The Alpha's Pursuit

Chapter 4- Parker's P.O.V.

“Aaahhh!” I screamed, jumping up to my feet as the papers I retrieved flew out of my hands. Thank the Lord the staples kept most of the mess organized and not strewn about out of order.

My palm pressed to my chest as my eyes landed on a wall of a man. Four years have passed, but the haunting of repeated trauma has left me feeling panicked. Growling, staring, hovering… sucking the air out of the very room we shared. This can't be happening again, but the air was so much thicker and stifling. I straightened my back, trying to show no fear or that he affected me in any way.

A whirlwind of emotions surged through me as I took in the sight of this man, who was undoubtedly the most handsome man I had ever laid my eyes on. My mouth dried, and I swallowed hard. It felt like history was repeating itself, and my palms grew sweaty as I vividly remembered Nick–and how similar my reactions were.

My brother, Jake, and the stranger both seemed to be about the same age. The beautiful man had black, shiny hair that was tousled on top of his head that rested just above his ears. His sparkling green eyes, framed by long black lashes, seemed to penetrate me, burning into my soul. He still said nothing and I shifted on my bare feet uncomfortably. My body hummed anxiously. No, this wasn't like Nick, this was worse, making this guy more dangerous.

My gaze traveled to his straight nose and sharp jaw, which sported a cleft chin. The panty-dropping finale was his full, dusky rose-tinted lips, against which I wanted to press my own.

Wait, what? How can I be attracted to a man who might be a r****t, a murderer, or a burglar? Why is my body reacting this way? Would I feel more afraid if I didn’t find him attractive? How shallow am I?

My mouth opened, and I held my breath for a moment. This specimen in front of me made Nick seem plain by comparison. He also had a few inches on Nick in height.

He wore a shirt that stretched tightly across his muscular chest, straining the buttons to their limits. Tattoos peeked out from beneath the unbuttoned collar, and the sleeves of his white dress shirt were rolled up to his elbows. A tribal tattoo could be seen peeking out from the bottom of the sleeve on his right forearm.

He had tucked the fitted shirt into black trousers. Those pants seemed to challenge the zipper's strength with their snug tailoring. Stop it, Parker. Take your eyes off his c**k, for f**k’s sake! Why am I looking there?

Heat flooded my cheeks. I tried my best to divert my gaze and failed miserably as my eyes remained locked in place. I attributed my lack of discretion to a four-year dry spell.

As I lifted my gaze to his face, I noticed his green eyes fixed on my blue ones. His soft lips, which I longed to kiss, curled into a smirk, almost as if he were saying, "Caught you…" My facial expressions never concealed much, which meant he had definitely noticed my complete appraisal of his physique and exactly how I felt about it.

Can I die of embarrassment now? Can I crawl back under my comforter and never come out? Keep it in your pants, Parker—stranger danger.

Taking a step back, I scanned the room for where the exits were, a tight knot forming in my stomach as I remembered I was alone in a room with this man who continued to pin me down with his piercing gaze that made me feel like he was seeing me. All of me. The moment I moved, he shifted slightly toward me. Uh oh. Don't panic.

Alone with this strange man, who still hadn't said a word, I felt increasingly intimidated. Restless and fidgeting, I recognized the potential threat he posed, regardless of whether he was attractive.

His mouth moved, whispering something I couldn’t make out, and I tilted my head in curiosity. Then I noticed that his body was stirring as well. He took another step closer, and the trance-like expression on his beautiful face was unsettling. My pulse raced. Intrigue mingled with alarm, causing my brow to furrow in confusion at these contradictory emotions.

“What?” I whispered the question. He murmured the word so quietly that it made the word imperceptible. A fuzziness clouded my mind for a moment, and I shook my head to shake it off. Determining what he said was less important than why and how I found him in the room with me, so I asked better questions. I narrowed my eyes and straightened my spine, an attempt at fearlessness.

“What are you doing in here? How did you unlock the door? What do you want? Who are you?” The questions tumbled out without me taking a breath, as I simultaneously slid my feet backward, stealthily inching toward my office door. I prepared for a potential escape, my voice unwavering as I pressed him for answers.

“Oh, my apologies,” his gravelly voice sent a chill racing down my spine, yet the intensity of his gaze gradually softened. He rubbed the back of his neck, appearing momentarily flustered.

“I’m Al... Beau Adler. My company has an appointment today. I’m sorry for being early; my associates and I live a few hours away, so I miscalculated the drive time.” My head tilted again, but this time in confusion. Doesn't he have a GPS? How does anyone miscalculate that anymore?

His intense gaze bore down on me once more as if he sensed my disbelief, making me tremble. His hand left his neck, and his fists clenched at his sides. Glancing toward the door for a third time, I took another step closer to it.

My eyes widened, and I immediately froze in place when he mirrored my movement. The name he introduced felt genuine, but the rest didn't ring true. If he were Mr. Adler, why lie about his early arrival? Red flags waved like a parade in my mind. Since I entered through my personal door in the back, I knew that the front door should still be locked, and he never answered that question.

Surrendering with his arms raised, I imagined him approaching a timid animal about to flee. Not far from the truth.

“I don’t want to alarm you. Mr. Braxton is expecting me for the bid meeting today for Adler & Sons LLC, my company.”

This guy is the owner. Isn’t he too young? Interesting. He must be older than he appears.

The smoothness of his words nearly made me forget that he never answered my question about how he accessed the building, but I wondered if Mr. Braxton gave him a key as they were friends. I hope that's the reason.

“I truly didn’t mean to startle you. Let me help you,” he said, motioning toward the papers scattered on the floor. Taking slow, deliberate steps, he approached me and the mess surrounding us. I pushed aside my doubt and gathered the papers closest to the nearest exit while he reached for some as well.

As I squatted down to collect the documents, I suddenly jerked my head up when a bizarre sound tickled the hairs on my neck.

Closer than I had expected, my breathing quickened, and I felt a rush throughout my entire body. Mr. Adler's hooded eyes focused on my lips as he took a deep breath, inhaling the air around us. I blinked in disbelief when I saw his eyes darken for a brief moment. Oh s**t. Just like Nick. Do all men do this and I just never noticed before? Do all people? This is so weird.

This close to him, his hulking size became apparent, and the scent of him was intoxicating, reminding me of spiced cranberry. His clothes strained further due to his bent frame, showcasing his excellently muscled form.

Did my coffee say 'Drink Me' on it, and I shrank? What the f**k? The man is enormous! Man? Hardly. A true Adonis is more fitting. Did he have the belt to go with it? No! Shake it off, Parker.

The green of his eyes returned along with his smirk. The urge to either smack him or kiss him drove me insane, and heat pooled in my lower belly. His eyes squeezed shut with a low groan.

No, no, no, no! This is reminiscent of Nick in so many ways, except I’m drawn to him in a way that doesn't compare.

Instinctively, I sprang to my feet, grasping what I could from the floor, distancing myself further from him and my treacherous body.

“Thank you for your help. The conference room is behind you, back through the door you came through, down the hall, and to the right. Please make yourself comfortable, and I'll be happy to pour you some coffee. There are also restaurants and fast-food options nearby. If you're hungry, I can get you something to eat.”

Forced laughter escaped my lips, and nervousness crept in as I rambled. Racking my brain for reasons to break free from his intense aura–any reason to get out of this building. He took a slow breath and opened his eyes again, looking up at me from his crouched position.

“Yes, coffee is fine. I don’t need anything else. Any food that is.” The tension filled the room again. Wait, what did he say? I took another step back and bumped into the doorframe of my office.

“What’s your name?” Mr. Adler asked as he stood and closed the distance between us to hand me the paperwork he still grasped. Reaching out, I took the papers from him and answered, “Parker.”

Our fingers brushed briefly, and the dry autumn air caused him to give me a slight shock. I jerked my arm back and chuckled at my reflex, but I swallowed hard when another growl echoed in the small room. This time, the growl simmered into a soft moan.

Frowning, I looked around for an animal hiding in a corner, which I already sensed wouldn’t be there. Unbothered, he lingered silently—another reminder of my ex. Do I have schizophrenia?

My eyes widened; awareness struck me. The noise was emitted from his throat. Is this a thing men do? Why is it so much hotter when it came from him rather than my ex? Oh yeah, abusive psycho. Got it.

My entire core pulsed to the rhythm of his guttural noise. Heat spread at the apex of my thighs. I need to examine my head.

Clearing my throat, I waited for him to make a move to leave while clutching the stack of paperwork in my arms. He stood rigidly, flaring his nostrils. Dumbfounded, I furrowed my brow as he sniffed the air again. What in the world is going on?

“Is there anything else you need, Mr. Adler?” What I really needed was space. My hormones were in overdrive, and my thoughts scattered. His body twitched and he began to step toward me again when my boss entered the room at the perfect moment. The sight of Mr. Braxton nearly brought me to relieved sobs, and for a moment, my entire body relaxed.

“Mr. Adler, I received your message. I apologize for the delay,” he said, grasping Mr. Adler's hand in a firm handshake while lowering his head at the same time. It was almost like he bared his neck to him. This peculiar action was noteworthy. What in all that was holy was going on around here? Am I still asleep in bed, dreaming? Oh God, is this a cult? Cut it out Parker, you watch way too much Dateline. But seriously, what is going on right now?

Moving to the city seemed like the best idea ever right now. Jake has offered to take me in numerous times. He and Kelly had a spare room. While this may be an overreaction, this morning was really testing my sanity.

“Oh, so you’ve met Parker Rose, our accountant. She joined us several months ago, correct, Miss. Rose? I have to say, she’s the best hire I’ve made in a long time. Parker is really helping to bring this old man into the modern age of technology,” he laughed. Mr. Adler smiled in response but kept his eyes on me. I ignored him and focused on my boss instead.

As I observed Mr. Braxton, I realized that I had never truly examined him. He often referred to himself as old, but it struck me how youthful he looked for someone in his fifties. While he was certainly handsome and well-built, I never felt any personal attraction to him.

Appraising him now, I realized he competed with ease next to Nick and Mr. Adler in attractiveness. His short, blond hair, with some gray, lay messy on his head, complementing his chocolate-brown eyes. What were they eating and drinking? Some magic elixir?

As I studied his face more closely, I noticed that he had very few wrinkles. With his tanned complexion and tall stature, he presented an attractive image for someone who was my father's age. Well, really, for someone twenty years younger. Mr. Adler was at least 6’ 5” tall, while Mr. Braxton was a few inches shorter.

Dragging myself out of my thoughts, I realized that Mr. Adler studied me in equal measure, making me feel self-conscious. I nodded in acknowledgment of Mr. Braxton’s introduction and shifted my weight from one foot to the next. Our client's relentless gaze never wavered from me.

Do I have something on my face? Ugh.

At this moment, irritation replaced my fear. Without thinking, I scowled at him. Mr. Braxton’s presence gave me the courage that was previously absent.

Exaggeratedly, I glared as if to ask, “What? What are you looking at?” Unfazed by my narrowed eyes, he smiled smugly in response to my clear annoyance.

The urge to flip him off bubbled beneath the surface, but I had to remain professional. Sort of. Huffing in exasperation, I stopped just short of rolling my eyes. I've so had it with this day and this whole bizarre situation. And to think this day has only just begun…

Mr. Braxton was able to regain Mr. Adler's attention and signaled toward the conference room. They both walked to the exit of the copier room, with my boss following Mr. Adler. However, Mr. Braxton looked back over his shoulder at the doorway and gave me a curious glance.

I mouthed the word, "What?", he shrugged in response with a smirk of his own, and this time, I actually did roll my eyes. Awesome.

As he left the room, I was left to finish the last of my work. I groaned at the thought of being trapped in a room with the attractive Beau Adler in just a few minutes. My shoulders sagged in defeat. Awkwardness, here I come.