Alexander looked down at Alyssa, his body still pressed against hers, his legs trapping her against the mattress.
The dim light from the bedside lamp cast shadows across his face, making his expression unreadable.
“You sure about that, little lady?” His voice was low, rough, like gravel wrapped in silk.
Alyssa’s heart hammered against her ribs.
She could feel the heat radiating from his body, the weight of him pinning her down.
But she held his gaze.
“Yes. It’s the only way to convince your family, Jessica, and the public that we’re happily married.”
He stared at her for a long moment.
The silence stretched, thick and heavy, until finally he gave a slow nod.
“Okay.”
She let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
“One more thing.”
“Go on. I’m all ears.”
She licked her lips, nervous.
“I want to tell two special people what’s really going on between us.”
His eyes narrowed.
“You mean you want to break the NDA? For two people?”
“Yes.” She met his gaze, trying to sound braver than she felt.
“I’ve known them for a long time. I don’t want to hide this from them. Besides, we barely know each other. It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since we met.”
He tilted his head, studying her like she was a puzzle he was trying to solve.
“What are their roles in your life?”
“My manager. And my best friend.”
Alexander’s jaw tightened.
He knew about her manager.
He had read the file.
But a best friend?
That detail had slipped through the cracks.
Alyssa felt his gaze intensify.
It was like he was peeling back her skin, reaching into her chest, trying to grab hold of her soul.
She shifted uncomfortably beneath him.
Oh God.
Did I say something wrong?
I can’t afford to offend the richest man in the country.
No.
I can’t.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again.
He was still staring.
“Did I say something to offend you?” she asked, her voice smaller than she intended.
He didn’t answer.
He just kept looking at her, his dark eyes boring into hers.
The room was freezing.
The air conditioner hummed, sending cold air across her bare shoulders.
But she felt hot.
Burning hot.
Her skin prickled, her cheeks flushed.
She didn’t know if it was his gaze, the position they were in, or the sheer awkwardness of being completely naked beneath a man she barely knew.
She looked at him.
His jaw was sharp, his cheekbones high, his lips full and perfectly shaped.
And those eyes—grey, intense, like they could see straight through her.
I wonder why he hates the media.
If there was a single image of him online, I would have recognized him this morning when I woke up in that hotel room.
Alexander watched her.
She wasn’t looking at him anymore.
Her eyes had drifted to the side, lost in thought.
Her lips were slightly parted, her brow furrowed.
What is she thinking about?
He cleared his throat.
“What are the names of your manager and best friend?”
She blinked, snapping back to reality.
“Huh?”
Is he talking about my manager and best friend?
I thought he investigated me.
Shouldn’t he already know everything?
Why is he asking?
She swallowed.
“Ah… my manager’s name is Lisa. And my best friend is Kai.”
The moment the name left her lips, something shifted in Alexander’s eyes.
Then, without a word, he stood up.
He pulled away from her, his body leaving hers, the warmth disappearing instantly.
He walked to the door, opened it, and stepped out.
The door clicked shut behind him.
Alyssa stared at the empty space where he had been.
Her heart was pounding, her mind racing.
What the hell was that about?
She sat up, her hands trembling.
She didn’t understand.
One second he was looking at her like he wanted to consume her, and the next he was gone.
Like she had said something that triggered him.
Kai.
Does it has something to do with Kai.
But why?
She shook her head, pushing the thought away.
She didn’t have time to figure out the mysteries of Alexander Blackwood.
She needed to breathe.
She got up, her legs shaky, and padded to the door.
She turned the lock.
The click echoed in the silent room.
Finally.
I’m alone.
She leaned her forehead against the cool wood of the door, letting out a long, shaky breath.
Then she pushed herself upright, switched off the light, and disappeared into the bathroom.
~☆~
Alexander walked into his room and closed the door behind him.
The click of the lock echoed in the silence.
He pressed his palm against the wood, his forehead dropping forward.
Why did I leave her room?
He ripped his shirt off, the fabric bunching in his fists.
His dick strained against his trousers, hard and aching.
He had been enjoying himself—teasing her, watching her squirm beneath him.
She was beautiful and cute.
A dangerous combination.
He always had control.
Always.
Women came and went, and he never lost his composure.
But with her?
He wanted to devour her.
Tear her apart.
Especially after she had looked him in the eye and told him to touch her without restraint or control.
She doesn’t know what she’s done.
He picked up his phone and typed a message to Finn.
Find out everything about a person named Kai connected to Alyssa.
He sent it and tossed the phone onto the bed.
Then he pulled off his glasses, set them on the nightstand, and walked to the bathroom.
The cold water hit him like a shock.
He stood under the stream, letting it run down his chest, his back, his legs.
He closed his eyes, but her face was still there.
Her silver hair.
Her wide, defiant eyes.
The way she had looked at him like she wasn’t afraid.
She should be.
He stepped out of the shower, water dripping from his skin, and walked naked to his wardrobe.
He pulled on a pair of silk pyjamas and climbed into bed.
But sleep didn’t come.
He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling.
The room was dark, quiet, empty.
But her scent was everywhere.
Lavender and something sweet.
She had never been in this room, but he could smell her.
She’s dangerous.
He sat up, frustrated, and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.
He couldn’t stay here.
Not with her ghost filling the air.
He stood and walked out of the room.
His bare feet padded silently across the marble floor as he made his way down the hall.
He stopped in front of her door.
He tried the handle.
Locked.
A slow smile spread across his lips.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the master key.
The lock clicked open.
He pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Like a predator who had just found his prey.