ELENA HARPER
Elena found herself deeply embarrassed.
However, and If anything, Alexander did not flinch in the least. There was only a faint smirk on his lips as he dropped Elena's hand, completely unbothered by Rocco, who now stood in the center of the room, reeking of cheap whiskey and desperation. The two hulking figures behind Rocco were equally menacing, their leather jackets wet with rain and their faces set in grim scowls.
"And who is this?" Alexander asked, his voice still smooth as silk. The question was not born of genuine curiosity, but of an almost bored dismissiveness, as if a small animal had wandered into a space reserved for kings.
Rocco's eyes, wide with surprise, darted between Alexander's tailored suit and his own shirt. He had been so focused on Elena that he had not even noticed the man standing behind the door. Rocco's hand, which had been gripping the hilt of his knife, trembled slightly, the raw, primal aggression in his eyes warring with a newfound caution.
"That's none of your business," he snapped, trying to regain his composure, his voice a gravelly snarl. "This is a personal matter between me and this little debt-dodger."
He gestured wildly with the knife at Elena, who had gone completely pale, her fear a tangible presence in the small apartment.
"It seems to be my business now, I think," Alexander replied calmly, a dangerous glint in his piercing blue eyes. He reached inside the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a sleek, black leather wallet. It was a simple object, yet it exuded the same quiet authority as its owner.
He didn't open it right away but held it in his hand.
Rocco scoffed, a dry, humorless sound. "You think a few bucks will get you out of this? She owes me." He waved the knife again, its blade catching the dim light. "I want my money, and I want it now. Or things are going to get real ugly."
Alexander's eyes narrowed slightly, the only sign of his growing impatience. He looked at Elena, then back at Rocco.
"How much?"
Rocco's mouth twisted into a sneer, a flash of greed replacing the rage. "Five thousand. And I want it now."
Without a word, and with a scornful twist of his lips, Alexander opened his wallet. Elena was stunned by the lines of crisp bills, all neatly stacked and organized. He then pulled out a thick wad of hundred-dollar bills, the kind that had clearly been printed recently, lacking the creases and wear of common currency. His lips, too, counted silently, and when he was done, he did not hand it to Rocco; but simply tossed the money onto the coffee table.
The stack of crisp bills landed with a soft thump on top of Elena's scattered sketches, a stark contrast to the worn-out apartment. Her eyes widened, as she tried to think of when last she had seen so much cash in one place, a small fortune lying on her messy coffee table.
It was more money than she had earned in the last six months combined.
Rocco's bravado melted into disbelief. He stared at the money, then at Alexander, his eyes darting between the two. The loan shark's anger was quickly replaced by greed, and he lunged for the money, his goons stepping back to give him room.
They watched as he snatched the bills, fanning them out to make sure the count was right. His expression was a comical mix of shock and triumph. He looked at Alexander with newfound respect, a glimmer of understanding dawning in his eyes.
This was not a man to be trifled with.
"There," Alexander said with finality. "Now, get out."
Rocco didn't need to be told twice. He fumbled with the money, shoving the thick stack into his pocket. He gave Elena a venomous look to at least establish some authority before turning to leave, his goons following close behind. Just as he reached the door, he stopped and looked at Alexander.
"You're lucky, pal," he said, but his voice lacked conviction.
"No," Alexander said, a chilling smile on his face. "She is."
The door slammed shut behind Rocco, leaving a stunned silence in the room. The only sound was the incessant drumming of rain against the glass. Elena stood frozen, staring at the empty space where Rocco and his goons had been just moments ago. The fear that had gripped her was slowly replaced by a new, more unsettling emotion: confusion.
She looked at Alexander, who was calmly putting his wallet away.
"What was that?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"A transaction," Alexander replied, his eyes scanning the room once more, now settling on her. "I paid off your debt. A show of good faith."
He glanced at the pile of bills on the table, then back at her. "But the real payment, Elena, is the one you haven't made yet."
He strode to the door and opened it. The rain was still coming down in sheets, but the air was now charged with a new kind of tension. He turned back to face her, his handsome features bathed in the dim hallway light.
"You have three days to think about my offer, Elena," he said, his voice dropping to a low, serious tone. "I won't chase you. If you don't contact me, I will assume you are not interested, and the offer will go to someone else."
He held up a business card, and Elena took it with a trembling hand. The card was thick, embossed with the name Voss Capital in elegant silver lettering. There was no address, just a phone number and an email.
"Three days, Elena. Don't waste them," he said, his eyes holding her gaze for a long moment. Then he was gone, the heavy door clicking shut behind him.
Elena was left alone in her silent apartment, the only evidence of Alexander Voss's visit being the flimsy card in her hand and the ghost of Rocco's presence lingering in the air. The rain continued to pound against the window, but the storm inside her had just begun.
Her mind raced with a thousand questions, but one stood out above all the others: What kind of opportunity was worth a stranger paying off her debt?
And what exactly did he want from her?
Outside, Alex put back on his raincoat and umbrella as his phone buzzed, and he took a careful look behind him before answering.
His words were quick, too.
"Yes. She has little choice. I think she's going to accept."