Belle continued to thrash and scream, but he was immovable as he unbuttoned her pants. She was beginning to lose her resolve. He was too powerful — and hell bent on being inside of her.
In an instant, the weight of his body disappeared. Gabriel landed on the glass table, shattering it into pieces. Aleks stepped in front of her, protecting her from him.
Gabriel rolled onto his side as he looked up at Aleks with a vicious stare. “This is none of your business, Wolfe.”
“The fuck it isn’t.”
Belle recognized the threat in his voice. She sat up behind him, trying to catch her breath, as she reached for his arm. After the rush of emotions, she needed something solid to ground her. His forearm bulged as he balled his hand into a fist.
Gabriel stood up, squaring his shoulders as if he welcomed the fight. He goaded Aleks while leering at Belle, “She wanted it. She’s wanted it for years and I was finally going to give it to her.”
Aleks started to lunge when the elevator opened. As Sirena stepped out, Gabriel pushed past, knocking her down as he dove in and pressed the close button.
“What the hell?” she exclaimed from the floor as Aleks rushed to lift her up and away from Gabriel’s reach, giving just enough time for the doors to close as Gabriel made his descent. Aleks punched the closed door with such force it dented.
Sirena took one look at Belle and immediately rushed to the side on the couch and wrapped her arms around her.
“I was in such a hurry to get out of here, I left my phone.” She glared at Aleks. “What in the hell happened?”
“Stay with her,” he commanded of Sirena, moving towards his elevator.
“Wait,” Sirena exclaimed, halting him. “He could be waiting on another floor to come back up.”
Aleks looked back and forth between the women and his elevator before rushing back over to Belle.
Belle couldn’t stop the tears. Her shoulders shuddered as the rush of fear and anger flooded her system. Sirena rubbed her back and handed her a tissue.
Aleks knelt before her and took her hands in his. “Belle, I swear to God, I will never let him hurt you again.”
Belle managed a weak smile. “Would you just take me home? I think I’ve had enough of the office today.”
Aleks could barely contain his anger. His entire body shook just thinking about what he witnessed. He avoided saying anything out of fear of scaring Belle, but every nerve in his body was on edge.
After ensuring both Belle and Sirena were uninjured, he’d hurried them both down to the first floor in his private elevator. The three of them waited in his car until the car service he’d called for Sirena arrived.
When the car arrived, he saw Sirena safely inside, and returned to his own vehicle. Belle sat quiet, pensive, staring out the window.
Out of habit, Aleks cracked his knuckles. Belle’s head turned. She stared at his right hand, bloodied and swollen where he’d punched the elevator door.
“Are you hurt?”
What a ridiculous question. She gets assaulted and she asks me if I’m hurt. “No. I only wish I hit him instead of the door.”
His insides burned with the anger surging through his veins. He imagined Gabriel on top of her again, remembered the flash of red, his stomach sickening at her pleading with him to get off of her.
Belle had returned her gaze to the window. Aleks wondered if she was in some form of shock. He slid over in the seat and gingerly wrapped his arm around her. Her body molded into his as he softly asked if she was okay.
“I am. Thanks to you.” His heart leapt at her words and he pulled her into his chest. Resting her head on his shoulder, he squeezed her close. Kissing her forehead, he began to rub her back.
“I’ll protect you, always.”
Chapter Thirteen
When they had gotten home, she had gone right to her room and changed into a nightgown. Aleks had brought up a bowl of chicken broth, and gently insisted she eat, even though she wasn’t hungry. He stayed with her even though she didn’t say much. She didn’t know when she drifted to sleep. She’d woken up tucked in under the covers. Had she even thanked him for being there?
Belle sat up in bed in the middle of the night, hearing footsteps outside her door. “Aleksandr?”
She pulled the comforter up under her chin, hiding from whatever was outside.
This is ridiculous. Pull yourself together, Belle. Taking a breath, she stepped out of bed and walked to the door, her hand hovering before turning the door knob.
She looked down the hallway towards Aleks’ room, yet the space seemed eerily quiet. And dark. The only break in the darkness were small circles where the torches rested against the wall. Torches? I never noticed those before. Walking towards his room, she called again. “Aleks? Was that you?”
Goosebumps littered her skin, and she rubbed her hands up and down her arms, trying to warm herself. She stood in Aleks’ doorway, facing his empty room. The furniture, including the bed, was missing. What the hell?
A chill swept over her and she pulled her arms around herself, trying to create heat. She started back towards her room when a large shadow appeared in front of her doorway.
“Oh, there you are. I heard noises. Where’s your furniture?” The figure took a step closer and into the light of the torch. Belle froze in place at seeing Gabriel in the hallway. She screamed, running down the hallway, trying to distance herself.
He laughed from behind her. She knew he was only a few feet away by the sound of the footsteps, when he lept on top of her, sending them both to the ground. She tried to pull herself out from under him, yet couldn’t move. He pulled her hair back as he spoke one word into her ear, “Mine.”
Hands grasped her shoulders, shaking her. She continued to thrash and scream, trying to get away. A voice broke through her sobs, “Belle, Belle, wake up.”
Wake up? Belle opened her eyes to the vision of Aleksandr leaning over, holding onto her.
“It’s okay, kotik. You’re okay,” he softly cooed.
Frantically looking around, Belle realized she had never left her bed. It was all just a dream. She struggled to catch her breath, her throat sore from her screams.
As the nightmare dissipated, the room came into focus. She was still in her bed, the covers and her nightgown twisted around her. Aleks knelt in front of her, an expression of concern on his handsome face. Sitting up, she tried to make sense of the scene. Paranoia crept in. How did he know I was having a nightmare? Was he watching me?
“Why are you in here?”
“I heard you screaming from my room. I ran in here and you were a tangled mess in your sheets, fighting something.”
Belle groaned at his admission. ‘Watching me?’ Really, Belle? Get a grip! “I screamed that loudly?” she questioned, now embarrassed at waking him with her nightmare.
“Yeah,” he laughed. “You punched me, too.”
She looked up at him in surprise. “I what?”
“I came over to try and wake you, when you threw a right hook. A damn good one,” he laughed again, rubbing his jaw.
“I am so sorry. This is so embarrassing.” Tears welled in her eyes from the combination of the day’s events as she lowered her head into her hands.
Aleks moved to sit next to her, pulling her into him. He rubbed her back as he held her, gently rocking. “It’s okay, I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”
They stayed like that for a while, Aleks soothing her with nothing more than his presence. As she calmed, she noticed what he was wearing. Or more accurately, wasn’t wearing. His sleep wear consisted of nothing but boxers. Always assumed he would sleep nude.
The image of a naked Aleksandr running down the hall to find her screaming ran through her mind. She smirked and started to giggle.
“What’s funny?” he asked, pulling away with confusion written on his face.
As the image stayed she began to lose control as laughter overwhelmed her; a stress reaction she couldn’t stop. She covered her mout
h with her hands. Tears fell down her face.
“It’s … it’s not that funny, I just … I can’t…” Her giggles kept her from forming a coherent sentence. “I just thought…”
He laughed at her obvious inability to pull herself together. When she was able to finally stop, she took a deep breath, ready to thank him for being there for her, again. He spoke before she was able. “Okay, enough for tonight. You need to try and sleep.”
They maneuvered themselves on the bed, and Belle returned under the covers, turning on her side. To her surprise, Aleks laid behind her, spooning her over the comforter. He pulled her close and against him, and even through the material, she sensed his body heat.
She felt so protected, and so cared for, she didn’t want him to leave. She turned her neck, her face inches away from his.
“Stay.” It may have been only one word, yet Belle hoped it conveyed her feelings.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” Knowing he was a gentleman, who was only in his boxers, she backed out of his hold so she could pull up the comforter, indicating he should lay under with her rather than stay cold all night.
She could see him swallow in the dim light, yet he didn’t say a word. After a moment, he moved, settling under the covers with her. Belle curled herself into him, her face buried in his chest. She heard his heart clearly, and smiled at realizing it beat quickly. His arms wrapped around her as he again kissed the top of her head.
“Sweet dreams.”
The next few days were a blur for Belle. She tried to focus on her work and to forget about what had happened with Gabriel. But forgetting was no easy task. She jumped at everything, often sensing someone behind her when there was no one there. She tensed each time the elevator opened. Sirena and Aleks never let her stay alone at the office, and Sirena purchased two bottles of pepper spray, one for each of their desks, just in case.
Reminding herself she was safe, she rationalized that giving into her fear only gave Gabriel more power over her. She pushed the entire thing out of her mind as much as possible and within a few days, she began to feel like herself again.
By the weekend, the summer heat was becoming a distant memory, so Belle used the comfortable temperatures to explore some of the grounds outside. She joked with Luc about the possibility of getting lost and made him promise to send a search party if she hadn’t returned by lunch. Sunglasses and a book in hand, she made her way across the back lawn towards the southern edge of the property.
As she followed the path, the warmth of the sun against her skin reminded her of the way Aleks’ body next to hers heated her.
He’d made a habit of sleeping next to her each night, holding her tightly. He was always gone by the time she woke. He never touched her inappropriately, even though every night she could feel him hard against her. She hadn’t had a nightmare since the first night.
Belle had learned much about him during their time together. Aleks spoke often of his father and the relationship they shared, referring to Viktor as his best friend on more than one occasion. It reminded her of the relationship she shared with her own father. Belle wouldn’t know what to do if her father passed away, and the thought of both of his parents dying so young pulled at her heart.
Aleks seemed to handle their deaths well. She now fully believed Sirena’s description of him as a hardworking, honest man looking to make his parents proud.
Belle thought about the way he was with her. She often found him near her. Their bodies were like magnets for each other — when they walked together their arms would touch, and they always sat or stood facing each other. He was gentler around her now, as if afraid of scaring her after what happened. A part of her was elated to see him trying to soften for her while the other part still wanted him hard and dirty. Not going to let Gabriel ruin my relationships.
Just being around him made her heart and body flutter with excitement. She smiled and laughed so naturally with him. She could sit with him without speaking and without awkwardness. And when they did talk, their conversations were never dull. The more she learned about him the more she began to like him. It was both pleasant and disconcerting. She wasn’t sure what to make of this … relationship of theirs. He owned her property and she was working to pay it off, yet he treated her as more than an employee.
It will never work out between us, Belle sighed. No matter how much she liked him, she was convinced that once they’d slept together, it would all be over. Aleks had made his habits clear. She was a challenge; he’d told her so himself. He was the hunter and she the prey, and to him it was all a game. Once he’d won, the excitement between them would fizzle and she’d be back at her bar with nothing more than a fresh crop of regrets.
He promised to protect you. Always. Belle wondered if he actually meant it. He’d seemed sincere, but his words were contrary to every other inclination he’d ever displayed. If nothing else, the man was entirely confusing.
She reached a slight incline and her thoughts stilled as she focused on climbing to the top. Reaching the apex, the sight took her breath away. The hill rolled back down and the path led to a large glass greenhouse. She smiled and practically ran down the path, curious to see the inside.
Behind the large double doors, a level of beauty she had never before witnessed was unveiled before her. The interior held a maze of leafy bushes, and flowers of every color. A path along the left side led to a sitting area in the far back. Hanging flowers of all kinds covered the ceiling, and to the right lay a stone-walled pond complete with lily pads.
No longer able to satisfy herself with just looking, she walked along the winding path, stopping to smell a number of flowers along the way. She stopped at the pond for a moment, bending down to dip her fingers into the water. Several large Koi flitted to the surface.
She continued on to the center of the greenhouse, where the path opened to a large oval area, with the most gorgeous rose bushes she had ever seen. Pink and white bushes lined the circle. Large red rose bushes were the focal point in the center. The way the light hit the petals made them sparkle. She reached out and touched some of the velvety petals, bending to inhale their heady aroma.
Moving on, she made her way to the back of the building. Wisteria trees lined the back wall, the ceiling covered in their lilac flowers. A large plush couch with two facing chairs and a table in the middle were nestled under the trees. Perfect spot for a little reading, I think.
She settled onto the comfortable cushions and dove into the first chapter of one of her favorite “power-play” romance novels. The night after the attack at the office, she feared reading about being held down would cause panic. She was happy to discover this wasn’t the case, and felt a sense of control at being able to still be aroused by the topic.
With the warmth of the greenhouse and the comfort of the couch, Belle imagined staying in that very spot forever. After a few chapters, she grew drowsy and drifted off to sleep.
She awoke to a soft caress on her face. Aleks was crouched in front of her. She blinked a few times as the drowsiness faded.
“Well, nice to finally find you,” he said, smiling at her.
“Find me?”
“Consider me your search party. Luc grew concerned when you didn’t show up for lunch.”
“What? What time is it?”
“Just after three. I’ve been searching for you for over two hours. I had no idea you found your way in here. I thought maybe you’d decided to leave me.” His voice was soft as his hand continued to stroke her hair. As his thumb brushed over her cheek, she thought she saw a brief flash of concern on his face.
She sat up and stretched.
“You’re sweating,” he observed, looking where the sweat-dampened t-shirt clung to her cleavage.
“It’s hot in here.”
“You could always take off your clothes,” he teased, a sexy smile forming on his face.
His teasing made her heart skip a beat, but she masked her feelings with a question. “Why didn�
�t you ever tell me about this place? It’s beautiful. And the roses,” she pointed toward the center of the greenhouse, “I’ve never seen flowers like that before.”
He turned towards the flowers, quiet for a few moments before his gaze returned to her. “My mother loved roses. She built the greenhouse as her private sanctuary. Whenever I needed to find her, chances were she was here, tending to the bushes.”
Belle cocked her head as she watched his facial expression change, softening. His eyes lost their heat, replaced with a sadness.
“Tell me about her.” She slid over on the couch, and he moved to sit next to her, his eyes again focused on the rosebushes.
“My mother was an amazing woman. My father loved her dearly. They were perfect for each other. When she died, he wasn’t the same. He always cared about me, but I could tell he was missing a part of himself.”
“What happened to her?”
“Cancer. I don’t remember much; I was only seven. I remember she lost her hair and would look so tired all the time. She never lost her smile, though. She was gorgeous until the end. She would be out here with her gloves and shovel, sweating, her head wrapped in a scarf. She would tell me stories while she took care of the roses.”
Aleks stopped talking for a moment. A faraway look came over his face and Belle squeezed his hand. She could tell the memories were bittersweet for him.
“My dad made sure the entire garden was cared for after she died. I honestly haven’t even been out here very much since; it brings back a lot of memories.”
“I’m sorry — I didn’t realize. I shouldn’t have just barged in.” Belle immediately regretted him finding her out in his mother’s garden.
“No, I’m glad. It’s such a beautiful place. I think I needed you to remind me why we’ve kept it all of these years.”
She bent her head forward and kissed him. A slow, soft kiss, filled with passion. As their mouths pressed against each other, and tongues danced, she swore this kiss was different than the lustful ones they shared in the past.
Stealing Beauty (Fairy Tales After Dark Book 1) Page 12