The Billionaire’s Secret Heirs - Chapter 66: Chapter 66

CELINE
I spent the entire next day avoiding Hunter.
After our quarrel in his study, I couldn't bear to see the regret in his eyes again. Another mistake, he'd called it. The words still burned.
I kept busy with Caesar, who was recovering nicely from his virus. We colored together, watched cartoons, and I even convinced Sally to let us bake cookies in the kitchen.
Anything to keep my mind off Hunter Reid and the way my heart raced whenever I thought of him standing so close to me, almost kissing me before pushing me away.
By late afternoon, dark clouds had gathered outside.
The weather report warned of a severe thunderstorm heading our way. I tucked Caesar into bed for an early nap, then went looking for candles in case we lost power.
"Try the wine cellar," Sally suggested when I asked. "There's a supply cabinet down there with emergency items."
Memory flush back as I remember the last time i was here, the chaos. It was located beneath the west wing of the mansion, accessible through a heavy wooden door off the kitchen.
As I made my way down the stone steps, the temperature dropped noticeably.
The cellar was still impressive—rows upon rows of wine bottles stretching into the shadows, their labels facing outward like tiny works of art.
I found the supply cabinet at the far end, next to a cozy sitting area with a small leather couch and low table. Just as I opened the cabinet, looking for candles, I heard footsteps on the stairs.
"Sally mentioned you were down here," Hunter's deep voice echoed in the space.
I froze, not turning around. "I'm just getting some candles for the storm."
"Smart." He moved further into the cellar. "The power tends to go out during bad storms up here."
I nodded, still not looking at him as I gathered a handful of candles and matches. "Caesar's napping. I should get back."
"Celine," he said softly. "We need to talk about last night."
"There's nothing to talk about," I replied, finally turning to face him.
He looked tired, like he hadn't slept much. His usual perfect appearance was slightly rumpled…shirt untucked at one corner, hair not perfectly styled.
It made him seem more human, more approachable. More dangerous to my will.
"I shouldn't have spoken to you that way," he said. "I was worried, and I took it out on you."
I clutched the candles tighter. "It's fine. I'm used to being your mistake."
He winced. "That's not fair."
"Isn't it?" I challenged, finding courage in my hurt. "You've made it very clear where I stand. The help you can't stop thinking about but won't allow yourself to want."
Hunter took a step toward me. "That's not…."
A deafening crack of thunder interrupted him, followed instantly by darkness as the lights went out. I gasped, shortly blinded by the sudden change.
"Don't move," Hunter commanded. "There's a flashlight in the cabinet."
I heard him fumbling in the darkness, then the beam of a flashlight brightened the space between us. He placed it on the table, light pointing upward to create a makeshift lamp.
"Let me light some of those candles," he said, taking them gently from my hands.
As he worked, I heard a distant rumbling that grew louder until it became a mechanical groan, followed by a loud click.
Hunter sighed. "That would be the emergency locks engaging."
"Emergency locks?"
"Security feature. When the power goes out, certain areas of the house automatically lock down to prevent intrusion during vulnerable moments." He looked at me apologetically.
"Including the wine cellar."
"So we're... trapped here? Until when?"
"Until the power comes back on, or until Baron realizes we're down here and overrides the system with the manual key."
I sank onto the leather couch, putting as much distance between us as the small area would allow.
"Great. Just perfect."
Hunter lit the last candle, placing it on a nearby shelf. The warm glow cast dancing shadows across his face, highlighting the strong line of his jaw, the intensity in his eyes.
"It could be worse," he said, sitting on the opposite end of the couch. "At least we have wine."
Despite myself, I laughed. "Thousands of bottles, and not a corkscrew in sight."
He reached into his pocket with a small smile. "Actually..." He produced a small folding corkscrew. "Never go anywhere without one in this house."
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help smiling back. "Of course you don't."
He stood and selected a bottle from a nearby rack. "Château Margaux, 2005. A good year for being trapped in a cellar."
I watched as he skillfully opened the wine, movements detailed and confident. He poured two glasses from a small set kept on a side table and handed one to me.
"To unexpected situations," he said, raising his glass slightly.
I took a sip, the wine rich and complex on my tongue. "It's good."
"It should be, for what it costs," he replied, settling back on the couch.
We sat in silence for a while, sipping wine by candlelight as thunder rumbled overhead. The tension between us was almost a physical presence, thick and heavy in the air.
"I don't regret what happened in my study," Hunter finally said, his voice low. "I regret how I handled it."
I stared into my wine glass. "You told me to get out before you made another mistake."
"A poor choice of words." He sighed deeply. "I'm not good at this, Celine. At feeling things I can't control."
"You think I wanted this?" I asked, finally meeting his gaze. "I came here looking for a job, wanting a life without chaos. A stable environment for my son." I shook my head.
"I never asked to feel anything for my difficult, frustrating boss."
His eyebrow raised slightly. "Difficult and frustrating?"
"Incredibly." I took another sip of wine for courage. "And confusing. One minute you're cold, the next you're caring. You push me away, then pull me back. I never know which Hunter I'm going to get."
He set his glass down, turning to face me fully. "Then why do you look at me like you do?" His voice dropped lower, more intimate. "Like I'm the storm and you crave the lightning."
My breath caught in my throat. "I don't…”
"You do," he insisted, moving closer on the couch. "The same way I look at you."
The candlelight flickered across his features, casting shadows that brought out the warmth in his eyes. My heart hammered against my ribs.
"Hunter," I whispered, not sure if I was warning him away or pleading for him to come closer.
I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, he closed the distance between us, his lips pressing firmly against mine. The kiss was desperate and hungry, months of restraint snapping like a thread.