Selling Myself To The Alpha
Chapter 51

Liana POV

My eyelids are heavy, and my body is sore and sensitive in all my intimate places when I wake up. But I am not complaining. Last night was incredible.

I turn around and smile when I look at a sleeping Axel. I nestle closer to him and close my eyes. After last night I will need a week of sleep to recover.

But try as I may, I cannot fall asleep. My mind is too busy. In reality, Axel and I have a dysfunctional relationship. What we have will never survive. We do not talk things through. We disagree, fight and then end up in bed.

I have no idea how he truly feels about Angela. Sure, he tells me he has no time for her and is downright rude at times. Even in public and in front of other people. But still, he tolerates her, and she keeps on coming back to him.

He says he is doing it because of her parents, but Angela... she does not strike me as the self-loathing type that will tolerate such behaviour. She is a proud, spoiled and self-righteous woman. Why is she clinging to Axel? Why endure humiliation and rejection time after time?

If this were a real relationship, I could have talked to him about it. I could have told him that I love him and that Luther will never be more than a friend. Instead, I must be satisfied with pretending and incredible, mind-blowing s*x.

Frustrated with myself and the situation I turn onto my side with my back towards Axel and stare through the window as the dark sky slowly turns to light.

If this were a real relationship, I could have told him about Wilson without fearing that he might think I am only using him to solve my problems. I honestly do not know what I am going to do about Wilson.

It does not matter from which angle I argue the situation, I end up with the same result. I can replace a way and pay Wilson but what about next time? Because let us be real, there will be a next time with Leon.

Wilson is scum, but getting rid of him is not the solution. Leon will continue with his ways and there will always be another bookie looking for money. There will be a day when I cannot pay and then what? Those people are ruthless. What if they go after my parents?

I might not have a solution, but I know what I do not want. I do not want to involve or endanger Nina and Axel. And until I can devise a plan, I will string Wilson with the idea that I will pay him.

"Why are you awake?" Axel murmurs behind me as he puts his arm around my waist and pulls me closer to his chest.

"Why are you?" I smile as he kisses my shoulder.

"I must go to work," he mumbles as his lips trail from my shoulder to my neck. "You're not."

"I can make you breakfast before you go," I turn on my back to face him.

"You're my breakfast," he nibbles on my ear, and I close my eyes as his hand slips between my legs.

"Fine," I spread my legs and curl my fingers into his hair. "Coffee then."

"Sounds perfect," he smiles leisurely as he settles between my legs. He keeps my gaze as he slowly enters me.

**

I take a seat on the couch and pull my knees to my chest as I drink my coffee and stare out of the window.

Axel has left for the day, and I already enjoyed a long and luxurious bubble bath. Today I am only going to relax. I refuse to think about Leon, Wilson or Angela. But before I can finish my coffee, my phone rings. "Hello Leon," I greet politely.

"Hi," he greets jovially. "Mom asks if you had sent this week's money. The groceries were delivered, but no money."

"No," I grunt through clenched teeth. The bloody cheek! "I have been discharged from the hospital less than twenty-four hours ago. When the hell was I supposed to get the time?"

"Geez, relax," Leon snorts. "No need to bite the messenger's head off. And if you have time to order groceries, you have time to send money."

"The groceries are preordered and paid," my voice is strained as I control my anger. "And since we're talking about money. What's the story with you, Wyatt and Wilson?"

"I have no idea..."

"Don't even think about it," I cut him off brusquely. I am on the verge of hysterical rage, and it is not going to take a lot to push me over the cliff. "Playing dumb with me is not going to work. I'm not Mom that eats your shit for breakfast."

"You know what?" His voice climbs an octave higher. "If you weren't so stingy and helped out more, I wouldn't have to replace other ways to stay alive."

"Twenty thousand, Leon," I shout into the phone beside myself in anger. "Twenty-f*****g-thousand. That is not the cost of living."

"It's with interest," he replies as if it is the most obvious thing in the world.

"Leon," I hiss as I close my eyes and take a deep breath. "Listen carefully, I'm not paying them. I don't have the money. Even if I could afford it, I wouldn't. I'm done with you."

I end the call before he can reply. Furiously I pace up and down in the living room. I do not think I have ever been this mad in all my days. Heaven knows I try my best to be a good person. I turn the other cheek and suck it up when I feel I am being treated poorly. But I had enough. No more.

I take out my phone and send Wilson and Nina a message before I grab my handbag and walk to the bus stop.

**

The coffee shop is fairly quiet when I walk inside, and I immediately spot Nina.

"You don't look like someone that almost died," Nina teases me when we are done hugging and greeting.

"At least I have that going for me," I laugh softly. "How are you?"

"Great," she smiles but her eyes betray her. "Wilson said..."

"About him," I cut her short and look her straight in the eye. "I invited him as well; he'll be here in half an hour."

"Really?" Nina looks surprised but not overexcited. "I thought you hated each other."

"I still do," I smile sourly. "But there's something else I want to discuss with you before he arrives. I'm being blackmailed." "What?" She gapes at me. "How? Why?"

"Leon," I roll my eyes. "He owes money and now the bookie wants me to repay it, or he'll hurt someone I love."

"That's terrible," she reaches over the table and takes my hand. "What are you going to do?"

"What would you do?" I throw the ball into her court.

"Well, I guess I would've paid," she says after a moment of silence.

"And if you don't have the money?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Protect the loved one," she frowns. "At the very least, warn them."

"Okay," I nod and take out my phone. I scroll to the photo of Wilson and Stacey and hand it over to her. "You're the loved one and Wilson the bookie. He's only dating you to force me to pay Leon's debt."

Nina's eyes nearly pop out of their sockets as she looks at me in disbelief and slowly shakes her head.

"I'm sorry to blurt it out like this," I say urgently. "But we don't have time for niceties and arguments."

"I... I suspected he is cheating," her voice is hoarse as she hands me back my phone. "After our last conversation, I started to notice small things and I realized you were right. But this? Liana, this is mad. Do you have any proof besides the photo?" "Sure," I smile as I watch a frowning Wilson walking towards us. "You can ask him yourself."

"Hello, ladies," Wilson greets friendly as he pecks Nina on the cheek before he takes a seat across from me and next to Nina. "What a delightful surprise."

"Cut the crap," I sneer. "I told her everything. She knows about the money."

"Nina, babe," he turns to her. "I thought you said she's fine after the accident. What is she talking about?"

"Be a man and tell her the truth, Wilson," I challenge him. "Tell her how you and Wyatt are preying on women for money."

"That's not true," Wilson spats the words. "Wyatt and I ..."

"You know Wyatt?" Nina interrupts. "Why haven't you told me?"

"Surely you don't expect me to list every person I know," Wilson snorts.

"Yeah, but I told you in detail what happened," Nina says sceptically. "And not once did you say that you know him."

"Lies by omission," I say before Wilson can reply. "All for ten thousand dollars."

"Ten?" Wilson explodes and nearly elevates from his seat. "It's twenty."

"So, it's true," Nina gasps as her eyes fill with tears. "You could've only corrected her if it's true."

"You bitch," Wilson sneers as he leans towards me. "You think you're so smart, but what do you think is going to happen once you leave here?" "Absolutely nothing," I smile victorious as I stand up.

"Come on," I take Nina's hand and pull her to my side and out of Wilson's reach. "Go collect from Leon, I'm not his keeper. We're leaving."

"This isn't over," Wilson growls. "Not by a long shot."

"Maybe not for you," I smile sweetly. "But it is for us."

"Fine," he leans back in the chair. "Take Nina, I'm bored with her anyway. But if you don't pay, I will break every bone in Leon's body."

"You can break his neck for all that I care," I snort.

"What have you done?" Nina whispers in a panic as we leave. "He will wait for me when I get home and ..."

"You're not going home," I say adamantly as I lead her out of the coffee shop.