𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐁𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄 | ✎

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟔

No matter how angry I seem to be at him, though, I can't deny the fact that he always looks like a piece of art. The way he moves, the way he talks slowly and crisply, the way his blue eyes capture me every time—all of that is enough to make even the strongest woman fall to their knees.

"Good morning. How'd you sleep, Princess?" Alex asks, and I catch him staring at the gauze wrapped around my hand, making me wonder if he had anything to do with my injury.

Choosing to remain stubborn as I always am, I deliver a sharp glare in his direction. "Good," I say bitterly, "because I didn't dream about you at all."

The bodyguard's head cocks teasingly to the side. Moving forward, he towers over me, forcing my back against the wall. "That's a surprise. You were definitely on my mind when I was resting. Then again, maybe I need to be in your bed instead," he whispers slyly.

With a look of surprise, I gasped softly at his words. My heartbeat starts to rise, and my breath catches in my throat. I wasn't expecting him to be that bold, but a mischievous smile still forms on my lips.

"I'm not sure if I'll let you have me just yet," I answer, teasingly running my fingers through his hair. "And if you really want to make me feel better, you could go ahead and give me some ice cream."

Alex's expression softens, and he leans closer. "Anything for you," he says with a slight chuckle that makes it hard for me to stay mad at him.

I nod my head in the direction of the kitchen, which is down the corridor to the left. The only thing that could possibly soothe my hangover is a nice scoop of strawberry ice cream, and I want Alex to walk me there.

He gently takes my injured hand, making sure he doesn't squeeze it too hard. "Is your palm feeling better?" he inquires softly, his lips making contact with my skin.

For a moment, I stay frozen in place as his words fill every inch of my body with pleasure. His lips against my hand feel so intimate and tender, and his teasing smile is like kryptonite to every ounce of resistance within me.

I can't hold back my appreciation anymore. Alex always knows how to make me feel better, even when I thought I hated him the most. "Ice cream it is," I sigh, leaning my head against his shoulder as we make our way through the hallway.

It feels like I'm wrapped in a warm blanket, shielded from the outside world and all its stresses. Whenever Alex is with me, I feel like everything is going to be okay.

But before we can even reach the end of the hallway, we happen to pass by the guest bedroom Ava sleeps in, and the noise of a bed creaking coming from inside causes me to stop in my tracks.

What the hell?

"You hear that too, right?" I murmur, turning to face Alex, who nods and also has the same confused expression on his face.

The strange rocking noises coming from the other side of the door seem to grow louder with each passing second. I have no idea why Ava would be making these kinds of noises in the first place, but I can't help but feel increasingly concerned the more I listen.

Walking closer to the door, the sound of heavy breathing catches me off guard. Alex and I exchange suspicious looks, and if anything, I'm glad we're on the same page here.

Together, we slowly open the door. While it may seem weird, Ava isn't supposed to bring guests to her bedroom. Especially with all that's happening now. But my eyes widen when the person in her bed appears not to be a stranger at all.