Marked By the Pureblood Alpha (Deanna and Luis) novel Chapter 144

**The Heart I Buried for You by Serene Lockwood**

**Chapter 144: You Don’t Get to Break the Rules**

**Deanna’s POV:**

“What’s the matter? Are you having second thoughts?” Luis’s voice cut through the tension like a knife.

“Deanna, you approached me seeking access to Muses. You must have known this moment would eventually arrive.”

I felt a sharp sting in my chest, my lips instinctively biting down as I fought back the swell of emotion threatening to spill over. I blinked rapidly, willing myself to maintain composure, even as my heart raced.

With a resolute sniff, I lifted my chin defiantly. “I understand the rules. I will adhere to them. There’s no need for reminders, Alpha.”

Luis leaned closer, invading my personal space. His lips brushed against my ear, sending shivers down my spine, his voice a low, teasing whisper. “Then remember this—only I have the authority to end this.”

I seethed internally, furious at my own body for responding to him this way. How could I still feel this heat when I was so angry?

Dammit! If Mila were awake right now, she would have a field day, mocking me for my weakness.

“Are you finished? Because I have things to attend to.” I fought to maintain my stubborn front, grappling against the magnetic pull of his presence.

In an instant, he released me, his casual demeanor unchanged.

I seized the door handle and yanked it open, the sound echoing in the stillness.

“Tonight. Crestwood Park. Don’t keep me waiting,” his deep voice resonated behind me, smooth yet commanding, wrapping around me like a shroud.

Bang!

I slammed the car door shut with a force that echoed my frustration and stormed away, my heart pounding in my chest.

Upon arriving back at the office via the elevator, I found Zelena already there, her design drafts scattered across the table.

She sank into a chair, her posture betraying her usual confidence, looking more like a wilted flower than the vibrant woman I had seen earlier that day.

Maggie stood awkwardly off to the side, her eyes darting around the room, avoiding my gaze as if it were a hot flame.

I approached them, feeling as if I had returned from a battlefield, weary and battered.

“I guess I’m Jake’s unlucky ex-fiancée now,” I announced with a weary tone, the weight of my words hanging heavily in the air. “But that chapter is closed.”

Maggie’s cheeks flushed crimson. “Ms. Deanna, I promise, I won’t gossip anymore,” she stammered, her voice trembling slightly.

Zelena looked up, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “What are you two discussing?”

“Nothing of importance. How did your meeting go today?” I attempted to shift the focus away from my personal drama.

She let out a long, defeated sigh, the sound echoing her disappointment.

Half an hour later, I arrived at Crestwood Park.

Perhaps Luis had given the guards a heads-up; they let me pass without a word, the gate swinging open as if I were expected.

I parked and took the private elevator straight to the penthouse, my heart thumping louder with each passing second.

At the door, I entered the familiar code, and with a soft click, the double doors glided open.

The expansive living room sparkled under the bright lights, but it was eerily empty.

I lingered at the entryway for a moment, hesitant, before stepping inside. Bending down, I slipped into the same pair of women’s house slippers I had left there days ago, feeling a strange sense of nostalgia wash over me.

Just then, I heard the bedroom door creak open.

Luis emerged, exuding that effortless dominance that always left me breathless, like a predator surveying its territory.

He was clad only in a towel, his toned abs glistening, droplets of water tracing the contours of his chest. The moisture glimmered under the lights, cascading down his body and disappearing at his waist. His damp hair clung to his forehead, water dribbling from the tips.

In the soft light, his amber eyes glinted with mischief. The sharp, intoxicating scent of cedarwood filled the air, igniting a familiar fire within me.

I blinked, momentarily lost in the memory of that morning after the kidnapping when he had walked out of the bathroom looking just as he did now.

He rubbed his damp hair with a towel, his movements leisurely, before making his way to the open kitchen. Luis poured himself a glass of water, leaning against the counter as he took a sip, his gaze lazily drifting to meet mine.