"I am a man of my word," Alexi said, walking closer. "And I promise you, Rose, that I will make you mine."
He was pitch black darkness in the grey of her life. He was her solitude. He was her savior.
She was his life.
She was his Rose.
. . .
Ale...
When you hurt people, they begin to love you less. That's what careless words do. They make people love you a little less.
-Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things
. . .
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Tw - Panic attack. Mention of abuse.
I sipped my coffee, pointedly looking away from Alexander. He was looking right at me, and not even trying to not make it obvious. This guy was of another species.
"So, Rose.." He put his forearms on the table, his biceps flexing under his jacket, tightening the leather. My eyes lingered. "How's your boyfriend?"
Jeffery, as informed by a text his friend shot me, was gone on a trip for about a week. This was the only reason I let Alexander come with me here - otherwise, I would have run away. Or walked away as my ribs were not that good yet.
"He's gone to California with his friends." The only way to deal with Alexander was to give him straight answers otherwise the guy kept talking. I again wondered why the fuck was I not scared of him? Jeffery fucking terrified me and he was half the size Alexander was.
He frowned, rubbing his bottom lips with his index finger, his silver rings glittering in the light. "He didn't take you?"
"It's a friends' trip."
Alexander hummed. "...and you are his girlfriend."
I sighed. "Can I enjoy my coffee, please?"
He shrugged. "Okay." He sipped his coffee, his adam's apple moving. Fuck him.
"Are you in a university or something?" I asked, clearing my throat and wishing he had not seen the blush rise on my cheeks but by how his pretty lips had formed into a smirk, the bastard had seen. I hated this about him - he observed everything. "I'm pretty sure you don't plan on working at a bookstore for the rest of your life."
He hummed. "I'm not currently studying. I completed my bachelor's a few years back."
"You are twenty-one. It can't be a few years back."
"I was a smart kid."
"Sure" I sipped my coffee, averting my eyes from his. It felt weird to keep looking into his eyes. When I looked at him, it was hard to not really look at him - to not admire the fine cuts and muscles and eyes. Only if he wasn't annoying.
And so overbearing. Even though he sat a good distance across from me it felt as of he was looming over me. He was a fucking giant. I was not small, I was of average height, but this guy seemed to be a neanderthal.
Just hotter and better at surviving.
We drank our coffees in silence and soon were back on the sidewalk. This was the first time Jeffery had not come pick me up since Alexander started working.
Alexander insisted on walking me back to my apartment - refusing to listen to reason and threatening to put me over his shoulder. He did make a valid point of it not being safe enough and because I felt as if I was seconds away from passing out - I let him wrap an arm around my shoulder and mumbled the directions to him till we reached the dingy apartment building I lived it.
Alexander looked at the dirty building. "You can go up from here, yes?"
That yes had a hint of an accent.
I nodded, yawning. "Good night, Alexander."
His eyes had hardened, jaw clenched and whole body tense. "Good night, Rose. Be safe." He gently gripped my chin and pressed his lips on my forehead. Before I could throw in a remark, he walked away, mingling with the night.
I walked up the stairs as the elevator was occupied and found myself in my bed before long, falling into a deep sleep that was haunted by a certain neanderthal with a secret accent and too pretty eyes.
. . .
Adam tied his green hair up. "I'm sucking his dick."
I gripped the back of his collar. "What the fuck?"
He laughed. "That guy...is he into guys?"
"I don't know. Stop looking at him as if he is a fucking turkey for Thanksgiving."
"I don't need it to be thanksgiving to devour that."
"Lord save me." I sat down on my chair, pulling at his collar till he collapsed on the chair beside me.
Adam looked at me, baby blue eyes which did not do justice to his corrupted mind sparking mischievously. "Jeffery looks like a toad in front of him."
"Maybe you need to kiss him to make him a prince," I grumbled, grabbing a book and opening it on my lap.
"Jeffery is hot and all but he is a red flag walking." He rubbed his jaw. There was a hint of golden beard on his jaw. He'd shave it off soon.
I shrugged, focusing on my book. "Go get busy."
"I don't work here."
"And? Shoo now."
Grumbling something under his breath, he walked away.
"What are you reading?"
I flinched, my book falling to the ground. "You...God, are you a vampire?"
I looked up at the smirking Alexander. "Depends on what you are into." His deep voice saying cheesy lines like this should have been funny. But damn it, it made it work.
"Get back to work, Alexander. Books don't sell themselves."
I grabbed my book from the ground. He rounded the table and stopped beside me. He turned my spinny chair and put his hands on the armrest, leaning down this his face hovered above mine.
"Where are your manners, Rose?" He murmured, "Keep talking like this and I'll be forced to teach you a lesson."
I gulped. "A lesson?"
He hummed. "A lesson which would make moving without remembering it impossible."
He is threatening you.
He's going to hurt me.
I froze on my seat, eyes filling with tears. His eyes which were of the prettiest shade of green now seemed ugly. He's going to hurt me. I didn't know if I could take it.
I clenched my eyes shut. Shaking hands covered my face as I struggled to keep the sobs in. He doesn't like to when I cry.
"Rose."
"I'm sorry," I whispered, voice trembling. "D-Don't..."
"Rose. What the fuck?" His hands gripped my forearms but I was too gone, dissolving into nothing as my body became lighter and lighter.
