Chapter 18 I Want You

"Father," Jim froze for a mere two seconds, his eyes filled with confusion.

"You're getting out of hand, boy," Alpha Devon stated dryly, his imposing figure obstructing the light from behind the door.

"How dare you lay a hand on a woman who belongs to me?" Alpha Devon pulled me closer to him, his gaze fixed on Jim. "She is mine, do you understand?"

Jim winced, his defiance momentarily waning in the face of Alpha Devon's overpowering presence. He clenched his fists, displaying a hint of rebellion.

If he persists with this attitude, Alpha Devon will tear him apart. It was evident that my master was now consumed by anger.

"Father!" Jim locked eyes with Alpha Devon. "Why must you have this slave? You used to grant me whatever I desired when I was with you!"

"That was in the past," Alpha Devon retorted, regarding his stepson as if he were a stranger.

"You even discarded my mother for her!"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Alpha Devon sneered at his stepson. "Who do you think you are to speak to me in this manner?"

Alpha Devon snarled and lunged at Jim, seizing him by the throat with one hand and pinning him forcefully against the wall.

I stifled my tears, my hand covering my mouth in shock and despair.

Jim was gasping for breath as Alpha Devon choked him, his face turning red, his eyes wide with helplessness against the overwhelming power of Alpha Devon.

Jim's life hung in the balance, on the verge of suffocation if Alpha Devon didn't release his grip.

"Don't... kill me..." Jim pleaded in a barely audible voice.

Just a moment later, Alpha Devon let go. Jim's body slid down the wall slowly, collapsing onto his knees with his hands clutching his chest, struggling to catch his breath.

"Go home, boy," Alpha Devon spoke coldly to his stepson. "Return to your mother."

In the hotel room, Alpha Devon had removed his coat and now stood before me, dressed in a crisp white shirt. The contours of his well-defined muscles were visible beneath the fabric, and an aura of lingering anger still surrounded him.

After the tumultuous scene, he led me to a presidential suite in the hotel where we had dined.

Alpha Devon settled onto a luxurious black leather sofa, a glass of whiskey on the rocks in his hand. He took a sip, his gaze fixed on me as he posed a question.

"So, what is your relationship with Jim, and why does he persistently bother you?"

"We attended training school together, and he pursued me, but I rejected his advances," I responded truthfully.

"Are you truly just regular classmates?" he inquired.

"Yes, Master," I replied, bowing my head and standing before him with a sense of captivity.

"Did you ever have any feelings for him?" he questioned further.

"No," I answered truthfully. I had never harbored any affection for Jim, the arrogant and irritable individual. Whenever we crossed paths at the training school, I made sure to keep my distance.

"Has he ever approached you privately?" Alpha Devon pressed on.

"No," I responded without hesitation. "We have never met privately."

I felt relieved that I had reacted swiftly enough. If Alpha Devon had detected even a hint of hesitation, he would have sensed that I was concealing something from him.

Alpha Devon possessed sharp intuition and an unwavering determination to uncover the truth behind any suspicion. I did not want to find myself under his scrutiny.

After a few moments of silence, he downed his glass in one gulp. I heard the sound of the wine glass cracking against the tabletop.

That meant he was still angry.

"Come here," he commanded.

As I approached his side, he pushed my hand away. Without warning, my body fell into his broad, comforting embrace.

I rested against his chest, and he lowered his head, his gaze penetrating deeply into mine. In his impossibly attractive, emerald eyes, I glimpsed a twinkle reminiscent of stars.

By the light of the stars, I caught sight of my own reflection.

The warm breath escaping his nostrils, mixed with the scent of whiskey, drifted down my neck and into my nose. He placed one hand on my back and the other on my chest.

His lips were near my ear, and he spoke to me in a soft voice, "Tell me, have you ever had feelings for me?"

His hand, which had glided over my dress, gently rested on my breast, causing my breathing to become labored. His large hands explored my body like flickering flames, leaving a burning sensation with each touch.

Why does my body respond only to him? Why?

"Tell me the truth, girl," he urged.

I clenched my teeth, hoping not to fall instantly into his trap. Why are you asking me this? Why should I care about who I have feelings for?

The physical surrender might be seen as a transaction, but he desired more. He not only wanted my body, but also my soul.

"You claimed you didn't care about the answer," I gasped in a last attempt to resist.

"Now I do." His fingers traced circles up and down my abdomen, and the warmth from his touch sent waves of pleasure through my lower abdomen.

"If you refuse to give me an answer, I will punish you severely." "Answer me, girl," he said, lightly pinching my inner thigh.

I bit my bottom lip, and my insides burned like fire. I reminded myself over and over again not to tell the truth, because in this game, the first man to give his heart is a lost cause.

"What about you? Do you like me?" I gathered courage from his demeanor to ask.

"You said you'd give me half a day's freedom, and I can't be your slave until the end of the day." My legs were wrapped around his waist, and I looked him straight in the eye. "You answer my question, and I'll give you my answer."

"Interesting," he replied with amusement. "My girl is getting smart."

"Do you like me?" I asked, using the exact words.

He simply looked at me, his green eyes calm like bottomless lakes. I couldn't see beyond the depth of those green eyes.

He smelled dangerous and alluring, and I couldn't resist wanting to draw closer, but I was afraid that if I did, I would fall into the abyss.

"Yes..." He brushed my hair back from my ears with his hand, and his calm eyes shimmered in a rare way.

"I like you, girl. The closer I get to you, the more I like you," he confessed. "Like crazy."

I felt my breath catch. What had he just said?