Chapter 27: Fractured Control
Chapter 27: Fractured Control
I woke to a dull ache in my head, the soft golden light making my disorientation worse. Blinking, I tried to remember where I was. The last thing I recalled was... Alexander. His piercing blue eyes. His arms around me. And then, nothing.
A soft knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. “Come in,” I called out, my voice shaky.
A maid entered with a tray of water and aspirin, setting it on the bedside table without a word. I didn’t ask any questions, still trying to piece together what had happened.
After she left, I swung my legs off the bed, the cool floor beneath my feet grounding me. My foot throbbed from the shoes, adding to the confusion.
“What happened?” I whispered to myself, my heart racing. “I don’t remember anything after that night.”
Running a hand through my hair, I tried to recall how I ended up here. The last clear memory was Alexander carrying me, his arms steady as my body trembled.
\- - -
Back in alex study, Alexander sighed, running a hand through his already tousled hair. He couldn’t let her get under his skin like this. But the memory of her lips on his, her innocent yet maddening behavior, it was driving him crazy.
What is she doing to me?
He leaned against the windowsill, staring out at the gardens, though his mind was elsewhere. Dysis was a puzzle, a fire he couldn’t put out. The way she had looked so vulnerable last night, resting in his arms, made him feel things he wasn’t prepared for.
He replayed the moment he’d carried her upstairs, her head against his chest, her breath soft and warm on his neck. She had murmured something, but he didn't catch the words. Yet, the echo of her voice lingered, disturbing him. She stumbled slightly, and he reflexively caught her. She grasped his arms for stability, looking up at him with a puzzled smile.
\-
Last night.
"You always seem so serious," she chuckled, her words slightly slurred. “Has anyone ever told you that?”
“Plenty,” he replied dryly, guiding her into the room.
As he laid her down on the bed, her hand shot out, weakly grabbing his wrist. Her eyes fluttered open, hazy but pleading.
"Stay," she whispered, her voice almost inaudible.
Alexander paused, every instinct urging him to back away, to preserve the space he had meticulously established. However, the fragility in her tone, the manner in which her fingers grasped his wrist as if he were her only salvation, caused him to hesitate. Despite his better judgment, he perched on the edge of the bed.
“You’re drunk, Dysis,” he said quietly.
She smiled faintly, her eyes slipping shut again.
“Maybe. But it’s the first time I feel… safe.”
Her words struck him more profoundly than he anticipated, awakening something within him that he wasn’t ready to face.
Reclining next to him on the bed, she looked up at him with a wistful look.
“Your eyes,” she whispered softly, her voice just above a murmur, “they resemble ice… But not the frigid type… the kind that glitters, resembling sunlight on icy lakes."
Her words, seemingly simple yet surprisingly deep, generated an unfamiliar warmth within him, rendering him briefly vulnerable.
He laughed quietly, nodding his head. "You’re talking nonsense."
However, she inched nearer, her face grazing his neck. Her gentle breath caressed his skin, and he tensed up as her lips lightly grazed his neck, not a kiss, merely a delicate touch that sparked a jolt within him.
She whispered something unclear, her leg gliding over his lap as she nestled closer to him, her body melting into his heat. If she were thinking clearly, she would never permit herself to be so exposed, so defenseless around him, and it was driving him insane.
Her hand lifted, fingers threading through his dark hair with a gentle, almost reverent touch.
“I’ve always wanted to touch your hair,” she murmured, her voice carrying a hint of wonder. “It’s so soft…..”
She giggled as she playfully messed up his perfectly styled hair, her joy infectious. Her hand then moved to his face, her delicate fingers tracing the sharp lines of his jaw.
“How is your skin this good?” she asked, touching her own cheek with her other hand. “It’s even better than mine.”
“Dysis,” he said, his voice a low warning as he gently pulled her away, his hands firm yet careful as he moved her face from his neck.
Now they were facing each other, their noses almost touching. Her eyes fluttered open, gazing at him with a dreamy intensity.
“Kiss me,” she whispered.
Alexander froze, his mind racing. He had never been so caught off guard.
"You’re drunk," he reiterated, but his tone was devoid of its typical chill.
"What's up with that expression?" she inquired with a teasing grin. "Don’t pretend we haven’t done this in the past."
Before he had the chance to reply, she leaned in, pressing her lips against his in a daring, unexpected kiss. Alexander paused, his thoughts empty for a second, completely unprepared for her surprising boldness. Her lips were gentle and warm, lingering briefly to awaken something unknown within him.
When she eventually withdrew, her eyes sparkled with a blend of naivety and playful charm.
Alexander, who had remained silent throughout her ramblings, finally moved. His hand found her waist, pulling her closer. His other hand gently grasped the one she had placed on his face.
“You talk too much,” he said coldly, though his voice held a trace of amusement.
She smiled mischievously, tilting her head. “You always like… commanding me.”
For a moment, Alexander's gaze lingered on her mesmerizing amber-orange eyes, their fiery hues reminding him of her name, Dysis, as unique and striking as the sunset itself.
“Sleep,” he commanded softly, covering her eyes with his hand.
She let out a soft hum of protest but eventually settled, her breathing evening out as she drifted into a peaceful slumber.
Alexander lingered there for a brief moment, his hand continuing to rest on hers. Her voice resonated in his thoughts, her laughter remaining like a tune he couldn’t erase.
\- - -
Returning to reality, Alexander recalled her footwear, those absurd heels she had insisted on donning, one of which had chafed her foot severely, creating an irritated red spot. A wave of guilt hit him; he hadn't taken any action to assist.
He leaped from the windowsill, resolved to repair it, seeking a diversion from his mind before it overwhelmed him. Yet, a recognizable voice stopped him dead in his tracks.
“Well, good morning, Alexander,” Sofie said, her tone dripping with false sweetness.
Alexander pivoted, his face immediately clouding with anger. Sofie was at the entrance, her blonde hair flowing over her shoulders, her emerald-green eyes sparkling with playfulness. She donned a dress that hugged her figure tightly, revealing much of her form.
"What is it that you want, Sofie?" he inquired, his tone icy and incisive.
She strolled into the room, shutting the door after her. "Come on, now. Is that how you choose to greet me? I believed we had a stronger bond than that."
Alexander folded his arms, his patience running out. “I’m not feeling up to your silliness.”
Sofie frowned, moving nearer. "You aren't ever, but that doesn't prevent me from attempting….Additionally, I couldn’t help but observe how... preoccupied you’ve seemed recently. Allow me to assist you in forgetting, if only for a brief moment."
She reached out, her fingers brushing against his arm, and Alexander stiffened. His gaze turned to ice as he grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.
“Sofie,” he murmured, his tone ominous and threatening. “Don’t push me.”
However, Sofie remained undeterred. She moved nearer, her lips turning into an alluring grin. "Come on, Alexander…Stop pretending you don't require this. I’ve noticed how you gaze at that new girl…She pales in comparison to me."
That was all. Alexander's patience broke like a fragile cord. In a flash, his hand darted forward, clutching her neck with sufficient force to convey a definitive message.
“Touch me one more time,” he snarled, his voice filled with rage, “and I’ll snap your neck.”
Sofie's eyes grew wide in surprise, her hands gripping his tightly as she attempted to escape. Alexander held on tightly, his icy-blue gaze burning with a passion she had never witnessed before. For a brief time, the room seemed stifling, the atmosphere heavy with pressure.
Then, just as quickly as he had seized her, Alexander released her. Sofie tripped back, collapsing to the floor with a gasp, her hand darting to her neck as she coughed and fought to regain her breath.
Alexander didn't give her another look. He turned around and exited the room, banging the door shut after him.
Sofie sat on the ground, her chest rising and falling as she attempted to comprehend what had just occurred. Alexander had always been aloof, detached, but this... this felt unique. He had never shown her such blatant disdain prior to this.
She brushed her neck carefully, her fingers shaking. "It’s the blame of that silly girl," she whispered quietly. Her eyes squinted, and a wicked grin spread over her face. "She’ll pay for this. Mark my words.”