CHAPTER FIVE.

Alyssa

The thud of my fists against the leather was the only sound in the underground gym.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

And with every punch I pictured Damon’s face, his smug handsome smile as I remembered how he would look me right in the eye every single day and say, “I love you, Alyssa.”

It was all a lie.

A complete and total lie.

That he never felt ashame to say.

My punches came faster as I remembered the nights I cried because I couldn’t get pregnant.

I remembered how he would sometimes get angry and he would say hurtful things. He would ask what kind of woman couldn’t give her husband a child.

He made me feel like I was broken and worthless all that time he was the one breaking me.

I was so stupid and gullible, I had let him use me, the anger burned inside me like a fire.

I hit the bag so hard the whole chain it hung from shook.

He pushed me away and let Rachel shove me, he asked the guards to send me to jail like we never had a past together.

Like he wasn’t the man I was madly in love with, the man I gave up everything for.

He fucking wanted me locked away, erased from existence after all I did for him, for us.

My breath came in sharp gasps but I didn’t stop punching feeling my eyes sting with tears but I was done shedding tears for him.

“I see you haven’t lost your touch,” a calm voice said from the doorway.

I didn’t stop right away.

I threw three more punches each one fueled by the memory of Damon’s betrayal before I finally let my hands drop my knuckles red and sore.

I turned to see Marcus leaning against the doorframe holding a bottle of cold water and a towel.

I walked over to him my chest still heaving and took the bottle from him and gulped down the water not stopping until it was half empty.

Then I wiped my face and neck with the towel.

“Did you gather all the information I asked for?” I asked my voice rough from exertion.

“Everything on Damon’s company? His debts? His secret deals?”

Marcus nodded his face serious. “Yes I have it all” he paused letting out a breath as he dipped his hands into the pocket of his slacks, “There is something else you need to know first…. A problem has come up.”

I frowned putting the towel around my neck “What problem?”

“One of your late father’s old enemies,” Marcus said, his voice low. “A man who goes by the name Malakai. He has become aware that Robert White’s daughter is still alive.”

My blood ran cold.

Malakai.

The name sounded like poison and oddly farmilar, like I’ve heard it from my father’s lips.

Marcus continued. “I have always believed your parents accident was planed… It was over a business alliance a huge deal that your father refused to give him. Malakai never got what he wanted and now… I think he plans to get it from you.”

“How does he even know about me?” I asked, my mind racing. “You helped my father hide me You erased everything after they died.”

“He doesn’t have much information,” Marcus explained. “Just that you are still alive. He doesn’t know you are the heir he just knows Robert White has a living daughter and he wants to find you to get whatever it was your father didn’t give him.”

“What was it?” I demanded taking a step closer. “What did my father refuse to give him?”

Marcus shook his head a look of genuine frustration on his face. “I don’t know Alyssa.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?” I snapped my anger from the punching bag bubbling up again. “You were my father’s most trusted person! You knew everything!”

“I did not know about this one thing,” Marcus insisted, his voice firm but calm. “Your father kept this particular matter to himself. I only knew Malakai is a very dangerous man, and I only suspected he was behind the crash.”

I stared at him my fists clenching at my sides. “Then what does this have to do with the information about Damon?”

“That is the problem,” Marcus said, sighing heavily. “For now you can’t resume your position as the public CEO of the White Enterprise. You have to keep laying low until we find out what Malakai knows and what he wants before you put a giant target on your back.”

“This is bullshit!” I yelled, the word echoing in the large gym. “I need my revenge! And I am not backing down now”

“Alyssa your life is in danger!” Marcus reasoned, his voice rising for the first time. “Malakai is ruthless and powerful he will kill you to get what he wants and you know I took an oath to protect you, I will not let you endanger your life, not this time child” he paused rubbing on his temple.

“And my sources tell me that Damon’s father has been seen associating with Malakai you can get information on that connection while you are laying low. You can still work on your revenge but you must do it from the shadows for now.”

I hissed out a breath of pure frustration.

Knowing he wasn’t going back on his words.

I didn’t have a choice.

If this Malakai was the one who killed my parents I needed to be smart but it felt like my revenge was being ripped away from me just as I was about to taste it.

I turned and started walking toward the door my whole body tense with anger.

“Alyssa,” Marcus called out, stopping me. “There is one more thing.”

I stopped but didn’t turn around.

“I have rehired Master Ares,” he said. “He will be your personal bodyguard, effective immediately. You will be safe with him.”

My breath hitched.

Ares?

I didn’t say a word I just walked out of the gym, the fire of revenge now mixed with a confusing dangerous heat.