Page 26 of Temptation and Tyranny

Allegra.

Her apartment wasn’t far from here. I’d tucked away the information about where she lived in my head. Why, I wasn’t sure, but I had.

She was a physical therapist; she might have some medical training and know how to help me without asking too many questions. And something about her...I knew she would open her door to me. She would feel like she owed me for saving her from Tomas, even though she didn’t. But she was the kind of woman who wouldn’t let my heroic actions slip from her mind.

I pushed off the rough brick wall, wincing as pain shot through my shoulder. The night air was crisp against my feverish skin, carrying the scents of the city—exhaust fumes, distant cooking smells, the ever-present hint of the Seine.

I had to keep moving. Using the buildings for cover, I made my way through the darkened streets of Paris, sticking to shadows and alleyways.

Every sound made me flinch—the distant wail of a siren, the clatter of a stray cat knocking over a trash can, the muffled laughter from a late-night café. My footsteps seemed too loud on the cobblestones, each impact sending jolts of pain through my body. Every passing car was a potential threat, headlights cutting through the darkness and forcing me to press myself against the buildings of Paris.

My vision swam, dark spots dancing at the edges. I blinked hard, trying to stay focused. The loss of blood was making me dizzy, and the throbbing in my head intensified with each step. The taste of iron still lingered in my mouth, and my breath came in ragged gasps. But I couldn’t stop. Not until I reached safety. I knew that whoever orchestrated the hit on my warehouse meant business—especially if they were willing to incite the wrath of Viktor as well.

I staggered between the streets, retracing my steps a few times in case I was followed. After what felt like hours but was probably only twenty minutes, I finally turned onto Allegra’s street. The familiar sight of her building suddenly appeared before me, a beacon of hope in the night, like a lighthouse on the rough sea. My legs trembled with exhaustion as I approached the entrance, the world tilting dangerously around me. I’d been shot before but had never been alone. Steele, or one of his men, were always around whenever anything dangerous went down.

I was in lonely territory.

Leaning heavily against the intercom panel, my finger left a smear of blood as I pressed the button next to the name plate for Allegra’s apartment. The buzz seemed to echo in the quiet street, unnaturally loud. Iheld my breath, praying she was home. She had looked out of place that evening at the club, and I didn’t think she was social enough to go out every night.

At least I hoped.

After what seemed like an eternity, a sleepy voice crackled through the speaker. “Hello? Who is it?”

“Allegra,” I managed to croak out, my voice rough and unfamiliar to my own ears. “It’s Cooper. Cooper Moreau…I...I need help. Please.”

There was a long pause, and for a moment I feared she wouldn’t answer me back. Then her voice came again, tight with concern. “Cooper Moreau? What’s wrong? You sound terrible.”

“I can’t...explain now,” I said, each word an effort. “Please, Allegra. I don’t know where else to go.”

Another pause, shorter this time. Then the door buzzed, the sound like music to my ears. “Come up,” Allegra said, her voice softer now. “I’ll meet you at my door. I’m on the third floor. Number twenty-two.”

I stumbled into the building, the sudden warmth making me dizzy. The elevator was out of order, so I managed to drag myself up the stairs, each step a monumental effort. By the time I reached Allegra’s floor, black spots were encroaching on my vision, and I could barely stand.

Her door opened just as I reached it, and there she was, her pretty jade eyes wide with shock and concern. The soft light from her apartment haloed her figure, making her look like an angel in the dimly lit hallway.

“Oh my god, what happened to you?”

I tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. The world was starting to tilt alarmingly. “Gotinto a bit of trouble. Couldn’t go to the hospital. You were...closest.”

I saw the conflict in her features—concern laced with caution. But then her professional instincts seemed to kick in. She reached out, supporting me as I stumbled into her apartment. The scent of her home—a mix of lavender and something else floral—washed over me, providing an odd sense of comfort. Her apartment smelled exactly like she did.

“Okay,” she said, her voice steady despite the worry in her eyes. “Let’s get you patched up. Then you’ve got some explaining to do.”

As she helped me to her couch, I felt a wave of relief roll over me. The soft cushions seemed to embrace me as I sank down, my body finally giving in to exhaustion. For the moment, at least, I was safe.

But as the adrenaline began to fade and the full weight of the night’s events settled on me, I realized that my troubles were far from over. And now, I’d dragged Allegra into the middle of it all. The gravity of the situation hit me harder than the bullet in my shoulder had.

What the hell had I done?

I was safe, but at what cost? And what dangers had I just brought to Allegra’s door, all because I was a conceited hothead?

Chapter Ten

Allegra

The moment Cooper stumbled through my door, our relationship changed irrevocably.

His appearance was in disarray—shirt soaked with blood, face pale and dull with pain. The sight of him so broken stirred something deep within me, a mixture of concern and an emotion I wasn’t quite able to name.

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