Filed to story: The Billionaire Alpha’s Contract Lover by Caesar Erickson
The manager led us to a quiet table in the corner. Ile pulled out our chairs and then handed us menus.
Jackson took a menu and looked over it. “What would you like to eat?”
“I’m not hungry, actually. Please go ahead without me.”
My appetite had been steadily declining, as was normal for people in the end stages of heart failure.
Thankfully, Jackson didn’t say anything or try to force me to eat. He just casually ordered a few things.
After the manager took our menus and left, Jackson picked up the water next to him and poured a gla*s for me.
Even with our hor rible past and the current situation, he was still the epitome of perfect manners, ever the gracious host. He hadn’t changed at all. He had always been different from the other children in the orphanage.
Silent, quiet, and polite. His responses were always measured, as if he was always thinking about all possible outcomes before speaking. Always the best grades, and always the biggest and strongest. He didn’t encourage any conflicts, but he never shied away from them.
It came as no surprised that he was an Alpha. He’d always been one, even before he or anyone else knew who he really was.
Jackson frowned when he saw the light in Taya’s eyes turn dark.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked.
“Just something I saw online.”
Jackson raised an eyebrow and waited for her to share.
Taya said in a low voice, “The Man Who Dumped His Girlfriend When He Found Success.”
“Ms. Palmer, you’re not talking about me, are you?”
Taya didn’t reply, just picked up her gla*s and took a sip of water.
Jackson was starting to feel a little suspicious that what he had investigated was wrong, but…he really couldn’t remember her.
However, when he’d seen her slumped against the steering wheel last night, when he’d looked at her lying in his bed, so frail and weak… His wolf had pawed at him, and his heart had cracked.
Whatever he was feeling was authentic. It made him uncomfortable, but it was there nonetheless. Was what Taya said before true?
He stared right in her eyes. “Were you really my girlfriend before?”
“No, I’m lying to you.” Taya denied it quickly and looked away.
Something that felt a lot like disappointment settled over him. “Why did you lie?”
“I want to marry into a rich and powerful family.”
I shrugged and met Jackson’s gaze again.
He’d asked the question to test if I remembered my warning.
He would probably kick me again if I answered or explained as truthfully as before.
When we’d seen Griffon, I’d panicked, not wanting Jackson to know how I really knew Griffon.
I figured my answer earlier would suffice for both Alphas and their needs regarding my past with them.
Something crossed Jackson’s face right now as I lied about our past and what I’d wanted from him.
“Do you still want to attach yourself to me now?” he growled out lowly.
“I’m not worthy of you,” I replied unemotionally.
He was testing me.
Jackson curled his l*p in a snarl, shoving his wolf’s ire down at Taya’s response.
He didn’t even know why he’d asked her the question in the first place. It had just…popped out.
Apparently, it was time to have Eric make an appointment to have his head checked. Because he’d lost it.
He was saved by the waiter arriving with his food.
Jackson continued as if nothing had happened. He picked up his knife and fork, cutting into his steak. Right now, it was the last thing he wanted. He craved the hunt, tearing into something with his teeth rather than silverware.
After cutting the steak, he put half on Taya’s plate, followed by a helping of brussels sprouts.
The Taya of five years ago was curvy. This Taya was so thin Jackson worried she would become transparent.
“You’re too thin,” he said gruffly.
I had zero appetite at all. I picked up a brussels sprout, twirled my fork around a bit, and then put my fork back down on my
I didn’t even touch the steak that Jackson had served me.
The menacing glower on Jackson’s face was intimidating, and I know he thought I didn’t want to cat because of him. And that was fine. He could think that; it was better than the truth.
After dinner, Jackson wanted to take me home, but I refused. The less time spent with him, the better.
I had no idea why he was being so attentive, and it threw me off-kilter. Why did he care now? Why didn’t he care when I’d come to him five years ago? I’d been “tainted” back then, and today I’d told him I was a pro stitute, which was even worse that what I’d told him five years ago.
He had refused me before, when I was at my lowest point. No matter what, I would never return to him. I wanted to stay as far from him as possible.
After rejecting Jackson’s offer to take me home, I went to the hotel garage and took the car keys out of my bag. I would drive the car I had driven yesterday, and then return it to the MPC offices tomorrow.
As I was digging for the keys, I felt my phone vibrating.
I looked down at the screen.
Greyson calling. Again.
He’d been calling nonstop, and I’m sure he wanted to see me.
But my body couldn’t stand any more torture.
B
I pondered for a minute about how to handle the situation with Greyson, and then replied to him on WhatsApp. The last thing I was going to do was return his phone call. [I’m exhausted. I’m going to rest, and we can talk in a few days, okay?]
I had to be careful with Greyson, had to make sure not to upset him in any way. If he told anyone about my plan to ki ll Roman at the hotel that night, I was screwed.
Sure, Roman wasn’t an issue at the moment, what with being in the hospital still, but I didn’t want to take any unnecessary chances.
If Greyson was unhappy and decided to expose me, Roman would find a way to deal with me. And Roman “dealing with me” wasn’t how I wanted to di e .
I didn’t plan on seeing Greyson again, but I still needed to mollify him to make sure he kept quiet.
After sending the message, I turned off my phone, took out my car keys, and opened the car door.
Just as I was about to get into the car, a Bugatti stopped in front of me.
The car window slowly rolled down, revealing the side of a man’s face in the dim light.
When I saw who it was, my heart skipped a beat. Why was he stopping here? He’d told me he never wanted to see me again, yet he was everywhere.
Not wanting to make Griffon mad at the sight of me, I turned around and hurried to open my car door to get inside and out of his view, my nerves causing me to fumble with the door handle.
A low, growling voice came from behind me. “Get in the car.”
I froze.
Why would he want me to get in his car?
Surely, he meant for me to get in MY car, right?
I stared at the man in the car, while he only glanced at me.
“I said, get in the car.”
Power and anger radiated off of him. If I were a wolf, it would have had a much larger effect on me, but somehow, I still managed to feel his wr ath coming at me in waves.
It was as if he would strangle me to death if I didn’t obey him.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?