Chapter 13: The Way He Looks at Her
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Amara didn’t move.
Not immediately.
His hand was still on her waist.
Firm.
Possessive.
Like it belonged there.
And somehow… she wasn’t pushing it away.
That was the problem.
“You should let go,” she said softly.
But there was no strength behind it.
No real resistance.
Alexander’s gaze stayed on her.
Dark.
Unreadable.
“Should I?” he asked.
Her heart skipped.
Why did that sound like a challenge?
“Yes,” she replied, a little firmer this time.
A pause.
Then slowly—
His hand loosened.
But it didn’t disappear completely.
His fingers lingered just slightly before finally letting go.
And even after—
She could still feel the warmth.
“You’re letting this go too far,” Amara said, stepping back just enough to breathe properly.
“Am I?” he asked calmly.
“Yes.”
A silence followed.
Then—
“You stepped closer first,” he reminded her.
Her breath caught.
“That was different.”
“How?”
She opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Because she didn’t have an answer.
Or maybe—
She didn’t want to say it out loud.
“This isn’t what we agreed on,” she said instead.
Alexander took a step toward her again.
Slow.
Deliberate.
“And yet,” he said quietly, “you’re still here.”
Her chest tightened.
“Because I have to be.”
His gaze dropped briefly.
To her lips.
Then back to her eyes.
“No,” he said. “Not like this.”
That sent a strange feeling through her.
Unfamiliar.
Unsettling.
Real.
Before she could respond, music from inside shifted.
Slower.
Softer.
A different mood entirely.
Alexander extended his hand toward her.
“Dance with me.”
Amara blinked.
“That’s not necessary.”
“It is.”
Her brows furrowed slightly. “Since when?”
“Since people are watching.”
Of course.
Always a reason.
Always a role.
Amara looked at his hand for a moment.
Then placed hers in it.
“Fine.”
Inside, the dance floor had filled.
Couples moved together in slow, controlled motions.
Elegant.
Measured.
Just like everything else in his world.
Alexander pulled her closer.
One hand at her waist.
The other holding hers.
Amara tried to focus.
Tried to keep it together.
But it was impossible.
Because this—
This was different.
Too close.
Too intimate.
Her body reacted before her mind could stop it.
Her hand rested lightly against his shoulder.
Her steps matching his without effort.
Like she was already used to this.
Used to him.
“You’re tense,” he murmured.
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
She exhaled softly. “Maybe it’s because you keep saying things you shouldn’t.”
“Like what?”
“Like ‘you’re mine.’”
His grip tightened slightly.
“Does that bother you?”
“Yes.”
A pause.
“Why?”
Amara hesitated.
Because it shouldn’t matter.
Because it was just a contract.
Because none of this was real.
But—
“It doesn’t feel like part of the act,” she admitted quietly.
The truth settled between them.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
Alexander didn’t respond immediately.
Instead, he pulled her slightly closer.
If that was even possible.
Her breath caught again.
“That’s because it isn’t,” he said.
Her heart stuttered.
“What?”
His eyes locked on hers.
Sharp.
Intense.
“I don’t say things I don’t mean.”
The world around them faded.
The music.
The people.
The noise.
All of it disappeared.
Because of that one sentence.
“Then stop,” she whispered.
But her voice betrayed her.
It wasn’t firm.
It wasn’t convincing.
It sounded like a plea.
For him to stop.
Or maybe—
For him not to.
Before either of them could say anything else—
Applause broke through the moment.
The song ended.
Reality rushed back in.
Too fast.
Too loud.
Amara stepped back immediately.
Creating distance.
Needing it.
Because if she stayed any longer—
She wasn’t sure what she would do.
“I need some air,” she said quickly.
And this time—
She didn’t wait.
She walked away.
Leaving him standing there.
Watching her go.
Again.
But this time, his expression wasn’t unreadable.
It was something else.
Something deeper.
Something dangerous.
Because for the first time—
Alexander Kane wasn’t in control.
And that changed everything.
- Writer
