Page 72 of The Alpha's Crimson Vow

My voice comes out steadier than I feel, but the anger is bubbling beneath the surface now as my mind starts to piece together what’s happening. He followed me here.

Alex doesn’t answer me. Not right away. His entire focus is locked onto Jimmy, his expression dark, unreadable. His hands are curled into fists at his sides, but he doesn’t move.

Then, after a beat of silence, his voice cuts through the air again. “Who the hell are you?”

Jimmy stays quiet for a moment, then, in an utterly relaxed manner, he smirks. “I’m just a guy on a date with a beautiful woman.”

And then, he pulls me closer.

The motion is subtle, casual, but deliberate. And I feel Alex’s reaction before I even see it.

His entire body goes rigid, his expression darkening in a way that sends a jolt of tension straight through me. He takes a single step forward, and for a second, I swear he’s about to do something. His muscles coil like a predator about to strike, but then—he stops.

He inhales sharply, his chest rising and falling, and when he finally moves his eyes to me, there’s something there that makes my stomach drop.

Pain. Disappointment.

“Why are you doing this?” he says, his voice quieter now, but no less intense.

I blink, my body locking up. “Doing what?”

His eyes bore into mine. “Why are you wasting your time?”

Something in me snaps.

The audacity. The sheer nerve of him.

I step forward, untangling myself from Jimmy’s hold, my own anger rising like wildfire. “You don’t get to ask me that, Alex.” My voice is firm, louder than I intend. “You don’t get to question my choices.”

His jaw tightens, his expression unreadable, but I see the flicker of something in his eyes—something raw, something real.

Jimmy simply chuckles. “Man, you’ve got some nerve.” He steps forward, his presence calm but not backing down. “But I get it. Must be tough, seeing what you let go of.”

Alex’s gaze cuts to him so fast I almost flinch.

Jimmy lets out another low chuckle, shaking his head as he takes a step forward, his confidence practically dripping from his every movement. He tilts his head slightly, his smirk deepening as he looks Alex over like he’s already won whatever silent war is brewing between them.

“You know, Alex, I almost feel bad for you,” Jimmy muses, his voice laced with amusement. “Standing here, watching another guy take your place. Must be eating you up inside.”

Alex doesn’t move, doesn’t even blink, but I see the tension ripple through him. His fingers twitch at his sides, and his eyes burn with something dark, something controlled—but barely.

He inhales deeply, his nostrils flaring, and then, slowly, he exhales, regaining his ironclad composure. When he finally speaks, his voice is eerily calm, smooth like velvet but sharp as a knife.

“You think this is a game?” Alex says, tilting his head slightly, eyes narrowing on Jimmy. “You think because she’s standing next to you right now that it means something?”

Jimmy raises a brow, looking amused. “Pretty sure that’s exactly what it means.”

Alex smirks, but it isn’t friendly. It’s lethal.

“No,” he says simply. “It means she’s trying to make me jealous. And I’ll admit, Katherine, it’s a solid effort.” His gaze flicks to me, sharp and knowing. “Almost convincing.”

A surge of irritation flares up inside me, hot and electric.

The audacity.

My fingers curl into fists at my sides as I glare at him. “You seriously think everything revolves around you, don’t you?”

Alex doesn’t even hesitate. “No. Just you.”

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