Chapter 188
Marcus Vex – POV
It had been two weeks since I last saw the green-eyed girl who managed to leave his bed untouched, wrapped in his clothes, and with her scent still lingering in his penthouse. Alina. The name had come to him slowly, almost hazily, after she'd disappeared at dawn like a ghost, leaving behind only that brief, memorable encounter. And now—two weeks later—he had almost forgotten her.
Almost.
The days had been packed with meetings, deals, shady contracts, and underground negotiations that consumed all of his attention. He'd even spent some nights with women—flings he barely remembered the next morning. But none of them stayed long in his thoughts. None of them had the fierce, daring eyes Alina had when she stood tall and sarcastic in his living room, challenging his intentions with every breath.
She had been different.
But Marcus Vex didn't like "different." Different meant dangerous. Different meant memorable. And memories were a distraction.
Still, he hadn't expected to see her again.
The low hum of voices and the soft clinking of silverware filled the upscale restaurant as he entered with a business associate, waving off the waitstaff. He hated crowded places, but sometimes appearances mattered. His name carried weight, and showing up where other powerful people gathered was part of the game.
He adjusted the cuff of his charcoal suit as his eyes swept across the room, more out of habit than curiosity. Then, his gaze landed on her.
He stopped mid-step.
There she was—Alina.
Sitting at a table near the tall windows, her signature honey-blonde hair tied up in a relaxed braid, a few stubborn curls escaping to frame her face. She was laughing, genuinely—her face lit with mischief as she leaned forward, talking animatedly to the man sitting across from her. Her green eyes sparkled in a way that Marcus hadn't seen before.
And that man?
Tall, well-dressed, and with the same sharp jawline and intense expression.
Marcus's lips curled into a sneer.
So, the little minx has a boyfriend.
A strange irritation tightened in his chest before he forced it away. He had no claim over her. It was one night—or more accurately, no night at all. She had come into his life, stirred something unfamiliar, and vanished before he could decide what to do with it. Now, seeing her again—so casual, so ordinary, so happy—made something cold simmer under his skin.
His associate spoke, but Marcus didn't hear a word. He stared longer than he should have, long enough for Alina's gaze to catch his.
For a fleeting second, their eyes locked.
Alina's laughter stopped.
She stilled in her seat. Her lips parted slightly as if she'd been caught off guard—but then, just as quickly, she straightened. And smirked.
A cocky, arrogant smirk.
Marcus clenched his jaw.
She leaned toward the man across from her and whispered something with a smug smile, making the man laugh in return. Marcus felt his hands tighten into fists. She was mocking him. Or at least, that's what it felt like.
Without another word, Marcus turned sharply and headed for the private lounge at the back of the restaurant, ignoring his associate's confusion.
He didn't sit. He didn't even order. He stood by the window, trying to brush off the strange emotion crawling up his spine.
Why did it bother him?
Why did she bother him?
She was supposed to be a one-time thing—someone he'd seduce and forget. But instead, she'd slithered her way into his thoughts, challenging his control. Now, seeing her again with that man—who, by all appearances, looked like a boyfriend—burned more than it should have.
But maybe… it wasn't irritation. Maybe it was curiosity.
Who was this man to her?
He pulled out his phone and quickly messaged one of his men.
> "Find out who the guy with Alina Lantel is. Now."
He didn't like being caught off guard. And he definitely didn't like feeling second to someone else. If she thought she could toy with him and walk away, she was wrong.
Dead wrong.
Half an hour later, Marcus's phone buzzed. He picked it up and opened the message, expecting a name, a background check—something that would explain why she'd laughed so easily with that man.
The reply made him still.
> "His name is Aiden Lantel. Her twin brother."
Marcus stared at the screen.
Twin brother?
The irritation that had clawed at his chest twisted into something else. Amusement. Relief? He wasn't sure. All he knew was that the pressure in his jaw eased, and his lips curled into something that could almost pass for a grin.
So, not a boyfriend. Interesting.
Marcus leaned back against the wall, slipping his phone into his pocket. Maybe fate wasn't done playing games yet. Maybe Alina Lantel wasn't out of his reach like he thought.
The next move?
He didn't know yet.
But he'd find out.
Because now that she was back on his radar, Marcus Vex had no intention of letting her disappear again.
Not this time.
Not without a taste.
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