Chapter 36
Chapter 36:
Down a dim alley behind a bar, a group of five tattooed men began to close in, forming a tight circle around Dorian.
Leading the group was a muscle-bound thug with a scar splitting one cheek. He gave Dorian a once-over and sneered. “You think you can flirt with my girl and just walk out like nothing happened p>
A smirk tugged at Dorian’s mouth. “Relax. I was at the bar, yeah—but I didn’t flirt with anyone. Not the bartender, not your girl, not a soul.” Despite his playboy reputation, he wasn’t about to be held accountable for something he hadn’t done.
This was clearly a setup—someone itching for a fight and using the thinnest excuse to pick one.
His eyes grew cold as he said evenly, “Let’s cut to the chase. Who sent you p>
There was a brief flicker of hesitation before the scar-faced man lunged, grabbing Dorian by the collar.
“You messed with someone you shouldn’t have. We’re here to fix that p>
Dorian raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Let me guess—that someone is Rylan, isn’t it p>
He’d noticed Rylan’s men tailing him for days. While Dorian expected something bold, this? Sending a pack of alley thugs? Too unimpressive to even bring up to Alden. And to be honest, it had been a while since he had a reason to throw a decent punch.
Without pause, Dorian drove his fist into the man’s jaw. The guy dropped before he could even make a sound.
The thugs’ expressions darkened. Within seconds, they lunged at Dorian from all sides.
Pushing off the brick wall behind him, he used the momentum to slam into the nearest thug with precision. A swift takedown later, that man was out cold on the pavement.
A second thug charged forward, but Dorian met him mid-air with a flying kick that folded the man in half, sending him crumpling to the ground.
Realizing the tide had turned, the two remaining men scrambled to call for backup—soon, six more showed up, each gripping a steel pipe. Their weapons…
A screech scraped ominously against the brick walls, filling the narrow alley with a sound that cut through the air like a warning.
𝖂𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗇 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗌𝗍 𝖋𝗈𝗋
Meanwhile, the scarred leader staggered upright, his breath ragged as he shouted, “Mr. Rylan Wilson says if you keep your nose out of his business with Alden, your Morrison family stays safe p>
Dorian flexed his fingers, the echo of a punch still tingling in his knuckles, and smirked. “That’s all? I was hoping this would last a little longer p>
Suddenly, a piercing siren rang out, bouncing off the alley walls and growing louder by the second.
One of the newcomers panicked, shouting, “The cops are here p>
With a scowl, the scarred thug turned and kicked the panicked man. “Think I didn’t hear that p>
He turned back to Dorian with a glare full of venom, then muttered a curse and motioned for his men to retreat.
As they fled, Dorian lifted a hand in farewell, grinning. “Next time, bring someone who can actually land a punch p>
From the far end of the alley, a tall woman strolled into view, a cigarette perched between her lips. She casually tapped her phone, cutting off the fake siren she’d just used to scatter the gang.
No actual sirens had sounded—she’d simply used a recording to scatter the pack like startled idiots.
Dorian tossed her a playful grin. “You’ve got nerve, sweetheart. Keep your distance and don’t get involved the next time you encounter something like this p>
Dorian pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his lips, only to realize after a quick search of his pockets that he was without a lighter. Valeria stepped closer, lighting his cigarette for him, their faces nearly touching as smoke rose and intertwined.
The aroma of tobacco lingered in the air, and in the light of the flickering flame, Dorian noticed Valeria’s intense gaze and the rich color of her lips as she exhaled a stream of smoke.
It was indeed her—the poised woman who had inquired about Alden before.
Back then, Dorian had attempted to secure her phone number, but she had firmly declined—a rare rejection that had left its mark.
Dorian wasn’t about to give up. “Once more, you’ve come to my aid. It seems destiny keeps bringing us together. Maybe it’s time we exchanged numbers p>
Valeria responded with a faint smile. “It appears this ordeal might be connected to Alden, wouldn’t you say p>
When Dorian heard Alden’s name, a shadow fell over his face.
Suddenly, he seized Valeria’s wrist and pushed her against the wall. “I’m not sure what you’re scheming, but using me to get to Alden won’t work. He’s off the market,” Dorian said, then flashed an easygoing smile. “And I’ve heard he’s quite happy in his marriage p>
Valeria suppressed a sigh. Encountering this notorious womanizer not once, but twice, seemed more than just coincidence. She was well aware of Dorian’s reputation. Had it not been for Alden’s marriage to her closest friend, Helena, she wouldn’t have gotten involved at all.
Valeria let out a stream of smoke and quietly recited her phone number.
Dorian’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Hold on… you’re actually giving me your number p>
Before he could react further, Valeria sharply stepped down on his foot with her stiletto.
Dorian frowned. “Just because you’re attractive doesn’t mean you get to break the rules p>
Caught off guard, Dorian momentarily loosened his grip, which Valeria used to escape his hold. She gave him a playful smirk, stuck out her tongue, and sauntered off, leaving him behind without looking back.
At that moment, a group of men in black converged behind Dorian, noticing his discomfort as he held his foot.
“Mr. Morrison, we apologize for our delay! Who’s responsible for this p>
Dorian glanced back—it was Alden’s men.
He dismissed them with a wave. “No big deal. Just a little scratch from a stray cat p>
It looked like Alden had been worried about him, evident from the prompt appearance of his men.
After a brief pause, Dorian decided to send a message to Alden. “Just a heads-up, you’ve caught the eye of a woman who’s not to be trifled with p>