Bruised knight

CHAPTER 7

Alex's POV

After warning her about the suspicious-looking delivery man, I exited the building but stood outside, waiting for him to come out. I couldn't just leave without making sure she was safe. But as the minutes dragged on, worry began to settle in my chest. Five minutes had passed, and there was still no sign of him.

Without thinking, I darted back into the building, charging up the stairs two at a time. Taking the elevator would waste precious time—it would be forever before it reached the thirteenth floor as it seemed someone was already inside. Finally reaching her floor, I caught sight of her, struggling as he tried to push her against the wall. His hand moved toward his pocket, and I saw the glint of a knife. The bastard was going to stab her.

Instinct took over. I lunged between them, taking the blow meant for her. Pain seared through my hand, but I barely felt it. Rage surged instead. How dare he even think of hurting her. Grabbing him by the collar, I swung, landing a fist square on his jaw, feeling the satisfying crunch of bone under my knuckles as a tooth flew across the hallway. I wanted to keep going until he was nothing but a bloody mess—but then I felt her small hand on mine, halting my fist mid-swing.

"Stop, you'll kill him," she said, her voice firm yet calm. She didn't look the least bit shaken. Her bravery astonished me, and I released the man's collar, letting him slump to the floor, unconscious.

Turning to her, my eyes scanned her for any sign of injury. My breath was heavy as worry etched my face. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" I asked, holding her arms gently, turning her to check for any bruises or cuts.

"I'm fine… but you're the one bleeding," she replied, lifting my injured hand, now streaked with red. Only then did I notice the blood dripping from my palm—and that I'd stained her clothes when I grabbed her.

"This? It's nothing," I said, pulling my hand back awkwardly. I'd had worse injuries before; this barely stung.

She raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "I have a first aid kit inside. Let me patch you up. It's the least I can do after you saved me," she insisted, pulling me toward her apartment. But she paused, glancing back at the unconscious man lying in the hallway. "I need to call the police."

"Who is he anyway, and why was he trying to hurt you?" I asked, frowning as anger simmered beneath my skin.

"My ex-secretary and… my stalker," she said, her tone tight.

I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my anger in check. "I won't ask what happened between you, but you should get a restraining order. If I didn't stop him just now…" My fists balled at the thought of what could have happened. I'd never cared much about others' well-being, but the thought of her in danger was like a thousand needles piercing through me.

"I already did," she sighed. "But he found his way around it somehow. The bastard is obsessed and keeps claiming he's 'in love' with me. And that If he can't have me, then no one can." Her face twisted with frustration and disgust, and yet, she still held onto my hand, her touch soft and grounding.

"Alright, give me a few minutes to call the police," I said, pulling out my phone. She let go of my hand then, and an unexpected emptiness settled over me at the loss of her touch...i almost pulled her into my arms but was able to stop myself as i reminded myself that what i was feeling was one_sided

After the call, I joined her in the living room, where she sat with the first aid kit on her lap, waiting. I took a seat beside her, leaving a bit of space between us, trying to keep my thoughts in check. Her lips, those full, tempting lips—I didn't trust myself not to close the distance between us and kiss her

She began unpacking the supplies she'd need to treat my wound, laying each piece carefully on the coffee table.

"Hand them over; I can manage," I said, reaching to take the items from her. But she wouldn't hear of it, insisting so firmly that I finally relented. She had a determined glint in her eye, and something about her persistence made a strange warmth spread through me.

As she shifted closer, closing the small distance between us, her soft scent filled the air. I felt my heartbeat quicken, pounding harder with each passing second. She was so close now, focused intently on my hand as she cleaned and treated the cut with gentle care.

When she finished, she wrapped the bandage around my hand—though her work was a little on the clumsy side. I couldn't help it; a low chuckle escaped my lips.

She raised an eyebrow, grinning knowingly. "What's funny?"

"It's just a small knife cut," I said, unable to hold back my laughter. "You've got it wrapped up like I broke a few fingers."

She looked down at her handiwork, letting out a laugh of her own. "It's not that bad," she protested, glancing at the bandage as if she might change it. But her laughter was contagious, and I couldn't look away. Her smile was so beautiful, i was captivated.

My gaze lingered, and she must have noticed, because her cheeks flushed a delicate pink. Was she… blushing? My pulse raced at the thought. I couldn't help but wonder if she felt the same pull, the same undeniable tension I did, as we sat close together, her warmth radiating against my sides

i couldn't remain here any longer, i could feel my cock hardening beneath my pants and i couldn't risk her seeing me like that...

I cleared my throat, trying to break the tension building between us. She seemed to realize then that we'd been staring at each other, her eyes widening slightly as she glanced away.

"Thank you, for… um, for treating my wound," I stammered, feeling an unusual heat rise in my face. Did I just stammer? That had never happened to me before.

"It was nothing, really," she said with a soft smile. "And thank you, for saving me back there." She nodded over her shoulder, gesturing toward the hallway where it had all gone down.

"Don't mention it." I paused, trying to focus. "Tomorrow, right? I mean… so we can finalize the contract terms?" My voice came out more hesitant than I intended.

"Yeah," she replied, her eyes lingering on mine a moment longer. "Alright then. See you tomorrow."

I forced myself to stand and head toward the door, but each step felt like an effort. Every fiber of me wanted to turn back, to stay just a little longer, maybe even pull her into a hug. But I clenched my fists, knowing that would only make things awkward—especially given the throbbing pressure building in my pants.

She gave me one last wave, a small smile on her face, before closing the door behind me. As I stood in the hallway, the emptiness hit me immediately. Damn, I miss her already.