Page 70 of Semper
I found myself studying his side profile, captivated by how striking he was, even when lost in thought. His face, chiseled with an almost ethereal beauty, had a symmetry that was both intimidating and mesmerizing. His skin was flawless, a bronze, brown shade that stood in sharp contrast to the onyx hue ofhis hair, which fell elegantly, framing his features in a way that made him appear almost otherworldly. There was a brooding intensity in his demeanor that was hard to ignore as if his thoughts were never far from the darkness that surrounded us.
The most captivating part of him, what always drew me in, were his eyes. They glistened with a fiery intensity, catching the light in a way that made them seem to burn with an inner flame. In moments like this, they seemed far away, like they held countless secrets and ambitions I could barely begin to understand. The faint scar that graced his otherwise perfect features was a subtle imperfection that only reminded me that despite the facade of control and power, there were parts of him that weren’t untouched by the world.
“You’re gorgeous.”
He turned to me instantly, his intense gaze locking onto mine, the weight of his attention fully on me. The air between us shifted, the quiet moment breaking with the force of my unintended confession. His brow lifted slightly, a slow grin forming on his lips as he studied me with a renewed interest. "Gorgeous, am I?" he asked, his voice low, teasing, yet there was an edge of sincerity beneath it.
I flushed, not meaning to have said it aloud. Now that it was out there, I couldn’t take it back. "Yeah," I mumbled, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. "You are."
His smile deepened, his hand reaching across the table to gently brush his fingers against mine. I tried to laugh it off, but the intensity of the moment clung to us, the air around us heavy with unspoken emotions. I couldn’t explain it, but the connection between us deepened even more as if that simple comment had pulled us closer.
He reached up to cup my face. His thumb brushed lightly against my cheek, the touch almost reverent as he studied me, as though he could see every detail in perfect clarity “And you,” heimplored “are stunning.” His eyes roamed over my face with an intensity that left me speechless. “At first glance,” he began, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw, “it’s your eyes that pull people in. They remind me of something timeless and untouchable.”
He smiled and I was suddenly all too aware of how close he'd gotten. “Your skin,” he continued, his fingers brushing against my cheek again, “is like silk. Soft, warm, flawless. And your hair, when it catches the light exactly right, those undertones shimmer like gold.”
I was completely lost, his words weaving around me like a spell, holding me captive. I’d never thought of myself this way, never imagined someone could see me with such vivid detail.
“But it’s your dimples,” he added, his grin widening just a little. “Those dimples of yours—those are what disarm me the most. They give you this innocence, this playfulness that contrasts with everything else. And when you smile...” He paused, his thumb grazing over the corner of my lip. “It’s devastating.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
“You have no idea, do you?” he questioned, leaning in even closer. “How beautiful you are. How everything about you captivates me. I love sitting here, listening to you talk, watching you smile, seeing you just be…you,” he continued softly.
There was no way to respond to that. All I could do was stare up at him, speechless, my breath shallow as his gaze held mine. Alexander’s hand moved from my cheek to grip my chin, his fingers firm but careful as he tilted my face up toward him. Before I could process it, his mouth was on mine, claiming me with a kiss that left no room for hesitation. It was deep, consuming, and impossibly intense.
His lips pressed against mine with a hunger that sent a shockwave of heat through me as if he had been holding back for too long and couldn’t wait for another second. The force of it leftme breathless, and I found myself melting into him, my hands instinctively reaching for his chest, clutching at the fabric of his shirt as I tried to steady myself.
Every part of me responded to him, as though my body had been waiting for this, waiting for him to pull me under, to take me to a place I didn’t fully understand but couldn’t resist. His tongue teased the seam of my lips, and I opened for him, letting him deepen the kiss until it became something more.
His hand slipped to the back of my neck, pulling me closer as his kiss grew even more fervent. I couldn’t think, couldn’t focus on anything but the way his mouth moved against mine, the way he was so thoroughly taking control of me, making it impossible for me to resist.
I didn’t want to.
Alexander pulled away from the kiss slowly, and the intensity between us simmered, a quiet tension settling into the air. The connection we’d just shared left me breathless, but I could sense something shifting in him, something darker, more deliberate.
His eyes grew serious as he looked out toward the lake, his jaw tightening.
“Anya,” he said, the word sharp and cutting through the soft lull of the evening like a blade.
My heart sank at the sound of her name. The bubble we had been in—the closeness, the calm—it all shattered in an instant.
“I promised I’d lay the topic to rest,” he continued, his tone firm, though there was a softness there as well, as if he knew this was something I wasn’t prepared for. He pulled his phone from his pocket, tapping the screen a few times before sliding it across the table toward me. I stared at it, my lips pressing together tightly as I realized what was on the screen—an audio file.
“Hit play,” he said softly, his gaze unwavering.
With trembling hands, I pressed the button, bracing myself for what I was about to hear.
The sound of Anya’s voice filled the air, and it hit me like a punch to the chest. I hadn’t heard her voice in so long, and now it was like she was right here, standing between us, unraveling everything.
"Will you let me out of this cell if I beg? Or should I promise to be good?"Her voice was laced with defiance, but underneath it, I could hear her desperation, an edge of fear she couldn’t hide.
Alexander’s voice followed, cold and unrelenting.“When has begging ever gotten you anywhere with me? It’s not going to work, Anya. You don’t have anything left to offer.”
There was a pause before Anya’s voice came back, shaky but full of determination.“You took Lolita. You could have me instead. Your cousin didn’t have a problem with me. I remember him, you know?”
The words felt like a sharp slap, my heart twisting painfully in my chest.
I stared at the phone as the realization settled in. Anya... with his cousin? Did she mean Bishop? When had that happened? It had to be before we came to the Isle. She never told me, hadn’t mentioned anything. My mind reeled, my emotions crashing into one another—shock, betrayal, anger.