A Forced Contract Marriage with the Devil novel Chapter 19

I went straight to the library, seeking the quiet comfort of books. My eyes fell on a table, perfectly) set beside a plush armchair that looked almost too inviting. I ignored it at first, wandering through the shelves in search of the perfect book to pass the time.

After a few minutes of browsing, I found one that intrigued me. With the book in hand, I finally settled into the armchair, taking a slow bite of my apple as I lost myself in the pages.

I was nearly ten pages in when the library doors swung open with a loud bang, shattering the silence. My head snapped up, eyes darting toward the entrance. Two men strode in, deep in conversation, oblivious to my presence,

My gaze followed them instinctively. One walked ahead with confident strides, the other trailing behind. That’s when I saw him.

Alessandro.

Something about him made my stomach tighten. He was dressed sharply, his movements fluid and commanding. Had he always looked like this? Or had something changed?

A week without seeing him, shouldn’t have made a difference.

At least, that’s what I told myself.

He had always been handsome, annoyingly so. But now? Now, he was devastating.

His sharp cheekbones cast faint shadows under the warm glow of the chandeliers, his jawline more defined than I remembered, accentuated by a hint of stubble that hadn’t been there before. His dark hair, usually perfectly styled, was slightly tousled, like he’d run his fingers through it in frustration. And gods, it worked.

They disappeared toward the back of the library, leaving me with a gnawing curiosity. A part of me wanted to follow, to eavesdrop on whatever they were discussing. But the more cautious side of me

Won.

I shook my head, forcing my attention back to my book, but the words blurred before me. My focus had been shattered. The weight of Alessandro’s presence lingered, unsettling and magnetic all at

once.

Moments later, footsteps echoed through the aisles. They were coming back.

My grip tightened on my book as unease crept in. What if he saw me? What if he was angry that I was here?

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Chapter 19

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, heart pounding in anticipation.

When they came back into view, Alessandro’s eyes finally landed on me.

He halted mid–step, his entire body going rigid. A frown appeared on his forehead inmediately, his hrows knitting together in a way that made my stomach twist.

Uh oh. He’s mad, isn’t he? I think he is.

His gaze locked onto me, the same way it always did like I was some strange, foreign creature that didn’t belong in his world. Like my very presence was an offense,

A sharp whistle cut through the silence, dragging my attention away.

Behind Alessandro, another man stood, watching me with open interest. He looked to be in his early twenties, with tousled black hair, piercing green eyes, and a smirk that hinted at trouble.

His gaze flicked over me, slow and assessing, lingering far too long on my bare legs. I stiffened under the scrutiny, suddenly aware of my knee–length shorts and the way his eyes darkened slightly in

appreciation.

A muscle in Alessandro’s jaw twitched.

Alessandro put his hands in his pockets and strolled toward me. He stopped when he was at the foot of the couch. I slightly pulled my legs more into myself, so they won’t touch him.

Both of his big, inked hands landed on the armrests on either side of me. I clutched my book a little more tightly and held my breath, slightly startled.

He was so close that his smell lingered in my nose, he smelled like heady, expensive cologne, it was so clean and masculine. I just couldn’t describe his smell in any other way.

“Look at me,” he said in his authoritative tone.

I’m pretty sure that any person will do whatever he wants them to do whenever he uses such a tone. But I refused.

I kept my gaze stubbornly locked on the book in my lap, pretending as if he wasn’t standing so close, as if his presence wasn’t setting every nerve in my body on edge.

A beat of silence passed.

Then another.

The tension between us thickened, stretching until it was nearly unbearable..

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Chapter 19

You know, I don’t like repeating myself. Don’t make me do something you will regret..

I immediately raised up my head and looked up at him. I knew what he meant by regretting

My eyes met his but it was a real mistake.

Up close, Alessandro was even more overwhelming. His gaze locked onto mine, burning with an intensity that sent my pulse into a frantic rhythm. His face was unreadable, cold, composed but there was something else beneath the surface. Something simmering.

Annoyance? Amusement? I couldn’t tell.

But I could tell one thing.

He wanted control.

He expected me to obey.

I clenched my jaw, refusing to look away first.

“How long have you been here?” he asked, his voice deep, so gravelly low, and rough.

An unwanted jolt traveled to my stomach, was it fear?

“Did you follow us?” he asked I frowned at that and immediately shook my head.

“No.” I retorted.

His gaze narrowed slightly, studying me as though trying to decipher a hidden truth I wasn’t telling.

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