Weeks had passed in this gilded cage, and I still couldn’t make sense of the pull I felt whenever he was near. It was like being caught in a storm, the winds tearing at me, throwing me off balance. I hated the power Alaric had over me, and yet...something in me couldn’t seem to resist it.
Shaking off the thoughts, I grabbed the book I’d been reading and headed to the garden. The soft morning light spilled through the windows, and the air smelled faintly of roses and fresh-cut grass. At least the garden was mine to enjoy—it was the one place in this sprawling mansion that felt almost peaceful. I stepped out onto the stone pathway, my sore body relishing the fresh air. My muscles still ached from the surgery, but I wasn’t one to let pain stop me. I needed to move, to breathe, to find something to keep my mind from spiraling. As I rounded the corner near the east wing, I heard his voice. Alaric’s deep, commanding tone cut through the quiet like a blade. I stopped mid-step, clutching my book to my chest. He sounded angry. I knew better than to meddle in his affairs. Whatever business he conducted was none of mine. But something about the way his voice carried—sharp, biting—made my heart race. I was about to turn back when I heard the unmistakable sound of something shattering. My breath hitched. What was going on? Curiosity got the better of me, as it always did. I followed the sound, each step cautious, my slippers barely making a sound against the polished floor. It led me to two large oak doors, slightly ajar, but still imposing. This must be his room. I hesitated, the sensible part of me screaming to turn around. But then I heard him again, his voice lower now, cold and dangerous. "Get rid of them. All of them." My stomach dropped. I pressed my ear closer to the door, trying to make sense of what I’d just heard. *Get rid of them?* Was he talking about…killing people? The rumors I’d heard about him—the whispers of bloodshed and power, the stories of how he’d become the feared mafia king—came rushing back. My hands shook as I clutched my book tighter. I tried to move, to leave before he noticed me. But my curiosity rooted me in place. Slowly, I bent down and peeked through the keyhole. Alaric stood with his back to the door, phone in hand. His broad shoulders were tense, his black shirt clinging to him like a second skin. “I don’t want excuses,” he growled. “It’s handled today, or I’ll do it myself.” I covered my mouth, my heart thundering in my chest. What was I even doing here? I needed to leave before— The door swung open with such force that I lost my balance. I stumbled forward, and before I could hit the ground, a strong arm shot out and caught me. My book fell to the floor with a thud, but all I could focus on was the searing heat of his hand gripping my waist, steadying me. “What the hell are you doing here?” Alaric’s voice was low, dangerous, and far too close. I looked up, my wide brown eyes meeting his stormy grey ones. For a moment, all I could do was stammer, my brain struggling to come up with an excuse. “I…I heard something,” I managed. “It sounded like someone was hurt. I was just—” His grip tightened slightly, his fingers digging into my waist. “So you thought it was a good idea to snoop around?” I opened my mouth to defend myself, but the words died in my throat when I saw the shattered glass table near his bed. The shards glinted in the light, a stark reminder of his temper. “I wasn’t snooping,” I said quickly, my voice trembling. “I just—” He didn’t let me finish. In one swift motion, he grabbed my neck, his fingers wrapping around my throat—not hard enough to hurt, but enough to make his point. “Do you have any idea what kind of danger you’re putting yourself in?” he murmured, his voice like a dark melody. I froze, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it. His hand wasn’t rough, but the weight of it sent a jolt of electricity through me. My skin burned where he touched me, and every nerve in my body seemed to come alive. I should have been scared. But I wasn’t. Instead, I felt…drawn to him. His grey eyes locked onto mine, and I swore the air between us shifted. My chest rose and fell rapidly as his gaze flickered down to my lips, then to the hollow of my throat, lingering there as if something unseen was pulling him closer. “You have a bad habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said, his voice a low growl. I wanted to look away, to break free from the spell he seemed to have over me, but I couldn’t. His thumb brushed the side of my neck, sending a trail of sparks down my spine. My body betrayed me. Heat pooled in my core. I felt my panties get wet, and I felt a wave of shame crash over me. How could I react to him like this? He was a monster. Yet, as I stared into his eyes, I felt something I couldn’t explain. It was like he wasn’t just looking at me—he was seeing me, all of me, and the intensity of it made my knees weak. “You’re hurting me,” I lied, my voice barely a whisper. He loosened his grip immediately, but his hand didn’t leave my neck. Instead, he held me there, his eyes searching mine. “Do you think I’m a good man, Vanessa?” he asked softly. I swallowed hard, my throat brushing against his palm. “No.” His lips curved into a bitter smile. “Good. Don’t ever make the mistake of thinking otherwise.” His eyes darkened, and for a moment, I thought I saw something raw and unguarded in them. Then, just as suddenly as he had grabbed me, he let me go. The loss of his touch left me cold, and I hated myself for it. “Stay out of my business,” he said, his voice hard again. “Next time, I won’t be so forgiving.” He turned and walked out, leaving me standing there, trembling and confused. I leaned against the wall, my legs threatening to give out. My breath came in shallow gasps, and my body felt like it was on fire. What the hell had just happened? I glanced down at the book I’d dropped and bent to pick it up, my hands still shaking. My reflection in the shattered glass caught my eye. My cheeks were flushed, my lips slightly parted, and my brown eyes wide with something I didn’t want to admit. The worst part wasn’t the shame or the confusion. The worst part was that a part of me wanted him to come back.PRESENT DAY"I can't believe I was right. So what are you gonna do now?" Emily asked, watching me closely.I sipped on my iced tea. "What do you mean?"She rolled her eyes. "You know... about the father of your unborn baby. How are you gonna find him?"In that moment, I felt like sinking into the sofa. I knew Emily was just being a concerned friend, but I didn’t need all these questions right now. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to keep the child. This was all happening at the worst possible time. I could barely take care of myself, let alone a whole baby. I had debts to pay, bills piling up... The whole thing was giving me a fucking headache. Oh, not to mention—I didn’t even have a job."I'm not going to find him. I don’t know what I’m gonna do, but what I do know is that I need to get out of this house and go to that cheesy burger place. I'm starving, and I don't feel like cooking right now." I stood up and placed my cup in the sink.Emily sighed as she grabbed her bag and stood up as w
The room was still heavy with the remnants of our last conversation, the air thick with something unspoken. I sat at the edge of the massive bed, staring at the opulent surroundings that no longer felt as suffocating as they once had. Maybe I was getting used to the cage, or maybe I had just accepted there was no way out.Alaric was near the window, his silhouette outlined against the dim light spilling through the curtains. He was watching me, waiting for something.“I want to see my sister,” I finally said, my voice cutting through the silence.He didn’t react immediately, but I knew he heard me. His dark eyes flickered with something unreadable before he turned fully toward me. “And if I say no?”My fingers curled into the fabric of my dress. “Then I’ll keep asking. Over and over. I won’t stop.”A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “You really don’t know when to quit, do you?”“I can’t quit when it comes to her,” I said firmly. “Anna is all I have left.”He studied me for
The invitation had arrived in the form of a sleek black envelope, sealed with a gold crest. I barely had time to process it before Alaric had informed me I would be accompanying him. No argument. No choice.Now, as I stood in front of the mirror, dressed in a gown that must have cost more than my old apartment, I felt a strange mix of nerves and defiance.The dress was deep crimson, hugging my curves in a way that made me self-conscious. The slit up one leg was daring, the neckline low but elegant. I had been given the best of everything—diamonds at my throat, heels that added inches to my height, and a stylist who had worked on my hair until it fell in soft waves down my back.I barely recognized myself.But none of it compared to the man standing beside me.Alaric was dressed in a black tailored suit, his presence overwhelming, his power palpable. His dark hair was styled perfectly, and his sharp features made him look like something out of a dangerous fantasy.He didn’t speak as he
The first thing I noticed was warmth. A heavy, enveloping heat pressing against me, surrounding me. My mind swam between the haze of sleep and wakefulness, and for a moment, I didn’t recognize where I was. The bed was too soft, the scent in the air too rich—cologne, leather, and something distinctly masculine. I stirred slightly, and that was when I realized why I felt trapped. An arm—strong, unyielding—was wrapped around my waist, keeping me anchored against a hard chest. I blinked, my body stiffening as awareness sank in. Alaric. My pulse spiked, my breathing shallow as last night’s events came rushing back. I had fallen asleep, exhausted from everything—physically, mentally, emotionally. And now… now I was in his bed. With him. Panic flared through me, my body tensing instinctively. I moved the slightest bit, but the moment I did, his grip tightened. A low, rumbling sound—something almost primal—vibrated from his chest, a warning. I froze. He wasn’t awake. At least, I
"you cheated ,give me another chance please" I begged and smiled "go on...go run." My lungs burned as I sprinted through the dark woods, twigs snapping under my feet as I pushed forward, refusing to stop. The scent of damp earth filled my nose, and the cool wind whipped through my hair, but none of it mattered. All that mattered was getting away. Alaric had given me a ten-minute head start—ten minutes to try and escape before the hunt began. I wasn’t stupid. I knew it was a game to him, something thrilling, something primal. And I knew he was coming. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I pushed harder, forcing my body to keep moving despite the sharp ache in my legs. I had to try. Then I heard it. A low, guttural growl in the distance. My pulse spiked. I whirled around, scanning the dense forest, but saw nothing. He was near, and he was letting me know. The air felt charged, thick with anticipation. I took off again, adrenaline surging through my veins
"he thinks he can order me around," I scoffed in my room. He was a devil and I wasn't going to stand for this bullshit. I was angry with him and myself for still being here for not trying hard enough to escape. How could I have given up so easily . With the way my body kept betraying me in front of him I couldn't stay ...if I did I don't know were this would lead. I didn't want to know...no ways.I packed a small bag,that way it would be easy for me to get away. I slippee through the door ,luckily Alaric had stopped stationing guards outside my door- I guess he also figured I wouldn't rum. I rolled my eyes .I barely made it past the grand foyer when a firm hand clamped around my wrist.My breath hitched as I was yanked back, spun around until I was face-to-face with the last person I wanted to see right now.Alaric.His dark eyes burned into mine, sharp with amusement but lined with something much more dangerous. He didn’t look angry—no, that would’ve been easier to deal with. Inste
The room was still thick with tension when Alaric walked away, leaving me standing in the aftermath of what I had just witnessed. My heart was racing, my mind spinning with everything that had happened. I had seen Alaric’s ruthlessness before, but this… this was different. The cold precision in the way he commanded the room, the way he controlled fear itself—it was terrifying, but at the same time, I couldn’t look away. I took a shaky breath, forcing my legs to move. I needed to get out of here, to put distance between myself and what I had just seen. But before I could even make it to the door, dizziness hit me like a wave. My body, still weak from everything I had been through, protested against the stress and lack of rest. I reached out, gripping the edge of a table to steady myself. Black dots danced at the edges of my vision, and I barely registered the sound of footsteps before a strong hand wrapped around my arm. “You need to rest,” Alaric’s voice was sharp, but not unk
The man knelt in the center of the room, his face battered and streaked with blood. His shirt was torn, stained with sweat and fear. Behind him stood two of Alaric’s men, their grips firm, unyielding. And then there was Alaric. He stood before them, every inch the cold, untouchable king. His suit was immaculate, his presence suffocating. In his hands, he toyed with a sleek dagger, twirling it between his fingers like an afterthought. He didn’t speak immediately, letting the silence stretch unbearably thick. “so you think you can steal from me? ” Alaric’s voice was a death sentence, quiet but unwavering. The man trembled, his breathing ragged. “I-I swear, I didn’t take the money! I was framed, I-” The crack of Alaric’s palm against the man’s face echoed through the room. I flinched. The force of the slap sent the man’s head snapping to the side, blood trailing from his split lip. “I didn’t ask for excuses,” Alaric said, his tone calm, terrifying. “I asked if you knew why you
I remember falling asleep in the car after the auction.I was so drained and I wanted to go home but Alaric kept talking business non stop so I went to the car for a quick power nap.I woke up to the distant hum of voices. My body still felt sore, but I was better than before. The events from the auction replayed in my mind—the whispers, the judgment, the overwhelming presence of Alaric as he dominated the entire room. And then… the way he had pulled me to his side, the unspoken claim in his touch.I had thought I’d have some peace after that, but apparently, my life was destined to be one endless rollercoaster.Pushing myself up, I realized I was in Alaric’s bedroom again. The dim lighting cast long shadows across the sleek black furniture, and the scent of him—smoky, woodsy, and undeniably masculine—lingered in the air.I needed to get out of here.I stood, my legs shaky but functional, and made my way to the door. As soon as I stepped into the hallway, I heard him.His voice was calm