Claimed by the Cruel Alpha

RED

When I thought my life was worse. Poor girl, twenty-eight weeks pregnant, her baby bump was so round, yet she was one of the hardworking staff at Case restaurant.

“Don’t give me that look.” Nyra stopped, short of rolling her eyes. Her boyfriend took off the moment he found out Nyra was pregnant.

“What look? This baby is gonna be strong as her mommy.” I rubbed her belly. “We don’t depend on assholes.”

I, on the other hand, had to work hard, paycheck to paycheck. I had a father who needed me, and medical bills wouldn’t pay themselves.

“Stop chatting. Your table needs your service,” said Cosmo.

We were lucky our manager was good and understanding.

“I can take her table if she wants to leave early,” I betted, but Nyra was already shaking her head.

Two men in sharp suits just went to my table number 3, reserved under Myers. The first man in his thirties had tanned skin, while the other man was tall, muscly, with long, curly, thick mousy brown hair tied neatly in a bun.

I put on a good smile as I approached. “Hi. Good evening. My name is Red, and I’ll be your server this evening. Can I start you off with some drinks? Or perhaps some appetizers?”

The first man smiled warmly. “That would be great. Gin and tonic for me.”

“What about you, sir?” I asked the gigantic man.

He took a deep breath and turned his head to me.

My heart instantly skipped a beat when I met the iciest, intense gray eyes I’d ever seen, surrounded by thick lashes, narrowing at me. He looked the same age as the man across the table, but he seemed to have carried the world over his shoulders for a long time, with the way he frowned as if he were troubled.

I’d been working at this restaurant for almost a year, and I’d seen thousands of people— men, women, old, rich, celebrities who came here, you name it. But this man stood apart from anyone as if he pulled all the energy and essence to himself, and something about him was commanding as his presence filled the room.

Chills raced over my skin as he set his firm jaw, covered in a five o’clock shadow. Without a word, his body went rigid as he held my gaze as if he were furious for the interruption or something else.

“Water. Tap.” He only said two words, but I found myself mute, staring at him.

What took him so long to order tap water?

“We’ll call you when we’re ready. Thank you,” the other man said politely.

I smiled and walked away. Still inwardly shaking my head, I gave the order to our barista.

“You okay?” Nyra came. Her gaze landed on table number 3. “You look flushed.”

“Yeah. I waited for the whole three minutes, and the guy in a bun only ordered tap water.” I was exaggerating a little bit.

She laughed softly. “People are weird, but he looks loaded. Look at the blue suit he’s wearing. It’s bespoke, and the way he sits, he certainly runs a multi-billion-dollar company.”

“Whatever, Elizabeth Keen.” She didn’t have to tell me. That man was super intimidating and something else I couldn’t quite put into words. The way he made direct eye contact earlier was so intense and screamed dominance. But who cares? I worked as a waitress, and I took orders from the customers.

“Wow,” she remarked quietly as the man stood up. “Man, he’s Viking.”

“And you're pregnant,” I whispered to her, making her laugh, watching the man stride confidently and meet the tall man halfway before they walked out the door.

“Just sit down. I’ll take care of the dishes.” I smiled at Dad.

He was in his fifties. Despite his age, he shouldn’t have been suffering from occupational asthma for years. His employer fired him and then paid him to silence him for getting sick due to his work nature.

“You’ve been working all day, honey.” I knew he felt like a burden to me, but I would do anything for him, and I would trade my life for him to be healthy again.

“I’m fine.” I had to drop out of college to work when the bills kept piling up. “Don’t forget the humidifier.”

“You worry a lot.” He finally left the kitchen to sit on the couch. Seconds later, his favorite show flashed on the TV screen.

“I’ll get you inhalers tomorrow.”

He just waved his hand at me, telling me to get a life. I couldn’t help but smile as I did the dishes.

Those men didn’t order anything but left a huge tip, enough to pay Dad’s monthly treatment. I thought it was a mistake, but when I got back to the table, they were gone. That was two days ago, and they never came to the restaurant again.

I woke up early. Dad was still snoring in bed. I made breakfast, cleaned the house, and showered. After that, I put the dirty laundry in the machine.

Before I could leave for work, I found an envelope slid under the door with my name written on it. I opened it and read what looked like an invitation.

“Who the hell is Mr. Zax Skoll?” I slipped it back and put it into my bag before I left the apartment.

Before I could get into my car, someone called my name— my full name, and only my English teacher called me that.

“Redleigh Lyra Klein?”

I turned around to see two men in dark suits, both fit and tall.

“Yeah? Who’s asking?”

“I’m Clay Beaufort,” said the dark-haired guy, maybe in his forties, introducing his companion, who was younger than him. “And this is Axl Fielder.”

“Looks like made-up names.” I unlocked my car.

“Ma’am, we’re here on behalf of Mr. Skoll.” That made me pause.

I faced him again. “Mr. Skoll?” Mr. Zax Skoll?

“Yes. He requests a meeting with you, ma’am,” the younger man said.

“I’m sorry. His name doesn’t ring a bell. And if he wants to meet me, if you can find where I live, I’m sure he knows where I work, and I’m gonna be late. Goodbye, gentlemen.” I got in my car and drove off.

I could still see the disappointed look on their faces from my side mirror. Whoever they were, or Mr. Zax Skoll was, they could wait.

During the break, I found time to Google Zax Skoll and search his name on social media, but I got nothing, as if he didn’t exist.

“Luddite much?” Dismayed, I slipped my phone into my pocket.

It was late as I got out of the restaurant staff exit, and I was exhausted. The tables were always full during my shift.

All of a sudden, the hair on the back of my neck rose when I made it to my car.

I didn’t know if I was just paranoid, but I felt like someone was watching me in the dark, and the entire alley was silent, turning it into a stalking and hunting ground.

Something had changed, almost like I could taste danger in the air— the temperature drastically dropping low to chilly in summer, like needles against my skin, piercing through my bones.

I rubbed my arms and felt that something was about to happen.

Instantaneously, a car engine roared behind me, making me jump, and my keys slipped from my grasp. I bent to pick them up only to hear a loud crash at the corner.

I yelped in shock, and my heart was pounding hard. Then the animalistic growling followed, freezing me to the ground.

“Ms. Klein.”

I sucked in a sharp breath. Like I was a deer caught in the headlights, I stared at the same man from down my apartment building.

He grabbed my keys on the ground, picked me up like I weighed nothing, and stuffed me in the passenger seat of my car.

Before I could even draw a breath into my lungs, he was driving us out of the alley to God knows where.