Chapter 113
Elizabeth's POV
The moment my breath was stolen, there wasn't even a flicker of panic.
It felt like being claimed in true alpha‑male fashion, yet none of it left me upset.
Alexander had kissed me—completely out of nowhere—and somehow I just… couldn't push him away.
Not until his low voice brushed past my ear.
"Don't."
It snapped me awake like cold water. I shoved him hard before I fully understood what I was doing.
He wasn't prepared at all and bumped lightly against the back of the couch, letting out a quiet grunt.
That was when I realized I had ended up sitting on his lap at some point—his arms around me, our bodies pressed too close for comfort or logic.
"You… how did you—"
My voice got smaller and smaller, shrinking into embarrassment I couldn't swallow down.
I kept my head lowered, wiping my lips like that would somehow erase what had just happened.
The feeling of being utterly claimed lingered right beneath my ribs, a jittery warmth that refused to fade.
I glanced at Alexander again, hoping—idiotically—that his face would give me some kind of answer.
He had kissed me. And not just a peck. That kind of kiss.
Was it because he liked me?
Kissing was something couples did—right? The thought alone nearly drove me insane.
Being alone with him like this wrapped me in a tension I didn't know how to handle. I swallowed hard and blurted, "We should probably head back."
If we stayed any longer, I'd drown in this weird, undefined atmosphere. And I hated not knowing where I stood.
Alexander looked at me, then laughed softly. "Elizabeth, what exactly are you running from?"
Having my panic called out so bluntly made my brain short‑circuit. I stood there, frozen, unable to meet his eyes.
Was I running? Of course I was. How else was I supposed to deal with him after that?
And it wasn't like he was going to sit me down and calmly explain why he kissed me.
"I'm going back," I said, though it felt different once the words actually left my mouth.
I had already put distance between us, and all I wanted was to get out of there before things spiraled further out of hand.
But Alexander caught my wrist again, pulling me back into his orbit. "Aren't you going to ask why I kissed you?"
The second he said that, my whole body went into full‑blown panic. I grabbed his hand, twisted out of his grip, and basically bolted out of the room.
He didn't have a car, which was the only reason he hadn't left earlier. Conveniently, Carter's car was parked downstairs.
"This place belongs to the Windsor family anyway. Carter's probably fine staying here. Let's just go."
I slid straight into the driver's seat. "I'll drive. We're leaving now."
Getting him out safely had been the whole point of coming. Even if the environment was technically safe now, I couldn't shake that heavy sense of danger.
Alexander got into the passenger seat, watching me with something between amusement and curiosity. "If you won't answer my question, should I assume you're embarrassed?"
My face flushed instantly. The last thing I needed was him poking at this wound.
I slammed my foot on the gas, doing everything in my power to ignore him and just get the hell out of there.
On the way back, anxiety kept buzzing under my ribs. I half‑expected him to say something outrageous again.
But surprisingly, he stayed quiet.
Because of what had happened earlier, I couldn't bring myself to look at him. I was too afraid of what I'd see now that the air between us had shifted.
It wasn't until we were almost at the Windsor estate that I dared glance his way—and froze for a beat.
Alexander had his eyes closed, calm and still, like he had fallen asleep. There was a quiet softness to him that reminded me absurdly of a storybook prince.
He was undeniably handsome, and when he wasn't talking, there was a delicate gentleness to his features.
No matter how many times I looked, I always came to the same conclusion: this man was dangerously attractive.
At another red light, I started sneaking peeks at him again… which slowly turned into blatantly staring.
And then, without opening his eyes, he smirked. "Enjoying the view?"
My heart jumped straight into my throat. I whipped my gaze back to the windshield, pretending the light was the most fascinating thing in the world.
He hadn't even opened his eyes, yet he knew I'd been staring. For how long? And if he knew… why pretend to sleep instead of saying something?
I locked my attention on the road, refusing to let my eyes wander again.
Alexander didn't comment further, didn't seem bothered by my lack of response, and simply leaned back like before.
I, however, didn't dare to look at him again.
Everything that had happened felt unreal, like my brain couldn't catch up until we finally pulled into the driveway.
Lisa rushed out as soon as the car stopped and threw her arms around me.
"Ms. Spencer! You're finally back! I was so worried!" Her eyes were bright red, like she was on the verge of crying.
I stared at her, overwhelmed by the jumble of emotions in my chest.
Lisa had been worried about me. But what about Alexander? During those two days when no one could reach me… how had he reacted?
I couldn't stop myself from glancing at him. His face had already settled back into that unreadable expression he wore so well.
"I'm fine, really," I reassured Lisa, pulling her with me inside the house.
Once the door closed, I couldn't hold back anymore. "Lisa, can you tell me how Alexander reacted while I was gone?"
"Mr. Windsor…" She pressed her lips together, then paused like something had clicked. "Ms. Spencer, are you asking because you care about Mr. Windsor's feelings?"
Her words hit straight at my heart. I coughed lightly, trying to cover up my fluster as I waved it off. "Forget it. Pretend I didn't ask."
The last thing I needed was for her to run and tell him I'd been asking about him. She worked for the Windsor family—her loyalty would naturally lean his way.
If Alexander found out I'd been fishing for his reaction, he'd definitely misunderstand.
"Ms. Spencer! Don't worry. I would never tell Mr. Windsor. You have my word."
Her reassurance froze me in place. She had read my mind a little too accurately.
Before I could backtrack, she grabbed my hand, speaking with surprising conviction.
"Ms. Spencer, yes, Mr. Windsor hired me. But after taking care of you these past weeks, I'm absolutely on your side. And honestly, I can tell Mr. Windsor truly cares about you."