Rivera’s breath caught in her throat as Alejandro pressed the cold barret of the gun against her skin


    Her entire body froze, fear coiling like a serpent around her chest. She looked up into his eyes–dark, cold, and terrifyingly amused.


    Alejandro piled as he stared at the woman beneath him. However, it was not with warmth and not with charm, but with the kind of maddened satisfaction one would wear after finding a new game to y. A distraction<b>. </b>A toy because that was what she was.


    “Ah,” he whispered, eyes glittering “That’s the look. That delicious mix of fear and confusion, I was wondering when you’d finally show me something


    She flinched as his finger brushed her cheek, mockingly tender. “You son, hivers, I was getting bored. Every day, the same people, the same problems, the same pathetic excuses for threats. But you…” He chuckled slowly. “You came right along and decided to stab me in the neck to get my attention


    “I didn’t want your attention” Nivera retorted.


    “Well congrattions, you got it, and darling, you just might be my favorite chaos. Mine to ruin.”


    Her pulse roared in her ears, <b>and </b>she gulped in fear. There was nothing she wouldn’t give <b>to </b>go back and rewind time.


    Then, without warning he leaned back and began to untie the ropes around her wrists.


    She blinked, stunned by the sudden shift. His touch was gentle now. Careful


    You have a bruise on your cheek,” he murmured, his voice low and unreadable. Did he go for with you?”


    Nivera blinked again. That voice… it <b>didn’t </b>match the man who had just threatened her with a gun. It was almost… sot. Genuinely concerned.


    <b>Nivera </b>hesitated, shrinking into hersell. She didn’t want to talk about it. She couldn’t.


    “I don’t want to talk about it,” she muttered, but Alejandro wasn’t having it.


    His hand stopped mid–motion, his gaze pinning her in ce like a predator watching prey. “I won’t <b>ask </b>again, <b>Nivera</b>,” he said, the edge of his smile gene reced by low.


    “You don’t <b>get </b><b>to </b>keep that information from me. <b>Not </b>when I saved your life. You’re <b>going </b>to tell me exactly what he did, or <b>leave </b>you tied to this bed till you do.”


    Her eyes widened in horror as she knew he would do it.


    “He he punched me,” she blurted, her <b>voice </b>shaking, “Called me names… said I was his, and I had no right to say no. He touched me, tried to her throat closed, and she looked away, swallowing down the bile rising.


    “Hm,” Alejandro responded tly, as he already understood what she couldn’t say. He then finished untying her.


    Just that. A ham.


    It seemed like he didn’t care, but Nivera wasn’t fooled. She saw his jaw clenched<b>, </b>and something violent flickered behind his eyes. There was a storm brewing–and she wondered if it was aimed at Nathaniel or her


    “Get dressed,” he ordered after a moment, <b>rising </b>to his feet. “<b>You </b>have five minutes.”


    Then he was gone, the door shutting behind him.


    Nivera slowly sat up, wrapping the nket fighter around her trembling body. Her fingers shook as she touched her bruised cheek, the sting barely noticeablepared to the ache lodged deep in her chest.


    She forced herself to stand, her legs weak<b>, </b>and quickly got dressed,


    However, no amount of clothing could wash away the disgust crawling beneath her skin.


    She nced toward the bed, bille rising again as she imagined what would’ve happened il Mejando hadn’te. If his timing had been a sete. She shuddered.


    He saved me, the thought, if he came, he can’t be that bad…sight?


    But then she remembered the gun. The smirk. The threat. He was way worse, but still, he had saved her


    Her thoughts were broken by the sound of his voice echoing from the other room. “Three minutes left, Nivers. Don’t test i


    Yep, he was way worse.


    Heart pounding, she scrambled for thest of her clothes and shoes, slipping them on in haste before stepping ont


    Her steps faltered immediately as two meny unconscious on the floor, and a smear of blood trailed toward the door–but the source was nowhere to


    be <b>seen</b>.


    Alejandro stood a few feet away, nonchntly speaking on the phone, <b>as </b>if none of it fared him. Was that why he was bleeding?


    When he saw her, he ended the call with a simple, “<b>Handle </b>it,” before slipping the phone into his pocket.


    “Follow me,” he said.


    Nivera’s eyes lingered on the blood. “W<b>–</b>What about them?” she asked, gesturing toward the men on the floor.


    Alejandro nced over his shoulder, then smiled with mock sweetness. “They live. Unfortunately. Do you want to join them!” He then asked


    Without waiting for her answer, he turned and started walking, leaving her to trail behind, jaw clenched shut.


    They stopped into the <b>elevator </b>and descended in silence. Alejandro received another call midway through and answered it in his usual calm, collected tone, leaving Nivera to bask in her thoughts.


    When they reached the lobby, <b>a </b>thought hit her like a bolt.


    “My bags,” she said quickly. “Where are they?” She couldn’t <b>afford </b>for anything to happen to them, as they contained her passport, her cards, and the <b>cash </b>she needed, not forgetting her phone.


    Alejandro didn’t even look at her, nor did <b>he </b>acknowledge the question. He just walked past, ignoring herpletely


    She red at the back of his head in disbelief. “Asshole,” she muttered under her breath, not daring to say it out loud.


    Outside, he opened the car door for her<b>, </b>and she hesitated, eyeing the interior like it was the <b>devil’s </b>den,


    And maybe it was.


    Alejandro cocked his head, mildly amused. “Need I remind you,” he said, tapping the side of his jacket, “that I still have <b>a </b>gun?”


    That was more than enough to get Nivera into the car without another word


    The <b>door </b>mmed <b>shut </b>behind her, and he circled to the driver’s side. As he slid in and started the engine, Nivera stared out the window, he thoughts spiraling


    Her gaze flicked to him his face was tense, ps pressed into a thin line, brows furrowed.


    Nathaniel had been scared of him. That said a lot<b>, </b>as she had never seen the proud and arrogant man scared of anything or anyone.


    Garcia… That name.


    She’d heard it before. More than once, In whispers. In warnings. In her father’s rants, t what were they about the printered, and suddenly, it at clicked


    The Garcias. The most powerful family in the country–some said the world. Rumored to own presidents, handws, a


    Ruthless. Gods among fien–at least that was what she had heard about them


    Her father had hated them, despised how they built empires no one dared challenge as they got rid of those who crossed them wit


    And she’d stabbed one. Her eyes widened, almost popping out of their sockets.


    Holy shit!


    She hadn’t just messed with a rich heir. She had messed with a Garcia. It all made sense as to why he wasn’t bothered when she had teetened his the police.


    He had them at the palm of his hand, and he knew nothing was going to happen to him.


    Nivera’s heart pounded as realization settled in her bones.


    She was in the devil’s car, and the devil was driving her to her doom.


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