Alpha's Private Plaything (Elsa and Drake Stone) novel Chapter 106

Chapter 106

Elsa

I exhaled slowly as the elevator doors closed behind me, leaving the mall’s chaos and the memory of that knife–wielding man behind. My shoulders relaxed slightly, the tension that had been coiling within

me finally releasing its grip. I ran a trembling hand through my hair, feeling like I’d aged ten fucking years in one afternoon.

The shopping mall stretched before me, bustling with afternoon

shoppers.

“Always the goddamn savior, never the saved,” I muttered under my

breath as I stalked toward the boutiques.

I found a store selling young women’s clothing and selected a tasteful

white dress that seemed to match Susan’s style–elegant but not too

revealing. My own torn skirt was another matter. I ducked into a

restroom, using safety pins from my emergency kit to temporarily fix

the rip. Looking in the mirror, I saw a woman barely holding it

together–dark circles under my eyes, hair slightly disheveled, and a

small bruise forming on my forehead.

“Fucking perfect,” I hissed, pressing the cool metal of the safety pin

against my skin.

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I contemplated my next move. Drake and Susan were probably back at

the hotel by now, and I imagined they’d want some time alone. The thought made my stomach twist with a bitter emotion I refused to name. My reflection glared back at me, daring me to admit the

jealousy burning in my chest.

Passing a men’s store, I paused. Drake would need fresh clothes too. I

entered and selected a simple white shirt, pants, and–after a

moment’s hesitation–underwear. My face burned as I purchased

black boxer briefs for my boss, ignoring the knowing smile from the

cashier.

“Just fucking kill me now,” I whispered to myself, clutching the bag

like it contained explosives.

My phone rang as I was exiting the store. Drake’s name flashed on the

screen. My stomach dropped like I’d missed a step on the stairs.

“Where are you?” His voice was hard, commanding, sending an

unwelcome shiver down my spine.

“I’m at the mall, sir. Buying clothes as requested.” I kept my voice

even, professional, despite the anger bubbling beneath.

“You’re still doing that? Get back here.” The demand in his tone made

my free hand curl into a fist.

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I swallowed my irritation, tasting bile. “I’ve just finished. I’ll be there

shortly.”

“Good.” He hung up without another word.

“Asshole,” I muttered, shoving the phone into my purse.

Twenty minutes later, I entered the hotel suite, shopping bags in

hand. My heart hammered against my ribs as if trying to escape.

Drake stood on the balcony, phone pressed to his ear, his back to

me.He turned slightly, golden eyes flicking briefly in my direction

before returning to his call.

The entire room felt charged with his presence, an invisible pressure

that made the air heavy around me, making it hard to breathe. I

moved quietly toward the bedroom where I could hear Susan

humming, like this was some fucking vacation instead of a workplace

emergency.

“I brought you some clothes,” I said, keeping my voice professionally

pleasant as I handed her the bag, though inside I was seething.

Susan’s smile returned, as if the incident at the mall had never happened. “Thanks, but I don’t think I need to change again. Drake has been so attentive.” She stretched languidly on the bed, her body

language screaming intimacy.

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I nodded stiffly and retreated to the living room, my nails digging

half–moons into my palms. I unpacked the men’s clothes on the

coffee table with more force than necessary. Drake appeared from the

balcony, his call finished.

“Hale assistant is so thoughtful,” he said, picking up the package of

underwear. His voice held an edge of mockery. “Are these for me?”

I didn’t respond, arranging the shirt instead, my movements jerky and

tense.

Drake moved closer, his fingers suddenly circling my wrist like a

brand. The air between us changed, becoming charged with something dangerous. His Alpha presence expanded, filling the room, making it hard to think straight. The scent of him–pine, musk and

that undefinable Alpha power–flooded my senses.

“You seem eager to have me change clothes,” he said, his voice low, vibrating through me. “Did you imagine I’d need fresh clothing after spending time with Susan? Is that what you thought would happen?”

My heart thundered in my chest, blood rushing in my ears. “It’s not my place to speculate about what Stone Industries‘ CEO does in his free time, sir.” My voice came out steadier than I felt.