked from the passenger seat, sensing his tension.

"Yeah, just thought I’d take a different route," Rick replied, his voice calm, masking the concern building inside him.