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Please, no.
Alex had followed me. Witnessed my breakdown.
Again.
He came up to me and crouched down behind me. He murmured something in Italian, his tone soothing, as he gathered my hair and held it out of my face.
Even as I retched, I couldn’t help but be painfully aware of his strong presence behind me, both comforting and humiliating.
“Damn it, Alex,” I choked out between heaves. “Can’t I have a moment of privacy?”
“Sorry, princess,” he replied, his voice husky. “But, no.”
Once the nausea passed, and I was left trembling and exhausted, Alex wet a towel and gently cleaned my face. His touch was surprisingly tender, and I found myself leaning into him despite my earlier protests.
“Thanks,” I muttered, hating how vulnerable I felt in front of him.
“Anytime,” he said softly, his eyes searching mine—for what, I had no clue.
Then he scooped me up in his arms and carried me back to bed. As we passed through the doorway, I noticed the splintered remains of the entrance door to my hotel room barely hanging on its hinges.
My eyes shot from the door to his face. “What happened to the door?”
“I was just getting dressed when I heard your cries,” he said and shrugged, a hint of anger in his voice. “I didn’t have time to grab the key.”
He sat down on the bed with me on his lap—again. This was rapidly becoming our most common position.
I looked outside. It was dark out. How long had I been out? Then I looked back at Alex. He was in black slacks and a black dress shirt molded against his muscular chest. “Are you going to work?”
He nodded. “Something came up at the club.” He sighed, then he gently placed me beside him on the bed and stood and handed me a glass of water. “I need to be there.”
“Okay,” I said, trying to keep all remnants of the terror that just thinking of going back to sleep caused me out of my voice. “Where’s Matt?”
He held my gaze and looked at me as if he could see right through my fake front of bravery. “Taking a shower.”
He hesitated before he continued, “You’re coming with me. Remember our deal? We’re fake-dating. You and I are joined at the hip. Nobody will believe you’re my girlfriend if they never see us together. So where I go, you go.”
I narrowed my brows, then sighed. “Alex.”
He leaned down. “Don’t,” he growled, all domineering.
And even though every bone in my body screamed to resist his command, my nightmare had left me raw and exposed, and I found myself craving the safety he offered. His presence was both infuriating and intoxicating, and I couldn’t deny how drawn I was to him.
How safe I felt by his side.
“Fine,” I agreed.
His face transformed into a grin. He brushed a stray lock of hair from my face, then kissed me on the nose. “If you need a shower, I’m game to stand guard in the bathroom—since your door is broken.” He waggled his eyebrows.
I grinned, thankful for his attempt to cheer me up. “Such a generous offer.”
He looked almost hopeful.
“Which I must thankfully decline.”
His face fell.
“The bathroom door has a lock. Which will protect me plenty.”
