Willow
Alpha or Mike or whoever his real name is unfastens the blindfold, and after my eyesight has adjusted to the light in the car, I look out of the window of the limousine to realize that we are back in Seattle.
“Champagne?” He asks casually. I glare at him, and he chuckles. “Oh! The walls have gone up again. You don’t trust me.”
“I have never trusted you,” I mumble.
“But you seemed so comfortable in the penthouse, I almost thought we were friends.”
I shake my head in disbelief. I felt a little comfortable, but I couldn’t befriend my kidnapper. “You are a lunatic!”
He winces. “I’ve been called worse.”
“Really? I can’t imagine why.” I roll my eyes.
He titters. “Your coldness towards me came out of nowhere.”
“It did?”
“Yeah, ” He grins. The car stops, he gets out and holds out his hand, but I walk out without taking his hand again, and he chuckles.
I look around the parking lot and my jaw drops when I notice that we are at Preston, one of the fanciest restaurants. He holds me by my wrist and bends so that his mouth is close to my ear. “Behave yourself. Don’t do anything stupid. I’m dangerous if someone puts me in a corner. Don’t make me make regrettable decisions.”
“What are we doing here?” I ask him, completely ignoring his long list of threats and warnings.
He blinks, seemingly confused by my calmness. “We are here for the auction.”
“In a public place?”
“Yeah.” He holds my hand and I don't protest, relieved that my plan might work if I co-operate with him for now. The parking lot is full of cars, and the restaurant’s golden lights shine brilliantly against its black walls.
I can easily run away from this place, I can run and hide between cars, and I can easily get to campus.
Why this place? What’s his plan? Unless these fancy cars belong to people who are here for the auction.
“You are one hell of a kidnapper. Are you not afraid that I will run away?” I try my luck to get more information
“Even if you run, I got what I wanted.” He says as we walk in the restaurant.
A hostess leads us to a reserved table and pulls out a chair for me.
“Oh! Did Leo give you what you wanted?”
“Why do you look disappointed? Did I break your heart? Do you want to stay with me? What if I’m your fated mate and you can’t get away from me?” He smiles.
I purse my lips to avoid laughing. “Can I leave right now?” I eye him suspiciously.
“I’m waiting for that idiot called Leo. He has been calling me like a maniac, and I told him to be patient.” He shows me texts on his phone.
We order starters and drinks.
“Why did you scare me?” I let out a sigh of relief.
“To have fun.” He shrugs.
“You are...Unique.”
“Which means crazy?” He laughs.
“Yes.” I find myself laughing as well.
“Finally, my girl is back. You look cute when you smile.”
“I’m not your girl.”
“You look cuter when you blush, and I know that Leo is not your brother. He is going to go crazy when he sees you.”
“You are unbelievable.” I sigh.
“Oh my! You are beautiful.” He grins.
“And you are creepy," I smile sheepishly.
The waiter arrives with our drinks. "You look good together." She looks from me to Mike.
"No, we are not together." I say almost immediately.
"That really hurts," he slightly furrows his eyebrows, as if he really means it. The waiter laughs and walks away.
"Why did you take me to a public place? Don’t people usually take the kidnapped person to some dodgy looking place?” I as him.
“A dodgy place is too private. I don’t feel like a fight, and I know that Leo is fuming.”
“Only if Leo knew how much you are afraid of him, he wouldn’t have let your bodyguards take me.”
“You don't know how dangerous I am." He says with no hint of amusement on his face."But, at some abandoned house, Leo might bring your wolf. I saw your videos, wolf girl. You are a force.”
“Don’t give me ideas.”
He chuckles. “I’m gonna go now. Leo gave me what I wanted, and I threatened you. He would never cross me again.”
“But you didn’t threaten me.”
“But I did, he knows I did.”
“Please give this beautiful lady anything she wants and take the rest as your tip, I know she won't take money from me.” He takes out money and hands it to the waiter, prompting her to smile.
“Goodbye, Willow Jasmine.” He kisses my forehead.
“Willow?” I hear a voice behind me. I turn around to find Leo and Mike glaring at each other.
“Leo?” I get up to hug him, and he pulls me close to his chest. I stay in his embrace, listening to his heart and after holding each other for as long as we can, I take a step back and I take a long look at his face. “You are okay! Oh my God! Why do you have band aids on your face? What did they do to you?”
“I’m fine.” He motions towards the table.
I look around to scold Mike for his bodyguards’ behavior, and I notice that he has quietly slipped out.
“What did he do to you?” He asks as he pulls the seat for me.
“Nothing. We spent the whole time talking and eating at his apartment.”
“Are you okay? Did he drug you? Did he threaten you? Why are you so calm? Did he drug you?” He places his palm on my forehead.
“Calm down, Leo, I’m okay. You mentioned the word “drug” twice. Do you think he would do that?”
“Don’t get fooled by the suit and handsomeness. He is the devil’s deputy.” He growls.
“Now you are exaggerating. What did they do to you? Who did this?”
“That’s not important." He shrugs. "What about the tattoo?”
“What tattoo?”
“I can’t believe this! He just wanted to get me all riled up. He said he gave you your first tattoo.”
I laugh.
“So, you are really, really okay?” He eyes me dubiously.
“Yes.” I nod.
“This has never happened before, he has never kidnapped someone and let them go without torturing them.”
“So, kidnapping is his negotiation tactic?”
“Yep, I was so worried,” he exhales.
“Really? He is the one who did my makeup, then he let me do his eyelashes with mascara.”
“What is up to?” He says more to himself than to me.
“He said something about me putting in a good word for him.”
“He is crazy,” he glowers. “I know that this is not a good time to say this, but you look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” I feel my cheeks burn. “Leo, what kind of business do you do with Alpha?”
“Alpha?” He chuckles. “Does he call himself that?”
“No, his bodyguards call him that. Isn’t his name?”
“No!”
“I knew it,” I titter. “I’m going to... Am I allowed to talk to him?”
“No! What the hell, Willow? This guy kidnapped you. Are you crazy?”
“Maybe I am, but he was kind to me.”
“Kind?” He echoes. “I have the feeling that if does this again, you will go willingly.”
“He is not all that bad.“ I say to get him angrier, perhaps in the heat of emotions, he can tell my why I got kidnapped.
“Oh my God! Are you listening to yourself? Do you know what I had to do to get you back?”
“Tell me what kind of business the two of you are involved in. Why was I kidnapped, Leo?”
He shifts in his seat.
“I thought as much. If you are not comfortable with telling me what you really do. You have no right to judge me.”
“I’m trying to protect you. This guy is dangerous.”
"So, you will never tell me?"
He shakes his head, “not if I can help it.”
“Is it that bad?”
He nods solemnly. “Willow, I’m so sorry, I never wanted all this to happen. I swear.”
“I’m fine. I’m not hurt.”
“And I’m glad for that, but so much more has happened behind the scenes. Things I’m not proud of.”
“Did you kill someone?”
“No.”
“Then it can probably get fixed.”
“ I wish...” He exhales.