Page 7

Alice

In between having sex with Damon and eating his amazing food, I didn’t realize just how huge his house is.

It’s a penthouse

Everything in it is pristine—white marble floors, elegant chandeliers, and the type of art you only see in galleries. Some rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows that have an amazing view of the city.

I’m in one of those rooms, curled up on a plush gray couch, wearing one of Damon’s oversized shirts, with a book in my hand, and it feels like I’m living in a dream.

How did I get so lucky?

The fact that I’m here because I was bought at an auction house against my will is very ironic.

I’m flipping through the pages of my book when Damon walks in from the kitchen holding two mugs of coffee. He’s wearing shorts and a shirt that is unbuttoned just enough to show a hint of his toned chest. How does he manage to look so perfect all the time?

“Having fun?”

I shrug and close the book. “Not really. When I told you I wanted to read, an inspirational book wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.”

He smiles. There’s something mischievous in the smile, and I narrow my eyes at him.

“You must really love erotic novels, huh?” he teases, setting a mug in front of me and sitting on the edge of the couch. “It seems to me like you can’t read anything else.”

“Romance novels,” I correct with a pout and pick the book up again. “Yes, I can. And you better not judge me. It’s not like you don’t benefit from my... research.”

He chuckles and leans in. Despite the smile on his face, his eyes are dark. “Trust me, baby girl, you won’t find any judgment coming from me.”

I bite my lip, fighting the urge to melt under his gaze. Everything he does makes my heart race, even with a simple tease. As much as I want to pull him into me, take in his manly scent, and kiss him till I can’t breathe, I’m still so sore from last night.

I clear my throat. “I need a good book.”

He laughs, the sound deep and rich, and it makes me feel warm inside. “Tell you what,” he says, standing up and stretching. “I’ve got a meeting that came up unexpectedly, but I want you to go Christmas shopping. Take my driver. Get all the decorations and books you want. Spoil yourself.”

I raise an eyebrow. “All the books I want?”

He grins. “Every single one.”

“That’ll be a lot of money.”

He frowns. “What’s mine is yours, Alice. You know that. And I’ll try and join you later, I promise. Just don’t clear out the bookstore before I get there.”

I giggle, already picturing myself sitting in a pile of novels beside a well-decorated Christmas tree with Damon helping me sort them out.

It’s a perfect picture. Too perfect.

“I’ll try to leave a few for the rest of the city.”

He leans down and kisses my lips before grabbing his coat. “Have fun, baby girl. I’ll see you in a bit.”

As I head out the door with his driver, I glance back at the penthouse. Damon’s home is like something out of a magazine—everything sleek and expensive. And even though it’s breathtaking to look at, it’s also a bit cold and impersonal.

What’s mine is yours.

I giggle as I think, He may come to regret that.

I’m giddy at the idea of adding my own touch to Damon’s house, and I slide into the back of the car, ready to get started.

Once we’re in the car, I feel a little thrill at the thought of shopping. Christmas is my favorite time of year, and as we drive down the busy streets, I can see that people are slowly getting into the holiday spirit.

Lights are strung up on buildings, snow lightly dusts the sidewalks, and I can even hear Christmas music playing from some of the more festive shops.

We pull up to the first shop, and I step out, already making a mental list of everything I need: ornaments, garlands, wreaths, and, of course, a few - or many - new novels. The bookstore is right next to the decor shop, so it’s a win-win.

I’m about to walk in when, out of the corner of my eye, I think I see a familiar face. Kirk.

I blink, my heart skipping a beat, but when I look again, he’s nowhere to be seen. I shake my head, brushing it off. It’s just nerves. You’re safe , I reassure myself.

Pushing all thoughts of Kirk out of my mind, I focus on the task at hand.

I step into the shop and browse through rows of shiny Christmas decorations, running my fingers over delicate ornaments and wreaths made of holly. The festive atmosphere helps ease my mind, and soon I’m lugging two big bags full of decorations back to the car.

But just as I’m about to head into the bookstore, I hear a voice. A voice I’m not sure I ever wanted to hear again.

“Alice.”

I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest. Slowly, I turn, and there he is—my father. His face is drawn and tired, and the perpetual sadness in his eyes is even more pronounced.

I swallow hard, the memory of his betrayal rushing back.

“Dad?”

“My baby girl.”

The sound of the name from his lips makes me physically recoil and step back. It feels so wrong to hear him call me that.

“Don’t call me that. Call me Alice.”

He looks slightly hurt, but it doesn’t matter to me.

“Alice, I- “

“What are you doing here? How…how did you find me?”

“I…I didn’t.” He looks around like he can’t bring himself to look me in the eye after selling me off.

“I figured you’d either be in a bookstore or doing some Christmas shopping. This place has both and that’s why I came here, hoping to run into you.”

I narrow my eyes.

“I’m sorry, Alice. About everything. The debt, the auction. Mr. Kirk didn’t give me a choice.”

“You always have a choice, Dad.” My eyes tear up as I look at the man who was supposed to protect me, “I always knew you resented me after Mom left. I just never knew you hated me.”

“Alice, that’s not true.”

“It is. And you know it. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have sold me !”

He looks around again. I do the same, wariness creeping in. He focuses on me again, wringing his hands in front of him, “I’ll come for you, Alice. I’ll make things right.”

I stand there, speechless, staring at him. But as I look at him, I start to feel a strange sense of peace. I realize that I’m not angry anymore. His stupid and selfish decision is the only reason I met Damon, and I’m too happy about that to be angry at him.

I shrug. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

His eyes widen, as if he wasn’t expecting that. “It doesn’t?”

“I’m better off now. I met someone that makes me extremely happy and makes me feel safe. Which is way more than you’ve ever offered.”

He stares at me for a long moment, then nods, his shoulders sagging as he sighs, “I’m sorry, Alice. I’m really sorry.”

And with that, he turns and walks away.

But as I watch him walk away, the more confident I get in what I said. I don’t need him to come for me. I have Damon. And for the first time, I feel truly free.

That’s when it hits me, like a soft whisper in the back of my mind.

I love him. I love Damon.

I always want to be with him.

I don’t know how or when it started but-

I don’t get to finish that thought before the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

I glance over my shoulder, and that’s when I see a shadow move too quickly, too close. Before I can scream, something sharp presses against my neck, and a rough hand grabs me from behind. My vision starts to blur, and a wave of dizziness washes over me.

“Damon…” I try to say, but my voice comes out garbled before everything goes black.

When I wake up, my head feels like it’s filled with cement. I try to blink, but my eyelids are heavy and my mind feels foggy, like I’m trapped in a dream I can’t escape from. Slowly, my senses start to come back. My wrists are tied to something cold, and the smell of stale air fills my nostrils. I’m slumped against a rough, hard surface.

I force my eyes open. It takes a second to adjust, but when I finally focus, the first thing I see makes my blood run cold.

My father is standing in front of me.

Talking to Kirk.

“You said you’d give me more time to convince her to come with me.”

“I told you, Thomas,” Kirk replies smoothly, his tone too calm, for a man who just kidnapped someone. “I don’t have more time. Fucking Damon is trying to screw me over by backing out of our deal.”

“She was just supposed to cover the debt,” my father murmurs.

Kirk chuckles darkly. “This is bigger than that now. Damon thinks he can walk in here, buy whatever the fuck he wants, and then humiliate me by cutting our partnership?”

He steps closer to my father. “This isn’t about a debt anymore. This is revenge.” He laughs darkly. “Let’s see how much he wants her after someone else has her. Don’t worry, you can have a cut of what she makes.”

My father is silent for a moment then weakly says, “She’s my daughter. I didn’t sign up for this.”

Kirk’s voice turns menacing like he no longer cares about convincing my father. “You signed up for whatever I say, Thomas. People like Damon think they’re better than people like us, people who have to work hard every damn day.”

My heart races, and I feel bile rise in my throat, but I fight to keep still, terrified of what they’ll do if they realize I’m awake.

“I can’t…” My father’s voice trembles. “I can’t do this. She’s my daughter, Kirk.”

Kirk’s voice drops to a chilling whisper. “You have two choices. You either keep your mouth shut and let me handle things… or you’ll find yourself in the same position she is.”

There’s a long pause, and I can feel my father crumbling under the weight of Kirk’s threat. He has always been a selfish coward. Finally, he mutters, “Fine. Just don’t hurt her.”

I stop pretending to be asleep and raise my head to look straight at my father. His eyes widen in shame and pleading, but I don’t look away.

My voice is cold and unyielding as I finally say the words that have been bottling up inside me for years, “I was never your daughter. I was your housekeeper, your chef, your chauffeur. I did everything for you, hoping one day you’d step up. But you’re just a coward that never deserved someone like me for a daughter.”

Kirk turns, and my body freezes, as a slow, menacing smile spreads across his face. “You’ve still got fire. Good. Most of my patrons like a little spirit they can tame.”