Page 74 of Surrendering to the Obsession

His hand gripped the back of her head, fingers tangling in her hair as he pulled her closer. He tilted her face upward, forcing her eyes to meet his. “What the fuck is going on, Mia?” His voice was deceptively soft as he asked. “I need an explanation.”

Beneath that softness was a chilling edge, a dangerous undercurrent that made her stomach tighten and her pulse quicken.

She took a deep breath, her fingers curling tightly around the fabric of his shirt on his shoulder. She met his piercing gaze and spoke softly.

“Mr. Graves, I didn’t do it for James because of… love. I did it because, all these years, I’ve felt indebted to him. He saved my dad when he had a heart attack, and carried him on his shoulders. That’s why I married him. That day, I thought… he was a good man, someone who would love me as much as my parents loved me. I was young… I didn’t understand. I thought marriage was something everyone had to commit to, and if I found a good man, I shouldn’t lose him. I thought we could build a love that would last a lifetime.”

Her voice dropped, almost to a whisper. “I didn’t realize that marriage was just a business arrangement for him. I only found out after the wedding that for all that time, he only thought of it as a business deal, not as a real marriage.”

Mia’s hand slid up to Alexander’s ear, her thumb brushing it gently. His eyes fluttered closed at the soft touch, his body relaxing visibly under her fingers.

“I told you, right?” She continued, her voice soft, “I never experienced love with him. I was never in love with him, and hewasn’t in love with me either. I tried to be a good wife, but he thought it was all just… pretending. A trap to get his money. Five years of my life, I hung on, hoping,wishing, maybe he’d love me someday, or I’d feel love for him but it never happened.”

Alexander’s eyes opened, burning into hers. “So… it was the truth? When you told me you were never in love with him?”

Mia’s voice was firm, immediate. “Never,” she said, her eyes locked on his. “Mr. Graves, that night, the only reason I acted the way I did was to repay a debt I owed him for saving my father. I owed him a life and that night, at the club, I returned it by saving his from the kidnappers.”

She drew a steadying breath, her tone resolute. “So now, I am completely free of him and his favor. I don’t owe him—or his family—anything. Whatever I’ve done… it is more than enough to repay him for saving my dad back then.”

Alexander’s lips twitched with a faint smile but inside, his chest was roaring with a fierce, uncontrollable happiness. His hand wrapped around Mia’s waist, tightening, pulling her closer until their bodies were pressed together as if he needed to feel every breath she took. Still, he kept his expression serious as he looked into her eyes.

“I still do not approve of you putting your life in danger for that man,” he said, each word edged with steel. “Or anyone else. Even me.”

His jaw flexed, a shadow crossing his expression as he added,“The next time I find out you’ve put your life in danger for anyone,” he leaned closer, his forehead touching hers, “you will be punished for it.”

Mia shivered in his arms. “Mr. Graves, don’t make me promise something like that,” she whispered. “I don’t know what will happen in the future.”

“Yes,” Alexander said firmly. “I know you don’t know. And neither do I.” His thumb brushed slow circles on her waist “That’s exactly why I want this promise. No matter what happens, Mia… you will not risk your life for anyone. Because I want my wife with me for a lifetime.”

His arms tightened again—possessive, fearful, desperate. His gaze traveled over her face, lingering on her lips, her eyes, her trembling breath.

“My wife,” he said quietly, “will never put her life in danger. Because I cannot live without her. If something happened to you…” His voice cracked for a fraction of a second. “How am I supposed to live without you?”

He leaned in, his lips brushing hers lightly as he whispered the next words, “And what will happen to our children?”

Mia jerked back slightly, her eyes widening. “Our children?”

“Yes. Mine and yours. Our children. I think three would be enough,” he said without a hint of hesitation. He tilted his head slightly, watching her with a soft, focused intensity. “I don’t want to stress you too much.”

His hand rose to cup her face, thumb brushing her cheek. “You don’t want to?” he asked gently, voice warm and coaxing.

Startled, her lips parted. “I… I don’t know,” she admitted. “I’m scared.”

“Then we won’t,” Alexander said instantly. No hesitation. No disappointment.

He pressed a gentle kiss to her mouth—slow, reassuring—before pulling back and murmuring, “We will do whatever Mia wants. As long as you want something, you will have it.”

Mia’s entire body softened. Her breath rushed out in one relieved exhale, as if a weight had vanished from her chest. Her eyes glowed with a fragile happiness.

“So… if I don’t want to have children… then I don’t have to?”

“As long as you want it from me, it’s yours,” he murmured. “Even if you wanted me dead, I’d die.” A tiny, proud smile twitched at his lips — like he genuinely thought this was romantic.

Mia started to giggle. “Why do you say things like that? You sound unhinged.”

Seeing her reaction, a grin appeared on Alexander’s lips. He slid his hand to the back of her head, his fingers threading through her hair as he slowly pulled her closer. Then the smile faded from his lips, his eyes darkening with a deeper, tender emotion.

“Call me Alexander,” he murmured.