Chapter 33

An adrenaline high and a rush of emotional state. ‘‘I don’t get off on inflicting pain on women no, I like control and sometimes restraint, but I don’t believe in violently dominating an unmatched sex. Everything I do is consensual and relatively pain free, there is more pleasure in offered submission than taking what you want forcibly.’’ He says it so seriously. I have to laugh at the irony in that statement, coming from him. He sounds normal but there’s a slight look on his face that suggests he is brooding over a pissed off mood and maybe now is not the time to point out the complete contradiction to who he is in what he just said.

It is, however, completely blowing my mind; really uncommon in the rich and powerful, especially one who has a thing for BDSM and severe control issues. I am speechless and literally do not know what to say. Not what I envisioned of sinister sexy Alexi at all. Maybe he does have a touch of human decency in there somewhere.

‘‘Are you okay? Do you need me to have my doctor check you over?’’ He startles me with an even more unexpected question and now I know I must be dreaming.

Alexi concerned? I swear I have fallen into an alternate universe, blinking at him as though he has two heads and just shake my head at him, brushing my reaction from my face.

‘‘I am made of a lot tougher stuff than that, I have also bounced back from a lot worse. I’m not a withering flower Alexi; you can stop worrying I may keel over with dramatics.’’ I point out and smooth out my own attire one more time as though to prove the point. I would never admit that it has left me shaken and a tad fragile, but I am someone who will move on quickly. I don’t need weird mollycoddling from King Mafia over here.

Alexi seems to gaze for a long moment in silent thought. Unreadable as usual and I just dismiss overthinking it. He is good at scrutinising and making you feel like he has you under a microscope and I just stand taller and throw on a face that says ‘’I’m totally fine.’’

‘’Shall we?’’ He nods down the corridor after a moment, clearly letting it go for now, motioning we should leave and I agree with a practised smile.

‘‘What are you going to do to him?’’ I ask meekly changing the subject. He moves his hand extending an arm that hints I am supposed to take it and I obey modestly and silently. I don’t get why suddenly he’s being so chivalrous and almost—dare I say it—caring. I think Carrero must be drunker than I thought or maybe he really does think I am about to faint.

I slide my arm further so it fits snugly in the crook of his and nestle against his side, trying to ignore the sense of calm suddenly enveloping me. I don’t like it in any way shape or form, or that he has an ability to make me feel this way and once again put it down to the after-effects of mild trauma. He rescued me, therefore, I am obviously finding some safety in his presence, nothing more.

‘’I haven’t decided yet. I’ll wait till he’s sober and grovelling and use it to my advantage. I never got around to securing those favors but I guess now I have an angle and you can put your cleavage away again.’’ He smirks at the last part and I just roll my eyes at him.

Really loses all touch of humanity taking a cheap dig at a girl who has just been messed up and assaulted in a bathroom. I was wrong, Alexi is still a prick.

‘’Gee, thanks Dahling … Nice to get permission to pack away parts of my own body now you are done objectifying them for your own gain.’’ Sarcasm and dryness to my tone and I fall in step with him as we leave this hellhole behind. My face smarts but I have more than enough ability to act like it doesn’t. I am minorly pissed that he is making jokes already; if I was a lesser kind of girl I would be traumatised, sobbing and probably giving full on dramatics right now. He has no idea how lucky he is that I bounce back and get on with it in super pronto time.

‘‘I love the irony. Seeing as you sold girls for sex to support yourself for the last two years.’’ He looks serious, combative over my statement and I just glare right back.

‘’Women cannot objectify women. I just gave them an offer they couldn’t refuse. You however, just tell me what to do and spit your dummy out if I don't. You just got me into a position where I couldn’t control the outcome. YOU are the one who just put me in danger.’’ I point out boldly and lift my chin at him defiantly. Not about to back down over this topic at all!

Alexi at least has the grace to shrug and nod, he knows he cannot argue with that. If it had been on my terms and left to be manoeuvred my way then it would never have gone the way it did. You do not work a sex-starved creep into some sort of wild frenzy within minutes of meeting them; you take it slow and win them over emotionally first.

‘’You’re right, and I apologise. It won’t happen again.’’ Still effortlessly deadpan and I just follow his lead as we walk, dropping something I do not want to talk about anymore.