Chapter 22
Alex’s POV
Austra Grand Hotel? What’s happening there?
After receiving a call from Lucas, I felt extremely puzzled as I wondered why he needed to see me. His voice had been sharp, furious, demanding that I show up at the hotel immediately.
I grabbed my phone and dialled my secretary’s number, who’s also my assistant. “Comel, I need some information about the Austra Grand Hotel.”
“Alright sir.”
“Yes. Find out if something happened at that hotel recently.”
Minutes later, he returned with a grim expression. “Sir, Julia Carter was there tonight.”
A cold chill ran down my spine. Julia? At that hotel doing what and with who?
My entire body tensed.
The words slammed into me like a fist. A sharp, ugly jealousy twisted in my gut. Lucas had called and I was certain she was with Lucas. My jaw clenched as images I didn’t want to see flashed in my mind, her in his arms, his hands on her and maybe they even kissed.
“Prepare the car,” I ordered, my voice cold. I needed to see for myself.
And if Lucas had laid a hand on her, I’d make him regret it so he would learn to stay away from what belonged to me.
When I arrived at the hotel, I wasted no time storming into the room Lucas had mentioned. My heart pounded, my breath ragged with a mixed fury.
Then I saw her. Julia sat on the edge of the bed, her dress wrinkled, her hair a tangled mess, and her skin marred with bruises. Faint, ugly splotches ran along her arms and collarbone against her complexion. She looked exhausted and tattered.
Something snapped inside me.
“You bastard!”
I turned, eyes blazing as I locked onto Lucas, who stood confidently across the room, his hands tucked casually into his pockets as if none of my reactions fazed him. But his eyes were cold.
Rage surged through me. Without thinking, I lunged, grabbing him by the collar and shoving him back against the wall.
“What the hell did you do to her?” I growled, my grip tightening.
Lucas’s cold expression didn’t soften. If anything, he looked bored, unimpressed. Then, without hesitation, his fist crashed into my jaw. Pain exploded in my skull, and I staggered back, my vision flashing white.
“You coward,” he spat emotionlessly, his fury barely contained. “I’m not the one you should be shouting at.”
I forced myself to look at Julia again.
Her eyes met mine.
Confusion warred with my anger. “Julia?” I asked, my voice lower now, controlled.
“It wasn’t Lucas,” she murmured. “Stop pretending like you know nothing about this.”
Her words had me feeling confused.
Lucas scoffed. “You stooped so low to send a man after her? You’d do something so pathetic?”
I wiped the blood from the cut of my lips as a result of Lucas’s punch. Struggling to keep my emotions in check. “I did nothing. I sent no one.” “Jude,” Julia said, cutting me off.
Jude?
I had been so blinded by my own assumptions, by the long–standing tension between me and Lucas, that I hadn’t even considered if he could really do such a thing.
Choker 22
+25 Bonus
My hands curled into fists at my sides. “Jude did this to you?” My voice was tight, controlled only by the sheer force of my restraint.
Julia nodded slowly.
“Where is he?” I demanded and immediately saw him standing at the corner of the room, I hadn’t even noticed him earlier.
“Jude told me it was your order. That you arranged for Julia to be raped.” Lucas’s jaw tightened. “Didn’t you?”
The words made my stomach turn. A slow, deadly rage curled inside me, deeper than anything I had ever felt.
Lucas‘ cold eyes locked into mine and all I could see was an emotionless beast of a man.
I turned to Jude in a deadly gaze, who stood frozen. His face was swollen, every corner of his face. His lips were filled with cuts and one of his eyes was covered with blood stains. I could tell Lucas had done that to him.
“You told him I ordered this?” My voice was low as I walked toward him.
Jude swallowed hard but tried to maintain his composure. “Alex…”
I didn’t let him finish. My fist slammed into his face.
“You dare use my name for something this despicable?” My voice was low but in rage. I grabbed him by the collar, dragging him up so he could see the fury in my eyes. “You think you can make decisions for me? Do you know what you’ve just done?”
“Alex, you never cared about her.”
I hit him again, this time harder, sending him crashing into the ground. He coughed, blood splattering all over.
Jude whimpered, barely able to meet my gaze. He looked disappointed, obviously thought I was going to back him up for hurting Julia even though I felt nothing for her.
“Take him away.” I turned to Cornel, gesturing towards Jude.
“No Alex. You can’t punish me because of her, please…” Cornel gripped him up and began pulling him away.
“We’ve been friends over the years, don’t let her tear our friendship apart. Please Alex.” Jude’s plea fell on a deaf ear. I ignored him watched Cornel take him out.
I turned away, my breath unsteady, and strode toward Julia. She was still sitting on the bed.
I reached for her wrist. “Come on. You’re leaving with me.‘
Before I could pull her up, Lucas stepped between us again. “She’s not going anywhere with you.”
My patience snapped. “And who the hell are you to decide?” I shot back. “This isn’t your call, Lucas. Julia was my fiancée”
as I
“She was, not any more. She’s not a goddamn possession, Alex,” Lucas cut me off. “You don’t get to just take her like she’s some object.”
I clenched my jaw, my patience wearing dangerously thin. “Then let her speak for herself. You have no right to decide for her.”
My cold gaze then locked onto Julia.
She pulled away from my grip instantly. “I’m not going with you, Alex.”
My fingers curled into fists. A bitter laugh escaped my lips humorlessly. “Of course,” I muttered “You don’t want to come with me because you’d rather go with him, isn’t that right? You’re staying so you can follow Lucas home so you can warm his bed.”
Julia’s eyes widened in shock but then it was quickly gone, replaced by fiery outrage.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Alex!” she snapped, stepping closer.
But I wasn’t done. The jealousy clawed at my insides and I couldn’t control it. “Why else would you refuse to come with me?” I demanded, my voice rising. “You always spend time with Lucas, Julia. Do you expect me to believe nothing has happened?”
“You don’t get to stand there and accuse me of
things you know nothing about!”
“I said I won’t come with you!”
