Chapter 7 Hide
Mia startled, halting so abruptly she nearly collided with his chest. Her breath hitched as she took a reflexive step back.
“Mr. Graves? What are you doing here?” she gasped, fingers curling at her sides.
Before she could gather herself, Gavin’s voice rang out from behind her, rushed and strained. “Mia! Just listen to me once—I didn’t mean it like that!”
Alexander’s gaze flicked past her shoulder for half a second, then returned to her. His eyes darkened, the air around him turning cold and oppressive.
In the next heartbeat, his hand shot out. He caught Mia’s wrist and yanked her toward the car parked at the curb. The sudden force made her stumble, her pulse spiking as she struggled to keep up.
Allen reacted instantly, jumping out when he saw them approaching.
Alexander opened the passenger door, guided Mia inside with a firm hand at her waist, then slid into the driver’s seat himself. The lock clicked loudly as he hit the button.
Mia turned toward the window, chest tight, watching the street with wide, anxious eyes.
Outside, Gavin burst out of the restaurant, his steps hurried and unsteady as he scanned the area. “Mia?” he shouted, pacing back and forth, running a hand through his hair. “Mia!”
But the street swallowed his voice.
Inside the car, Alexander’s face hardened—dangerously so. His jaw clenched, muscles in his cheek jumping as he stared straight ahead.
Gavin pulled out his phone. Seconds later, Mia’s phone vibrated in her hand.
She looked down—Gavin’s name flashed on the screen.
Before she could even react, Alexander snatched the phone from her grasp, swiped to accept the call, and hit speaker.
Her head snapped toward him, eyes wide with shock and horror.
She lunged for the phone, panic flashing across her face, but he caught both her wrists in one hand and slammed them against the car door, pinning her in place.
“Mia? Where are you?” Gavin’s voice spilled from the speakers, breathless and anxious. “I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean it like that. You have to believe me—”
Before she could even gasp, Alexander leaned in, so close she felt his breath spill across her lips, and claimed her mouth in a deep, angry, possessive kiss, swallowing every word she tried to speak.
His body boxed her in completely—one knee braced between her thighs, one arm locked around her waist, holding her there.
Gavin continued speaking on the call, completely unaware.
“I’m sorry,” Gavin said urgently. “I shouldn’t have talked about your husband like that. I didn’t think about your feelings. You’re right. I shouldn’t have questioned your decision.”
Alexander tore his mouth away, breath coming rough and uneven. His lips brushed her cheek as he leaned in, voice low, sharp, and burning with jealousy as he growled against her ear, “Get him the fuck out of here.”
Gavin kept talking.
“I just want to talk to you. Don’t run away like this. I was just so shocked, that’s why I said what I did. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Gavin, you should leave,” Mia blurted out immediately, the words tumbling over each other the moment Alexander demanded it. Her heart pounded violently, panic written all over her face. “Just… just leave for now.”
Alexander didn’t give her time to recover.
He was already on her again—his mouth relentless, kisses hot and heavy as they dragged down her neck.
Mia’s breath snagged sharply in her throat, a soft, broken sound she tried desperately to swallow.
She turned her face slightly, fighting to steady her breathing, terrified Gavin would hear the way her chest rose and fell… or the traitorous tremble in her voice.
Her fingers twisted weakly in Alexander’s grip, a futile attempt to pull free. Instead of releasing her, his hold tightened, fingers locking around her wrists. He kissed and bit along her neck over and over, slow and punishing, until it became impossible for her to stay composed.
“Mmhmm…” Mia clamped her teeth down on her lower lip, pain blooming as she fought to suppress the sounds threatening to escape. Alexander seemed to feel it. His kisses grew rougher, more demanding, as though he were deliberately testing how much control she had left—determined to strip it away.
On the call, Gavin’s voice shifted, edged with concern. “Mia, are you still upset? I was just worried about you. Maybe you misunderstood. I didn’t have any bad intentions—I just wanted to have dinner with you.”
Alexander’s breath brushed her ear as a low, furious growl vibrated through his chest. “Get him the fuck out of here, Mia.”
There was a pause on the line. Gavin hesitated before asking, confused, “Mia… why are you breathing so heavily? Is something wrong? Are you crying?”
Alexander didn’t give her the chance to answer.
His mouth crashed onto hers again, hard and consuming, cutting off every word before it could leave her lips. The kiss was unyielding, possessive, stealing her voice entirely.
“Mia? Hello?” Gavin’s worry spiked. “Do you need help? Don’t cry—I’m sorry. I’m really sorry—”
Alexander refused to let her speak. He kissed her breathlessly, again and again, as though determined to drown out the call itself. When he finally pulled back, it was only to lower his head to her neck, scattering heated kisses and sharp nips along her skin, claiming every inch he could reach.
Mia’s control shattered. Her voice broke when she finally managed to speak, shaky and uneven.
“G-Gavin… you should leave,” she whispered, forcing the words out between breaths. “You don’t need to worry. I’m fine…”
Gavin exhaled, sounding faintly relieved. “Mia, where are you? I can drop you off at your apartment. Just tell me where you are—I’ll bring my car.”
Something inside Alexander snapped.
Jealousy slammed through him, fierce and suffocating. His jaw clenched, anger burning so hot it made his chest ache. ‘This bastard even wants to take her home?’
He seized both her wrists tightly, and then crushed his mouth to hers again—harder this time. The kiss was wild, almost feral, his lips ravaging hers in hungry, repeated claims, as if he were daring anyone else to even think of touching her.
“Mia… I’m worried about you,” Gavin continued helplessly. “You don’t sound okay. Just tell me where you are and I’ll—”
Alexander abruptly released one of her hands only to snatch the phone from her grasp. Without even glancing at the screen—without breaking the kiss—he ended the call and tossed the phone onto the dashboard.
Then he was back on her immediately.
Uncontrollable. Insistent. Devouring her mouth with kiss after kiss, not allowing her even a second to breathe freely, his body caging hers in completely.
Outside, Gavin stared at his screen as the call cut off. He tried again—once, twice—but there was no answer. Unease settled deep in his gut as he scanned the street, finding no trace of her.
A cleaning lady passed by with a dustbin, collecting trash near the restaurant entrance.
Gavin rushed over. “Excuse me,” he asked urgently, “did you see a young lady leave the restaurant a few minutes ago?”
The woman glanced at him, then nodded. “Yes. A girl walked out and got into that car.”
She pointed across the street to a large black SUV parked beneath the streetlights.
“Thank you—thank you,” Gavin said quickly, already moving.
He crossed the road and stopped beside the vehicle.
Inside, Mia was pinned beneath Alexander, her heart pounding wildly—fear, panic, and something far more dangerous twisting tightly together in her chest.
Gavin bent slightly, pressing closer to the glass, trying to peer inside—but the windows were deeply tinted, black and impenetrable. No matter how hard he strained, he couldn’t see a thing.
Inside the car, Alexander didn’t stop. His mouth brushed along her jaw and down her neck, lingering, deliberate, claiming space as though the world outside didn’t exist.
“Mr. Graves… let go of me,” Mia insisted, her hands pressing against his shoulders, trying desperately to create distance. Her palms trembled with effort.
He didn’t move.
Instead, his arm locked around her waist and dragged her closer, leaving no room between their bodies. He lifted his head slowly, meeting her eyes. The look on his face was dark—dangerously so.
“You’re pinned beneath me right now,” he said in a low, furious voice. “And you’re still thinking about another man?”
His grip tightened, just enough to remind her how little control she had.
“Let’s go outside,” he continued coldly. “Let him see exactly who you belong to.”
Mia’s mouth fell open, shock flashing across her face. “Mr. Graves, stop it!”
Outside, Gavin circled the SUV, moving from window to window, growing more frantic by the second.
Inside, Mia’s heart pounded violently. “Mr. Graves, please,” she whispered, breathless now, panic bleeding into every word. “We need to leave. Please.”
Alexander narrowed his eyes at her, his expression turning sharp and unreadable.
“Why are you so afraid of him finding out?” he asked quietly. “Does it really matter if he sees us?”
He watched her closely as she struggled to breathe, her chest rising unevenly, her body trembling beneath his weight.
Outside, Gavin turned back toward the cleaner and raised his voice. “Please—can you get someone to help? I think someone’s locked inside that car. We need assistance!”
Inside the SUV, Mia squeezed her eyes shut as Alexander’s mouth returned to her neck, refusing to give her space. She pushed at his shoulders again, her back arching in a desperate attempt to break free, but her strength faltered, her breath breaking despite herself.
“Mr. Graves, stop it!” she snapped, her voice cracking—half fear, half overwhelm. “I don’t want him to see us!”
Alexander only lowered himself closer, his presence heavy, suffocating. Her breath hitched sharply, a sound she couldn’t suppress as her body betrayed her tension.
His voice brushed her ear, low and controlled. “Then keep your voice down,” he murmured. “This car isn’t soundproof.”