LOGINNoah’s POVRed emergency lights pulsed across the walls as Alexander shoved me toward the bedroom closet. “There's no time. Grab that bag!” He pointed to a bag beside the closet and I rushed to pick it up and slung it over my shoulder. The fact that he had already packed had me wondering how long he'd been expecting this, but I barely had time to even thinking about that.I hadn’t even registred the fact that i was just kissing the man. Now this. Alexander’s phone was glued to his ear, barking multiple orders at people as he yanked open a hidden panel in the wall, revealing a small arsenal. What the fuck?Alexander had an arsenal in his home. He has guns and weapons and somehow he has ties to a dangerous man that wants to take his life. What the hell was going on?I couldn't bring my lips to form words as I watched Alexander strap a sleek black pistol to his side like it was completely normal to have row of guns just sitting inside the wall. “Who the hell is Victor Kane to you?
Noah’s POVAlexander’s bedroom was bigger than the entirety of my old apartment.The moment we stepped inside, the heavy door clicked shut behind us with a finality that made my pulse spike. Dark navy walls, a massive king bed with crisp black sheets, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the glittering city – It was exactly how anyone would imagine his private space on their first try. I stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed tight over my chest, trying to ignore how my skin still tingled from where he’d grabbed me earlier.“I’m not sleeping in your bed.” I said flatly.Alexander shrugged off his suit jacket, tossing it over a chair. His white shirt stretched across his broad shoulders as he loosened his tie with one sharp tug. And no, i didnt think it was sexy or anything like that. “You’re not sleeping on the couch either. The security team is sweeping the entire floor again, but until I know how they bypassed my system, you're gonna stay where I can see you.”His eyes me
Noah’s POVThe penthouse smelled wrong.Not like blood, that would’ve been too obvious and too cheap for whoever was playing this game. It smelled like *them*. Like foreign cologne mixed with the faint metallic tang of something sharp. The kind of scent that lingers just to remind you someone had been inside your space. Inside his space.Alexander’s hand stayed locked around my upper arm as we stepped out of the elevator. His grip wasn’t painful, but it was possessive in a way that made my skin burn.“Stay behind me,” he ordered, voice low and clipped.I yanked free anyway. “I’m not your fucking guard dog.”He shot me a look that could freeze fire, but didn’t argue. His security team was already swarming the place, checking every corner for someone or something. One of them nodded at Alexander as we passed.“The living room and kitchen clear are so. Bedroom wing… they left it for last.”Alexander’s jaw tightened. He moved like a predator, every step measured, but I could feel the f
Noah’s POVMy fingers tightened around my phone until the edges dug into my palm.Tick tock, Noah.Let’s see how long he can protect you.Protect me?The irony almost made me laugh.Except nothing about this felt funny anymore.I lifted my gaze slowly to Alexander. He was already watching me with those sharp calculating eyes of his, like he was trying to read every thought in my head before I even had it.“Show me.” he said.It wasnt a request, but i didn’t dare move. “Now, Noah.”Something in his voice snapped the tension in the room like a wire pulled too tight.I stepped forward and held out my phone. He took it immediately, his fingers brushing mine again—brief, but enough to send that same unwanted spark up my arm.God, I hated that.His eyes scanned the message and just like before, he went still.But this time… it was worse.The air shifted around him so much so that everyone in the room could feel it. “What is it?” one of the lawyers asked cautiously.Alexander didn’t answer
Noah’s POVI didn’t sleep. As much as I tried I just couldn't let myself get a single ounce of rest. Not even for a second.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that message again.“Looking good on Sterling’s leash...” As much as I pondered the words over and over again in my head I couldn't understand what the sender possible meant by it.It unnerved me. By around five, I'd given up on sleep and began pacing my room like a caged animal. My phone sat heavy in my hand, screen lit up, the message still there like it was mocking me.It was an unknown number, with no profile. So even if I tried to trace it, there'd be no way to. But somehow this unknown person knew my name. And they knew Alexander as well. And worst of all… they were watching.A sharp knock cut through my thoughts.Of course. It could be no one but the man that had occupied my thought all night. “Six o’clock,” Alexander’s voice came from the other side of the door. “Get dressed. You’re coming with me.”I clenched my jaw
Alexander didn’t waste time with warnings after the office incident.By six that evening, a black designer suit was laid out on my bed, complete with a crisp white shirt and a blood-red tie that screamed control.A note in his sharp handwriting rested on top of the outfit that read:“We're going to a charity gala. 7:30 sharp. Be ready or the allowance drops to zero. No excuses this time Noah.”I stared at it, jaw tight. Part of me wanted to shred the suit and walk out in ripped jeans just to watch his perfect face crack.But the other part – the broke, grieving, cornered part – knew I was trapped.I dressed like I was going to war.The suit fit too well, hugging my shoulders and waist like it had been tailored for me. The tie felt like a noose. When I stepped into the living room, Alexander was already waiting by the elevator, checking his watch. He wore midnight black, the jacket cut sharp enough to slice. His eyes swept over me once, slow and assessing, almost like… he was checkin







