Chapter 18

**ALINA** 

Alexander’s grip tightened as his fingers wrapped around my wrist, his gaze locking onto mine with unsettling intensity.

For a moment, he just stared at me.

Not with anger. Not with amusement. But with something far more unnerving—something calculating, as if he was peeling me apart layer by layer, searching for whatever it was that made me tick.

I swallowed hard, my breath caught somewhere between defiance and unease.

Then—ping.

The sound cut through the tension like a blade.

His hold loosened instantly, and without a word, he pulled his phone from his pocket, his attention shifting effortlessly. Like I was nothing more than an afterthought.

Whatever the message said, it troubled him. His jaw tensed, his brows pulling together slightly.

That was my chance.

I ran.

I barely made it ten feet before bodies closed in around me, hands grabbing my arms, locking onto my shoulders like steel clamps.

“No—let me go!” I twisted, kicked, and fought with everything I had, but it was useless. They didn’t even struggle to hold me.

They lifted me clean off the ground.

Dragged me back like I was nothing.

And there he was, exactly where I’d left him, absorbed in his phone, his fingers flying across the screen.

No anger. 

No concern. 

Not even mild annoyance.

He only looked up after a few more seconds, slipping his phone back into his pocket, his sharp eyes settling on me like he’d just remembered I existed.

"Enjoy your little escape attempt?" he drawled, his tone laced with mockery. 

I fixed him with a scathing glare, my chest heaving with each ragged breath. 

"Fuck you," I spat, the words laced with venom.

A hint of amusement danced across his face, his lips curling into a subtle, mocking smile. 

"Impatient, aren't you?" The question was almost a caress, his tone teasing out the desire that simmered between us.

"You'll be fucking me soon enough... and when you do, nothing will ever be the same again." The words hung in the air like a challenge.

"But not yet," he mused, tilting his head slightly as if savouring the anticipation. 

"When I do, you won’t just give in—you’ll surrender. Body and soul." His voice dipped lower, teasing, taunting. 

"You’ll beg to feel me inside you. To be consumed by the fire burning between us."

A slow smirk curled his lips. 

"And when that moment comes… you won’t want me to stop."

His words sent a jolt through me, a sharp, electric shock that I felt down to my bones. My breath hitched, my skin prickling with heat I shouldn’t be feeling.

For a split second, I was frozen. Stunned.

Then reality crashed back in.

I forced myself to scoff, shaking off the unwanted shiver trailing down my spine.

"Oh, wow. I'm just... utterly thrilled at the prospect of being fucked by a man who's holding me against my will," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm and venom. 

"I mean, who wouldn't want to surrender their body and soul to an arrogant, controlling asshole like you? Please, by all means, do tell me more about how I'll be begging to feel you inside me. I'm just fascinated by your delusional sense of entitlement." My eyes rolled heavenward, heavy with disdain and mockery. 

"You're selling this whole 'kidnapping and coercion' thing, aren't you?"

A low, husky laugh rumbled from his chest, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. 

His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled, clearly entertained by my sarcasm. 

"Ah, I love it when you're feisty," he murmured, his voice dripping with appreciation. 

"It's... intoxicating. And I must say, your attempts to defy me are almost... adorable." He leaned in closer, his breath whispering against my ear. 

"But let's be clear: I'm not delusional. I know exactly what you want, even if you don't want to admit it to yourself just yet." His words were a gentle caress, a whisper that sent a tremor through my body. 

"And soon enough, you'll be begging me for it."

He suddenly straightened, his expression shifting, all traces of amusement vanishing.

"Enough wasting time."

He nodded to his men.

"Take her to my room. And this time, if she runs—break something."

............

The men marched me up a grand staircase, their grips firm, giving me no room to fight or bargain. We moved down a long corridor on the first floor until we reached the room I’m in now.

That was half an hour ago. Maybe more. But it feels like forever.

I don’t know which is worse—being left alone with my thoughts or being trapped here, surrounded by people who see me as nothing more than a transaction. I can still hear the echo of their footsteps fading away, the finality of the door clicking shut behind them.

The room is massive—Alexander’s room. The polished hardwood floors gleam under the dim glow of the chandeliers, the heavy mahogany furniture standing like silent sentinels. A four-poster bed dominates the space, its dark sheets crisp and untouched. But the most breathtaking feature is the floor-to-ceiling glass wall, revealing an endless view of the sea. 

The sunlight glistens off the jagged rock formations along the beach, painting the scene in golden hues, almost like something out of a fairytale.

But this is no fairytale.

This is a nightmare.

I sink to the floor, pressing my back against the wall as reality crashes down on me. A cold, suffocating weight settles in my chest, and I let the tears fall, silent and bitter.

I’m scared. My stomach twists violently, nausea rising in my throat. I feel like I’m going to be sick.

The last time I felt this shattered was when Mom left us. She walked away without looking back, and Arthur—my father—didn’t care. If anything, he thrived in her absence, indulging in his vices, gambling away whatever inheritance he had left.

And now…

Now, that same man sold me. He let men bid on me like I was nothing.

Like I wasn’t his daughter at all.

Just days ago, my biggest worry was packing for New York, ready to chase my dream of attending the dance academy I’d longed for since I was a child. Now that dream is nothing but a distant fantasy—something fragile and foolish.

Because this is my reality.

I’ve been kidnapped and dumped into Alexander Dimitri’s world, his possession for a month until Arthur—if Arthur—somehow comes up with the money.

But will he even try? 

Will he care enough to save me?

I exhale shakily, staring at the vast, empty room. My skin crawls at the thought of what happens next.

Will Alexander expect me in his bed?

Will he care that I’m a virgin?

No. Men like him don’t care.

They take.

And for the first time, I truly understand—I’m here to be taken.

A broken sob escapes my lips as I finally let go, sliding down the wall until I hit the floor. I pull my knees to my chest, burying my face against them as the tears come harder, shaking my whole body.

What has my life come to?

Just days ago, I had dreams, plans, and a future. Now, I’m nothing more than a bargaining chip, a possession in a world I don’t belong to.

And the worst part?

I don’t know where my life goes from here.

I don’t know if it goes anywhere at all.