Bree knew her heart was drumming off-beat but she could feel the anger taking over and she didn't fight it.
She was pissed at the way Alejandro was looking at her and sounding like she was the problem.
And yes, she had to be strict now.
"Or he'd pull you into his chaos. Haha." Bree's head whispered and fueled her wrath.
That was it. She was done being the fool.
Meanwhile, Alejandro still looked like he was trying to recover from her strange outburst that had just passed.
Somehow, he did. And he spoke again.
This time, it seemed to linger with a warning edge to it.
Low. Cold.
"Where were you?"
Bree didn't reply. She looked elsewhere, her ears perked up in alert.
"I'm talking to you."
"Don't talk to me." Bree bit back.
Now, Alejandro was pretty sure this wasn't going his way and he folded his arms, displeasure crossing his expression. His jaw flexed — sharp.
That infamous storm rattling in his eyes returned.
"Why didn't you go to bed?"
Bree didn't say anything. She didn't even blink.
And that crossed a line.
The way Alejandro instantly reacted to her defiance got Bree yelping and pushing backwards where she sat but it was too late.
He moved too fast. Bree barely saw him. One second she was sitting, the next — his hand was lightly around her throat, not choking but warning her. Holding her up to her feet like she was nothing but a match he could strike and throw away.
Bree's heart had leapt towards her throat.
She had gone speechless, and now Alejandro wasn't joking any longer. Bree was almost afraid and she could smell Alejandro's cologne tickle her senses but still, she fought back the relenting sensations.
"Will you reply me?" He growled in a low voice.
Sharply, she tore herself off his grip. Her hands were shaking and sweating and when she spoke, her voice was unsteady but still something kept pushing the whole venom that had hidden within her to the light.
"Why do you care when you were busy sleeping with some prostitute?! You can't do anything to me."
His facial muscles kind of relaxed but it showed that he was done yet.
Though, not in a good way.
He didn't even step back from the small figure before him.
Shocking Bree, he gave a wicked smirk.
"You're not as worthy as the sex I had, if that's what you're thinking."
That was a wrecking ball to her chest.
To Bree, that seemed like the first full sentence Alejandro had ever said to her but then, it came with a lot of slicing pain.
Bree's breath cut in her throat and she couldn't even move.
She was going to cry....
No, she couldn't dare.
Not now.
Anger.
"You bastard!" Bree hissed sharply and grabbed him by the front of the grey shirt he wore and pulled him down.
She was shaking now. Maybe slight fear and a great spoke of fury. And heartbreak.
If anger could kill, Alejandro would have died this minute. Alejandro seemed to realize that too but he was really doing well in not giving anything away.
"You're a dog. Who do you think you are?!"
His smirk vanished and what replaced it was something that seemed to ashen his face.
Danger.
"Just one sip and you were all over the floor with some strange guy. Who should be looking after some over-careless, little fool? Me. And if you're not gonna respect yourself, I'll put you in your place."
"Fuck you!"
Alejandro glanced toward the kitchen area. No one.
He leaned in.
"How did your mom take the news?"
Bree stiffened and diverted her gaze to the ground. What was he trying to talk about?
He grabbed her chin and raised her face to look at him. Rough.
"Don't you dare ignore me."
Bree tried to pull away but his grip remained firm.
"I'm going to call your mom right now and explain to her while you listen."
Bree's blood ran cold and she looked him square in the eyes.
"Don't you dare...." Bree snapped, trying her best to wade him off but that only seemed to be a go-ahead versus winning point.
"Shut up." He quipped, looking like he was beginning to enjoy himself. Enjoying the way Bree's eyes turned dreadful and desperate. "Watch me, drunkard."
He dramatically pulled his phone out of his pocket.
"Don't you dare!" Bree cried again and this time, not just that.
With the last of her strength, Bree kicked Alejandro that he stiffened in disbelief. Yes, she had gotten it.
"It didn't hurt enough." Bree's brain egged her on.
She kicked him twice again and wildly he reacted.
No, he didn't flinch once.
Alejandro slammed her down to sit back by the shoulder with a hard thud.
Bree was crying now.
"Don't you dare!" She screamed and flew at him. Blinded by rage, by grief, by everything that she had bottled up since last night.
Violently, Alejandro pushed her down to sit again.
Her butt went back smack to settle on the sofa.
Bree couldn't notice that everyone had rushed in because the emotions that welled in her chest and brought tears to her eyes had locked everything else.
Her eyes were blinded now and she let it all spill. Even the pain locked in her chest burst into the scene.
The storm inside her was finally freed.
She broke down.
★★★
★★★
He didn't say a word when the others rushed in. They froze at the sight. Bree sobbing. Him standing over her like a shadow.
"Nobody fucking comes close!" Alejandro barked.
Ashley looked lost for what to do but most of all she looked angry.
"Alejandro." She chided. "Why are you being so.... stupid?!"
He didn't mind her.
His stare remained in Bree who was sobbing her eyes out at the moment. His voice sliced out through the room.
"She needs to cry. Let her."
"Alejandro, do you even think?!" Erwina cried out, exasperated.
Bree's crying turned into gasps. Her chest rose and fell like she couldn't breathe, but Alejandro didn't even look twice.
He squatted in front of Bree's sitting form and held his phone out.
"You can scream all you like but there's no way I'm not gonna tell your mom about this whole shit...."
Bree was mute, eyes bloodshot. Her lips were trembling but she looked like she was decided now.
He stared at her like he was trying to burn her image into his brain. Not with love. Not with care.
With fury.
Disgust.
"I hate you." Bree suddenly spat out.
Alejandro nodded in agreement.
"I don't hate you...." He replied and Bree looked at him.