3. Angel

“What is this bullshit that I got you pregnant?” Alekos snarls.

I want to explain, but he keeps barking at me. “Did you tell anyone about this besides the receptionist?”

I shake my head.

“Good. Because if rumors of me getting a Duke’s daughter pregnant appear in the press, I will kill you!”

I have no doubt he will.

“And now I have to look for a new receptionist.”

I blink. “But why?”

“Because she saw your face. I don’t want to start a war with the Dukes.”

I groan. I should have thought about that.

“Look, I am not here to cause you any trouble.” Alekos doesn’t look convinced. “I only said that because it was the only way to make the receptionist tell you I was looking for you. And please don’t fire her.”

He relaxes but still keeps me caged with his body. “What do you want?” His tone is cold and harsh.

I lower my gaze. Even if he is wearing a shirt, I can see the contour of his well defined muscles. Has he been hitting the gym? “I need your help.”

I wait for him to say something, but he is quiet. Then my gaze finds his, and he laughs. “You are asking for my help? I never thought I would live to see the day.”

I might have told him during our big fight that he is a narcissist that only thinks of himself and that I will never need anything from him.

“What makes you think I want to help you?” he sneers.

Why indeed?

But based on what I have read about him on the internet and the photos I have seen of him and of many women, I know what Alekos loves—sex. All Lords do.

The things I have to do to get out of the city. To get away from Carlos.

I straighten my back, and in a steady voice, I say, “Because I still have the one thing you wanted from me, and I never gave it to you.”

He narrows his eyes. “What thing?”

Is he serious?

I have never been a shy person, but saying it out loud makes me embarrassed.

Alekos is waiting, and I can tell he is one second away from throwing me out of the office.

“My virginity,” I mutter.

I was a freshman in high school when I met Alekos. He was a junior and one of the popular guys, while I was the shy nerd. But somehow, we clicked together. There had never been anything romantic between us. Not because we didn’t like each other in that way, but because the Lords and the Dukes don’t mingle together. And while the high school was a mixed one, and we could have dated each other in secret, I said no to him when he asked me out. I was afraid of what my father would do if he ever found out about Alekos. He barely let me attend that high school anyways. He only agreed because Salma, my ex best friend, also went to the same high school.

When I was in my sophomore year, Alekos told me he was in love with me and that not being with me was torture. I wanted to say yes, I wanted to be his girlfriend and be free to love him, but once again, I said no to him.

Alekos and I were supposed to be enemies, not love each other.

And by then, Carlos had already started to pay more attention to me, and I was scared something would happen to Alekos if anyone found out. So, I buried my feelings for him deep inside my heart.

Soon after my second rejection, Alekos stopped talking to me. It hurt. It hurt so much that I cried for weeks. Then he betrayed me in the worst way possible.

He lowers his eyes to my chest—his gaze unimpressed.

I am one of those girls that don’t have big boobs. It always made me self-conscious, especially in high school, when boys had eyes only for girls with great bodies. Alekos liked them too.

“You know, Angel, you are still the same bitch I met in high school. What makes you think I am interested in fucking you when I can have any woman I want?”

I should have guessed he is attracted only to women that actually have tits and an ass to grab onto. But I am not ready to give up. Not yet, at least. “Because I remember a time when you would have done anything to get me undressed.”

His eyes keep roaming my body, inspecting me like I am up for sale, making me feel like I am not good enough for him. The women that usually appear with him in the photos are blond, tall, and beautiful. I am nothing like that. But he could at least try to hide his disgust a little more.

Fucking Alekos! I should have known better than to ask the help of a Lord.

“Sorry to break it to you, Angel, but I am not interested in fucking you. Nor helping you.” He turns his back to me and heads over to his desk. “Close the door behind you.”

My shoulders drop. I had one chance, and I blew it. A lump forms in my throat. “I see.” I grip the strap of my purse hard. My nails dig into my palm. “I had hoped that you would help me. But I see now I was wrong.” I turn on my heels, my fingers wrapping around the doorknob. Before I turn it to the right, I let out a cry of defeat. “I hope Carlos de la Torre won’t torture me before killing me. Pain is not my thing.”

Alekos lets out a loud growl, startling me. In the blink of an eye, he is upon me, his chest glued to my back, his hand gripping my wrist, preventing me from leaving.

“What. Did. You. Say?” he clips in my ear.

I almost forgot about Carlos killing Nikolas Raptou, Alekos’ father, about a year ago. Carlos claimed it was an accident, but the Lords did not buy it. Dead from one side and the other did not take long to appear in the city after Nikolas’ death. Alekos might claim he doesn’t want to start another war between the Dukes and the Lords, but it had been Carlos that did that ten months ago.

“None of your business. You said you are not interested in helping me.” When he doesn’t let go of me, I say, “I wish to leave.”

He spins me around, his hands grabbing my shoulders hard. My purse falls next to me. “What the fuck did you say about Carlos de la Torre?”

Why does he act like he suddenly cares?

His hate for Carlos is so palpable that it feels as though the temperature has dropped inside the office. For a moment, his eyes flash red. Probably some trick of the light or my imagination playing tricks on me.

“Tell me. Now!” he orders me when I fall silent.

I sigh. “My father has arranged a marriage between Carlos and me. But I can’t, I won’t marry him. You know what he does to women.”

Shock registers on his face, but he schools his features a second later. “So, you came to me and hoped that by letting me fuck you, I would protect you from that sadist.” He sounds disgusted. Maybe I should have thought this through better.