Page 33 of Scary Suitor

“It’s me, pretty,” I whisper, perching a hand over her arm.

My palm’s heat makes her wheeze harder, filling the dim room with hiccups. I sit and lift her off the ground, setting her limp body between my legs, and rub her back. Light wheezing and choked cries leave her quivering lips, her face ashen without blood circulation, and tears dampen her cheeks.

I cage her, believing that my arms will bring her comfort. She slumps into my chest, sobbing pitifully as her quick gasps jolt her weak legs.

“Breathe with me,” I whisper in her hair.

It takes several reassuring pats and gentle encouragement for her to hear me. Her chest mimics mine, often getting interrupted by hiccups and broken sobs.

Her small fingers flex around mine, squeezing the digits too tightly.

“What—” she croaks, “I….”

Understandably, she has a hard time processing the events. She was sleeping soundly when her apartment got invaded, then abducted by an unhinged woman, who forced Alina to listen to her conspiracy theories in a deserted building.

Of course, she’s speechless.

Nobody expects their night to turn out like this.

I brush her hair to her ear, smiling as the lights start to come back to her eyes. This happened at the pool, too; the trance taking her from me, and she needs coaxing to return. While it wasn’t bad the first time, the imminent danger was present for this incident.

“Get away,” she whimpers, “I can’t—don’t touch me!”

Her nails scratch whatever she can, thrashing belligerently as she pushes my chest. I have her facing me, hands gripping her arms to brace her hits, and I study the ghastly terror in her widened eyes.

“You monster!” she sobs, pleading incoherently. “How could you! Why? I know what you do!”

Denying it would mean I’m lying to her, and I don’t like secrets between us. My business is an exception; it’s too dangerous for her, and her living with an illusion is the greatest gift she can give me, along with other wonderful moments.

I want to imprint myself in her mind so that she may ask me for anything without knowing where or how I acquire it. If she believes the things Holt terrorized her with, then she’ll start wondering when I’ll discard her out of boredom.

It’s cruel of her to think so low of me. Have I not shown her the measures I would go to for her attention? Only she has the privilege of seeing me in my most vulnerable state, to hear me whisper my devotion, and to raise her to be the apple of my eyes.

I didn’t do enough, and her uncertainty took advantage of it.

Given the circumstances, I’ll prove it to her. I feel I made it quite apparent I’m interested in her and that we are exclusive, even before we were intimate.

“Stand up,” I command, withholding the affectionate tone. “Don’t make me ask again.”

My shadow engulfs her shivering form, big eyes staring with unshed tears, and the authoritative tone digests in her mind. My lips tilt to a prominent frown, causing chills to scratch her arms.

Her gaze drops, and she hastily climbs to her wobbly feet. The silence is dark, tenuous, and abysmally intense. When a hysterical shudder races down her body, I spin around and march toward the entrance.

“Follow me.”

My order does not allow room for other interpretations. Either she does as she’s told, or I will drag her with me. The soft padding of hesitant footsteps echoes while her nervous gaze caresses my back pleadingly.

The unbalanced rage needs an outlet; it’ll attest to my love in ways my heart beats with rapture.

I wave a hand to dismiss the men as I walk through the glass panels. They are individual squares, occupying frantic and unruly people as their screams muffle through the thick glass.

Alina’s footsteps stop, and her stifled whimpers stir my agitation.

The more time she spends here, the more she will be scared of me. I want just enough fear to make her obey, but not so much she withers at the slightest stern tone.

Following her line of sight, I watch blood splash across the glass near the corner. During the organ harvesting process, spraying blood is expected, which the protective suit does a perfect job at handling.

Three skilled medical professionals, who lost their practicing licenses for a reason, are working diligently. Business is always in high demand; one jammed cog could potentially cost me millions and a snowball effect of problems.

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