DASHIELL
Sunday afternoon
"So tell me," Selene said with a bright giggle over the phone, "how is married life treating my big brother?"
I was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling with my legs up against the wall. The position helped me think. I tapped my fingers rhythmically against my stomach as I answered.
"It's… different," I answered honestly. "Alexander is very… Alexander."
Selene laughed. "That's the most Dashiell answer ever. Come on, give me something. Is he nice to you? Does he talk to you?"
I frowned slightly, toes curling against the wall. "He talks when he wants to. And he's… not mean. Mostly and he's going to buy me an aquarium."
Selene laughed brightly. "An aquarium? Wow. But seriously, Dash, are you happy? Does he treat you well?"
I thought about the desk. Then the chair. The way I was still slightly sore in places I refused to name out loud.
"He is very… attentive," I replied carefully. "Sometimes too attentive. But yes. I am happy."
There was a short pause before Selene's tone shifted.
"Hey… is it true what Bianca said? That Alexander Astor is actually a psychopath?"
I frowned hard. My feet started rubbing together slowly, soles sliding against each other in that familiar self-soothing motion. I caught my bottom lip between my teeth for a second, then released it.
"Yes," I answered bluntly. "He is a diagnosed psychopath."
Selene gasped loudly. "Dash!"
"What?" I said, confused by her reaction. "It is not a secret. He has the diagnosis. He is very high-functioning and extremely intelligent. He just… does not experience empathy the way most people do. But he is not cruel to me. Possessive, yes. Controlling, definitely. But not cruel."
I could practically hear her processing on the other end of the line.
"Bianca made it sound like he was some kind of inhuman monster," Selene said, voice quieter now. "Like he was dangerous. She was so hysterical about marrying him that day. It was weird."
I stayed silent for a moment, still rubbing my feet together. She was right. Bianca's outburst had been extreme, almost too extreme. I had not thought about it for weeks but there was something more there. I just had not figured out what yet.
"Yeah…" I murmured. "It was strange."
Selene sighed. "Anyway, I miss you. The house feels so empty and quiet without you. It is weird not hearing you organizing your notes at two in the morning or lecturing the fish tank like they can understand you."
I smiled softly. "I miss you too."
There was a hopeful pause.
"So… when are you coming to visit? And can I come see you soon? I want to see this fancy aquarium in person. And maybe meet Alexander properly this time."
I hesitated, fingers tapping faster against my stomach.
"I will have to ask Alexander first," I said. "He is particular about visitors especially at the house."
"Okay," she replied, sounding a little disappointed but understanding. "Just let me know."
I switched topics, keeping my voice casual. "How is school going? Are your grades still good? Are those girls still bothering you? The ones who kept cornering you after class?"
"Dash, it's fine," she said quickly, voice bright in that forced way. "Anyway, Mr. Brown from the hospital asked about you the other day. He wanted to know how you're settling in at Astor Medical."
I narrowed my eyes. She had changed the subject very quickly, too quickly and my foot-rubbing intensified.
"Selene."
"What?"
"Are those girls still bullying you?"
A long pause.
"They are not bullying me," she said quickly. "It is just stupid teenager stuff. I am handling it. Anyway, you should call Mr. Brown. He sounded kind of urgent."
I wanted to push harder, but I could hear the tension in her voice. She was shutting down. I knew that tone. Pushing now would only make her pull away more.
"I will call him," I said finally. "But if those girls do anything, you tell me immediately. Okay?"
"Okay, okay. I promise. Love you, big brother."
"Love you too."
I ended the call and stared at the phone for a long moment, still tapping my fingers. Something was not right with Selene and something was definitely not right with Bianca's extreme reaction to Alexander.
I sat up slowly, already thinking about how to bring the latter up with Alexander without sounding too anxious.
This was going to be complicated.
Hours later, my stomach finally won the battle against my reluctance to leave my room.
I was hungry, and the low blood sugar was making my thoughts feel foggy and irritable. I padded downstairs barefoot, still wearing the oversized soft white shirt that reached mid-thigh and my tiniest black sleep shorts underneath.
My hair was messy, falling into my eyes because I had not bothered to fix it after my nap. I was halfway through rubbing my eyes when I stepped into the living room and froze.
Alexander was not alone.
He sat on the large leather sofa, posture relaxed but commanding, speaking in that low, cold tone he used for business. Across from him sat a sharply dressed man in his late thirties, dark hair, expensive watch, the kind of calm confidence that screamed "dangerous." They both turned to look at me the moment I entered.
My cheeks instantly burned hot.
"Oh," I said bluntly, blinking. "You have a visitor. I did not know."
The stranger's gaze dropped briefly to my bare legs, long, pale, and very exposed under the hem of my shirt before snapping back up to my face. He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching with faint amusement.
Alexander's expression did not change on the surface. But I knew him well enough now to feel the sudden shift in the air. His eyes darkened, jaw tightening almost imperceptibly.
"Dashiell," Alexander said, voice deceptively calm. "Come here."
I hesitated for half a second, fingers tapping rapidly against my thigh, then walked over. The oversized shirt brushed against my skin with every step. I stopped beside Alexander's spot on the sofa, close enough that my leg pressed lightly against his knee.
The visitor smiled politely, though his eyes still held that sharp, assessing look. "You must be Dr. Harper-Astor. I've heard a lot about you."
I nodded once. "Nice to meet you. I apologize for my appearance. I was not expecting company."
Alexander's large hand immediately settled on the back of my thigh, fingers curling possessively around the bare skin just under the hem of the shirt. The touch was hot. Territorial. A clear warning.
"This is Victor Kane," Alexander introduced, thumb slowly stroking the sensitive skin of my inner thigh. "An associate. We were just finishing up."
Victor's smile widened slightly, clearly noticing Alexander's hand. "I won't keep you long, Dr. Astor. Though I can see you have much more… pleasant things to attend to."
My face grew hotter. I resisted the urge to tug the shirt down further. Instead, I focused on the tapping against my leg and kept my voice steady.
"I was going to make a sandwich. Would either of you like anything?"
Victor chuckled softly. "No, thank you. I was just leaving."
Alexander's grip on my thigh tightened, almost painful. He did not look away from Victor as he spoke. "We'll continue this discussion another time. I'll walk you out."
The moment Victor stood and headed toward the door with Alexander, I let out a slow breath and turned toward the kitchen. My legs still felt a little shaky, and the blush refused to leave my face.
I had barely opened the refrigerator when I heard the front door close. Heavy footsteps approached from behind then Alexander's presence was suddenly everywhere. He pressed up against my back, one arm wrapping around my waist while his other hand slid up my thigh, pushing the shirt higher.
"You came downstairs looking like that," he said, his voice low and dark, "with your pretty legs on display, your hair all messy… while another man was in my house?"
I shivered, leaning back into him despite myself.
"I was hungry," I said honestly. "And they are just legs. You have seen them before. Many times."
Alexander's hand squeezed my thigh hard. "No one else gets to see them like this. Ever."
He turned me around, lifted me onto the kitchen counter in one smooth motion, and stepped between my spread thighs. His eyes were dark, intense, and hungry.
I swallowed, fingers tapping rapidly against his chest.
"…Can I eat first?" I asked, direct and slightly hopeful. "I have not eaten since breakfast."
Alexander stared at me for a long moment, then exhaled a low, amused breath and kissed me hard.
"Eat," he said against my lips. "Then I'm taking you upstairs and reminding you exactly who this body belongs to."
I blushed but nodded, a small stubborn smile forming.
"You are very possessive," I told him plainly.
Alexander brushed my messy hair out of my eyes, looking entirely too satisfied.
"Yes," he replied. "And you like it."
I did not deny it.
Because he was right.