Chapter 141: A Leap of Faith

Sierra’s breath hitched; she was about to collapse when Jonathan strode toward her with determined steps. Instinctively, she wanted to dodge, but before she could, he was standing before her.

“Don’t put yourself in danger. I’ll deal with Kason,” Jonathan’s voice was firm. He knew exactly what Sierra planned. Before, he’d thought her foolish, risking everything for people unrelated to her. But after realizing Sierra was different, he could no longer stand by.

Sierra looked up, her voice tense. “Kason isn’t the only one I have to deal with. If you help me this time, what about—”

Sierra cut Jonathan off. “Fine, let’s say you help me next time too. But what about the time after that? There will come a day when you won’t be able to help me. And when that day comes, you’ll start seeing me as a burden, a problem to be solved, a cost to be calculated. No relationship can survive on one side giving endlessly while the other only takes.”

Jonathan understood. He had to admit, Sierra was sharp. The truth was, he couldn’t make any guarantees or promises. Right now, he was doing this because he was selfish, because he had ulterior motives regarding Sierra. But he couldn’t promise that would always be the case. Sierra had seen through it all, and yet she remained true to herself, refusing to be swept away. Jonathan found her even more irresistible. His voice softened.

“But I can’t just stand by and watch you put yourself in danger. Promise me, let me be involved. It’s the only way I’ll have peace of mind.”

Sierra parted her lips, unsure what to say. She’d already laid everything out clearly, so why was he still insisting? If this continued, she feared she wouldn’t be able to hold herself back. Jonathan reached out and lightly brushed his fingers against her cheek.

“Let’s give it a try, okay? None of your arguments convinced me. And as for Mason? He’s nothing to me.”

That last sentence struck a deep chord in Sierra. Her biggest concern was Mason. If Jonathan truly wasn’t afraid of Mason’s retaliation, then she had no reason to refuse. She knew a chasm existed between them, yet she couldn’t stop herself from nodding. “Alright!”

She didn’t want regrets. She lifted her gaze, meeting Jonathan’s unwavering eyes. “I’ve never dated anyone before. You’ll have to teach me.”

Jonathan hadn’t expected her agreement. For a moment, he was stunned. His dark eyes shone, as if a storm had settled into something much deeper, something dangerously intoxicating. Then, a smirk played on his lips.

“Funny, I’ve never dated anyone either. Guess we’ll have to learn together!”

Hearing this, Sierra chuckled. It was absurd, but for some reason, she believed him.

“Let’s go home first.” Jonathan extended his hand. “Can I hold your hand?”

A long time passed. Sierra felt safe. The entire way home, neither of them spoke. Sierra was caught in a strange state of excitement, almost disbelief. She glanced down at their intertwined fingers, feeling the warmth between them. Even now, she still couldn’t quite believe it. Until something soft brushed against her forehead. Snapping back to reality, she looked up in surprise.

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning.” Jonathan’s voice was low, his fingers casually tracing the shell of her ear. He wanted nothing more than to bring Sierra home with him right now, like a predator marking his territory, keeping her locked in his space. But he knew better. If he moved too fast, he might scare her away. So instead, he chose patience.

“Alright.”

Sierra stumbled into her home in a daze, completely missing the heated look in Jonathan’s eyes as he watched her disappear behind the door. The moment the door clicked shut, Sierra instinctively placed a hand over her chest. Her heart was pounding, too fast—so fast it felt like it might burst. I’m dating Jonathan; I’m actually dating Jonathan!

“Sierra?” A voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned to see Dickson staring at her in confusion.

“It’s nothing. I’m heading to my room.” Embarrassed at being caught looking flustered, Sierra hurried to her room.

Meanwhile, just a wall away, Jonathan calmly shrugged off his coat. A rare, satisfied smile played on his lips. He ran his fingers over his own, as if still feeling the warmth of Sierra’s touch. Pouring himself a drink, he leaned back onto his sofa, slowly savoring the taste. He hadn’t lied; he really had never dated before. To him, relationships had always been unnecessary.

So now the real question was… how does one even date property?