Chapter 17 You Don’t Like Me? #2
The call connected almost instantly. “Mr. Sinclair?” came the deep, composed voice on the other end.
“I want you to find Mia. Immediately,” James ordered. “She was in Kylie’s live stream just minutes ago at Luxe. Track her down—right now!”
William straightened in surprise on the other end. “Yes, sir.”
***
Alexander kept Mia’s hand tightly in his own as he pulled her inside the house.
He hadn’t let go of her the entire ride home.
Once they reached the living room, he finally released her hand, turning away with his back to her.
The shadows from the dim lights fell across his face, tightening his features with tension.
Mia hesitated, her voice soft. “Mr. Graves… are you alright? What’s wrong?”
He pivoted slowly, and the moment their eyes met, she saw the storm behind them—his jaw set, brow furrowed, his entire body radiating a dangerous energy.
He studied her carefully, his voice low, rough around the edges.
“Were you happy with your friends today? Hazel? And who was that man? Sawyer Stark?”
Mia’s eyes widened slightly at the sharpness in his tone, but she nodded earnestly.
“Yes, I was happy. It was nice… Sawyer even talked to me kindly. He wasn’t rude at all, nothing like the rumors I’d heard.
This was the first time we met, but it wasn’t awkward at all.
I think he likes me. He’s… really nice.”
Alexander’s body stiffened, the air around him seeming to thicken. His gaze darkened, shadowed by a swirl of jealousy and possessiveness. “Do you like him too?” His words were cold, clipped.
Mia blinked, confused. “Of course I like him. He’s such a kind person. Even though he’s a big name, owns such a big entertainment company, he never acted arrogant. He treated me with respect. How could I not like him?”
Alexander’s chest tightened, his fingers clenching at his sides. ‘She likes him. She’s falling for another man again.’ The thought cut through him like a blade. Possessiveness flared in his eyes, his jaw tight, every muscle in his body taut.
He stepped closer, the distance between them shrinking with every heartbeat. ‘She’s slipping away again. Why does she fall for others so easily while I’ve been waiting for her? She won’t even consider me?’
Mia, sensing the tension, reached for his hand, her fingers brushing against his arm. “It would’ve been so much better if you’d come sooner—”
The moment her fingers touched his skin, Alexander snapped. His hand yanked sharply, pulling away from hers as his body stiffened. “Go back to your room,” he said, his voice low but filled with restrained rage.
Mia’s chest tightened, a stone dropping into her stomach. His words struck her harder than anything she had ever heard.
Her limbs froze, eyes wide, as a heat pricked behind them, tears threatening to spill. ‘Mr. Graves… doesn’t like me anymore?’ The thought twisted through her, heavy and cold, making her entire body ache.
But Alexander’s voice cut through the room again, rough and jagged with agitation. “I don’t like it when you get close to other men. I hate it when you say you like someone else.” His steps closed the distance between them.
Mia instinctively took one step back, then another, until her knees pressed into the soft leather of the couch, and the air felt impossibly thick.
“You are praising another man in front of me,” he continued, each word sharp and clipped, “and it pisses me off that you like someone else—”
Before he could finish, Mia flung her arms around him, pressing her cheek into his chest, trembling.
Her voice was soft, nearly breaking. “Mr. Graves… I thought you didn’t like me anymore.”
The moment her small body pressed against him, Alexander’s anger melted away. The tension in his jaw eased, and the fire in his chest turned to something deeper, something that burned but no longer hurt.
His heartbeat thundered in his ears as he looked down at her tear-streaked face. The sight of her—fragile, tearful, yet still reaching for him—shook something loose inside him. The tension coiled in his shoulders unraveled, replaced by a stunned stillness.
His chest rose and fell rapidly, heart hammering, and he bent down, his gaze meeting hers. Tears glistened in her eyes, catching the light from the crystal chandelier above, and something in him shattered.
He brushed his thumb over her wet cheeks, voice rough but gentle. “How could you ever think that?” he murmured. “I could never not like you, Mia. I was just… jealous when you said you liked Sawyer.”
Mia clutched his sleeve, her words tumbling out in a rush. “No! No, I didn’t mean it like that! I meant I like him as a person… not like I like you. I only like you, Mr. Graves.”
Her confession hit the air between them like fire. She shivered, body rigid, eyes wide as she realized what she had spilled out.
For a second, Alexander couldn’t breathe. His eyes locked onto hers, sharp and consuming, the noise of the world fading into nothing.
Then, the edge of his mouth curved—not a smile, but something heavier, darker, filled with need. He cupped her face in both hands, thumbs brushing her cheekbones, his touch slightly trembling as if even he couldn’t contain himself.
He pressed his forehead to hers, and she felt the heat radiating off him, mingling with her own rising pulse.
His lips found hers then, slow at first, hesitant, as if afraid she’d pull away. But when she didn’t, the restraint vanished.
The kiss deepened. Alexander pressed closer, sliding his mouth over hers, taking her bottom lip between his teeth for a slow, hungry bite. His tongue followed, gliding over hers, stroking, teasing.
Mia’s hands instinctively went to his chest, feeling the hard planes of muscle under his shirt, her nails grazing, leaving sparks in their wake.
Alexander’s hands tightened on her face, tilting her head slightly, giving him better access, his lips moving hungrily over hers again and again, tasting, exploring, drawing soft moans from her.
His teeth nipped gently along her lips, and she gasped, arching closer, body pressing into his. The heat between them was unbearable, skin against skin, breaths mingling, hearts hammering in unison.
Finally, they broke apart, foreheads pressed together, chests heaving, gasping for air.
Moments later, Mia asked between breaths. “Mr. Graves… how did you know where I was? I told you I was going to Hazel’s house, not the club.”
Alexander brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, his thumb lingering on her cheek. “Kylie was having a live stream,” he said simply. “I saw you in the background and the video showed you leaning very closely into a man.”
Mia’s eyes widened, then narrowed, anger flaring. “What? Mr. Graves, I wasn’t cheating on you! She must’ve done that on purpose to make me look bad.”
A small, dark smile played at his lips. He pressed his palm against her cheek. “I know you didn’t cheat,” he murmured. “I believe you.”
But her fury refused to die down. “How could she ruin my reputation like that? I’m sure she did it on purpose! I’m going to kick her next time I see her!”
“I’ll take care of it,” he interrupted, tightening his hold on her hand and pressing it to his chest. “You only need to focus on me.”
Mia blinked, surprised, but it was already too late. His eyes were dark, dangerous, hungry, burning into hers as he leaned forward. And then his mouth crushed hers.