Alpha's Private Plaything (Elsa and Drake Stone) novel Chapter 301

Chapter 301

Elsa

I stared at the cake in my hand, wondering if I should pack it for later. My stomach still anything made me queasy. The doctor had lectured me about my “severely malnourished state,” as if I’d deliberately been starving

hollow, but the thought of eating myself rather than simply forgetting to eat while juggling a new job and my mother’s illness.

“Fuck this,” I muttered under my breath, my fingers trembling slightly with lingering weakness. With a heavy sigly, I wrapped thecake in a napkin and tucked it into my purse. Better to have it on hand than face Drake’s judgmental stare if my stomach growled later.

Speaking of the devil, Drake stood impatiently by the hospital room door, his broad shoulders filling the frame as he checked his watch for the third time in as many minutes. His jaw ticked with barely contained irritation. The discharge papers were signed, and there was no legitimate reason for me to stall any longer, though god knows I wanted to.

Are you planning to make that bed your permanent residence?” Drake’s voice carried that familiar edge of authority that spine stiffen and my teeth clench.

made my

I forced myself to stand, ignoring the slight dizziness that accompanied the movement. My knuckles turned white as I gripped the edge of the bed to steady myself. “Just making sure I have everything, for fuck’s sake. Give me a minute.”

As I walked past him, I deliberately avoided eye contact, my nostrils flaring at his familiar scent. I considered making a run for it.

The thought flickered through my mind-just dash down the hallway, find a taxi, and disappear. My muscles tensed, ready for flight.

But where would I go? With Drake’s resources and connections, he could find me anywhere in the city within hours. The effort

would be futile, and I was too damn exhausted for futile gestures today.

So I lowered my head and followed him, keeping a careful distance between us as we made our way to the hospital exit.

nervously twisted the strap of my purse. His custom-tailored suit seemed unusually crisp today, as if he’d changed int

fingers

fresh clothes

while I was sleeping. The thought of him leaving and returning while I was unconscious made my skin crawl and my stomach turn.

Taylor waited with the car. I’d once overheard other executives joking that a ride in Drake’s private car would cost fifty thousand dollars-a ridiculous sum meant to discourage people from asking for favors. At least today I was getting my money’s worth, even if

I hadn’t asked for it.

Fifty grand for a car ride, I thought bitterly. What a fucking bargain.

interior smelled of

expensive leather and Drake’s cedar Taylor opened the back door, and Drake gestured for me to enter first. The cologne-a scent that used to make my heart race with anticipation but now just made my stomach clench with anxiety.

Drake slid in beside me, taking up more space than necessary. His thigh pressed against mine despite the spacious back seat, and I shifted closer to the door, desperate for a few more inches of separation. I pressed myself against the cold window, my breath creating small clouds of condensation. The tension between us felt thick enough to cut with a knife.

Taylor started the car, and we pulled away from the hospital in silence. I stared out the window, trying to focus on the passing

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09:07 Wed, Jun 10 AA

Chapter 301

scenery rather than the heat radiating from Drake’s body beside me. My fingers drummed nervously against my thigh. After several minutes, I realized we weren’t heading toward the Moonlight Real Estate offices.

1 bit my lip hard enough to taste blood, wondering if I should ask where we were going. Would questioning him set off his tempos Drake had been oddly… not gentle, exactly, but less harsh since finding me collapsed outside the hospital. I wasn’t eager to shatter this temporary truce.

The car came to a stop in front of Le Zéphyr, an upscale restaurant located in the neutral territory between Black Obsidian and Moon Shadow territories. My confusion must have shown on my face because Drake let out an impatient sigh.

Didn’t you say you were hungry yesterday? Breakfast, Get out.”

His tone left no room for argument. Taylor opened my door, and I stepped onto the sidewalk, clutching my purse like a shield. My heart pounded against my ribs as Drake emerged from the other side, his movements fluid and predatory. His expression was serious, almost grim, but I caught his eyes flicking toward me more than once, assessing me with an intensity that made me shiver despite the morning warmth.

It struck me then how bizarre Drake’s behavior had been lately. The flowers he’d sent to my office, the jokes about chauffeur

services, the food he kept pushing on me… they reminded me uncomfortably of Bruce’s clumsy attempts at courtship. But that was

absurd.

What the hell is he playing at now? I thought, my fingers digging into the leather of my purse.

The next day, I regretted working under the supervision of Zoe Brown, who seemed determined to make my life miserable in the

company.

“As the newest member of our team, Elsa should treat us all to a proper lunch,” Zoe announced to the small gathering of staff in the break room. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes as she looked at me. “It’s tradition.”

I’d planned a simple afternoon tea with pastries from a local bakery-something modest that wouldn’t strain my already precarious finances. But Zoe was pushing for something more elaborate. My jaw clenched so hard I could hear my teeth grinding.

“I’d be happy to bring in some treats tomorrow,” I offered, fighting to keep my voice pleasant despite the pounding in my head. My body still hadn’t fully recovered from the fever, and the thought of organizing a formal lunch made me want to crawl under my desk

and curl into a ball.

“Oh, come on,” Zoe pressed, her voice syrupy sweet with underlying venom. “We all know you can afford better than store-bought cookies. A real welcome dinner would be more appropriate.”

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