Chapter 118: Ready To Sit On My Back While I Do Push-Ups

Zara

They say love consumes you; like a tide, it carries you away, sucking you into an undercurrent, filling your lungs with salt water, you choke, trying to breathe, your limbs twitching and kicking desperately, and yet you give in.

You fight the tentacles of love that wrap around you, sucking and feeding on your pure emotions.

And then... You give in, hoping it won’t happen. Crush your heart.

These feelings were churning in my wildly pounding heart as Alpha Kane approached with a graceful gait.

Asbela quickly made room and stood up. Alpha Kane walked straight up to me and, to my utter amazement, leaned over and kissed the top of my head chastely.

I melted like chocolate in the sun. His calming energy penetrated deep into my bones, and I dreamed of his lips lingering in my hair.

"How are you?" Alpha Kane asked very tenderly.

"Better," I barely managed to croak out as he moved away and settled into another chair. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Gathering my courage, I looked up at him, and Alpha’s honey eyes shimmered with a multitude of emotions.

I smiled awkwardly, and Alpha Kane returned it. The tension between us was growing.

"Alpha, would you like some tea?" Asbela asked, interrupting our staring.

"No, bring me some water. I’ll have a smoothie in two hours after I go to the gym." Asbela nodded respectfully and walked away toward the palace, leaving us alone.

His gaze darted to the platter of pastries, and Alpha Kane asked, his brow furrowed. "Why haven’t you eaten? Not well?"

I quickly shook my head and explained. "No, I just had breakfast, so I wasn’t hungry. I just wanted some tea." The wrinkle on my forehead remained.

"You should try it." Leaning forward, Alpha Kane picked up a strawberry tart with his spatula and placed it in front of me, pointing.

"Eat." As always, he was an imperious Alpha boss, and he needed to act.

"I’ll try it if you share it with me."

The Alpha Kane I met at the beginning would have refused, but he said calmly, leaning forward in his chair and picking up a fork.

"Done." Alpha Kane promised to share one meal with me every day, and it seemed he remembered that promise.

Alpha Kane deftly cut the tart in half, then into quarters. Taking two for himself, he left the other two for me. Stabbing his fork into the small pieces, he set the plate right in front of me.

"Would you like some help?" Alpha Kane asked, his outstretched hand remaining next to my plate so he could help me if I needed it.

And all I could think about was how his hands... had pleased me last night. My earlobes burned with the memory.

His cuffs were rolled up, revealing the veins on his hands, and my gaze lingered on him.

"No, I can handle it. Thank you."

Hearing my words, Alpha Kane pulled back abruptly, took a small piece, and put it in his mouth.

I did the same, nervously tucking my hair behind my ear. The silence was awkward, and all I could think about was the intimate moments we’d shared, the ones that made my cheeks glow even brighter than the strawberries on that tart.

"How are things at the office? Are you back early?" I asked, trying to break the drawn-out, awkward silence and distract myself from these thoughts.

"Well, December is in a day, so all eyes are on the Winter gala. We started runway rehearsals today." Alpha Kane placed his plate back on the table, finishing his tart, and turned to me.

"Your opinion is critical to me. Let me know when you want to come back to the office."

Staying home was pointless; at least in the office, I could be near him and complete the necessary tasks while giving my opinion on the Winter Gala.

"I can start tomorrow. I don’t want to sit at the packhouse doing nothing."

Grabbing a napkin, Alpha Kane wiped his face before asking. His gaze lingered on mine, making my skin tingle most delightfully.

"Are you sure? You can take another day off if you want."

"No, I’ll feel better when I go to the office." Spearing the tart with my fork, I bit into it, tasting the firm, soft, creamy, and savory texture all at once.

The tarts were a real treat, and on any other day I would have happily eaten two more, but today I felt like I was clenching.

Alpha’s face softened at my words, as if they had melted the ice on his face.

"Great, let’s go inside. I need your help with my workout." He stood up, walked over to me, and took my hand to help me.

His touch stirred my heart like a broken stereo playing an old, sad song.

Desires flared like stars in the night sky, and I could only hope my heart wouldn’t explode like one of those supernovas.

’I didn’t know how we could help him, but watching him train would be a true pleasure I didn’t want to miss.’ Nova rolled her eyes in amusement.

Alpha Kane led me to another part of the villa, a large room with glass doors and a multitude of exercise machines.

A treadmill, shoulder presses, leg presses, chest presses, push-ups, weight machines, and much more, the names of which I had no idea.

This place was Alpha’s paradise: huge sound systems, a flat screen, and a vending machine with energy and protein bars. The walls were dull, black, and gray.

"Great, like a page from a book," I teased, looking around. Alpha Kane shook his head slowly, knowing how boring I found his color choice.

"Yeah! But this boredom helps me concentrate."

There were a few benches, and Alpha Kane led me to one and said,

"Sit down, I’ll be back after I change."

I nodded and sat down while Alpha Kane disappeared into the locker room. I fiddled with the music system and turned on "Demons In My Soul" from his collection.

The door to the locker room opened, and Alpha Kane appeared, wearing a tight black tank top, sweatpants, and sneakers.

Every muscle on his body was visible beneath the fabric, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

Alpha Kane ran a hand through his damp hair, brushing it back from his forehead, and then his gaze, shining like black silk, darted toward me.

All the restraint I’d begged my body to show instantly abandoned me, and it took all my courage not to lunge at him.

But my handsome devil, who was my Alpha boss, had other plans; he walked straight toward me; bending down, Mr. Ice placed his hands beside my body and leaned forward until our faces were level.

"Ready to sit on my back while I do push-ups?" Alpha Kane asked so casually, as if it were a matter of course, and I had no idea where to look except at the smoldering honey of his eyes.