Please Divorce Me, Alpha! {BL}

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Lydia’s jaw dropped. One of the bodyguards looked down, clearly trying not to react.

I stood there, wondering if someone had swapped out Lorenzo with an actor while I wasn’t paying attention.

He continued speaking with the confidence of a man giving a speech he’d rehearsed for ages.

"He’s intelligent, honest, independent, and remarkably composed under pressure."

I stared at him, baffled. Composed? Me? I had spent half the evening trying not to scream because of how annoyingly attractive his face was.

Lorenzo’s gaze locked with mine. "And I’ve come to adore him...he will make a perfect mate."

I nearly swallowed my tongue. Adore? The man had known me for all of two hours.

I’d insulted him, dubbed him Dracula, talked about wanting to marry him for money, discussed how is divorce his ass the second his dad kicked the bucket, and devoured enough food to feed a small village.

Apparently, this was romance now.

Lydia looked like she was having a religious experience. Lorenzo reached into his coat for a pair of black leather gloves, slipping them on one finger at a time, while Lydia continued to stare, dumbfounded.

"I must commend your family," he said. "You raised a beautiful, gentle, and remarkably well-mannered young man."

I gaped at him. Gentle? Had he lost his mind? Well-mannered?!

Lorenzo smiled. "My future husband."

My face heated up and before I could process it, he took my hand. I stiffened instinctively.

His gloved fingers wrapped around mine with surprising gentleness. Then he lifted my hand, his green eyes focused on mine, and pressed his lips against the back of my hand.

Everything around me seemed to fade away as I felt the warmth of his mouth.

Then I caught a whiff of his scent again. It was subtle at first, but once it hit me, it was impossible to ignore.

There was something sharp beneath it, like winter air crossed with cedar, and something darker I couldn’t quite place.

My knees nearly buckled. I absolutely hated my body right then.

Control yourself, boy!

Lorenzo noticed, of course. A hint of amusement flickered in his eyes. He released just enough of his pheromones to make my heart race before reining them back in.

His voice dropped lower. "I’ll come to the Sinclair estate soon to officially ask for your hand in marriage. Until then..."

My fingers curled involuntarily around his. "Wait for me, tesoro mio."

I forgot how to breathe.

Lorenzo let go of my hand, turned, and walked away, his bodyguards trailing behind him. I remained frozen in place.

Lydia was staring at me, I was staring at the door. Then I glanced down at the hand he’d kissed. I could still feel the warmth.

"Alex."

I didn’t respond.

"Y...you actually got him to accept you?"

Finally, I looked her way. "I mean...you and father told me to, didn’t you?"

She blinked. I shrugged. "Apparently, I’m very charming when I want to be."

She regarded me as if she were torn between slapping me or congratulating me.

I grinned... Seventy million dollars worth of charming, apparently.

By the time we got home, Lydia had replayed the entire evening at least six times.

I wasn’t sure if she was more impressed by Lorenzo’s wealth, nervous about his power, scared of how dangerously the Castellis were, or perplexed that I’d somehow managed to pull off what she thought was impossible just to avoid marrying that old shit.

As soon as we entered the sitting room, she rushed toward Richard. "They’re moving forward with it."

My father’s head snapped up. "What?"

"Lorenzo Castelli accepted him."

For a brief time, no one moved. Then something I hadn’t seen in years happened.

My father smiled...not the smug grin he wore when someone praised his business or the polite smile he used with important people, but a genuine smile. He laughed.

"My God," he breathed. "Do you know what this means?!"

I did... it meant a powerful alliance. A way out of financial trouble. And, evidently, a son who had spent twenty-five years being treated like an inconvenience had suddenly become the most valuable asset in the house.

Richard crossed the room. "Alex."

Before I could react, he reached for me to pull me into a hug. I instinctively stepped back.

He halted, his arms still raised, looking a bit confused for a second, like he’d forgotten we didn’t share that thing called affection.

"You’ve done something amazing," he said.

I stared at him, and he laughed again. "Do you understand who you’re marrying? The Castelli family could save my company!"

There it was...the truth. Not a "glad you’re safe," or "sorry for what you went through," or even "I’m proud of you." Just money, like always.

Blair stood silently by the fireplace, her expression completely altered; she was staring at me with something bordering on hatred.

I couldn’t blame her, for once, everyone’s gaze was on me, and she wasn’t the focus of attention for once.

And I bet she hated the feeling of being be forgotten child.

My father reached for me again, I sidestepped him like I dodging a bullet. "Excuse me."

His smile faded as I walked past without another word. Behind me, I could hear Lydia whispering to him, followed by Blair’s irritated voice. I didn’t care.

I went upstairs, shut the door to my bedroom, and locked it myself, forgetting I didn’t actually need to.

For the first time in a long while, I had something nobody in this house could take from me—a clear escape plan and freedom.

I walked over to the loose floorboards under my bed where I’d stashed the items I’d stolen from my dad’s study.

The watch, the cufflinks, the gold lighter. I stared at them, those items had symbolized my only escape route, but now they seemed almost pitiful.

I picked up the watch and turned it over in my hand. I should probably give them back. I didn’t need to steal anymore, right? At least that’s what I told myself. I carefully placed everything back into the drawer, shutting it with a light thud.

"Goodbye, criminal career," I muttered. "You were short-lived but emotionally draining."

I crawled into bed. For the first time I could remember, I fell asleep contemplating the future instead of how to manage the next day.

I should’ve known better. Because my life had clearly decided it wasn’t finished with surprises.

Two days later, I woke up to the sound of engines. Not just one, but several. I rushed to the window. A convoy of black vehicles was rolling through the Sinclair gates.

My stomach dropped as I ran downstairs.

People were stepping out, men in sharp suits. One by one, they opened the trunks of their cars and started carrying boxes into the house. I stood there, speechless.

Holy...shit. Somebody pinch me, there was no way this was real.

The first box opened in the entrance hall revealed sparkling jewelry beneath the chandelier. The second one held watches. The third appeared filled with high-end liquor and other luxury items.

Then came the cases...heavy, black cases. One guy opened one, and even from the window, I could see stacks of cash. A lot of cash, enough to make my childhood self burst into tears.

I slowly stepped away from the banister. "What the hell?"

The house was in chaos. Servants hurried around, Richard was practically buzzing with excitement, and Lydia looked as if she’d just discovered a second life she had been missing out on.

Blair stood at the bottom of the staircase, eyeing the growing mountain of Castelli riches with an expression suggesting every dollar had personally offended her.

I walked into the hallway, stopping halfway down the stairs. One of the men carrying a box looked up and nodded respectfully. "Mr. Sinclair."

I swallowed. "Um...hello."

I scanned the jewelry, then the cash, then the avalanche of gifts being brought into the home. My heart raced.

This was no longer just a casual agreement; this was happening!

The Castelli family was solidifying their presence in the Sinclair residence. Somewhere behind all this wealth, beyond the gates, the black vehicles, and the men in suits, was Lorenzo.

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"Tesoro mio" : My Treasure

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