Taming My Ruthless Alpha

Chapter 7

I shot daggers at the back of his head as he strutted ahead of me, "There's really no need, Mr. Zahn. I can catch a bus-"

"I insist." He turned and locked eyes with me, causing my glare to evaporate instantly. "I really don’t mind giving you a ride home," he rumbled in his deep voice, momentarily throwing me off balance.

We were in the mall parking lot, heading towards his car. Emma and Claire had already zoomed off in the opposite direction as they parked the scooter in the basement. I'd have to give them a piece of my mind tomorrow for leaving me high and dry.

It was just me and him.

"I just didn't want to be a bother," I mumbled, avoiding the intensity of his green gaze.

Why did it feel like I could forget the entire world when he looked at me like that?

"Trust me, you're not," he assured me. "Come on, the car is right over there," he gestured towards a sleek black car before striding off again.

I exhaled and trailed behind him silently. When we reached his car, he held the passenger door open for me and waited as I got in. I hesitated for a moment, but then settled into the car.

My eyes widened as he leaned in to grab the seat belt from my left, then buckled me in on the right. He was so close that I caught a whiff of his woodsy cologne. Oblivious to my bewildered expression, he closed the door and circled around to the driver's seat.

Or maybe he did notice but chose to play it cool.

I released a breath, feeling my heart do the cha-cha against my ribcage. I watched as he took his sweet time getting into the driver's seat, starting the engine.

He glanced at his smartwatch as a message popped up, "I hope you don’t mind making a quick stop along the way," he said, pulling the car out of the parking lot and zooming off.

I felt like a shrimp in that compact car next to him. He practically oozed authority. I sank into the comfy leather seat and watched the trees zoom past.

"What's on your mind?"

I almost leaped out of my skin when he suddenly broke the silence. I turned to look at him just as he turned his head away, pretending to focus on the road. "Oh, you know, just admiring the view," I replied as politely I could.

"I heard you moved from Dallas," he said.

I nodded, "Yes, Mr. Zahn."

"Must've been a hassle to uproot everything and start fresh," he commented.

I shook my head, "Actually, not really. I didn't have much in Dallas, just some clothes and a few books. I traveled light," I shrugged.

"And your family?" he inquired.

I had a sneaky suspicion that he already knew the answer, but I played along. "Well, I don't have any," I said.

He stayed quiet for a moment. Just when I thought the conversation was over, he cleared his throat. "So, you're here to kick off a whole new chapter in life."

"Yep, you could say that," I agreed with a smile.

"It must be fun making new friends and all. I really hope you find everything you wished for here in Galveston," he added with a warm tone, as if there was more to his words than meets the eye.

"That is very nice of you, Mr. Zahn," I said, grateful for his kind words. "Thank you."

He nodded thoughtfully, a friendly expression on his face. "What do you expect to find here in Galveston?"

I took a moment to ponder his question before responding, "Some friends and peace. I was just surviving my life this whole time before I came here, so I am hoping to finally live it."

"Live it like how?" he inquired, genuine curiosity in his voice.

The funny thing is, I never thought about how yet.

"Um, maybe try things that I have never done before," I mused. "Like snorkeling, going out with friends, hiking - yeah, something like that."

With a friendly smile, Mr. Zahn nodded in understanding. "Wow, I never really thought about it that way," he reflected, a tinge of nostalgia in his voice. "I was so focused on giving my best that I forgot to savor the moments around me."

"Well, it's never too late to start living the way you want," I reassured him, hoping to lift his spirits. "You have the power to take control of your life and make it what you want it to be."

He turned to me with a gentle, hopeful smile. "How about we do this together? I've never been snorkeling, and it's been ages since I went hiking."

I was taken aback by his sudden suggestion. "I...uh..." I stumbled over my words. "I'm not sure, Mr. Zahn. We're not exactly close or anything." I shook my head, unsure of what to make of his proposal, "Sorry" I muttered quietly, not wanting to seem rude.

"That's okay. If you change your mind, just let me know," he said casually, as if it was no big deal.

Once again, we settled into a comfortable silence. It was strange to realize how much I had shared with this stranger, and I couldn't help but feel like I had given away a lot of information about myself.

But again, to him, I'm just a nobody. What he is going to do with the information I gave him? It was just some boring stuff about me.

I couldn't help but wonder how my teammates had described him. They always spoke of his intimidating presence, but Mr. Zahn seemed surprisingly friendly to me.

"I hope you don't mind waiting in the car," he said as he pulled up in front of a grocery shop.

I nodded, watching as he stepped out and locked the car before disappearing into the store. Who would have thought that the big bad CEO would be shopping at the local grocery store?

Sitting in the car, I waited for him to reappear so I could finally head home. The day had taken its toll, and I could feel the exhaustion setting in.

My phone rang suddenly, and I furrowed my brows, wondering who could be calling me at this hour. My phone rarely ever rang before I came here.

Seeing that it was Claire, I answered immediately. "How could you guys leave me with him?" I blurted out as soon as the call connected.

"I'm so sorry, Amelia," Claire's voice dripped with regret. "We can't exactly go against him. After all, he's our boss!"

I let out a sigh. "Fine," I grumbled. "Why did you call?"

"Did you make it home yet?" She asked, with a hint of worry in her tone.

I shook my head, even though she couldn't see me over the phone. "Nope. I'm still here, waiting in Mr. Zahn's car while he's off on a grocery adventure," I sighed.

"Grocery adventure?" Claire echoed, sounding utterly perplexed.

"Yep," I confirmed.

"Oh," she said, at a loss for words. "Okay, well, shoot me a text when you're home. I demand a full debrief tomorrow," she declared before abruptly ending the call.

I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at it. What did she expect me to report on? The thrilling saga of waiting in a car?

After what felt like an eternity, Mr. Zahn finally emerged from the grocery store, lugging two massive bags. He loaded everything into the trunk and then settled back into the driver's seat.

"Sorry for the wait," he apologized, handing me something. "Peace offering for the delay," he added when I eyed the chocolate bar skeptically.

I tried to protest, but he cut me off. "It's either the chocolate or a bag of groceries. Your call."

I wisely accepted the chocolate and sat in silence as we drove. I glanced at the bar and nearly choked. This was no ordinary chocolate - it was fancy and pricey.

How in the world did he end up buying such an extravagant treat for me? It's pretty obvious that he's rolling in dough and could buy the moon if he wanted to.

"You're silent again," he observed after a few minutes.

I'm just contemplating how I can hustle my way to riches like him. I want to be able to make it rain fancy chocolate for someone and then act like it's no big deal, even though my bank account is silently weeping.

Of course, I couldn't say that to him. "I'm just tired," I said, hoping to shut down the conversation.

He looked at me with genuine concern and said, "You can take the day off if you're exhausted."

My eyes nearly popped out of my head. "It's not that bad," I insisted.

He gave me a suspicious look and suggested, "You can come in late too. I don't mind. I value quality over quantity."

I let out a sigh. "Trust me, I'm fine. I just had a marathon of a day, and the only way to fix that is to catch some sleep. After that, I'll be fine"

After that, he finally kept quiet. Ah, blessed silence.

When the car finally screeched to a halt in front of my condominium, I couldn't contain my relief. I grabbed my shopping bags and the chocolate Mr. Zahn had generously bestowed upon me before gracefully exiting the car.

"Thanks for the ride, Mr. Zahn," I beamed at him, "and for the food and chocolate too. You really didn't have to splurge on us, you know."

"Go on up and get some rest," he said, "I'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded appreciatively and was about to close the door when he called my name, giving me a little jolt. "Give me your phone," he ordered.

I found myself complying with his request. I fished out my phone from my bag and handed it over without a second thought. He tapped away at something before returning the phone to me.

"I've saved my number in your phone. If you need anything at all - and I mean anything - you can call me anytime," he said, "I'll be there."

I nodded in silence, not quite sure how to react. Why would I need to call him for anything? I've been taking care of myself just fine for ages.

"Go on," he gestured for me to head inside the lobby area.

"Oh, um, you can go first," I said. Is he going to wait here in the car until I get inside safely?

If he does, why would he do that? We are not even on acquaintance level.

"No, I will wait until you safely reach up to your unit. Give me a call when you're inside and then only I will leave," he said, his tone leaving no space for any arguments.

I looked at him, surprised. "There is no-"

He narrowed his eyes on me, and that was enough to make me shut up. I gave him a dissatisfied look but quietly pushed the door shut and started towards the lobby, feeling his eyes burning holes at the back of my head.

I went up the elevator and then finally reached my unit. I unlocked the door, stepped in, and went straight for the window of my room where I thought I can see his car from up.

And there was his car, still waiting at the same spot.

I put the bags down on the floor and took out my phone, searching for his number. He had saved his number as Anthony Zahn, and I couldn't help but try saying his name out loud.

"Anthony Zahn."

A shiver went down my spine when I said his name. Why was I reacting this way over just a name?

I shook my head to clear my thoughts and gave him a call, waiting for him to answer. "Did you make it home okay?" he asked right away.

"Yeah, I did," I replied.

"Did you remember to lock your front door?" he inquired.

I furrowed my eyebrows and quickly went to double-check as I entered my place with a lot on my mind. Thankfully, the door was locked. "Yeah, I did," I confirmed.

"Alright. Get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow," he said softly.

I nodded, "Yeah, I will. Thanks for today, Mr. Zahn. Have a great night," I added.

"I will," he replied before the call ended.

I went back to my room and glanced out the window to see his car pulling away from the parking spot and speeding toward the exit.

Shaking my head, I turned to the shopping bags on the floor, along with the expensive chocolate he had bought for me.

A strange warmth spread in my heart. I crouched down to pick it up and brought it straight to the refrigerator. I'll have to savor it bit by bit to fully enjoy the taste.