Chapter 36
Ellie followed Alex inside and grabbed a pair of slippers from the cabinet, her movements quiet as she tried to settle into a routine, however unusual.
Alex’s gaze flicked over to the men’s slippers, and his face darkened immediately. With an impatient kick, he sent them aside and grabbed Ellie by the arm. “Whose are these?” he demanded, his tone sharp and accusatory.
“They’re for Aaron,” Ellie replied quickly, pulling her arm free and continuing to change her shoes.
For a brief moment, Alex’s expression softened, but it quickly hardened again as he glanced at her. “Where are mine?” he asked.
Ellie stood up, avoiding his gaze. She hadn’t prepared any slippers for him, not even thinking about it.
Alex didn’t wait for a response. He kicked off his shoes and walked to the sofa in his socks, his movements deliberate and quick. Ellie placed the slippers away, then joined him, feeling the tension still hanging in the air.
She brought over the first-aid kit and knelt beside him, setting a pillow on his lap and guiding his injured hand onto it as she began bandaging it.
Alex lounged on the couch, his legs resting carelessly over the coffee table, as Ellie concentrated on tending to his hand. Each accidental touch made her heart race, but she tried to stay composed, hiding her nervousness as best as she could.
“From now on, no more singing at that bar, got it?” Alex warned, his voice low and serious.
Ellie looked up at him, her gaze soft. “It was just an accident tonight,” she murmured, keeping her head lowered.
Alex sat up suddenly, throwing the pillow aside in frustration. “You have no idea who that guy was tonight.”
Ellie met his gaze, her voice barely a whisper. “I know he’s someone important,” she said, hesitating for a moment before continuing, “But Whitney promised to keep me safe at the bar, and I trust her.”
Alex didn’t seem satisfied. He shook off her hand and leaned closer, their faces almost touching now. Ellie froze, her breath caught in her throat.
“You trust everyone but me, right?” Alex’s voice was barely above a whisper, but the intensity in his eyes made her shiver. His breath was warm against her skin, and Ellie was too close to him to pull away.
The air around them felt charged, and Alex’s anger seemed to surge once more. Ellie instinctively stepped back, but Alex grabbed her arm and yanked her toward him again.
“Why are you backing away?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
Before Ellie could react, she tumbled into his arms, landing with a soft thud on the couch. Her heart pounded in her chest as their eyes locked, and the room seemed to pulse with energy.
“Feeling shy?” Alex teased, a grin tugging at his lips as he held her in place. One hand rested on her back, his grip firm.
Ellie tried to push against his chest, desperate for some space, but the situation felt impossibly charged.
“Remember when Grandpa brought you to our house?” Alex said, his tone teasing as he watched her squirm. “You’d cry at night, and my mom couldn’t soothe you, so she’d tuck you in with me. We slept together for weeks.”
Ellie’s cheeks flushed deeply at the memory. The intimacy of it all had her heart racing. She wiggled free from his grasp and stood up, embarrassed by the sudden flood of emotions.
Alex sat up slowly, watching her with a satisfied smirk on his face, clearly enjoying her discomfort.
Ellie tried to regain her composure and continued tending to Alex’s wound, her hands moving carefully as she finished bandaging him. Alex watched her quietly, his expression unreadable.
“I’m going to make some food,” Ellie announced, quickly gathering her things and heading to the kitchen, eager to distract herself.
“Scaredy-cat,” Alex called after her with a smirk, still lounging on the couch, his phone in hand. He was clearly at ease, as if he had lived there for years.
Ellie made something for Alex, but he turned his nose up at it, refusing to eat. His indifference stung, but Ellie didn’t say anything. She, too, had lost her appetite after the chaos of the night.
After cleaning up, Ellie found Alex still sprawled on the couch. She hesitated, unsure whether to disturb him. Finally, she approached him softly.
“Alex, I need to rest. Do you want me to call you a ride?” she asked, her voice quiet.
When he didn’t respond, Ellie realized he had fallen asleep. She stood there for a moment, contemplating whether to wake him, but then she decided to leave him be. Instead, she went to her room, grabbed a blanket, and returned to cover him gently.
As she stood in the living room, watching Alex sleep, she felt an odd mix of emotions. He looked so peaceful, his face relaxed as he slept soundly. She thought back to how he had defended her earlier, the anger in his eyes that had quickly shifted into something deeper. Her heart fluttered unexpectedly.
But deep down, Ellie knew one thing for certain: this man wasn’t hers. Not now, not ever.
