Seraphina
I felt the air in the room change before the men even spoke. Alexander went stiff beside me. His hand, which had been warm on mine just a second ago, turned into a fist.
"Yoohoo! Alexander boy, long time no see."
Three shadows fell over our table. They didn't wait for an invite. They just dragged chairs over and sat, surrounding us like wolves circling a kill. I stared at the white tablecloth, my pulse jumping in my throat. I didn't need to see their faces to know they were dangerous. The air around them smelled like old tobacco and cold sweat.
"Alexander, boy. Haven't seen you here in weeks," the biggest one said. He slapped Alexander on the back with a heavy thud. It wasn't a friendly gesture. It was a test of strength.
"I had no reason to be here," Alexander said. His voice was a flat, icy calm. He didn't look at the man. He kept his eyes on me, a silent warning flickering in his gaze. He wanted me to stay still.
"Why are you here on a Saturday night with nothing better to do, Darius?" Alexander asked.
"Of course, you're the business," the man replied.
I felt like an outsider looking into a world that wanted to swallow me whole. My palms were wet. Should I go to the bathroom? Should I run? I knew nothing about these men or the deals Alexander had made while I was locked away with Xandriel.
"Don't make me laugh, Darius," Alexander said.
One of the men slid his chair right between us, breaking our connection. Another sat to my left, boxing me in. Darius sat to Alexander's right. They looked ready to rip the room apart.
"I'm not working anymore," Alexander said, his jaw tight. "At least not for you."
"Not for me, huh? I don't remember signing off on your release," Darius said. He reached over, picked up my wine glass, and took a slow sip. He smiled at me, but his eyes were like flint. "We had big plans for you. You should reconsider quitting."
"Things are different," Alexander snapped.
He wasn't scared. He was just annoyed, like he was dealing with a persistent itch. But I was terrified. I just wanted to eat. My stomach was a hollow, aching knot, but the smell of the steak now made me want to gag.
"I see things have changed," Darius said. He leaned back, his suit jacket straining against his massive shoulders. "You were supposed to call after you hit Xandriel's pack. You didn't. Did you keep what I sent you for?"
"I had other things to do," Alexander replied.
The rest of the restaurant was a blur of happy chatter, but our table was a dead zone. The tension was a physical weight on my chest.
"You swore to us, Alexander," Darius hissed. He leaned in, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "I can take everything back. You'll never be free. I'll make damn sure of that."
I couldn't take it anymore. The walls were closing in. I needed a second to breathe.
"Excuse me, Alpha," I whispered, my voice shaking. "I need to go to the bathroom."
"Not now," Alexander snapped. He didn't even look at me. His eyes were locked on Darius like a predator.
"Zen, escort this lady outside," Darius ordered. He slammed his hand on the table, making the silverware dance. "I need to talk to her Alpha alone."
"She stays where I can see her," Alexander barked.
I felt a surge of relief so strong I almost cried. I didn't want to be alone with any of these monsters.
"Oh, so she's important?" Darius sneered. He looked me up and down, his gaze lingering on the curves the dress didn't hide. "You treat your pack girls well, but nobody gets five star service like this. Who is she?"
"We can talk about this later," Alexander said.
"I say now is a good time," Darius said.
Zen, the man to my left, reached out and gripped my arm. His fingers were like iron. He hauled me up. I looked at Alexander, my eyes wide with a silent plea.
"Let me call someone to pick her up," Alexander said. He raised his hands, a gesture of surrender that looked wrong on him. "It won't take long. She has nothing to do with this. She knows nothing."
I felt like a child. A piece of property being traded back and forth.
"You have five minutes," Darius threatened. "Be back at this table, or I'll send my men to find her. Not you. Her."
Alexander didn't waste a second. He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the front of the restaurant. The cool night air hit my face, and I gasped, my lungs finally expanding. Alexander looked frantic. I'd never seen him lose his cool before.
"I'm sorry. I feel awful," he said. He took my face in his hands, lifting my chin so I had to look at him. "Margo will be here in a second. I'll be home late. I'll buy you a real dinner soon. Don't wait up for me, okay?"
"What's happening? What do they want?" I asked. My heart was thudding against my ribs. "Alpha?"
"Don't worry about me. Go home. Take a shower and rest. Sleep wherever you feel safe."
"Answer me!" I demanded. I was out of breath, my voice cracking. "What happens when you go back in there?"
I didn't know why I cared. He was the enemy who burned my home. He was the man who claimed me like a dog. But the thought of him disappearing behind those doors made my stomach turn.
"Seraphina, please," he groaned. He let go of my shoulders and pointed.
Margo's white Bentley cut through the darkness, pulling up to the curb. Alexander urged me toward the door. I stepped off the curb, my heels clicking on the pavement. I heard the restaurant doors swing shut behind me, sealing him inside with those three devils.
I got into the car and sank into the leather seat. I wanted the night to be over, but I didn't want him to be the one to end it.
...
I sank into the warm bath, the water stinging the small cuts on my legs. The bubbles popped softly around me. My fancy dress was a heap on the floor, and my expensive shoes were tossed aside.
I looked at the counter. A pair of Margo's shorts and one of Alexander's old T-shirts were folded neatly. Shabby clothes for a worn out woman.
I leaned my head back against the porcelain and closed my eyes. All I could see were those men at the table. I could still feel the way Zen's fingers dug into my arm. My mind wouldn't stop racing. Was Alexander okay? Would they kill him?
I sat up and splashed water on my face, trying to shake the thoughts. Why do I even give a fuck? He's an Alpha. He's a killer.
I felt sick. My mind was a mess of jagged pieces that didn't fit. This man was the filthiest scum I knew. He had stormed into my life, burned my home, and dragged me away in chains. Now he was acting like I was something precious. Like I was his.
But the more I stayed, the more the anger started to fray at the edges. I was intrigued.
Maybe the stories were right. Maybe I belonged here. But I knew how this went. The second I let my guard down, the rug would be jerked from under my feet. They would laugh and tell me it was all a joke. I was a girl who grew up in a rotting mansion owned by a monster. I knew how to hide. I knew how to survive. Xandriel was a beast who didn't deserve a single thought of forgiveness. I was always the small, weak thing in his house. Everyone thought I was nothing against a man like him. They thought he was a god.
"Fucking asshole," I whispered. My voice was a dry raspy sound against the tile.
I slid down and dunked my head under the water. I held my breath until my lungs burned. This kidnapping was the only vacation I'd ever had. It sounds crazy, but at least Xandriel wasn't breathing down my neck. For now. I didn't know when he would find me. I didn't know if he was already watching.
Those men at dinner had so much power. They didn't look like Xandriel's type. They were polished and sharp. Alexander was neck deep in something dark, something that had nothing to do with my old life.
I broke the surface, gasping for air and wiping the suds from my eyes. My heart nearly stopped. A man in a suit was standing right there, a dark blur in the steam. I let out a sharp yell and tried to sit up, but then the cold reality hit me.
I was completely naked.
I hunkered down, pulling my knees to my chest as the bubbles hissed and popped. The foam was the only thing keeping me modest.
"I am sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," Alexander said.
His voice was calm, almost too calm. He stood there like he wasn't looking at a naked woman in a tub. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I should have knocked. My bad. I'm still a little wired from the restaurant."
"Who were those guys?" I asked. I needed to know.
He just smiled softly. He rubbed his face with his hands, trying to wipe away the exhaustion. I wanted to push him for answers, but the instinct to stay quiet was too strong. With Xandriel, questions earned you a hand across the face.
"The less you know, the safer you are," he said.
That sent a chill straight through the warm water. He was keeping secrets to protect me, or maybe just to keep me in the dark. Margo said he would open up eventually, but for now, he was a stone wall.
"For now, they are dealt with," he added. "Don't worry about it."
"You didn't hit my pack for no reason," I said, my voice getting stronger. "They made you do it. Xandriel wasn't worth the effort. He's broke. He's a nobody who owes money to everyone."
I looked at him, trying to see past the suit and the Alpha title.
"I thought it was just business. I thought you were just another hit man. Why didn't you tell me the truth?"
"It has nothing to do with you," Alexander said. His tone was blunt. He called those men hooligans, and I could tell he wanted the conversation dead and buried. "I see Margo is still giving you my old shirts. Tomorrow, we are getting you real clothes."
"Don't bother," I said. "Don't waste the money. This will all end the second you realize I'm nothing special."
"Seraphina." His voice dropped, thick with impatience. He didn't like it when I talked about myself that way. He took a breath and forced a small chuckle. "It's on me. Especially after that disaster of a dinner. We will reschedule. You choose the place. You've seen my world. I want to see yours."
"I don't have a world," I whispered. I looked at the tiles. "I've never been anywhere but Xandriel's room."
I saw him flinch. The words hit him hard, and I felt a pang of regret. I was so used to my own misery that I didn't know how to act around a man like him. I felt like a disappointment.
"Alright then," Alexander said. He gave me a quick wink as he headed for the door. My heart thudded so hard I could feel it in my throat. "I'll see you in the morning. If you need me, I'll be in my office. Margo will probably be by to bother you before you're even awake."
He stepped out and closed the door gently.
I sank back into the water until it touched my chin. My heart wouldn't stop racing. That man made me feel things I didn't have names for. He hadn't even touched me, but I felt more marked by him than I ever had by Xandriel.
