Before Madeline's lips could even touch his, Asher Keating expressionlessly grabbed her by the hair and shoved her head into the hot spring. Madeline immediately began to struggle, sending water splashing everywhere in the pool. Asher was using all his strength, and she was powerless against him.
After a long moment, when Asher decided she'd had enough, he finally let her go. He then leaned in and whispered in her ear, "How does that feel?"
Madeline coughed uncontrollably, scrambling backward in terror. Asher stood up with a cold smirk. "Consider this a warning. Next time, it won't be over so quickly."
With that, he leisurely stepped out of the hot spring, casually threw on his bathrobe, and walked away. He left behind Madeline, her face a bruised purple. A few minutes after he was gone, a disheveled Madeline struggled to her feet in the pool.
