When she gasped, struggling for breath, he pulled back just enough to hook an arm under her knees and lift her effortlessly. Her body swayed against his chest, unsteady, her fingers clutching weakly at his jacket.
“Let me go,” she muttered, her words slurring, heavy with alcohol and raw emotion.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he replied softly.
Before she could protest further, he bent slightly, slipping one arm firmly under her knees and the other around her back, lifting her effortlessly into his arms. Her body pressed against his chest, leaving her no room to resist.
He carried her out of the bar in long, confident strides, the city lights blurring past, and reached the car. There, he eased her gently onto the seat before sliding in beside her. The cold night air nipped at her flushed skin, but she barely noticed.
The drive home was long and silent, the low hum of the engine pressing against the tension between them. Mia leaned against the window, nausea curling in her stomach and dizziness spinning behind her eyes, her thoughts scattered and hazy.
After a while, Alexander eased the car to a stop in front of his house. The tires hissed softly against the wet pavement as he applied the brakes. Mia’s gaze flicked out the window at the familiar façade of the house, but the sight barely registered.
She tried to push herself upright, her hand bracing against the doorframe, and swung her legs out to step onto the ground. The moment her feet made contact, a wave of weakness swept through her legs. Her knees buckled violently, wobbling like soft wood under her weight. She let out a low, startled groan as her balance failed her completely, her body swaying.
Her hands shot out, grasping at the seat, the car door, anything to keep herself from collapsing entirely.
Alexander caught her at the very last second. With a sharp breath, he bent and scooped her up effortlessly, holding her close as he carried her inside. The warmth of his body pressed against hers.
“I want… my apartment,” she mumbled against his chest, her voice barely audible.
He said nothing.
In the living room, he eased her down onto the couch, letting her back sink into the cushions. For a moment, he simply stoodthere, studying her. His expression softened—just slightly—his gaze fixed on the way she struggled to sit upright, her lashes fluttering, her breaths shallow and uneven.
Then, without a word, he bent down again.
The kiss came suddenly—rough, impatient, edged with something close to panic. Mia gasped as his mouth covered hers, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt before instinct kicked in. She tried to push him away, but he was already leaning over her, his weight pinning her into the couch.
His lips trailed along her jaw, brushed the shell of her ear, then slid down her neck. His breathing was uneven, shallow, as if he was barely holding himself together.
“Alexander—” she gasped, half-breathless, half-frantic.
His grip tightened, his movements turning feverish, desperate. That was when it snapped.
Mia shoved at his shoulders hard.
Alexander lifted his head sharply, breath ragged. His hand still cradled the back of her head, his thumb pressing into her hair as his eyes locked onto hers.
“I told you,” Mia shouted, her voice shaking, tears burning at the edges. “We are not together anymore, Mr. Graves!”
“We will be,” he said, his voice low and absolute. “Whether it takes a day, two… or a goddamn week.”
His gaze locked onto hers, unwavering.
“You’re going to come back to me. And if you don’t,” his tone dropped another degree, “I’ll bring you back myself. I’ll love you enough for both of us—until you remember how to love me too.”
“I won’t!” she cried. “I won’t love a liar!”
His gaze darkened further, something dangerous flashing through it. He straightened slightly, his chest rising and falling hard.
“I liedonce,” he said slowly. “But I have never lied to you about anything else.” His voice dropped, chilling. “If you marry again, it will be to me. Only me. I’m the one who keeps you safe. I won’t let anyone else have you. Not in this lifetime.”
“I lied once,” he said, jaw tight, eyes dark with jealousy. “Once. Everything else between us was real. My feelings. My love. Our marriage.”
His voice dropped, dangerous and cold. His gaze burned into her. “Get this through that pretty head of yours,” he said slowly. “Now that you’re mine, there will be no other man in your life. You don’t get to look at anyone else. You don’t get towantanyone else.”
A bitter edge cut through his words as he leaned closer, crowding her space, his presence overwhelming.
