Chapter 7 A Kiss

Alessia wanna cry. But she knew her urgent task was to find an excuse to stay away from the angry lion.

She feigned ignorance, her voice dripping with innocence. ‘I’m sorry, but I think you have me confused with someone else. I didn’t write that article. Lara Morris did.’

Logan’s jaw tightened, a flicker of frustration crossing his features.

‘I was there,’ he retorted sharply. ‘I saw you taking those photos. Don’t play dumb with me.’

Alessia’s eyes flashed with defiance as she shot back, ‘Yes, I took the photos, but I deleted them right in front of you. You saw it.’

Logan’s gaze bore into hers, his steely resolve unyielding. ‘Someone clearly got their hands on those photos, and I have a feeling it’s not just a coincidence that they ended up in that article.’

Alessia tried to find a way to divert suspicion. ‘Look, maybe someone else at the hotel took similar photos and used them for the article. It wasn’t me.’

Logan’s frustration boiled over, his voice sharp with irritation. ‘Do you honestly think you can fool me with such a flimsy excuse? I’m not some naïve fool, woman.’

‘It’s not an excuse,’ Alessia snapped. ‘I told you the truth. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I really need to use the ladies’ room.’

Alessia tried to sidestep Logan, hoping to slip away before he could interrogate her further.

She couldn’t bear the weight of his accusing gaze any longer.

But Logan was having none of it.

He blocked her path, his formidable presence filling the narrow corridor.

‘Not so fast,’ he growled, his voice low and commanding. ‘You’re not going anywhere until we get this sorted out.’

Alessia’s frustration mingled with a flicker of fear.

She knew she had underestimated the depth of Logan Wilde’s determination.

There was no escaping him now.

Alessia’s heart pounded in her chest as Logan stepped closer, his towering frame overpowering her.

Instinctively, she took a step back, trying to create some distance between them.

The man was really tall, his presence enveloping her, making her feel small and vulnerable.

Without raising her head, she could only see the strong line of his jaw and the prominent Adam’s apple that moved with his words.

‘Make way or I’ll call for help,’ Alessia demanded, her voice laced with a mixture of defiance and trepidation.

Logan leaned down, his lips dangerously close to her ear.

His voice, low and commanding, sent shivers down her spine.

‘Go ahead, try to call for help,’ he whispered. ‘But remember, no one can fool me and get away with it. Especially not women like you.’

Alessia’s breath hitched as Logan’s words lingered in the air.

Desperately searching for a way out, she softened her voice, pleading with him to let her go. ‘Please, I didn’t mean any harm. Just let me leave, and I won’t ever take pictures of you again. I promise’

Logan’s voice was ice-cold as he replied, his eyes glinting with a mix of determination and anger. ‘You think a soft voice and pretty words can erase the damage you’ve done? You think an apology will suffice? No. Actions have consequences.’

Alessia’s brain, clouded by the alcohol she had consumed earlier, struggled to find a way to escape this predicament.

Fear welled up within her as she realised the severity of the situation.

She had underestimated Logan’s ruthlessness, his unyielding nature.

‘What do you want from me?’ she finally managed to ask, her voice trembling.

Logan’s lips curled into a dark smirk.

‘Since you were the one who took those photos that damaged my reputation,’ he said, his voice dripping with disdain, ‘it’s only fair that you face the consequences.’

Alessia’s heart beat wildly as she tried to comprehend the meaning behind Logan’s words.

Before she could gather her thoughts and ask what kind of punishment he had in mind, Logan’s hand clamped down on her jaw, holding her firmly in place.

Her eyes widened in shock, her breath caught in her throat.

In an instant, Logan lowered his head, capturing her lips with his own in a possessive and demanding kiss.

Alessia’s mind whirled in confusion as a rush of conflicting emotions flooded her senses.

The softness of his lips against hers, the scent of his cologne mixed with the scent of alcohol, and the electrifying heat of his touch sent a jolt of desire through her veins.

Her initial instinct was to push him away, to resist his advances.

But as Logan deepened the kiss, his dominance overpowering her, a part of her surrendered to the intoxicating pull of their connection.

The alcohol in her system muddled her thoughts, blurring the lines between right and wrong.

Alessia’s body responded to Logan’s touch, her hands gripping the lapels of his suit jacket, pulling him closer.

Suddenly, a door slammed shut somewhere, jolting Alessia back to her senses.

Her face flushed crimson.

She couldn’t believe the audacity of Logan Wilde, the way he had treated her without a second thought.

In a fit of fury, she shoved him back with all her strength, her palms connecting with his face.

‘Get away from me!’ she spat, her voice trembling with a mix of rage and hurt.

Her eyes blazed with a fire that matched her fiery spirit.

Logan stumbled back, taken aback by the force of her push.

He felt the sting of her slap reverberate through his cheek, the sharp pain a stark contrast to the warmth that had enveloped him moments before.

His left cheek rapidly reddened and swelled with the imprinted mark of her hand.

His gaze narrowed, his eyes flickering with a mix of irritation and confusion.

He had been lost in the kiss, revelling in the sensations that had long been absent from his life.

In that moment, he had felt a connection—a spark that ignited something deep within him.

A confirmation that this woman, Alessia Jansen, was different from the others.

His body responded to her, desired her, though he couldn’t fathom why.

And just as he thought she was beginning to respond to the intensity of their kiss, she had slapped him.

A scowl etched across Logan’s features, his brow furrowing with irritation.

But beneath the anger, a flicker of something else burned—a glimmer of admiration for Alessia’s fierce spirit and unwillingness to back down.

One of his bodyguards, drawn by the sound of the loud slap, rushed forward to intervene.

Logan shot him a withering look, his eyes icy and commanding.

‘Stand down,’ he ordered, his voice low and authoritative. ‘Block the hallway and ensure no one interferes.’

WTF.

Alessia watched in disbelief as he approached.

What did he going to do?