Sold to Bastard Alpha after My Divorce!-Chapter 51

Aria’s POV

The image burned behind my eyes.

Kael. Rebecca. Their lips pressed together. Her hands fisted in his shirt. His body against hers.

I kept walking. One foot in front of the other. Don’t stop. Don’t think. Don’t feel.

But I felt everything.

The jealousy. The betrayal. The sick, twisted irony of it all.

He’d told me to stay away from him. He’d paid me like a whore. He’d made it perfectly clear I was nothing.

And yet some stupid part of me had still hoped—

No. Stop it.

I was done hoping. Done dreaming. Done being the pathetic Omega who believed in fairy tales.

Marcus’s hand tightened on my waist. His thumb traced circles against my hip. The touch felt distant. Like it was happening to someone else.

"You okay?" His voice was warm against my ear. "You seem distracted."

Distracted. That was one word for it.

"I’m fine," I lied.

The music pounded around us. Bodies swayed. Lights flashed blue and purple and gold.

And all I could see was Kael kissing Rebecca.

Of course he was with her. Of course he’d gone back to her. She was everything I wasn’t. Beautiful. Powerful. Worthy.

I was just Shadow Moon trash.

Entertainment.

A game.

Marcus leaned closer. His lips brushed my ear.

"You know what might help?" His voice dropped lower. More intimate. "Some fresh air. Just the two of us."

Fresh air.

That sounded nice. Away from this place. Away from the memories. Away from Kael and his perfect girlfriend and everything that reminded me of what I’d never have.

"Okay," I heard myself say.

The word came out hollow. Automatic.

Marcus smiled. "Perfect."

His hand slid from my waist to the small of my back. Lower than before. More possessive.

I should have noticed. Should have paid attention.

But my mind was somewhere else entirely.

We pushed through the crowd. Bodies parted around us. The exit grew closer with each step.

And then—just for a second—I looked back.

I couldn’t help it. Some magnetic force pulled my eyes toward the VIP section.

Toward him.

Kael was still there. Still with Rebecca. Still kissing her like I’d never existed.

Something sharp twisted in my chest.

Look away. Look away. Look away.

I forced myself to turn. To keep walking. To follow Marcus toward the door.

The cool night air hit my face like a slap. I sucked in a breath. Let it fill my lungs.

Better. This was better.

Away from the noise. Away from the lights. Away from the torture of watching the man I couldn’t stop thinking about with someone else.

"This way." Marcus’s voice was eager now. Almost hungry. His hand pressed more firmly against my back.

We walked toward the parking lot. The music from the bar faded to a distant thump. The night wrapped around us like a blanket.

I stared at my feet. Watched them move across the pavement. One step. Then another.

What was I even doing out here?

I’d come to this bar to forget. To move on. To prove I didn’t need Kael Blood Crown.

Instead, I’d watched him kiss Rebecca. Watched him choose her. Watched him confirm everything I already knew.

I was nothing to him.

Had never been anything.

The thought made my chest ache.

"Hey."

Marcus stopped walking. We were beside a sleek black car now. Expensive. His, probably.

"You’re really quiet," he said. His brown eyes studied my face. "What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?" 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

I shook my head. "Nothing. Just... thinking."

"About what?"

About how stupid I am. About how I keep falling for men who don’t want me. About how I’ll probably die alone because I’m too broken to do anything right.

"Nothing important," I said.

Marcus stepped closer. The movement was sudden. Too sudden.

My back hit the car.

"Marcus—"

His mouth crashed against mine.

Hard. Demanding. His tongue pushed past my lips before I could react. His hands grabbed my waist. Pinned me against the cold metal.

Panic exploded in my chest.

I shoved at his chest. Hard. Put all my strength into it.

He stumbled back. Surprise flashed across his face.

"What the hell?" My voice came out shrill. Breathless. "What are you doing?"

Marcus laughed. The sound was different now. Darker. Less friendly.

"What do you think I’m doing?" He spread his hands. Like I was being unreasonable. "You’ve been flirting with me all night. You agreed to come outside with me. What did you expect?"

My heart hammered against my ribs.

"I wasn’t—I didn’t—"

"Come on, Aria." He took a step closer. His eyes roamed over my body. Hungry. Predatory. "Don’t play innocent. You were all over me in there. Grabbing my hand. Pressing against me. Practically begging for it."

My stomach lurched.

Was that what he’d thought? All those moments when I’d been distracted, thinking about Kael—had he interpreted them as invitation?

"No." I shook my head. Hard. "No, you misunderstood. I wasn’t—I only agreed to take a walk. That’s all. Just a walk."

"Just a walk." He repeated the words mockingly. "Right. That’s why you let me touch you all night. That’s why you didn’t stop me when my hand was on your ass."

His hand had been on my—

Oh god.

I’d been so lost in my own misery. So consumed by the image of Kael kissing Rebecca. I hadn’t even noticed.

"I didn’t know—I wasn’t paying attention—"

"Bullshit." Marcus’s smile turned sharp. "Stop playing hard to get. It’s getting old."

He moved toward me again.

I stepped back. My shoulder blade hit the car door.

Trapped.

"I said no." My voice shook. "I don’t want this. I don’t want you."

"That’s not what your body was saying."

"I don’t care what you think my body was saying." Anger flared hot in my chest. Burning through the fear. "I’m saying no. Right now. No."

Marcus stopped. His jaw tightened.

For one second—one terrifying second—I thought he might actually listen. Might actually back off.

Then his expression changed.

"You’re really going to be like this?" He laughed. Bitter. Ugly. "You let me buy you drinks. Let me dance with you. Let me touch you for an hour. And now you want to pretend you’re not interested?"

"I’m not pretending—"

"You’re a tease." He cut me off. His voice dripped with contempt. "That’s what you are. A fucking tease who gets off on leading men on."

The words stung. Even though I knew they weren’t true. Even though I knew this wasn’t my fault.

"I’m leaving," I said. My voice came out stronger than I felt. "Don’t follow me."

I turned to walk away.

His arms wrapped around me from behind.

I yelped. Struggled. His grip was iron.

"Let go—"

His mouth found my neck. Hot. Wet. His teeth scraped against my skin.

Revulsion crashed through me.

"Get off me!" I thrashed. Kicked. My elbow connected with something solid.

He grunted. His grip loosened for just a second.

I twisted. Tried to break free.

But he was stronger. Bigger. His arms clamped down again. Tighter this time.

"Stop fighting," he growled against my neck. "Just relax. You’ll enjoy it."

Tears burned in my eyes. Fear clawed at my throat.

This couldn’t be happening. Not again. Not after Finn. Not after everything I’d already survived.

A roar split the night.

Deep. Savage. Barely human.

The sound froze everything.

Marcus went rigid. His hands stopped moving. His mouth left my neck.

Footsteps. Fast. Getting closer.

"What the—" Marcus started.

A voice cut through the darkness. Low. Deadly. Vibrating with barely contained rage.

"Touch her one more time. I dare you."