're

oon as Kylie slid into the passenger seat of the shiny black Me

and she could feel her patience starting to wear thin. Could she actu

t drive?" sh

r, eyes sharp, jaw set. The silence that followed wasn't qu

g her pulse start to race. "Se

he said, voice like ice

h." Her tone dripped with sarcasm. "Sorry if I was b

supposed t

less of a-" she bit her ton

he didn

sharp breath through his nose, Alexandro finally turned the key. The engine humm

ws. Traffic murmured in the distance, but inside the car, it was like a vacuum. K

rse, he br

't have worn

pped around.

heard

tly is wrong w

" he muttered, eye

dry laugh. "Dist

. Men sta

ow. That's... n

on the steering wheel tig

id, stunned. "You're act

aid, voice taut. "And you don't

e this about safety. T

you. You have no idea what it's like being linked to m

longer hemline

a st

elievable. You don't get to tell me wha

of something raw in his eyes. "Insec

't insecurity. It was something darker. Possessiven

the rhythmic swish of tires on asphalt and the faint beat o

r of her eye. His jaw was clenched

quietly, "you could

look at her. "Tha

said, "it

neath one of the tallest buildings in the city. S

d, Kylie hesitated.

d out. He didn't answer until he op

g this... whatever this is... you ne

eyes. "What are y

airs. I'll

oncrete as they stepped into a private elevator. He swiped a

ide of the lift, arms folde

loors, steel fixtures, floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooke

and poured himself a glass of som

Kylie said, remai

his face. "This isn't about domi

be h

want to understand why I act the way I do? Why I gua

wa

weeks," he said. "Paparazzi, business rivals, even peo

nked, tak

t saying it to scare you. I just need

her voice softer now. "And w

her. Really l

I don't want to push you away... a

. The tension eased, but the w

s. "Then stop trying to control me

a long moment, th

ka

like the first brick being pu