The next morning.
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
"Arrgh~ Oh, yes, baby!"
Plop! Plop! Plop!
"Haah.. haah.. Harder... HARDER! Oh, yes, Yes, YESSSS~~~"
As the sounds of battle finally quieted in the hotel room, a red-haired beauty lay sprawled across Lynn's chest, the blanket barely covering her.
"Huff.. haah.."
Sweat from her forehead dripped onto his skin as Anna's slender fingers traced lazy circles along his torso.
"Huff.. Darling," she murmured, her voice still husky, "I think I'm falling more and more in love with you... After three months apart, your charm has only grown stronger."
Listening to her slightly hoarse but alluring tone, Lynn's heartbeat quickened.
He had to admit—Anna was stunning. And when her voice wasn't rough from exhaustion, it was as clear and sweet as a nightingale's song.
But to give up an entire forest for one tree?
No, that would be a terrible deal.
Thinking that, Lynn gently pinched her chin and said with all the sincerity of a man who'd rehearsed this line a hundred times, "Darling, you're hopelessly enchanting. So much so that as soon as I finished my mission last night, I came straight to you."
"But you're one of the lead singers of the California Girls Band. You have countless fans who adore you... I couldn't possibly be so selfish as to claim you for myself—your art, your music, they belong to all of humanity."
Anna gazed into his eyes, which were filled with a devotion so exaggerated it could outshine a golden retriever's.
Anna's lips curved upward before she playfully slapped Lynn's chest. "Oh, come on. You're only saying that because you don't want to be my boyfriend! Do you think I don't know you've never had a shortage of women around you?"
She sighed softly, then rested her head against him and murmured, "I must be insane. I know you're a total playboy—just like that infamous Tony Stark."
"But every time I come back to New York, I still can't help but find my way to you. Damn it, I must be poisoned with a love potion."
Seeing the disappointment on her otherwise exquisite face, Lynn gently ran his thumb along her cheek and said in an exaggerated movie-dubbed accent, "Oh, my beautiful Miss Anna, if you're poisoned, then should Doctor Lynn give you an injection?"
"Enough already—stop teasing me."
Rolling off him, Anna hugged her pillow and said, "I need some proper sleep. I've got a performance tonight."
"Alright then, sweet dreams."
Lynn bent down and kissed her cheek before heading for the bathroom.
After a quick shower and a change of clothes, he was about to leave when Anna's voice came from behind him.
"Lynn… are you really not willing to be my boyfriend?"
Sigh... Turning back, Lynn gave her his trademark charming smile. "If I don't see you next time, then—good morning, good afternoon, and good night~"
"Fuck, you're such a bastard!"
Anna flipped him off, glaring in frustration.
Leaving the hotel, Lynn let out a long breath.
The idea of that lead singer wanting to be his girlfriend made him shiver. He quickly took out his phone, blocked her number, and deleted her contact entirely.
A series of smooth, well-practiced moves—after finishing, he finally felt at peace again.
Opening his car door, Lynn started the engine and drove straight back to his rented apartment.
Thanks to last night's incident, he'd been placed on administrative leave for a week.
Which meant no seeing George Stacy's stern face for seven whole days.
That, at least, was good news.
Back in his apartment, he opened the hidden compartment beneath his bed.
Inside, the supply of mole tails, eagle claws, and other ingredients was already running low. His stash of potions was nearly gone too.
Thinking about the generous prices Natasha had offered, Lynn immediately decided to make a trip to the New York underground black market.
Are you kidding? All the raw materials together cost just a few thousand dollars, and he could make two hundred thousand. Only a fool would refuse.
He pulled out his phone and dialed. When the call connected, Lynn said breezily, "Yo Johnny, what's good, my man, watermelon's sweet this season. You want some? How's the cotton harvest?"
...
Hell's Kitchen.
A dark skin man answered the phone. After hearing Lynn's words, he swore loudly, furious.
Suppressing his anger, he went along, "I'm dying for some watermelon, and the harvest's great. Also, bring fried chicken when you come."
After the coded exchange, the man cursed, "Fuck you, you son of a bitch, your code words are totally racist! Lynn, has anybody told you how much of a smug bastard you are!? Ugh — I really want to shoot you!"
"Heh~" Lynn moved the phone away from his ear and tossed it onto the bed, then kept checking the remaining items in the secret compartment.
A minute later, assuming Johnny had finished cursing, he picked the phone up again. "Johnny, get me the stuff I asked for last time. Increase it from ten portions to thirty, and don't tell me you're out of stock. I know you're always prepared."
"For the money, get moving. If it weren't for how much you spend, I'd shoot you for your code words, you bastard!"
After hanging up, Johnny turned to his man. "Grab thirty portions out of Warehouse Seven."
He paused, then added, "And bring the vampire teeth and werewolf claws too. Only that lunatic would want stuff like that."
"Yes, boss!"
The subordinate ran off toward Warehouse Seven.
...
After breakfast, Lynn was just coming down the stairs when he saw Natasha leaning against his car, finishing a phone call.
She hung up as he approached and waved. "Morning."
"Why are you here?" Lynn asked, spreading his hands. "Didn't I say I'd call when the batch was ready? I haven't even refined it yet."
"I'm on leave," she said, handing him a Kraft paper bag. "Thought I'd drop this off."
Lynn opened the bag and frowned in mock surprise at the sight of cash—two hundred thousand dollars. "Since I'm a prepaying customer, are you trying to buy me off or pay me in advance?"
"I'll also help you get Steve's share, and I can push for an extra hundred thousand if you want," Natasha added. "Cash, check, or transfer—your choice."
Seeing Natasha's half-smiling eyes, Lynn thought for a moment before saying, "Alright, for the extra hundred thousand dollars."
"I'm heading out to get the ingredients for the next batch. Want to come along?"
"Of course!"
Without hesitation, Natasha slid into the passenger seat, casually ruffling her auburn hair. "I'm very curious about you mysterious potion masters~"
"Oh, and by the way—Steve and I didn't mention you in our reports."
"Thanks."
Starting the car, Lynn stepped on the gas and drove straight toward Hell's Kitchen.
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