His to Ruin

Playing with Fire

The room felt colder than it should. Or maybe it was just Alec. His presence alone was enough to drain the warmth from the air.

I sat on the sofa, my back rigid, fingers digging into my thighs. A slight tremor threatened to betray me, but I refused to let it show.

Not in front of him.

Alec didn’t speak. He simply stood there, hands buried in his pockets, his hazel eyes tracking my every move. Calm, patient, like a predator waiting for its prey to step into the trap.

Silence.

Only the clock ticking on the wall could be heard, each beat feeling like a countdown to the inevitable.

I wanted to say something, but my throat felt too dry and tight.

"Shaking like that, you think I'm going to hurt you?" his voice was calm. Too calm.

I lifted my head, meeting his dark eyes. "I’d rather not," I replied, composing myself so my voice didn't come out quivering.

He smiled slightly, but there was no warmth there. "Have I ever hit a woman, Daniella?"

I don't answer.

Because there's no need. I knew the answer.

Alec wouldn't touch me in that way. Not ever. But that didn't mean I was safe. Because Alec has other ways.

A much worse one.

Then he stepped closer. Slowly. Measured.

My heart beat too fast as he leaned in, resting one hand on the back of the couch, letting his shadow fall over me.

"You owe me an explanation."

I clenched my fists tighter.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the tremors in my chest. Alec remained silent, waiting for me with the patience of an executioner before executing.

"There is someone," my voice sounded weaker than I wanted, but I forced myself to continue, "who wants Abraham."

His eyebrows rose slightly, but she didn't cut in.

"They sent a message... a warning." I swallowed. "If I don't hand over Abraham, they will take him in their own way."

I could feel the subtle tension in Alec's shoulders, but he remained silent. His eyes stayed on me, sharp, analyzing every word that escaped my lips.

"I'm trying to find another way." I clenched my fists. "I tried going to the police. To a lawyer. But they were too powerful, Alec." I straightened my back, refusing to look fragile in front of him. "You are the only person strong enough to fight them."

Silence again.

I could hear the clock ticking on the wall, my breath trying to stay calm, and the subtle throbbing in my temples.

Alec finally moved. He leaned back, his expression unreadable. "Is that your parents?"

I stiffened.

Alec pulled a smile.

Shit.

Alec didn't take his eyes off me as if waiting for something. Waiting for me to deny. Or confess.

I did neither.

Instead, I took a deep breath, reorganizing my messy thoughts before opening my voice.

"Once this is over..." I swallowed, making sure my voice was steady. "You can take your revenge."

His expression didn't change, but I saw a flash of emotion in his eyes. "Revenge?"

I nodded. "For Camilla's death."

Alec didn't react. He just stared at me, letting my words hang in the air.

"I won't run away again," I continued, my voice steadier. "This time, I won't run away."

Silence fell over the room.

Then Alec laughed.

It was not a pleasant laugh, not the laugh I'd known five years ago, the lighthearted laugh that once made my heart melt. This was cold. Cynical.

"I didn't know you could be this brave, Daniella," he says finally, his tone tingling with implied danger.

I lift my chin, refusing to flinch. "I'm not asking for your pity."

Alec leaned forward slightly, close enough for me to smell that familiar masculine scent. A scent that brought back memories I should have banished far away.

"I never planned to give you that."

Again, silence.

The air between us coiled tighter, something heavier than hatred, something on the verge of unraveling.

Alec ran his finger along my jaw, a touch that was almost too mild, too delicate for someone who desired my destruction.

"Fine," he said finally. "We'll see if you really won't run away again."

I didn't flinch. I couldn't.

Because behind that piercing gaze, I could see it.

Alec might not have realized the truth about Abraham yet.

But he would soon find out.

And when that happens, I'm not sure if I can keep my promise to stay.

Alec withdrew first as if this encounter were nothing more than a minor annoyance in his life. His gaze was no longer skin-crawling but still piercing and assessing. I held my breath as he walked over to the drinks cabinet in the corner of the room, pouring amber liquid into a crystal glass without the slightest rush.

"Why now?" his voice finally broke the silence.

I knew what he meant.

Why I appeared after five years. Why did I come to him now, asking for protection?

I leaned my back against the sofa, trying to ignore the fact that my fingers were starting to feel numb. "Because I have no choice."

He laughed softly, a low sound full of skepticism. "What a clichéd answer."

I clenched my fists.

Alec took a sip of his drink, then turned around, looking at me with an expression far too calm for someone who claimed to want revenge.

"You know, I once thought you were dead." His words cut deeper than it should.

I forced myself to remain silent, showing no reaction, but Alec always quickly picked up on little things. His eyes narrowed slightly, finding cracks in my defenses.

"So, if I knew you were alive five years ago..." He walked closer, his steps steady and heavy. "Do you think I would have let you?"

My chest felt tight, but I couldn't falter. "It doesn't seem to matter anymore."

Alec raised an eyebrow as if challenging. "Really?"

I didn't answer.

He stood right in front of me now, his presence casting a shadow that swallowed the space between us. My heart pounded—not from fear, but from something far more dangerous lurking beneath it.

"You brought that child to my house," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "Hoping I'd be generous enough to help you."

I lifted my chin, refusing to submit. "You did agree."

Alec grinned, but there was no warmth there. Just the remnants of the anger he'd held back with too much control.

"You want to make a deal, Daniella?" He leaned forward slightly, close enough for me to see every detail in his eyes. "You think I'm still the same man?"

I swallow.

I don't.

The old Alec wouldn't speak with such menacing calm.

The old Alec wouldn't be standing here, looking at me like a puzzle he wanted to unravel with his own hands.

I took a deep breath, searching for courage in the fragments of courage I had left. "You will help me."

He gave me a long look to make sure I believed my own words.

Then, Alec smiled, that did not bode well at all. "I never turn down an interesting game."