7. Lars
7
LARS
T he next day, I'm heading to the attorney's office. If Alice thinks she's getting away from me that easily, she has another thing coming. My boots clack against the polished floor as I stride in, all eyes turning toward me.
Alice's head whips around, her face draining of color when she sees me standing there. Before she can react, I call out her name loudly. "Alice!"
The tension in the room is palpable, and everyone is staring at me.
"There you are, princess." I flash her a grin, relishing how she squirms in her seat. Her discomfort only fuels my determination, and I take another step forward.
An older man with a stern expression marches over, his brow furrowed, and lips pressed into a thin line. "What's the meaning of this?" he demands, glaring at me. "Who are you, and what are you doing here, barging in and disrupting my office?" His voice carries a note of authority, but I'm not easily intimidated.
Alice shrinks back, shooting me a pleading look, but I ignore it. "The boss, I presume?" I drawl, sizing him up with a dismissive glance. "I'm Lars, a friend of Alice's."
"Derek, he's not my friend," Alice interjects, her voice trembling. "I met him a couple days ago, and he just showed up here uninvited—" Her words tumble out in a rush, desperation coloring every syllable.
"Uninvited?" I cut her off with a dark chuckle that echoes through the suddenly silent office. "After the fun we had the other night, I figured you'd be happy to see me again." I step closer, noting how Derek tenses like a coiled spring.
"I don't care who you are," Derek snaps, his face flushing angrily. "You can't just barge in here and make a scene. I'm going to have to ask you to leave right now." His words are clipped, each one punctuated with barely contained rage.
I ignore him, keeping my eyes locked on Alice.
Her face is a canvas of emotions—fear, confusion, and something else I can't quite place. "You should leave," she says.
"Don't be like that, princess. I've been thinking about you non-stop since our date last night." My voice is low, almost a purr, and I see her shiver in response.
Derek moves to block my view of her, puffing out his chest. "You heard me. Get out before I call security." His threat hangs in the air, but I'm far from impressed.
With a low growl, I grab him by the lapels of his suit and yank him close. The fabric crumples in my fists as I pull him off balance. "You don't want to do that," I snarl, my face inches from his. "Trust me, you've got no idea who you're dealing with." I can smell his cologne and see the beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
His eyes widen in fear as I tighten my grip. Out of the corner of my eye, I detect Alice frozen in horror, her hand covering her mouth.
Derek opens his mouth but no words come out, just a choked gasp. Releasing him, he stumbles backward. Once he recovers, he straightens his suit with shaking hands, his face red with embarrassment and rage. The other employees watch in stunned silence, no one daring to intervene.
"Listen closely," I growl, looming over him like a storm cloud. "Alice is a goddamn princess, and you better start treating her like one. No more long hours, no more shit assignments. Understand?" My words are razor-sharp, cutting through the tense atmosphere. I'm just assuming this jackass treats her like shit because I know his type.
Derek sputters. "You can't just come here and tell me how to run my office!" His voice cracks slightly, betraying his fear.
I lean in, my voice dropping to a menacing whisper that only he can hear. "Oh, I can. And I will. Because if I hear you're mistreating her..." I let the threat hang in the air, enjoying how he squirms under my gaze. "Well, let's just say you won't like the outcome."
I turn my attention to Alice, noticing she's watching the exchange with wide, shocked eyes. Her chest rises and falls rapidly, her breath coming in short gasps. Moving closer to her desk, I lean down, my lips brushing her ear. She smells like lavender and fear, a heady combination.
"As for you, princess, we've got a date tonight. I'll pick you up at eight. No excuses." My breath tickles her skin, and I feel her shiver.
Her breath catches in her throat. "Lars, I can't just—" Her voice is barely above a whisper.
"You can. And you will." I cut her off, my tone brooking no argument. The finality in my voice silences any further protest. "Wear something nice. I'm taking you somewhere special."
With that, I straighten and leave the office, leaving a red-faced Derek sputtering angrily and a stunned Alice staring after me.
I can feel her eyes on my back as I go, burning into me like twin lasers. A smirk tugs at my lips as I push through the door, and the satisfying click of it closing behind me punctuates my exit. Tonight will be interesting, and I can hardly wait to see what unfolds.