Page 40 of The Alpha Under My Bed

But this one?—

It was unscented.

Brand new. Clean. Unmarked.

Waiting for me to make it mine.

I gagged.

I shoved the box away, my breath coming too fast, too shallow.

This wasn’t just a gift.

This was a trap.

A leash wrapped in silk. A cage built from kindness.

My phone buzzed.

My body froze.

I already knew. I already knew.

My stomach lurched as I forced myself to look, my fingers aching with tension as I turned the screen toward me.

Unknown Number: Do you like them, baby?

The room spun.

My pulse pounded in my ears, my vision blurring as panic bloomed like a toxin in my blood.

Another buzz.

Unknown Number: I just want you to be comfortable.

I pressed a shaking hand to my mouth, silent sobs locked in my chest.

Comfortable.

Comfortable.

Like a pet in a pretty, gilded cage.

I was already locked inside.

And he was already tightening the chains.

Twelve

ELEANOR

The joint accountwas a slap in the face.

A glossy, well-dressed insult disguised as generosity.

I had spent the last hour sitting on the edge of my bed, staring at the numbers on my phone screen, my heart pounding in my ears. The deposit was substantial—more than I made in two months at the boutique. Enough to tempt me into feeling grateful.

But I wasn’t grateful.

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