Men Are Prada Shoes

CHAPTER 8

ALINA

“Mum?!”

“Alina!”

The moment I heard my mother’s voice, I turned toward the sound immediately, trying to run to her, but before I could take more than a step, a strong hand clamped tightly around my wrist.

I struggled wildly against the grip, coughing as thick smoke from the blazing fire filled my lungs. Heat surrounded me from every direction, making it hard to breathe.

“Let me go!” I screamed desperately. “I have to find my mother and sister!”

“Get her out of here,” a deep, rough voice ordered to the man restraining me.

I was dragged backward despite my resistance.

“No!” I cried, thrashing harder as tears streamed down my face. The burning house grew farther away with every second. “Please let me go! They’re in there because of me! Let me go!”

The flames roared violently behind me, while I fought helplessly against the men pulling me away.

The moment they dragged me outside, my surroundings suddenly faded into a blinding white light.

Everything disappeared.

The fire.

The screaming.

The pain.

All replaced by an unbearable whiteness that filled my vision completely.

My eyes flew open instantly.

I sucked in a sharp breath and jolted upright in bed, gasping desperately for air.

My chest rose and fell rapidly while my heart pounded wildly against my ribs. Sweat covered my skin, leaving me damp and sticky. My hair clung to my forehead and cheeks, and with trembling fingers, I pushed the wet strands away from my face while trying to steady my breathing.

I turned my head slightly toward the bedside clock, squinting at the glowing numbers in the dark. 3:00 a.m.

Of course.

I let out a slow breath, already knowing sleep wasn’t going to come back to me anytime soon. With a quiet sigh, I pushed the duvet off my body and swung my legs over the side of the bed.

If I was going to stay awake, I might as well be useful.

My hand reached for the file I had left on the bedside table earlier, Alex’s file. I tightened my grip around it, stood up, and walked out of the room, heading straight for the poolside where the air was always colder and clearer.

The night outside was quiet, almost unreal. I settled into one of the chairs near the pool and opened the file again, forcing my eyes to focus despite the heaviness behind them. Page after page, I read through everything I could find on him. I didn’t stop. Not when my eyes burned. Not when my head started to ache. I just kept going until the darkness outside slowly began to fade into grey.

By the time the sun started to rise, I had gone through the entire thing.

A soft mechanical chime echoed through the house, signaling the elevator’s arrival.

And then I heard her voice.

Selena.

She walked in speaking quickly, her tone light and animated as she talked about something completely irrelevant to me. The sound made my headache increase instantly, like someone was pressing a nail behind my eyes. I exhaled slowly, closing my eyes for a moment while still holding onto the already-finished file in my hand.

I just needed a second of silence.

“There you are.”

A softer voice broke through the noise.

I opened my eyes.

David stood in front of me, looking down at me. In his hand was a small plastic bag, the kind I didn’t even need to look at twice to recognize—toast and coffee. My favorite.

A faint smile tugged at my lips. “Good morning.”

His brows pulled together as he studied my face.“Are you okay?”

I gave a small nod and pushed myself up a little from the chair with a tired groan. My body felt heavier than it should have, like I hadn’t slept in days instead of hours.

“I’m fine,” I muttered, though it didn’t sound convincing even to me.

Then I glanced between him and the direction Selena had come from, exhaling again.

“Why are you two here so early?”

He walked past me without another word and lowered himself into the lounge chair opposite mine, set the breakfast down on the small table, then glanced at the file in my hand.

“How long have you been going through that?” he asked quietly.

I rubbed at my face, trying to push away the heaviness behind my eyes. A yawn slipped out before I could stop it.

“Since a little after three in the morning,” I admitted.

His jaw tightened almost immediately. “Another nightmare?”

I shook my head too quickly. “No. I just wanted to know everything about this Alex before meeting him tonight.”

David leaned back slightly in his chair, studying me with that quiet, unreadable expression of his, the one that always made it feel like he could see straight through every lie.

“I know you had another nightmare, Alina,” he said finally. “Why do you keep lying to me when I can read you like an open book?”

I bit down lightly on my lower lip and looked away, suddenly very interested in the edge of the table instead of his eyes. My fingers loosened around the file as I reached for the breakfast instead, more out of need for distraction than hunger.

“I don’t like you seeing me like this,” I muttered under my breath. “So yes… I’m going to keep lying whenever you ask about it.”

Exhaling heavily, he reached forward, took the file from my hands without asking, and set it aside.

I didn’t argue.

Instead, I focused on the toast and coffee in front of me, taking slow bites while pretending not to feel his gaze still fixed on me.

***********

The rest of the day passed without much disruption.

By 8:00 p.m., I was already in the car, heading toward the club where I was supposed to meet Alex.

The necklace David had given me rested cold against my collarbone, a tracker hidden inside it.

I let out a slow breath as the car slowed near the entrance, leaned back against the seat for a moment, and closed my eyes as I replayed the plan in my head one more time.

When I was sure my thoughts were steady enough, I opened my eyes, pushed the door open, and stepped out.

Walking forward, hips swaying from the left to the right, I flashed my VIP card without breaking stride.

The guard checked it once, then stepped aside.

“Enjoy your night, ma’am.”

I didn’t respond. I just walked in.

The VIP section was louder, brighter, more chaotic in its own expensive way. I settled onto one of the lounges, letting my gaze slowly scan the room, searching through faces, laughter, drinks, movement…

Then I saw him.

West wing.

Alex.

Surrounded by women, too many to count properly, all leaning in, laughing, touching, competing for his attention.

My nose wrinkled in disgust before I could stop it.

I stood up and slowly made my way across the space, weaving through tables and bodies until I reached his booth. Just as I stepped forward, a hand stopped me.

Security.

“You can’t get in without a pass,” one of them said flatly, face unreadable.

I tilted my head slightly, studying him for a second, then let out a small, amused chuckle.

“Go and tell your boss,” I said smoothly, my voice carrying just enough confidence to make whatever nonsense I’m about to say believable, “that I’m willing to double the drinks on his table if he keeps me company for the night.”

David is definitely going to lecture me for gambling with my account balance later.

The security men in front of me let out short, amused chuckles.

“He doesn’t need your money,” one of them said with a mocking grin, waving a dismissive hand. “So shoo.”

I didn’t move.

Instead, I lifted my chin slightly, unbothered by their tone. “Maybe he doesn’t need my money,” I replied, “but what he does need is me sitting beside him tonight. And I promise you, he will not be happy to hear you sent me away.”

That made them pause.

The amusement in their faces shifted, their eyes narrowing as they studied me more carefully now.

One of them crossed his arms. “Do you even have an appointment with him?”

I smiled faintly, tilting my head.

“Why don’t you go and find out?” I rolled out. “Tell him Alina Voss is here to see him.”

They exchanged a quick glance, the mood changing instantly. One of them turned and disappeared into the booth, leaning down to whisper something into Alex’s ear.

Alex turned his head toward the entrance and I lifted my hand and gave him a slow, lazy wave, my smile small.

He stared, then said something to the guard.

Whatever it was, it sent the security man rushing back immediately.

He stopped in front of me, his earlier attitude gone.

“Well?” I asked lightly.

His eyes flicked over me once before he stepped aside.

“Today is your lucky day,” he muttered.