Chapter 12

**WILLOW**

I thrashed against Alexander’s iron grip, my hands shoving, clawing, and striking at his chest, but he didn’t so much as flinch.

"Let me go, you arrogant bastard! You smug, self-righteous son of a bitch!" I spat, my voice hoarse with fury.

"You think you can just do whatever the hell you want? I swear, I’ll make you regret this. I’ll wipe that smug grin right off your damn face! I’ll—"

I yanked against his hold, twisting with everything I had, but his arm was like a steel band around me—unyielding, immovable. That infuriating smirk of his only made my blood boil hotter.

"You overbearing, self-obsessed prick! Do you hear me? Let me go!" I snarled, my voice vibrating with rage.

"I swear, I’ll make your life a living hell! I’ll make you wish you never laid a hand on me!"

I writhed harder, my nails biting into his skin, my breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps. But no matter how much I cursed, how much I fought, it was pointless.

It was like trying to break through solid stone. A damn brick wall with a pulse. And worse? He was enjoying this.

Arthur's voice cut through the tension like a knife.

"Stop....please stop.."

I froze mid-struggle, my heart hammering in my chest as I twisted in Alexander's iron grip to face my father. The desperation in his voice made something crack inside me.

He... cared?

For a fleeting moment, hope bloomed in my chest. Maybe he did love me, in his own warped, distant way. Maybe this was the moment I'd finally see the man who used to be my hero before he buried himself in debt and lies.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” Arthur stammered, his voice trembling.

“The money…. I—I can’t pay my debts yet. I’ve screwed over a lot of people, including you, Alexander. I’ve pissed off some dangerous men, and trust me—they aren't happy either.” He paused, his eyes darting nervously between Alexander and Nico.

“But... I found a way. Just—just give me a chance.”

Alexander didn’t bother turning around, his grip on my arm tightening like a vice. His shoulders were stiff, his silence more threatening than any words.

Nico, however, shifted lazily and cocked an eyebrow, breaking the silence with an air of nonchalance.

“And what way would that be?” he drawled, his tone dripping with indifference, as if the answer wouldn’t be worth the effort it took to ask.

“Solas bid the highest—for Alina. He’s coming today to get her. I figured as soon as I had his money, I’d pay you back. But if he shows up and finds her gone...” His voice trailed off.

“I’m a dead man.”

That fragile hope shattered into a thousand jagged pieces.

My stomach dropped. The words hit me like a slap, the sting spreading through every inch of me.

Highest Bid?

For a moment, I couldn't breathe.

Is he fucking kidding me!

The man who'd barely acknowledged me for years was now treating me like some object to be traded?

My gaze snaps back to Arthur, my mind scrambling to make sense of what I just heard. My skin prickles with goosebumps, a cold dread sinking into my bones.

He’s supposed to love me. He’s supposed to protect me.

“You’re selling me?” I gasp, my voice breaking, rising several octaves as I tremble from deep within.

My breath comes in short, uneven bursts, my chest tightening so painfully I can barely stand it. I don’t even realize the word slipping from my lips until it’s already out.

“Daddy?” My voice is small, pleading. Desperate.

“You’re selling me?”

For a fleeting second, I swear I see something flicker across his face—guilt, shame, regret. But it’s gone in an instant, replaced by the hard set of his jaw.

Jesus. It’s true.

He’s selling me. To pay off a debt.

“It was the only way, Alina…” he mutters.

He’s already convinced himself that this is justified.

I shake my head, stumbling back as if I can physically distance myself from this nightmare.

“Dad… how could you do this?” My voice cracks, the betrayal cutting so deep it steals the air from my lungs.

But then the tears come.

Hot, angry, helpless tears.

And Arthur Santini—the man who's supposed to be my father—doesn’t even flinch.

The room went deathly silent.

Nico let out a low whistle, his amusement fading as he glanced at Alexander’s rigid back.

"Just...let me..." Arthur began.

Before I could process the swirling anger and betrayal, the room exploded into chaos.

Alexander's arm released me so quickly I stumbled backward, barely catching myself.

In a swift, lethal movement, Alexander’s hand shot out, seizing my father by the collar before slamming him hard against the wall. The impact sent a violent crack through the old wallpaper, and my father let out a strangled gasp, his hands scrambling to claw at Alexander’s wrist as he struggled for breath.

My father's eyes widened in terror as Alexander's towering frame loomed over him

The sheer fury radiating off him was palpable, an almost tangible force that made the air feel heavier.

"What did you just say?"

Alexander's voice was low, lethal, every syllable like the click of a loaded gun. His fingers tightened around my father's shirt, bunching the fabric as he pinned him harder against the wall.

Arthur tried to stammer out a reply, but Alexander didn't give him the chance. His grip tightened, his knuckles whitening with restrained fury.

Arthur choked, his hands clawing at Alexander's wrist as he struggled for breath.

"I-he-she..."

I could barely breathe as I watched, the room spinning around me.

"Let me make something very clear," Alexander growled, his voice a low, menacing rumble that sent a chill racing down my spine.

"She’s mine. For now," Alexander growled, his voice low and dangerous, each word slicing through the air like a blade. His fingers tightened around my father’s collar, and Arthur’s face turned an alarming shade of red.

"If Robert Solas so much as breathes in her direction," Alexander continued, his tone dropping to a lethal whisper,

"I’ll make sure he doesn’t live long enough to regret it. Six feet under would be a mercy compared to what I’ll do to him."

He leaned in closer, his gaze a cold, unrelenting fire. "And you? Don’t even think about hiding behind excuses or deals. Find another way to get my money, Arthur. Because if you don’t, it won’t be Solas who ends you—it’ll be me. And trust me, you’ll wish you were dead long before I’m done with you."

I stared, frozen in place, as Alexander leaned in closer, his dark eyes burning with something primal, something lethal. My father was choking now, his mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air.

"DO. YOU. UNDERSTAND!" Alexander sneered, his voice cutting like a blade.

Arthur gave a jerky nod, his eyes wide with terror.

"Good," Alexander spat, loosening his grip slightly but still keeping him pinned.

"You have one month, Arthur. Thirty days to deliver what's owed to me. If you fail... if you're even a single day late... your life will be forfeit." His grip on my father's collar tightened, constricting his airway and forcing him to gasp for breath like a fish flailing on the deck of a ship.