Ruthless Alpha, and his Curvy Saint-Chapter 57

Lord Merrick’s POV

She stirred, her eyes fluttering open with confusion.

"Where..." She looked around the unfamiliar room, her gaze finally landing on me. "What happened?"

I said nothing, just stared at her, letting her orient herself.

It took about thirty seconds.

Memory returned to her eyes - the study, the almost-kiss, running to tell the Alpha, our confrontation in the corridor.

Then the fear.

But Sera, to her credit or detriment, was nothing if not consistent.

The fear lasted maybe five seconds before her expression transformed into something that was clearly meant to be seductive.

"Did you bring me here to silence me?" she asked, her voice dropping to what she probably thought was a sultry purr. She sat up slowly, the movement making her wince from her head injury but apparently not enough to stop her. "You’ll have to do more than stand there staring if you want to accomplish that."

I stared at her, genuinely baffled by her tactics.

"Have you worked in a whorehouse before?" I asked.

Her face flushed with anger. "What? How dare you..."

"Because you act like a cheap, desperate whore," I continued calmly. "And I want to make sure I’m not missing some crucial context that would explain this behavior."

"I am not a..."

"Unfortunately for you, I prefer my whores expensive, delicate, and soft." I let my gaze travel over her deliberately. "You are none of those things."

Sera looked down at herself - at her slim figure, her appearance, all the features she’d been taught to believe were desirable.

"I’m not delicate?" she asked, confusion mixing with anger. "Not soft?" 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"You’re about as delicate as a battle axe and half as subtle." I moved closer. "Now, shall we discuss why you’re actually here?"

"To be kept quiet?" she tried again, but her voice had lost its earlier confidence.

I laughed out mockingly. "Is that what you expected? That I’d brought you here for some dramatic seduction? Some forbidden encounter to stop you from talking?" I shook my head. "I brought you here because I wanted to speak with you the moment you woke up. And now that you’re awake, I’m going to make myself extremely clear."

I leaned down, bringing my face level with hers.

"Nothing happened in the library," I said, each word deadly and cold. "You didn’t see anything. There was no moment of intimacy, nothing worth reporting to anyone."

"But I did see..."

"You. Saw. Nothing." I straightened. "And if I hear even a whisper of gossip about what you think you saw - whether you’re the one spreading it or not - I will kill you first. Then your father. Then your sister. And I will move on with my life as if nothing happened. Because nothing did happen."

Sera’s face had gone pale.

"You can’t threaten me like..."

"I’m not threatening you," I corrected. "I’m explaining consequences. There’s a difference."

She stood abruptly, her face flushed with anger and humiliation.

"Threats don’t work on me," she declared, though her voice shook slightly.

I was done with this mosquito of a woman.

In one smooth motion, I grabbed her arm and hauled her toward the door. She stumbled, tried to pull away, but I had leverage and strength and absolutely zero patience remaining.

I opened the door and literally threw her out into the corridor.

She caught herself against the opposite wall, turning to glare at me with murder in her eyes.

"You’ll regret this," she spat.

"I doubt it." I started to close the door. "Oh, and Sera? You’re dismissed from dinner tonight. I suggest you stay in your actual room and think very carefully about your choices."

I shut the door in her face.

Her outraged scream was muffled but satisfying.

One problem handled. Several more to go.

Time to prepare for dinner.

Where apparently I’d now have to contend with not just my brother trying to steal my potential mate, but also some lovesick fool who’d tracked her through hell and back.

*****

Angel’s POV

I was so absorbed in The Immense Pleasures of Gloria that I completely lost track of time.

Gloria had just met Lorenzo - a charming rogue who was devastatingly hot and handsome. They were having dinner, and his hand had just brushed hers across the table, sending shivers down her spine that she didn’t understand.

"The touch of his fingers against her skin made something low in her belly tighten with unfamiliar heat..."

My own belly was doing strange things as I read.

I understood exactly what Gloria was feeling. Had felt it myself when Uriel was near. When Merrick had almost kissed me in the study.

"She wanted him closer. Wanted to understand what this feeling meant, why she suddenly wanted to be touched down there..."

"Angel!"

I jumped, the book nearly flying from my hands.

Lyra stood in the doorway, already dressed for dinner in a simple but elegant gown, her expression amused.

"It’s time for dinner," she said. "And judging by how red your face is, you’ve definitely gotten to the good parts."

My face burned hotter. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Sure you don’t." She grinned. "Come on. Hide your scandalous literature and let’s go eat."

I quickly tucked the book under my pillow - not the best hiding place, but it would do - and stood, smoothing down my dress.

The blue one from earlier. Still beautiful. Still made me feel like someone worth looking at.

We made our way to the dining room together, and I tried very hard not to think about what Gloria and Lorenzo were probably doing in the Chapters I hadn’t read yet.

Tried and failed woefully.

The dining room was already filling with people when we arrived. Warriors finding their seats, servants bringing out trays of food, the smell of roasted meat and fresh bread making my stomach growl.

Merrick stood near the head of the table, looking impossibly handsome in formal evening attire. His eyes found me immediately, lighting up in a way that made my traitorous heart skip.

He crossed the room in long strides.

"Angel," he said warmly, offering his arm. "Allow me to escort you to your seat."

I took his arm, hyperaware of his warmth, his scent, the way his hand covered mine where it rested in the crook of his elbow.

He led me toward the head table, toward the seat next to his.

I was just about to sig when someone called out.

"Angel!"

I froze.

That voice.

I turned slowly...

Who... is that not Harland? Hawkin’s son?

He stood near the entrance, his eyes wide and disbelieving as they locked onto me.

"Angel!" he said again, his voice cracking with emotion.

Then he was moving, rushing toward me with the kind of desperate speed that suggested he was afraid I might disappear if he didn’t reach me fast enough.

He crashed into me - there was no other word for it - his arms wrapping around me so tightly I could barely breathe, his face buried in my hair.