Mia turned sharply back to Alexander. “You fooled me?!”
Alexander lifted his hand and cupped her face, his palm warm as his thumb brushed her cheek. He tilted her head up, forcing her to meet his gaze. His eyes flicked briefly to her lips before returning to her eyes.
“I really did want to show him,” he murmured, his voice low, rough with something dark and territorial. His fingers slid slowly along her jaw, thumb pressing beneath her chin as if forcing her to stay still. “But this face…” His touch lingered, possessive, claiming. “Only I get to see it.”
His gaze lifted to hers, eyes darkening, hardening with certainty. “You’re never meeting that man again.”
Mia’s brows knitted together, anger flashing through her tired eyes. “Mr. Graves, you don’t have the right to decide that,” shesnapped. “We’re not together anymore. You don’t get to control who I see.”
The air between them shifted instantly.
Alexander’s grip tightened, fingers digging into her jaw as he yanked her closer until their breaths tangled, his presence overwhelming. His other hand slid from her waist upward, pinching her bud in clear punishment and drawing a sharp wince from her.
A sharp jolt of sensation tore through her, and she sucked in a breath, her fingers curling against the seat as heat flooded her body.
“You want to be punished again?” he growled, the words vibrating against her lips.
Mia scowled and twisted her face out of his grip, her pulse racing.
He didn’t give her even a second.
Alexander grabbed the back of her head and crushed his mouth to hers, as if pouring every restrained emotion into the kiss.
Then—suddenly—he pulled away.
The abrupt absence left her dizzy.
The abrupt absence left her dizzy. His hands closed around her firmly, one gripping her arm while the other slid to her side, lifting and guiding her off his lap with restrained force before setting her back into her seat. The motion was brisk—like he was forcing himself to stop.
Without looking at her, Alexander turned forward and started the car, his jaw clenched tight. The engine hummed to life, filling the thick, suffocating silence between them.
At first, Mia barely registered the movement of the car. Her chest rose and fell unevenly as she stared ahead, the city lights sliding past the window in a blur. Gradually, the tension drained from her limbs, exhaustion settling in as the steady rhythm of the drive lulled her senses.
Her breaths slowly evened out. Her eyelids fluttered, fighting it for a while before finally giving in. By the time the car had gone a few blocks, her body had gone slack against the seat, sleep quietly claiming her as Alexander drove on in silence.
By the time the car stopped, she was sound asleep.
Alexander moved quietly. He opened her door and paused, looking down at her softened features. Carefully, he slid one arm beneath her knees and the other around her back, lifting her into his arms. She stirred faintly, her head falling against his chest, fingers curling weakly into his shirt.
He carried her upstairs with slow, measured steps, holding her close. When he reached the bedroom, he lowered her onto the bed with care, easing her down and pulling the covers over her.
Moments later, he disappeared into the bathroom.
When he returned, his hair still wet from the shower and a pair of trousers hanging low on his hips, Mia was still asleep.
He climbed onto the mattress and leaned over her, his movements careful. He lowered his head and brushed his lips along her neck, feather-light at first. His mouth lingered, then moved again, tracing the warmth of her skin.
The sight of his marks—dark, red, scattered across her skin—made a satisfied shiver run through him.
He pressed his lips to one mark.
Then another.
As he lifted his head, Mia shifted softly in her sleep. Her brows drew together for a fleeting second before her face turned toward him. Without waking, her lips brushed against his neck—an absentminded, lingering touch—before pressing there again in a faint, unconscious kiss.
Then her hand moved, sliding upward as if searching for something familiar. Her fingers curled around the back of his neck, tugging him closer with careless trust.
Alexander froze.
