Chapter 9 Jealous #2
He walked around the car, got into the driver’s seat, and the moment the door closed, the engine roared to life. Before Freddie could even blink, the car surged forward and disappeared down the road.
Inside the car, Mia turned sharply toward Alexander.
“How can you do that?” she snapped. “What is Freddie going to think of me?!”
Alexander’s eyes flicked briefly from the road to her face. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, knuckles whitening.
“Do you really care,” he growled, “about what this Freddie thinks of you?”
Mia immediately caught the meaning behind his words. Her anger rose even higher.
Before she could retort, the car suddenly turned. Alexander steered into a quiet, empty street and brought the car to a sharp stop where no one was around.
Mia glanced around the empty street in confusion, her brows knitting together. “What are you—”
She never finished the sentence. Alexander suddenly leaned forward.
His hand braced against the seat as he closed the distance in one swift movement and crushed his lips against hers. The kiss was hard and sudden, stealing her breath before she could react. His mouth moved against hers with raw urgency.
Mia gasped.
The shock snapped into fury instantly. She shoved against his chest with both hands, forcing him back, breaking the kiss as she pulled away roughly. Her breath came fast and uneven as she twisted her body toward the door, fingers scrambling blindly for the handle.
Her hand caught it.
She yanked, managing to crack the door open just a little—
Click.
The sound was sharp.
The lock slid down under Alexander’s thumb, sealing the door shut again.
Mia froze for half a second, then whipped her head toward him.
“Mr. Graves, let me out,” she snapped. “I’ll go on my own!”
Alexander’s jaw flexed hard. A muscle ticked near his temple.
He didn’t answer her.
Instead, he turned forward, slammed his foot down on the gas, and spun the car back onto the main road. The engine roared as the car surged ahead, swallowing the silence between them.
The rest of the drive passed in suffocating quiet.
When the car stopped outside the Italian restaurant, Mia didn’t wait even a second. She shoved the door open and stepped out first, moving away from the car as if she couldn’t put enough distance between them fast enough.
The place wasn’t fancy—just a modest restaurant with warm lighting and simple, cozy décor. The kind of place Alexander would normally never step into.
Mia headed straight inside.
Alexander stayed in the car for a moment, watching her back disappear through the entrance. He drew in a deep breath, then exhaled sharply before finally getting out and following her.
She didn’t look back.
At the reception counter, Mia spoke quickly. “Has the team from Kayla Corporation arrived?”
“Yes, ma’am,” the receptionist replied. “They’ve reserved a private room. Please follow me.”
Mia nodded and immediately followed, her steps fast and stiff. Alexander walked behind her in silence.
She quickened her pace, wanting to enter the room before him.
She pushed the door open and froze.
Almost everyone from the office was already seated.
Heat rushed to her face, her cheeks burning bright red as she stood there stiffly.
“Mia!” Freddie noticed her right away and waved. “Finally! You took so long—I thought you’d reach before us.”
Mia’s mind scrambled. Her lips parted, then closed again. After a second of awkward silence, she said weakly, “There was… traffic.”
It didn’t make sense, but no one questioned it.
Alexander entered behind her.
The shift was instant. Every gaze in the room snapped from Mia to him.
“Mr. Graves is here,” the manager, Irvin, said hurriedly, rushing forward to pull out a chair at the head of the table. “Please, sit.”
People near the head immediately moved aside, clearly startled by his presence.
Alexander ignored the chair completely.
His eyes followed Mia as she walked to an empty seat and quietly sat down. Without a word, he changed direction and took the empty chair right beside her.
Silence rippled through the room.
No one spoke.
Mia felt every pair of eyes on her. Her fingers tightened slightly against the edge of the table as she lowered her gaze to the water glass in front of her, pretending not to notice the attention.
She couldn’t say anything.
She had no choice but to sit there—tense and silent—as Alexander settled beside her.
Once everyone had finally settled, Irvin suddenly let out an exaggerated laugh, clearly trying to smooth over the strange tension hanging over the table.
“Mr. Graves, it’s really nice to see you join us,” he said warmly, lifting his glass. “I honestly didn’t realize Freddie wasn’t joking when he said you were coming for dinner.”
“I was nearby,” Alexander replied flatly.
That was all.
No smile. No elaboration.
The air at the table thickened for a moment—heavy, awkward. People exchanged quick glances, unsure how to continue. Then, slowly, conversation resumed in cautious tones. Chairs shifted. Cutlery clinked softly.
Just then, the waiter arrived with the menus.
Irvin immediately straightened. “Give the menu to Mr. Graves first,” he said eagerly. “He’s our special guest tonight.”
The waiter nodded and handed Alexander a tablet.
Alexander accepted it—then, without hesitation, tilted his head slightly toward Mia and spoke in a low voice meant only for her.
“What do you want to eat?”
He shifted the tablet toward her.
Mia stiffened instantly.
As if a switch had been flipped, the table went silent again. Conversations died mid-sentence. Forks paused halfway to mouths. Eyes turned toward them.
Whispers spread in hushed waves.
“What’s going on between Mia and Mr. Graves?”
“They definitely know each other…”
“Look at the way he’s talking to her.”
“She just joined—how does this even make sense?”
The murmurs grew louder, more curious, more speculative.
Mia’s chest tightened painfully. Heat crept up her neck. She pushed the tablet back toward him with a tense movement.
“You’re the guest, Mr. Graves,” she whispered sharply, keeping her head down. “Please choose for yourself.”
She wished she could disappear into her seat.
Alexander took the tablet back calmly.
“I’ll order your favorites,” he said evenly.
He lowered his gaze and began tapping the screen.
Mia’s face burned.
That single sentence made everything unmistakably clear—they were not strangers.
By now, everyone was staring openly, whispering without restraint, absolutely certain something was going on between them.
The dishes arrived soon after.
Mia tried to focus on her plate, avoiding Alexander as much as possible but he made it impossible.
His gaze followed her every movement. If she paused, he noticed. If she finished a dish, he reached over and added something else to her plate without asking.
Her plate was never empty.
Not for even a moment.
The rest of the table pretended to eat and talk, but everyone could see it clearly now—Alexander was paying attention to Mia, and not in a casual way.
Irvin noticed too.
And instead of backing off, his confidence grew.
His eyes lingered on Mia far longer than appropriate. He grabbed a bottle of wine, uncorked it loudly, poured himself a glass and then filled hers generously.
“Mia, drink,” he said with an overly eager smile. “Relax a little. Enjoy the evening.”
Mia forced a polite smile and lifted the glass. Refusing would only draw more attention. She drank it down, her throat burning slightly.
The moment she set the empty glass down—
Irvin refilled it.
Then he glanced at Alexander with a knowing, suggestive smirk.
“Mr. Graves, don’t worry,” he said, his tone carrying obvious implications. “I’ll take good care of her. I hope you’re enjoying your evening with us.” He chuckled softly. “I’m sure you’ll have a very good night.”
He turned back to Mia. “Go on. Drink.”
Mia, completely oblivious to the meaning behind his words, lifted the glass again. She’d already had two drinks, and the alcohol was beginning to blur the edges of her thoughts. Her head felt light. Her body slightly unsteady.
Just as she raised the third glass—
Alexander’s hand shot out.
He snatched the glass from her fingers and slammed it down on the table.
The sharp crack echoed through the room.
Without a word, Alexander grabbed Mia’s wrist, pulled her to her feet, and turned away from the table, dragging her with him.
Most people were too busy talking to notice them leaving.
Only Irvin noticed.
And misunderstanding everything completely, he leaned back in his chair, smiling smugly—convinced his “help” had earned him favor.
Outside, Alexander didn’t slow down.
He pulled Mia along the corridor until they reached a quiet area near the washroom. He shoved the door open, dragged her inside, shut it firmly, and locked it.
The space was empty.
He pressed her back against the door, his body blocking her in completely. Then, he looked down at her, fury blazing in his eyes.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he growled. “Why are you drinking that much?”
Mia blinked slowly, her vision swimming slightly.
“He’s my boss…” she muttered weakly.
Her words slurred just a little. The alcohol made her head feel light, unsteady. Her knees softened, and before she could catch herself, she swayed forward. Her forehead bumped gently against Alexander’s shoulder, her weight leaning into him.
Alexander stiffened instantly.
His hand came up at once, sliding to the back of her head, fingers spreading protectively through her hair as he held her steady. The fury burning in his eyes dimmed, replaced by a sharp flash of worry. He looked down at her, jaw tight, breathing shallow.
Once she was a little more stable, Mia lifted her head again. Her lashes fluttered as she tried to focus on his face.
“I need to go back,” she whispered.
She took a step away.
Alexander’s hand shot out. He caught her wrist and pulled her right back to him, his grip firm.