Chapter 37
Voices rumbled in the hall, low and guttural. I pressed flat against the wall, my pulse hammering, bracing for them.
But the door stayed shut, their words muffled. I crept closer, my bare feet silent, and pressed my ear to the door, straining to hear.
Their gruff tones blurred, but fragments pierced through: "...that little brat's gonna pay..." "...she's not the main target..." "Sterling will suffer..." A harsh snort. "Sterling's a fool. No weaknesses until now. Leave her until she wakes. Then he'll hear every second. Let's grab a drink."
My stomach lurched. Sophia. They spoke of Sophia.
I dropped to my knees, peering under the door. They slammed the one across the hall.
Through the gap, I saw her, crumpled on the floor, unconscious, her small frame still. The lock clicked.
Their laughter faded as they lumbered away. She was right there. If I could reach her, we'd escape together.
I clung to that hope, my breath shallow, pressing my palms to the door, listening for her to stir.
Distant murmurs drifted, too far to make out, but their malice was clear. Alexander's enemies. Predators. Circling his empire.
I stayed glued to the door, straining for Sophia's voice. Heavy boots stomped closer, a deliberate thud. It jolted me upright. I darted back, heart in my throat. The door flew open with a bang.
A tall, hulking man strode in, his shaved head gleaming, a thick mustache framing a scowl that twisted his face. Tattoos snaked his knuckles, a dark echo. His half-buttoned shirt gaped over a scarred chest, and blood splattered his slacks like a badge.
Two more men loomed, filling the doorway, their eyes glinting menace. He sized me up, his gaze narrow and cold.
"What's your name?" he barked, his voice gravelly, a command.
I froze, my tongue stuck. He stepped closer, boots creaking, repeating himself. His glare sharpened. "When I ask, you answer. Understand?" Fear locked my jaw, but I nodded faintly, too scared to speak.
"Name. Now," he snapped, impatience cracking his tone.
"E-Elena," I stammered, my voice a thread.
His brow furrowed, suspicion deepening. "You're Sterling's girl?
" I hesitated. Admitting it could doom me.
Lying might leave Sophia abandoned. I wasn't a good liar, but I tried.
My words tumbled out. "N-No, not really.
We just... spent some time. I'm leaving soon.
It was never serious. I'm not looking to date. I'm too busy-"
He growled, lunging forward. He grabbed my arm, his grip tight, yanking me off balance.
"Stop rambling. Tell me the truth," he snarled, shaking me. My teeth rattled, and pain flared through my shoulder. I gasped, too rattled to feign confusion. My mind spun, his fingers digging into my flesh.
"No need to hurt her," one man cut in, his voice a low rumble from the doorway. "We've got the daughter. That's enough. Send this one back to Sterling, broken. A message for crossing my family, ruining my son's life. We keep the girl as leverage to break him."
The third man grinned, his teeth flashing like a predator's. "Can I break her first?" he asked, stepping forward with a leer that made my skin crawl. Panic clawed at my chest, but Sophia's face, bloodied, flashed in my mind.
I couldn't let them keep her. I twisted in his grip, my voice rising in a desperate plea. "Let me see her. Sophia. She's just a kid. She doesn't deserve this!"
He sneered, shoving me back against the wall. My head cracked against the plaster. "You don't give orders here," he spat, turning to the others. "Take her downstairs. Let the boys persuade her to talk. Keep her quiet. I've got business."
He stormed out, his boots echoing. The two men advanced, their laughter a sick chorus. I scrambled back, my hands scraping the floor.
"No, please!" I screamed, kicking. The grinning one seized my wrist, his fingers bruising. He hauled me up. The quieter one muttered, "Hush, Elena. Don't make it worse." But his grip was firm, dragging me toward the door.
I thrashed, my nails clawing at their hands. My mind raced. Sophia was across the hall. I had to get to her. They pulled me into the corridor.
I spotted her door, ajar now, a sliver of light spilling out. "Sophia!" I yelled, twisting free for a heartbeat. I lunged toward it, my bare feet slipping on the wood.
The grinning man snarled, grabbing my hair. He yanked me back, pain exploding across my scalp. I stumbled.
"Enough!" he roared, shoving me against the wall. His hand fumbled for a knife at his belt. Its blade glinted in the flickering light. "You wanna scream? I'll shut you up. For good. Sterling can find you in pieces."
I froze, my breath hitched. The blade hovered inches from my throat, his eyes wild. "Please no-" I choked, my hands raised, useless against the steel.
Sophia's door loomed behind him, so close. Despair crashed. I had failed her.
A gunshot cracked, sharp and deafening. The man's head snapped back; blood sprayed. He crumpled to the floor, the knife clattered.
I screamed, staggering back. Alexander burst into the hall, a storm of fury and control. His pistol raised, smoke curled. His eyes blazed, and his coat was streaked with dirt. His men fanned out like shadows of vengeance.
"Elena!" he barked, his voice guttural. He closed the distance, his free hand seizing my arm to steady me. His grip was iron, but grounding.
His gaze raked over me, searching for wounds, then flicked to the second man who'd frozen, hands raised. "Where's Sophia?" he demanded, his tone lethal, promising death.
I pointed, trembling, to the door across the hall. "There. She's there. They've got her-"
He didn't hesitate, shoving past the captor who bolted down the stairs.
Alexander's men gave chase. He kicked Sophia's door open, splintering the frame.
I followed, my heart in my throat. She lay on the floor, stirring now, her small groan a lifeline. Alexander crouched beside her, his gun clattered. He brushed her curls back, his touch fierce, yet tender. "Sophia, open your eyes," he ordered, his voice a low growl, unyielding, even in relief.
Her lids fluttered. She whimpered, "Elena?" I dropped beside her, pulling her into my arms, her small body trembling against mine. I sobbed, "I'm here, sweetheart. I've got you."
Alexander's hand clamped my shoulder, his grip a steel anchor. He rose, towering over us, his eyes scanning the room for threats. "You're both safe now," he said, his voice a vow carved in stone. His men's shouts echoed below as they cleared the house. "No one touches you again. Ever."
I clung to Sophia, tears streaming. She buried her face in my chest. Alexander's presence, a fortress around us, made the mustached man's threats and the knife's cold edge fade under his dominance.
His will was a shield. I'd never doubt again. "I tried to save her," I whispered, my voice breaking.
He crouched, his hand cupping my cheek, his thumb brushing away a tear. His gaze softened but remained unyielding. "You did enough," he said, low and firm. "Now I finish it." His eyes held a fire, a dangerous promise. His jaw was set, hard as granite. The battle was far from over.
I looked at Sophia. Her breathing was steady, her small hand gripped my shirt, a fragile lifeline. Alexander rose again, his presence filling the room, a silent force. His men's shouts grew faint. The house was clear, but the air still thrummed with the echoes of violence.
He extended a hand to me, his touch firm, grounding. I took it, my fingers intertwined with his; his strength flowed into me, a quiet comfort. He helped me up, my legs still shaky, but I stood tall beside him. We were a unit. Unbroken. By fear.
"Let's go," he said, his voice deep, command in every word. He scooped Sophia into his arms gently, like she was precious, his most prized possession. She stirred, her eyes fluttered open. She looked at him, then at me, a small, sleepy smile, a silent question.
"We're going home, baby," I whispered, my voice thick with relief. I reached out, stroking her hair. She nestled into Alexander, a silent trust. He carried her out of the room, down the creaking stairs, past the scattered bodies of the men who had dared to threaten his family.
His men waited outside the house, their faces grim, their weapons ready. They looked at Alexander with respect and loyalty. He nodded to them, a silent order. They cleared a path to the black car. It waited, sleek and silent, a guardian in the twilight.
He placed Sophia in the back gently, buckling her in. I slid in beside her, my hand still touching her hair.
Alexander slid in beside us, the gun warm in his hand. His body angled toward us, his arm draped possessively over the seat.
I smelled gunpowder and blood; it still clung to him. But beneath it, I caught Sophia's shampoo and my own vanilla perfume. We were alive. Unharmed. Safe.
Sophia stirred as the car door shut. Her small face peeked from my chest, her eyes red-rimmed but dry now, shock wearing off into exhaustion.
When she saw Alexander, her tiny fingers uncurled from my shirt, reaching for him. He didn't hesitate.
He pulled her onto his lap, one hand cradling her head, the other gripping her small frame tight enough to feel her heart.
She curled into him, her cheek pressed against his chest, her breath warm through his shirt. Safe.
I watched them, my lower lip caught between my teeth. My fingers twisted in my lap. Bruises formed on my wrists, faint marks from their grip. A snarl built in Alexander's throat, but he forced it down.
He reached for me, his palm sliding along my jaw, his thumb brushing tear tracks. I leaned into his touch, my lashes fluttered, then opened. My gaze locked on his.
"Alexander," I whispered, my name a prayer, a plea. He didn't answer with words. He tugged me closer until my body pressed against his side.
My head rested on his shoulder, Sophia still secure in his arms. My breath hitched, but then I melted into him, my hand fisted in his coat, as if afraid he'd disappear. Never.
The driver glanced in the rearview; a single look from Alexander, and his eyes snapped back to the road.
He pressed a kiss to Sophia's head, then another against my temple. I shuddered, my fingers tightened in his coat. "I've got you," he murmured, his voice rough. "Both of you." I nodded, my breath warm against his neck.
Sophia yawned, her tiny body went lax in his hold. Adrenaline gave way to sleep. He held us tighter.
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I hope you like this one the next chapter will be from Alexander POV and how he knows where there place ?? I hope I got your attention for the next one ?? see you soon