Page 66 of His Dark Pull
“Oh, stop it,”I feel a blush creep up my neck.
His gaze softens, the blue depths of his eyes holding me captive. “Ava—”he begins, his voice a low rumble that sends chills through my whole body.
“Alexander,”I interrupt. “I want to know more about your past. The good, the bad— all of it. I want to know you.”
He sets down his cutlery, his expression turning serious. “What do you want to know?”
“Everything. The truth.”
He chuckles. “Well, it’s a long story.”
“We have time.”
I don’t care if we talk now, tomorrow, or next week. I just need him to be honest.
“I talked to Dexter, you know,”I say.
His jaw clenches, his eyes hardening. “Yeah?”
“Why did you never tell me about him and Michelle?”
He hesitates. “I had been away from crime for years, Michelle, too. Then he showed up, feeding her drugs. Flashing his father’s money in her face. She was weak, took the bait, and got hooked on drugs,”he confesses. “I left that life behind, but it still found a way to haunt me through her.”
He pauses, a flicker of self-loathing crossing his features.
I take a bite of the food. The flavors taste bland. Alexander reaches over, his fingers brushing against mine as he takes the next bite from my fork.
“What do we do now?”I ask. “What happens to Veles?”
He hesitates for a moment, then reaches across the table to take my hand. “Well, it’s over now. Dexter’s in prison, Kovacs is going away for a long time, and Michelle— she’s safe. That’s all that matters.”
“But what about you, Alexander? What about us?”I ask.
He sighs. “I’m done with that life, Ava. I am selling EverBlue Group, I talked to a potential buyer today. The deal is almost finalized. It felt—good. Like cutting ties with a ghost.”
He pauses, his gaze meeting mine. “I’m investing in something new, something legitimate. A chain of boutique hotels here in the city and across the country. I’ve always loved architecture, design, creating spaces where people can feel— at home.”
His words tug at my heartstrings. This is the Alexander I’ve always glimpsed beneath the surface.
“And I’m setting up a foundation,”he continues. “To support people struggling with addiction..”
The man I fell in love with is finally breaking free from the chains of his past.
Mendel’s sudden intrusion startles me, shattering the fragile bubble of intimacy we’ve created.
“Mendel, are you hungry? We have leftovers,”I offer.
“We don’t eat with the help,”Alexander interjects, his voice clipped.
“Well, some things are going to change around here.”
Mendel mumbles something unintelligible, and I quickly pile food onto a plate, placing it before him. He sits down in the corner, devouring the meal with an intensity that borders on desperation. His expression remains unreadable, his lips pressed into a thin line that could be interpreted as either a smile or a grimace.Mysterious Mendel.Perhaps he and Sarah— The thought flits through my mind before I push it aside, focusing on the more pressing matters at hand.
“Where’s Michelle now? Is she safe?”
Alexander’s eyes darken, his jaw clenching. “Yes.”
His vulnerability and the raw concern etched on his face draw me to him even more. The darkness within him is undeniable, but so is the love and loyalty that burn beneath the surface. He leans in, his lips brushing against mine.