He doesn’t respond, but I know he’ll definitely go check on him. Dom’s control issues are even worse than mine, and that’s saying something.
The security of the lower floors is top-notch, with military-grade equipment Dom installed. The door opens using either my or his fingerprints, and the alarm system will inform us if anyone even touches it. Our guest is also tied to a chair in a blackout room. He has nowhere to go.
I barely resisted turning his head into mush, but he doesn’tdeserve to die so quickly. No, he deserves to feel the fear he inflicted upon Alex.
“Good night,” Dom says on his way out, and I grunt in response.
My feet carry me through the hallway, past my bedroom and to the three guest rooms the apartment has. I stop next to the furthest room from mine, my palm tracing the door. Though I have no proof, a part of me knows she’s in there. If I stay still enough, it’s like I can hear her breathing on the other side. It’s deep and slow, as if she’s asleep. I release a slow breath, the weight dropping from my shoulders. She’s safe. She might hate me, but she’s safe.
CHAPTER 31
Alex
The room I wake up in is vastly different than the rooms I’ve spent the last week in. The mattress is as soft as a cloud; the sheets smooth like silk — or they might actually be silk. I stretch my arms and legs out, my foot catching on something next to me.
Persephone.
My heart squeezes at the sight of her large, relaxed body. Walking back into this place brought a lot of hurt, but she was a beacon of light in an otherwise chaotic day.
Robbie almost found me. There’s no doubt the men who chased after me were someone he sent. Who knows what they would have done if Leon hadn’t appeared.
Why did he?
The last time we spoke, his contempt for me was oozing out of his pores. He looked at me as if he couldn’t stand to bear another second in my presence. He obviously blames me for something I had nothing to do with, but it still sucked. It sucked so hard that seeing him was like a kick in the gut. My chest was pulling towards him, but my feet were itching to get away. Over the last two weeks, I’ve somehow convinced myself that he wasn’t as handsome as I remember, which is utter bullshit.
If anything, he’s more attractive than my mind could picture. It’s probably the hormones. I was scared half to death, after all, and he was the one to save me. There must be an evolutionary explanation for it. I’m sure Sophie could cite at least three articles that deal with the topic.
Where is she?
Someone knocks on the door, waking Persephone from her slumber. I ignore them and give her a few pets. They grow louder before turning into banging.
“Where’s my gun?” I yell.
“Safely hidden. You won’t need it here.”
I roll my eyes, pursing my lips. “Then go away!”
“You need to eat.” His deep, gruff voice carries from the other side.
“I’m not hungry,” I lie. My stomach grumbles like on cue, but I hope he doesn’t hear it with the noise he’s making.
“Yes, you are.” He sighs loudly enough for me to hear. “Look, I can leave the room if you want me to. You just need to eat.”
My teeth grit together before I get out of bed. “I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
I do my business in the bathroom and brush my teeth using the spare toothbrush I found last night. The guest bedroom is stocked like a hotel room, with all the hygiene products you may need, but I’m still out of clothes. I look down at the worn t-shirt I slept in and pull on the single pair of jeans I currently own. I opt for no shoes since the floors are heated.
Practically sneaking my way into the kitchen, I catch him pouring a cup of coffee for himself. He wears a crisp white shirt, without a jacket, but the cords on his neck show tension, and when he turns around, I realize just how much stress he’s under. There are deep, dark circles underneath his eyes, his face lacking his typical tan. He’s still gorgeous, but it’s obvious he hasn’t slept in probably days.
Our gazes catch for a second, the moment stretching for what feels like eternity. He breaks the silence first. “I’llleave you to it.”
A pang of disappointment hits my chest, even though that’s exactly what I wanted.
He starts toward the bedroom, glancing back at me. “I know you’d prefer not to be here. But this is for your safety. I don’t know how many men your ex has hired to follow you, and I don’t care to find out.”
I gulp before dipping my head. He knows about Robbie. Unless he told him himself — which is unlikely — there’s only one way he could have found out. The files.
Chill spreads over my skin, followed by humiliation. Did he see the hospital records? The photos? I know there’s nothing to be ashamed of; I wasn’t responsible for what happened, but I hate people seeing me vulnerable and lying in a hospital bed with one foot in the grave was the most vulnerable I had ever been. The thought of him pitying me raises my stomach. It makes me feel weak. Something I hoped never to feel again.
