Chapter 127

[Evelyn’s POV]

Soaking in the bath helped a little.

I mean, at the very least, it took the ache out of my muscles and rolled over some of the anxiety I’d stored away from earlier. I just wished it had the ability to ease my ever-shifting emotions as well.

My point in telling Alexander my feelings was not to make him worried. I could feel from the way that his hands were moving over my skin that he was tense. Knowing him, he was always looking for a solution to a problem; however, I was afraid that there really wasn’t one in my case.

Honestly, I felt bad for even mentioning the whole thing to him at all. It wasn’t anyone else’s problem to deal with but my own.

Alexander left me so that I could finish up in the bathroom. Once I was dressed, I came out to find him already lying on his side of the bed scrolling through one of his tablets. Quietly, I made it over to my side of the bed and climbed onto the mattress and slipped beneath the covers.

My eyes were heavy as my body sank into the bedding with exhaustion. I couldn’t believe I was so tired. After we had returned from the courthouse, I pretty much went about my normal schedule. Nothing about the day’s events was remotely physically strenuous...Emotionally, though?

That was, indeed, a whole other story.

I felt the sudden touch of Alexander’s hand brushing over my hair.

“Go to sleep,” he whispered. “I’m going to be up for a little while longer.”

I let my eyes close and within seconds, sleep overtook me...For about ten minutes.

Just as I felt myself slipping into that blissful, mindless state of REM, my body jolted awake. For a brief moment, I didn’t know what was going on. Every muscle in my body tensed and I couldn’t find that same comfortable position like I had before.

Alexander had obviously felt my sudden jerking movement and glanced over to look at me with worry.

“What’s wrong? I thought you were asleep,” he commented.

“I was...” I croaked. Good God, not only was I shaken awake—I was friggin’ breathless too!

I could still feel the sleepiness seeping through me. I wanted nothing more than to let everything about today go but there was clearly something else, way in the back of my mind, that was bothering me.

Alexander placed his tablet down and turned to lie on his side, facing me.

“Tell me what you’re feeling,” he said. “I know you’re tired. After this morning, you have every right to be. But clearly, there is more going on.”

“I think you’re right,” I noted.

Perhaps I had a lot more going on in my mind than I cared to acknowledge. Michael had been a problem. One problem. Just one problem of many many more that we were going to have to face.

While he may be presently taken off the table, there was still the worry of his mother. Caroline was nothing less than a mimic of Isabella with far more connections.

Once this whole story hit the media, there was no telling how she would undoubtedly try to retaliate. There was no doubt that she still had her sights set on controlling the financial accounts of the pack even though Wendy pretty much stated that it was never going to happen.

If what Alexander said about Michael was true, that every thought and opinion was just a reflection of Caroline’s, then we were in for a serious obstacle.

Alexander reached out and curled his hand around my cheek. “Tell me.”

“You see today as a win, having dealt with Michael...I feel as though we’ve just opened a door to a whole slew of issues now,” I admitted.

His brows furrowed. “It’s very possible. Are you worried that you may not be strong enough to deal with them as they come?” he asked lightly.

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m just worried about potentially losing everything in the process,” I said. “Tell me what’s going to happen when this story about the case hits the public.”

He let out a breath and stretched. “First and foremost, a lot of people are going to have questions. Once the statement is released, the story we painted is going to solidify Michael’s image going forward.”

“I see. And how long do you think it will be before Caroline comes barging through the doors, demanding you get her son out of jail?” I asked, knowingly.

Alexander rolled his eyes. “If she were smart, she would think twice about trying anything like that. She knows all too well how guilty she is in all of this. The only reason why she wasn’t tossed into jail with her delinquent son is because I couldn’t get any physical evidence on her,” he explained.

Hell, that really was a shame.

I noticed the small smile pull at Alexander’s lips. “You know, I think the way you carried yourself today in court was very impressive. Not to mention the way you handled the press,” he said appraisingly. My face heated under his gaze. “They can be absolute vultures and you gave them the perfect response.”

I returned his smile and playfully shrugged. “Perhaps, you’re rubbing off on me.”

I felt the air shift between us as he arched his brow.

“Do you think you’ll be able to fall back asleep on your own? Or would you like for me to help?”

My heartbeat started to increase. What little trace of sleep that had been lingering before was placed on hold. His eyes were smoldering with that same sensual heat that I was growing accustomed to.

“Help me how?” I asked dubiously.

He pulled his hand down the length of my body, tracing the line of my chest and over my waist. His hand came to settle on my lower abdomen.

“Lay on your back,” he instructed.

I followed his order and watched as he gathered himself lower on the bed. He curled his fingers into the waistband of my shorts and pulled them down my legs. I truly wondered if there was ever going to be a time when I wouldn't blush in front of him like this.

Probably not.

Alexander had the most ridiculous effect on me. Worst of all, I was fairly certain that he knew it.

His hands splayed over the exposed skin of my thighs. Inching upward, my breath caught in my lungs when he skimmed his fingers over the thin material of my panties.

“My God,” he groaned. “Have you been this wet the entire time?”

I sucked in a sharp breath. “Don’t tease me,” I said warningly.

The sound of his chuckle bounced off of me. “No teasing. I did promise that I would help you fall back asleep, did I not?”

He hooked a corner of the fabric and pulled it to the side while pressing the flat of his tongue against my hot center. My mouth fell open. An inaudible moan came out as every nerve in my body coiled under the building pressure.

Alexander gave long, firm strokes, pushing me further to that hot spiraling peak. My hips began to lift off the bed in a rhythmic pulse with every pull from his mouth. As much as I wanted to let my eyes fall shut, I couldn’t bring myself to tear away from that stunning image of him buried between my thighs.

I felt his own groan vibrate through me like an electric shock.

“Fuck, Evelyn,” he breathed. “I want to marry you again.”