Chapter 104

[Evelyn’s POV]

“Were you expecting someone else?” Alexander asked with a knowing smile.

...Yes...Yes, I was.

I’d been expecting to find a gruelingly smug Michael who’d taken advantage of my weakened, vulnerable state. I imagined feeling immense self-hatred and shame.

As fortunate as I was to have actually found myself wrapped in Alexander’s arms, I couldn’t help but feel an overpowering sensation of anguish seep through me.

I picked up on the slight tone of humor in his voice but he was quick to pick up on the distress that I was showing through my expression. Worry glowed in his eyes as he searched over my face for an answer.

The horrible ache dispersed in my chest. All the emotion I’d been trying to sort through and hold back came rushing to the surface.

My features pinched with agony as my eyes swam with tears. Alexander’s gaze filled with panic as he gently palmed my cheek.

“Hey, hey,” he hushed. “Come on, tell me what’s wrong.”

I sniffled and shook my head. “Michael...He...He tried...”

Alexander took in a sharp breath before circling his arms around me and pulling me into his firm chest. I felt his hand curl around the back of my head, tucking me into the crook of his neck. I sobbed.

I couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down my face or the way I kept shaking like a wounded animal. Yet, that was exactly how I felt. Wounded. Violated.

“Evelyn,” he soothed. “It’s going to be alright, sweetheart.”

I had a hard time getting the words I needed to say out between the crying and choppy breathing.

“I t-tried to get him to st-stop,” I said weakly. “He w-wouldn’t leave m-me alone.”

I felt the stuttering breath that came in and out of Alexander’s chest. I knew that he was angry. I could feel the tension pouring off of him with every passing second.

Still, he continued to hold me close. He held me as though I was the most valued piece of treasure he owned.

Another clipped vision came through, leaving me utterly speechless.

“...Learn every single sweet spot you have and make you mine...”

“..I’m already yours...”

I was certain a dark shade of pink stained my cheeks as my own words echoed in my mind. My heart skipped a beat.

My head had been fuzzy since taking that one sip of tea. I couldn’t remember what happened last night beyond a certain point. But my body did.

It hummed and started to ignite with a warmth that I only ever felt when aroused. And if that wasn't enough of a tell, I merely glanced down at myself to find that I was practically stark naked.

My chest seized up immediately once more. I grabbed for the nearest blanket and tried to cover myself up. Clearly, something had happened and I needed to know what.

“Alexander,” I croaked. “Did...Did we...Last night?”

Thank God, he was able to understand what I was trying to ask. This morning couldn’t have gotten any more mortifying if I tried.

He pulled back a bit until he was able to look at me. His mouth fell into a straight line and he narrowed his eyes, pondering his next words.

“No. Well...”

My eyes widened. What the hell kind of an answer was that?

“Alexander,” I pressed. “What happened last night?”

“Why don’t we get up and head to the dining room?” he suggested. “You need to put something real into your system having taken that aphrodisiac.”

I really wanted to press him for answers right then and there but he was right. My stomach felt uncomfortably empty and I could really use a normal cup of tea to take the ache out of my head.

“Alright.”

I glanced around the room to spot Alexander’s wheelchair but couldn’t find it. Right as I was about to ask him where he’d placed it, I watched as the man slid out of bed with natural ease. On to his own two feet.

He stood up and began to move across the room as though he’d been doing so his whole life.

My mouth fell open and I openly gaped at him.

“What the fuck?” I gasped.

Alexander stopped in his tracks and turned to glance over his shoulder. He didn’t seem the least bit fazed by what was going on.

Was I still hallucinating? Was I dreaming? Was that goddamn drug still running rampant through my system?

The man actually gave me a cheeky smile and raised a singular brow. “I see we have a lot more to discuss now. I was kind of hoping that you would have remembered at least this from the night before.”

All I could do was stare at him. I felt like my mind was cracking in half.

I tried to get past the lump in my throat. “What the hell is going on?” I asked mindlessly. Now my head was really beginning to hurt. “Who the hell are you?”

Alexander, again, lost his amusement and came over to me. He instantly stopped when he saw how I’d pushed myself back.

“Evelyn—”

“Since when the hell can you walk?” I questioned.

I admit my tone did come out harsher than I intended. However, after a few seconds of consideration, I realized that it was me who was owed an explanation. Alexander looked, dare I say, affronted at my reaction to him.

He let out a deflated breath and shrugged his shoulders. “Long story short, I was never in that car that day that it had crashed,” he said.

If it was physically possible for my eyes to get any wider, they would have. Slowly, I started to narrow my eyes at him with heavy skepticism.

“I think I want the long version of the story,” I told him steadily.

Alexander reached for my hand and gently raised it to his lips, giving it a chaste kiss.

“Then I will give it to you,” he said, promisingly. “Just as soon as I’ve managed to get something for that nasty headache you have.”

My face flushed under his soft-domineering gaze. I slipped into a daze as I watched him move about the room. He picked out a shirt and a fresh pair of pants before heading into the bathroom.

I wasn’t sure how long it took me to move from that spot. But when I finally did, I somewhat struggled to gain my balance when my feet hit the floor. The room wasn’t quite spinning but everything felt far too surreal for my liking.

Maybe it was because I was still trying to sort through all the emotions that were demanding to be dealt with. Maybe it was because I was still in shock from the events of last night. So much had gone on and this was me not knowing how to process it.

When I finished getting ready, Alexander came to my room. My stomach flipped when I took into account just how ridiculously tall the man was.

“Ready?” he asked. He held out his hand for me to take.

It felt like he was offering me so much more. A lifeline...I hesitated.

This Alexander Kingston was a stranger to me and, perhaps, that wasn’t such a bad thing. But, if what was planning on giving me was the whole truth then I was going to insist on having all of it.

“Yes, on one condition,” I said. “Take off your mask.”