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Alexander has the audacity to look exasperated.Him, the campus king who always gets what he wants. I want to punch him where his nose is all bruised.
“You can hate me for many things, Alize,” he says in a measured, low tone. “I am a monster, I never hid that from you. You know what I’ve done.” His voice is dripping with disdain. “But I would never dothisto you.”
For the first time, Alexander seems aware of the people around us, of the stares we’re getting. Maybe this wasn’t the right place to have this conversation, but I’m at my wit’s end.
I don’t care anymore.
“What Cassidy said wasn’t true.”
My eyes snap to his. Cocking my head to the side, I look him over slowly. Does every bit of my contempt for him and this conversation show on my face? I hope it does.
He looks caught between anger and weariness, a question in his eyes. “I only fucked her once and it was never—”
I cut him off. “Are you going to show me to the room or stand here yapping to someone who could care less about what you have to say?”
Alexander is dangerous. What happened that day by the gazebo is burned into my consciousness. All the hatred in my heart can’t stop my body from wanting him.
If I give him a chance to explain, that’s a chance to trick me into believing him again. I can’t lose my hatred for him. It’s the only thing keeping me from falling back into his bed.
He wasn’t expecting my harshness, and anger kindles in his ocean eyes. I’ve hurt him, but he doesn’t protest. Instead, he wraps an arm around my shoulders—against my will of course—and leads me into the House.
Alexander’s steps are quick. I almost have to jog to keep up with him.
I glance up at him, intending to curse him out for crushing me against him and walking so fast, but find that he isn’t focused on me. He’s glancing at everyone around us.
A shiver runs down my spine.
It’s like they hate him too. This place isn’t safe, even with him around. I swallow my complaint, matching his gait. Alexander guides me through the hallways of Kingmaker House. Dread seizes my chest as we move through the building.
My heart is a stone, sinking as my gaze sweeps over the interior.
All of it—the grand living room, the cavernous hallway, the opulent decor—it’s all burned into my memory. The last time I was here, Liam attacked me.
My body still remembers the trauma of that night. My mouth goes dry, and I find myself sagging against Alexander’s strong frame.
Deep breaths.
My hands are sweating by the time we make it to the stairs.
Alexander shifts his weight, moving his hand from my shoulders to my waist. He starts to move slower, looking down at me with a question in his eyes.
“Are you okay?”
He rests the suitcase on the stairs, hovering over me. His arms are still around me, but he almost seems reluctant to hold me any closer.
There’s a brief moment of vulnerability.
It’s hard for me to be back here, I want to say.I’m a little scared.
His icy gaze is glued to mine, concern and thinly-veiled anger twisting his brow like he’d run a stake through the chest of anyone who would dare hurt me. I’ve seen it on him so often that I can recall it from memory. He looked like this just minutes ago when he saw my injured lip.
Strangely, that’s the thought that helps me regain my composure.
Alexander has always been like that. Once he has his mind set on something, he’s like a tornado, destroying everything in his path to get to his goal.
Everything.Even me.
Forcing myselfto keep walking, I go up the stairs ahead of him. Eventually, I hear his footsteps behind me. He takes the stairs quicker than I do, and is soon by my side again.
