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“Oh my God!” I say as I turn face-first into Alister’s bare chest. As my body presses into his, our eyes lock, though only for a moment. Cereal, milk, and broken glass land at our feet, and the sounds of his guards’ footsteps fill the silence between us. I take a step back, unable to read Alister in the dim lighting of the hallway. The longer he goes without speaking the more my nerves take over. I ball my fists, readying myself for a fight.
Finally, he says, “I guess that’s what I get for trying to sneak up on you sneaking up on me.” The hint of humor in Alister’s voice allows the air to leave my lungs. I hadn’t even realized I was holding my breath. “It’s okay, gentlemen. I’ve got this,” Alister says, waving off his guards as they reach us. His movement draws my attention to the massive ring on his finger, which somehow seems out of place given his topless, gray sweatpants ensemble. Though, it only claims my attention for a mere moment before I’m drawn back to his chiseled frame.So, that’s what abs look like.The men leave as quickly as they approached, which allows the last bit of tension in my bones to dissipate. Still, as I anticipate what will happen next, I’m left speechless in Alister’s presence. He leans forward then and shoves his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. “Why aren’t you saying anything?” he asks.
“I’m, um…” I look from him to the milk-soaked floor, allowing my hands to relax. I take a step back, avoiding the shards of glass next to my bare feet, and stand up straight as I find my resolve. “I wasn’t sneaking. I was snooping,” I clarify, though I’m not sure it helps my case. But, considering Alister hasn’t beat me or sent me back down to the dungeon, maybe I stand a better chance of getting the information I came for than I thought.
Alister nods. “Which is why you’re coming with me. Careful of the glass.” At that, Alister grabs me by the forearm and proceeds to escort me back the way I came.No!I thought too soon.
“Wait, please,” I beg, though I make no moves to escape him as the quick pace reminds me of my injuries. “Please don’t send me back to the dungeon. It stinks and it’s cold. I’ll die down there.” Okay, I’m being dramatic, which Alister clearly recognizes. Perhaps having two sisters has conditioned him to recognize a tantrum or ploy. “I’m sorry,” I finally say as Alister and I reach the end of the hallway.
“No, you’re not,” Alister says, stopping just before we reach the stairwell to the third floor. “But don’t worry. You’re not going to the dungeon. Although, I guess that’s a matter of opinion.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, confusion washing over me.
There’s a glint in Alister’s dark eyes as he tightens his grip around my arm once more. He hooks a left and drags me along with him. We pass several doors until we reach the one in the center of the massive windowless corridor. Alister opens the door and shoves me in. As I steady myself using a black velvet chair just inside the room, I notice marks on my arm in the shape of Alister’s fingers.Not cool.Though, as Alister follows in behind me, fresh fear lifts the hairs on my arms, and I know a few bruises may be the least of my worries. Alister closes the large wooden door behind him, pulls out his phone, and texts someone.
“Now, try getting out of this one,” Alister says. He flips his phone so I can see, revealing video footage of the hallway from which we came. Guards now stand in front of every door. And, as I turn to find a massive bed just a few feet away, I realize what Alister meant bya matter of opinion. He’s right. I may prefer the dungeon three stories into the earth than this one. Sweat dampens my body and my heartbeat quickens in anticipation of what will happen next. This must be the residential wing for his family. Well, him and Sophia. And, seeing as he’s dressed in pajamas, or rather, barely dressed at all, this must be his room.His room.
As realization dawns on me, memories of my past threaten to resurface as the T-shirt I’m wearing doesn’t seem to give me as much coverage as I once thought it did. I turn to Alister to find him watching me from a few feet away. He stands relaxed with his hands still in his pockets. Though, I know in a matter of seconds he could be over here and—
As if sensing my worry, he says, “Do you really think so low of me?” His dark eyes narrow. I open my mouth, but no words come out. Alister’s jaw clenches as he looks away from me. “You take the bed. I’ll take the settee.” Alister moves toward the small piece of furniture pressed against the black painted wall while my fear begins to settle and my reality sinks in.
I’m in nothing but a T-shirt in Alister Amato’s bedroom, a T-shirt which, given its size, is likely his. And now, I’m expected to sleep inhisbed. I make no moves toward it, even as Alister tries in vain to find a comfortable position on the too small, too rigid mini couch. Rather, I take in my surroundings, assess a potential exit, and take note of things that can be used as a weapon if Alister decides to lose his manners.
Alister’s room is the perfect blend of classic and contemporary. It’s large, including a sitting area separate from the bed, which sits up on a pedestal of sorts. Illuminated by soft overhead lighting, the mahogany bed is a commanding piece of furniture. So commanding, it makes my insides quiver. I move my eyes from it quickly to take in the other elements of the space. The walls are painted black, which, along with the dark wood floors, gives the room a masculine feel. Yet, the brass wall sconces, crystal chandelier hanging above us, and silky charcoal linens adds the same touch of glamour and sophistication found elsewhere in the home. His room is gorgeous, a blend of the old and the new just like the large floor-to-ceiling windows on either side of his bed. There. That’s my exit. Though, given the two-story drop and my current injuries, I hope I don’t have to take it.
“You going to stand there all night? Because if that’s the case, I’ll happily take the bed.” I jump as Alister’s voice pulls me back to him. I bring my hand to my chest as my heart beats rapidly. I pinch my eyes closed and open them to find Alister’s body language has softened. Instead of anger or even impatience, he looks at me with gentle understanding, a look that reminds me of his sister and what happened to her. It lets me know he isn’t going to—
“I’m not going to hurt you, Ariana. You don’t have to worry,” he says, reaching for the iPad on the small coffee table between us.
I nod. “Sorry. I…I know. I’m just taking it all in.” Alister only nods and then directs his attention to his device. “I wasn’t expecting this,” I say as I move toward him.
“Which part?” Alister mumbles.
“All of it. When I left my apartment this evening, well, I guess yesterday evening, I had a plan. It involved me ending up in your bedroom, but not in this capacity.”
At that, Alister’s lips lift into a grin. He sets his iPad on the coffee table in front of us as I take a seat next to him on the black velvet settee. With talk of my plan, I find my bearings. We’re getting back to normal—he the target and me the tracker. Though the moment of normalcy is shattered when he asks, “And in what capacity did you plan to end up in my bedroom?”
As Alister studies my face, I blush and turn away from him, focusing my attention on the dresser across the room rather than his shirtless frame or mystery-filled eyes. It’s not that I’m embarrassed or ashamed that I was willing to seduce him to get the answers I need. It’s just, now that we’re alone in his bedroom, both of us half-naked, the thought of being with him feels different than it did when I was planning my seduction from the comfort and safety of my apartment. Now he knows who I am and what I want. Me pretending to be someone else, just a random, nameless hookup, is no longer an option.
“I planned to seduce you,” I admit, keeping my eyes focused on the dresser. “And then, once I had you alone, I planned to question you regarding my mother’s murder. Two steps. No fuss.”
Thinking of my mother brings me back to my place of comfort, the place in my mind that, though horrible, is where I can exist without distraction. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, allowing the unfamiliar nerves and awkwardness brought on by Alister’s presence to leave me. Once calm, I turn back to him to find, in light of my admission, his smile has grown to reach his eyes. His pearly-white teeth shine bright in the dim lighting of the room while his tan skin glistens in the glow of the flickering candles on the table before us. He’s… I stop myself before mentally finishing my sentence. As Alister watches me with intrigue, I fill in the blank with other words—evil,murderer—all true and yet not my first choice for describing the man sitting just inches from me.
“Very efficient,” he says then. “At least it would be if I were easy to seduce.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t even try to play hard to get. With the stress of yourlifestyle…”
“Lifestyle?As if this existence is a choice?” Alister’s brows furrow. I roll my eyes.
“You’re probably constantly looking for a release. A fancy party like tonight where all the women are dressed to impress, or rather, dressed for sex, you were ending up with someone in your bed tonight. And I was…I was hoping it would be me.” Alister raises a brow. “For interrogation purposes only,” I assure him. “I knew I’d never be able to force my way to you, especially with your guards.”
“And how would you overpower me once you had me alone? How could you guarantee I’d answer your questions? You think me a monster. After what you’ve seen of my special skillset in torture, how could you not? So, I doubt you were planning on me agreeing to help you based on the goodness in my heart.”
“You make good points. But, for the record, those men deserved what you gave them. And, as far as you being a monster, well, I haven’t made up my mind yet.”
I shift in my seat and lean back against the settee. It’s true. Alister could’ve beat me and killed me in that dungeon, and no one would’ve known. He could’ve raped me upon forcing me into his bedroom. But, again, he hasn’t laid a hand on me. Maybe it’s only because I’m FBI and he doesn’t know I’ve been suspended. Maybe he fears the FBI will break their unprecedented arrangement with him if he hurts me or if I die under suspicious circumstances on his property. But there’s something about him that makes me think the kindness he’s shown me is more than that. It comes natural to him. Though, even as I think it, I wish I didn’t. I can’t have this getting complicated.
Alister knows as much when he says, “Well, I guess I should thank you for that. But, given our circumstances, it’s best you think the worst of me. It’ll be easier when—”
