Chapter 33

**ALINA**

"Liar."

He took another step toward me.

I stayed silent, refusing to answer, but I could feel Alexander's presence closing in. The air thickened with tension. His jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing with intensity.

"Don't make me repeat myself," he growled through gritted teeth. "I know when you're lying, sweetheart. So save us both the trouble and tell me the truth."

I couldn't answer. My throat was dry, my tongue heavy and tangled in a mess of emotions I wasn't ready to face. Before I could even gather my thoughts, his hand gripped my hair, twisting it around his fist in one fluid movement.

The sharpness of the pull sent a tremor through me, but he softened the force by tilting my head upward, making sure not to cause pain.

"Answer me now, Alina," he murmured, his voice low and dangerous.

"Did you enjoy it when I touched you?"

My mind screamed at me to deny it, to push him away, to keep my dignity. But my body betrayed me. I couldn't lie-not when the truth was so painfully obvious.

I nodded-so reluctantly, so quietly, it was almost imperceptible.

But Alexander didn't miss it. He never did. His gaze sharpened as he caught the smallest movement, and for a moment, there was something almost... gentle in his eyes.

He smiled, and it took me by surprise-wide and genuine, with a dimple that appeared on his cheek.

For a split second, he didn't seem like the monster I'd imagined. His smile changed him-made him look human. And that terrified me even more.

"Now that we've got that out of the way..." He straightened, wiping the softness from his expression.

"Let's talk about why I'm here."

The sudden shift in his demeanour had me on edge. I swallowed, my heart hammering in my chest. The smile was gone, replaced with the cold, calculating look of the man who had me trapped.

I stood frozen, my back against the wall as Alexander's hands came up to cage me in. His face was inches from mine, his warm breath dancing across my skin.

"I want you," he said, his voice rough, unapologetic—like he was stating a fact, not making an offer.

A rush of heat flooded my body, traitorous and infuriating. My legs felt weak, my core clenched, and I bit down on my lip hard enough to sting, desperate to suppress the reaction I wanted no part of.

I scoffed, masking my turmoil with anger. "Wow, how poetic," I bit out. "Let me guess, you say that to every woman before you fuck them and toss them aside?"

Alexander’s lips curved into a dark smirk. "No, sweetheart," he murmured, leaning in until his breath fanned against my lips. "I usually don’t bother with words. But you..." His fingers brushed over my hip, possessive. "You’re different. And when I finally have you—when you're begging for it—you’ll know exactly why."

Rage and humiliation warred inside me. I shoved at his chest, but he didn’t budge. "Keep dreaming," I snapped. "Because that will never happen."

His smirk only deepened. "Oh, but it will. And when it does, I’ll make sure you remember every single second of it."

I let out a sharp, bitter laugh, tilting my head back to glare at him. “Wow. You really think you’re irresistible, don’t you?” I sneered, shoving harder against his chest. “Hate to break it to you, but I’d rather set myself on fire than beg for anything from you.”

Alexander’s smirk didn’t falter. If anything, it deepened, like my resistance only amused him.

“Oh, sweetheart,” he murmured, his fingers tracing slow, lazy circles over my hip. “We both know that’s a lie.”

I slapped his hand away, my pulse hammering. “You really are full of yourself, aren’t you?” I hissed. “Tell me, does that oversized ego of yours ever get exhausting?”

His eyes darkened, the amusement flickering into something sharper, hungrier. “You’ll find out soon enough,” he said smoothly. “When you’re screaming my name.”

I recoiled, disgust and something far more dangerous twisting inside me. “Keep dreaming, asshole,” I shot back. “Because the only thing I’ll be screaming is for you to get the hell away from me.”

Alexander's eyes sparkled with amusement, but his gaze never wavered from mine. He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against mine in a gentle caress. His tongue slipped out and licked my lips, sending shivers down my spine. I felt like I was melting into him, despite the fear that screamed in my mind.

"I want to fuck you." The crudeness of his words should have repelled me, but instead, they seemed to awaken a dark desire within me. I was terrified of myself and what I might do.

"You're certainly straightforward," I replied, trying to keep my tone light despite the turmoil inside me.

"But shouldn't you at least buy me dinner first?" The joke fell flat even to my own ears.

Alexander's smile grew wider as he pressed closer to me.

"Dinner can wait," he murmured. "But this...this can't." His words sent a shiver down my spine as he ground his hips against mine.

I felt like I was drowning in a sea of conflicting emotions. Part of me wanted to give in to Alexander's desires, to let him consume me whole. But another part of me remembered the pain and trauma of my past, the brutal hands that had violated me repeatedly.

"What makes you think I'm interested?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant despite the fear that gripped my heart.

Alexander's eyes locked onto mine, burning with an intensity that made me feel like he could see right through me.

"Your body tells a different story," he whispered, his fingers tracing the curve of my neck.

I swallowed hard as his touch sent sparks flying through me. How could I be so turned on by this man when every fiber of my being should be screaming at me to run? What kind of woman did that make me? A whore? The word echoed in my mind like a cruel mantra.

"I'm not some plaything for you to use and discard," I spat out finally finding some semblance Of courage

"We'll see about that"