SWNOVELS Chapter Target Acquired
Anton's POV
"Where have you gone? Come here right now!"
I texted her, and she saw my message but didn't reply. Where the hell was she? It was nearly half an hour but still she didn't return, back from the bathroom. I scanned the ballroom with my eyes to find her beautiful figure or her long brown waterfall hair, but I couldn't catch even a glimpse of her. So, even though it was rude, I went to the bathroom to find her.
I knocked on the door of the bathroom and went in when nobody replied. But it was empty. Then I left there under the judgmental eyes of a lady who was about to enter the bathroom while I was leaving.
I went to the library. I knew she was a bookworm. Maybe she found a good book and couldn't help herself to read it. But, she wasn't there either. I went to the garden and found Daryl cradling one hand with another. He saw me the second I went out. And smiled like he knows something that I didn't.
"Are you searching for your little date?" he asked, as lippy as ever.
"It's none of your business, Daryl. I am not here to chat with you."
"Too bad. If you were here to chat with me, I could have said that I had seen your little assistant and your brother drooling after her."
"What?" I asked. But I wasn't surprised. I should have known the second I left her alone, Matt would come after her.
"You know what I am talking about, Anton. He always likes to challenge you. But I must admit that I don't mind challenging you too if she thinks of giving me a try as well. I can even take the risk of falling out with you," he said, smiling with a fake toothy grin.
This damn bastard was thinking that he could challenge me?
"I would like to see you try Daryl. And don't feel bad about falling out. We should have been close in the first place, because of falling out."
"Oh, come now, Antonio. We are childhood friends."
My eyes twitched when I heard he was calling me Antonio. It was a name saved for my beloved ones, and so far it was only my mother. And maybe Alice, if she likes to.
"Don't call me that, and don't even think of getting close to her. Because this time, you cannot get away with a punch, Daryl. I personally can make it my business to ruin you and everything you care about."
Daryl's color left his face a little. Good. He knew that I wasn't a man of false threats. And certainly was not a type to mess with. I already showed him enough patience only for the sake of the times we spent together as children. But my generosity was close to draining for him.
"Good night Daryl. Don't cross me again for the rest of the night."
Without waiting for Daryl to answer, I turned my back and left the garden. I went to the kitchen area. There was a rush for preparing plates and loading tracks. But no trace of her there either.
Then I left there and searched the corridors to see her around and finally, I saw her. But she was not alone. Matt was there, of course, pulling her to the exit. Was he taking her out? What the hell?
I brought her here but was she leaving with that bastard? Was he that important to her?
Before I could hold myself, words spilled from my mouth on their own.
"Where do you think you are going?"
They halted just a couple steps away from the door and turned to me to face me. Matt was looking as daring as always. That bastard! Whenever he smells annoyance, he likes to press harder on me. But Alice, she didn't even fully turn her face. Half pivoted to the back door, she was looking like a second away from running.
"What does that matter to you?" Matt asked. I didn't even talk to you Matt.
"I think I have to remind you that I brought her here as my date, so I guess I should know where she is going without letting me know and leaving me here?"
I looked at Alice. I needed an answer. And an answer from her. I wanted to know if she really chose to go with Matt or whether the bastard pestered her so much, she hadn't had a chance but to be dragged with him. Even though the second option was farfetching, I wanted it to be true. I wanted her to choose to stay with me. But Alice looked like she was about to cry somehow. What happened? Awh! There was something going on and I didn't know what was killing me! "You didn't bring her here as your date, brother, but as your plus one, remember? And she doesn't have to explain anything to you." Matt continued. I gritted my teeth when I heard him answer on behalf of her again. Does he think that he was her spokesperson?
"I have asked Alice," I said in a pissed tone.
"Oh, now she is Alice then. Aren't there any other ridiculous nicknames anymore? Did you even bother to look for her until now? While she had been attacked twice by your precious - friends?"
Attacked? Twice! What the hell? I knew that something was off about this situation. Or else Alice would never leave without letting me know. I looked at her again. I tried to find something off about her. What kind of attack was it? Was it oral, or physical? Damn it, if anyone dared to harm her, I would erase their existence from this world. Alice turned her face from me even more.
"What do you mean by 'attacked'? Are you okay Alice?" I asked hesitantly. Somehow, this attack Matt was talking about was linked to me. Because she looked like she resented me. Did I do something wrong? Did she get harmed because of me?
"I am fine." she said, curtly. Being tough and curt was not a thing of hers.
I got closer by a couple steps. I needed to be closer to her. I wanted to hold her and wrap my arms around her. Comfort her and tell her that I can fix everything for her. I can punish everyone for her. I can even bring this world to her feet if she likes. But instead I asked again,
"What is it, Alice? What happened?"
Matt interrupted me one more time,
"She has had enough for tonight. Let us go, Anton."
'Us' he said? 'Us'? When they became us. They were not. Alice was mine. And mine only. This bastard could pull his tricks as he had done for every girl, but I have never played this game. So maybe he doesn't know, but this is not a game for me. I will win her no matter what. Even if I have to step on my brother, I don't care. I faced my annoying brother, this time letting him know that I was not taking any bullshit anymore.
"Let 'us' go? When you become 'us' with her, Matt. I am not talking to you and I have started getting sick of you. Now, if you excuse 'us', my assistant and I have to talk! Alone!"
Matt was ready to argue and opened his mouth to object, but Alice cut in.
"Give us a minute Matt. I will be with you as soon as I am done."
That's right bastard! Give 'us' some time.
He nodded slightly to her,
"I will be outside."
He left from the back door, and me and Alice were alone now.
"Yes, I am listening." she said, trying to avoid my gaze. She was still half turned to the door. This annoyed me more than Matt could ever do.
"What has happened, Alice? What is he talking about?" I asked.
"Nothing important."
"How come you say that? He claims that you had been attacked. By whom? What happened? Talk to me!"
She slightly turned her face to me and when I saw why she avoided looking at me all the time, we were standing there. I grabbed her cheek and gently forced her to turn her cheek. There was a bruise on her cheek.
And I felt a cold sensation rising from my stomach to my throat. Someone hurt her! Someone dared to hit her. Dare to lay hand on what's mine! So someone was about to die.
"What the hell happened? Who has done it to you?" I asked between gritted teeth.
"Noting-"She started saying nothing happened again. But I was at my limit.
"Stop saying nothing happened!"
I looked directly in her eyes to let her know that I wouldn't leave without getting the name. I won't rest until I pay for this. I looked into her brown doe eyes and the only thing keeping me away from drifting in those eyes and losing myself into her beauty was my anger.
"It was Ronda."
I was struck by the name she gave. Ronda? how come.
"Ronda?" I repeated. I wished I had heard her wrong. Because, for all the time we spent together, I always thought that Ronda was a better person than that. But apparently she was just another spoiled girl. And I knew many ways of punishing spoiled girls.
"Yes, can I go now?” she answered, dismissing me. But I didn't get everything I wanted. I needed answers so I can map my revenge. "Why?" I asked.
"She thinks that I am trying to seduce you."
I had to grit my teeth so hard to not leave Alice right now and go and throttle the monster.
But I would all the time in the world to punish her once I am done getting answers.
"Please do not confront her, Mr. Alonzo." I suddenly woke up from my revenge dreams when she called me Mr. Alonzo. As formal as it can be. So she was putting a wall of formality between us. Was she really intimidated by Ronda then? "I have enough to deal with. I don't want to add a rich girl, who is mad at me, to the list."
And I was right. She wasn't willing to be the target of Ronda because of me. She was ready to let me go. But I didn't let myself drift in these thoughts anymore. I needed one more answer from her. The second attacker.
"And who was the second?
"Second?"
"Matt said you have been attacked twice. Who was the second person who attacked you and how?"
I looked carefully at her face and neck and body to see another bruise. When I didn't see it, I felt a kernel of relief.
"It was Daryl Sanders. It wasn't an actual attack. More like disturbance."
Oh God! Why on earth I have to deal with every bastard in this city? But if he dared to touch her again...
"Did he try to kiss you again?" I hardly asked as I was waiting for the answer to be yes. Because murdering Daryl could be a little bit trickier, but of course not impossible.
"Noo, no. He just tried to talk."
I released a big breath, to calm myself. Somehow, I was hoping that he would give me a reason to kill him. But enough of the attackers. I had to comfort Alice first!
I grabbed her shoulders and lowered my head to be aligned with her eyes. Her soft brown eyes were larger with surprise. She avoided eye contact at first but then surrendered and our eyes locked. For a second, I forgot what I was doing. God, I could have looked into those eyes forever. Then I remembered what I was about to do.
"From now on, I won't let anyone else hurt you, Alice. Ever." I looked into her eyes and made her feel that I was not joking. Hell I was not. I could kill anyone who made her feel uncomfortable. And I was meaning to start it now. "Do you trust me?" I asked her,
"Yes," She whispered.
"Good," I said. My little doe was trusting me. And it was enough for me to burn the world for her.
"If you go now, you will let them win. I will be next to you for the rest of the night. I won't let anybody even give you a side eye. But, you should stay and show them you are not afraid of them."
She didn't even look like she was debating this. She was certain about how she felt.
"Look Mr. Alonzo. I don't know what you were thinking while you were bringing me here, but they are right. I do not belong here. And I don't want to be belong. I don't have ambitions of surviving in society or proving to them who I am. I only want to go home, take these goddamn shoes off and fall asleep in front of the TV while watching an old movie that I have watched a dozen times before."
Fuck, I was dying to do all those things with her. But I didn't want her to lose her courage and let people make her feel bad. I wanted her to fight with them and see for herself that she was capable of outdone them. "Alice... Don't go." I said slowly. But she didn't answer me. She was ready to let this battle go. Even without fighting it.
Then I realized I was still holding her shoulders. I released her. If she was not willing to stay and fight, who was I to force her to do it? I understood her security search, and I was ready to give her that sense of security. I wanted her to choose me instead of being locked in her apartment for security. But trust was to be earned, not for given. And I knew that I had to earn her trust. But not now. She only needs to get away now, and I have to give that to her.
"If that's all?" she gestured to the door. I silently nod. I had to let her go, the security she wanted and she needed. I had to make myself come to admit that I needed to fight more to gain her trust and I would do it no matter what. "Good night Mr. Alonzo," she said. I forced all the objections to come to my tongue and just replied,
"Good night Ms. Wonderland."
Then she left, without a second glance. I stood there and looked after her in the empty hallway for a second more. But I have to turn to the ballroom right now and find two people.