All Chapters of Switched at the Mafia Auction: Chapter 171 - Chapter 180

~ Avelyn ~ “I need time.”The words came out softer than everything I’d thrown at him before. Not as a demand or a fight. Just… truth.Xander studied my face for a moment, as if measuring how much time I was really asking for.Then he nodded once.“Fine.”He turned and walked back into the conference room without another word. I followed, my legs still unsteady, my mind loud with too many thoughts.The board erupted the moment he entered.“This meeting isn’t something you can simply walk out on—”“We haven’t concluded—”“The consequences—”Xander didn’t even slow.“This gathering is over,” he said coolly.“You cannot—”He reached for my hand behind and the room fell dead silent.“I can,” Xander continued, already pulling me toward the exit. “And I just did.”Fury crackled behind us, sharp and offended and dangerous but he didn’t turn back. Not once. His grip was firm, grounding, almost possessive, and before I could process it, we were out of the room, out of the building, sealed ins

~ Avelyn ~Eventually, after much useless effort he put me down, but it was exactly where he wanted me to be. I hate to admit, but I was blown away by what I saw. The pool was humongous, facing the night sky and reflecting the moon like what I could only describe came straight from a dream. It stretched out, had a set of three sun loungers on both sides. But the part that made my mouth ajar was the illumination. Golden lights at every corner making the water looked like magic and I physically couldn’t bring myself to look away.“Change your mind?” Xander’s voice pulled me back to reality and I suddenly became hyperaware of the figure behind me, stalking my every move like a predator. I gulped, the pool was nice and all but I mustn’t be swayed by this fox. “I might need a change of clothes,” I said and turned, even daring to walk past him. If I was going to escape this, the first thing was to leave this location then think of another excuse later. The first part of the plan was work

~ Avelyn ~Everything felt wrong about the way he gripped my thigh to support my dangling body as we past through places I couldn’t recognize inside the yacht. It was all a blur until he flipped me back to my senses and my feet touched the carpet. I didn’t wait a second, my first instinct was to jump out of his arms before he got the chance to do anything else but I overestimated my body because the second I pushed off him, my head spun. I only saw colors and next thing I knew, gravity pulled me. I was falling back instead of gaining footing. My eyes squinted for impact while my hands did something utterly foolish! My fingers reached out for the nearest solid object which happened to be none other than Xander Sterling! I grabbed his shirt, the fabric wet against my palm and next thing you know, he fell with me. Instead of steading me, or even catching me. He fell with me! It happened so fast and in the blink of her eye, I realized I had just made a fool of myself because I lande

~ Avelyn ~The steam thinned like a lie being peeled away and there was nowhere to hide anymore.The glass walls reflected us back at ourselves, me on my knees, hair clinging to my neck, skin flushed and bare. Him standing there like he owned the space between my breaths. Like he had always known this was how it would end.I straightened slowly, humiliation burning hotter than the water ever did.“Get out,” I said, though my voice didn’t rise. It barely held matter. Xander didn’t move.His gaze wasn’t frantic or lust-drunk. That would’ve been easier to fight. This was worse, he stared at me with measure, deliberate, like he was memorizing a battlefield he already knew he’d won.“You’re shaking,” he said quietly.“That’s the cold,” I snapped.“No.” One step closer. “That’s you.”I wrapped my arms around myself, hating how small the motion felt. “You turned the water off, it’s the cold.” I defended with irritation lacing my tone.“You were rushing, in search of this” he held up the soa

~ Avelyn ~The drive felt longer than it should have. Not because of distance but because no one spoke.The city thinned the farther we went. Noise gave way to quiet streets and faceless buildings that looked like they had been designed to forget the people inside them. I sat in the back seat, hands folded in my lap, jaw clenched so tight my head ached.There was no blindfold or threats just silence and that somehow felt worse.The car finally slowed in front of a building that didn’t look like anything worth noticing. Gray exterior. Narrow windows. No sign, looked every bit of secluded.And ordinary.Which meant it was anything but.They ushered me inside and through a corridor that smelled faintly of disinfectant and stone. Cameras sat in the corners not hidden or subtle. Meant to be seen.Surveillance without apology.The apartment itself was sparse but immaculate. Neutral colors. Clean lines. A couch that looked unused. A kitchen stocked but untouched. The windows were reinforced,