The Shelby’s tires squeaked against the smooth, painted concrete of the underground parking garage—the exact same high-security facility where Alexander had picked her up during their last encounter.

A few spaces away, Victoria was already waiting She was flanked by four heavily armed security personnel whose rigid stances and top-tier tactical gear screamed high-level professionalism.

As Alexander closed the distance, his sharp ears picked up the tail end of a heated argument Victoria was facing her father, Joseph Kingsley The older man’s face was etched with deep lines of stress, but the moment his eyes locked onto Alexander’s approaching frame, his expression flattened into an iron mask He raised a single finger, signaling the young agent to step into the inner circle.

"Protect my daughter" said Joseph, his deep voice carrying the weight of a command that brooked no argument. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Without waiting for a reply or giving Victoria a chance to fire back, Joseph turned on his heel, climbed into the rear of the pristine Rolls-Royce, and took off The four armed guards moved with him, the luxury vehicle gliding out of the underground lot and leaving a heavy, tense silence in its wake.

Victoria snapped her head toward Alexander, her eyes flashing with a volatile mixture of anger and frustration.

"Follow me" said Victoria, her tone sharp enough to cut glass.

She turned and led the way toward the private elevator complex that ascended directly into her luxury penthouse As they walked up the final set of wide, modern architectural steps, Alexander stayed exactly one pace behind her, his professional mask firmly in place Yet, his dark, hyper-focused gaze couldn’t help but track the violent, hypnotic sway of her full, prominent ass right in front of him She was wearing a tight, backless black silk designer dress that meticulously accentuated every single dangerous curve of her body, leaving nothing to the imagination.

The moment they stepped through the threshold of her sprawling apartment, the heavy security door clicked shut Victoria immediately kicked off her high heels and let herself fall back onto the expansive velvet sofa, burying her face in her hands.

"Dammit... idiots... bastards!!" shrieked Victoria, her voice echoing off the high, minimalist ceilings as she let out a furious scream.

Alexander didn’t utter a single syllable He merely adjusted his cuffs and stood perfectly straight beside the entrance of the living area, his posture rigid, his expression unreadable as he maintained a flawless, detached professional demeanor.

Noticing his lack of a reaction, Victoria pulled her hands away from her face, her lips twisting into a sharp, irritated grimace The sheer, petulant attitude of a spoiled, high-society princess radiated from her entire posture, but Alexander didn’t blink, his imposing frame remaining as still as a statue.

"I heard from a highly placed associate of mine that you’re currently having some major issues with the Sinclair family..." said Victoria, her voice dropping into a dangerous, calculating purr as she leaned forward on the sofa. "And I also happen to know that you’re running around with Reaper Tell me the truth, kid... are you actually anywhere near as good as he is, or do I need to bypass you and hire him directly to handle my security?".

Victoria stood up, her bare feet gliding silently across the polished hardwood floorboards as she closed the distance between them She stopped mere inches from his chest, tilting her head up to look into his cold, dark eyes before she slowly raised her hand, pressing a single, manicured finger firmly against his sternum.

"I am exactly as competent as you require me to be, Madam" said Alexander, his deep voice dropping into a smooth, mechanical cadence that carried an undeniable undercurrent of control. "Order it, and it will be done".

"You are no fun at all, you know that?" asked Victoria, her finger lingering against his chest as she let out a sharp, frustrated sigh.

Alexander didn’t move a single muscle, his expression remaining locked in that same rigid, stony mask.

"I order you to act normal" said Victoria, rolling her eyes as she took a half-step back, crossing her arms over her chest. "Drop the act and stop being a goddamn G.I. Joe, will you?".

The sheer absurdity of the contrast between her petulant attitude and the lethal world he had been navigating all morning finally broke through his focus A low, genuine chuckle escaped Alexander’s lips as his shoulders relaxed, the stiff military posture instantly evaporating into a smooth, dangerous confidence.

"I don’t exactly have a lot of experience dealing with women as incredibly rich and powerful as you, Madam" said Alexander, a subtle, dark smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. "I just really didn’t want to fuck things up".

"Well, at least now I know how you actually talk" said Victoria, her sharp eyes scanning the sudden change in his demeanor with a flicker of genuine amusement. "So tell me... would you do me a favor?".

"That depends entirely on the favor" said Alexander, his deep voice smooth and steady. "And exactly how much I stand to gain from doing it".

"Is money seriously the only thing you care about?" asked Victoria, tilting her head as she looked at him with a mix of disdain and curiosity.

"It’s not everything" said Alexander, stepping slightly closer until the heavy, intoxicating scent of her perfume filled his lungs. "But it definitely takes up a massive amount of space in my mind".

"Oh, really?" asked Victoria, her voice dropping into a soft, teasing purr as she looked up through her lashes. "And what exactly occupies the rest of the space in that head of yours?".

Alexander didn’t bother answering with words Moving with a fluid movement, he closed the remaining distance, wrapping his large, heavily vascular arm securely around her narrow waist and pulling her tight against his chest Her breath caught sharply in her throat as his dark gaze locked onto hers.

"Your body" said Alexander, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly whisper that vibrated right against her skin. "I haven’t been able to stop looking at it since the exact second I walked through that door".