7 Degrees of Alpha (a collection of seven new BWWM, Alpha Male Romances) by et al Phoenix Daniels Sara Allen Page A
Authors: et al Phoenix Daniels Sara Allen
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me,” Val explained.
“They are lovely flowers, though,” said Christen.
“Yeah!” replied Val, “You didn’t happen to see who brought them, did you?”
“No. I’m just coming in myself.”
“Have a look and see if there’s a card,” Val urged her.
“There doesn’t seem to be one. Must be a secret admirer,” Christen teased.
“Yea right. That’s just what I need.” Val sat behind her desk, eying the flowers with distrust.
“They’re lovely, though. May I?” Christen asked as she pointed towards the flowers.
“Knock yourself out!” quipped Val.
“Mmm! Adorable!”
“Yes!” replied Val, “Anyway, is Philip in yet?”
“What? Oh, yes, of course, he is. Remember that time a bomb went off on the underground?” Christen chattered away in her usual mindless chatter.
Val drew in a breath, pushing away the tension of the last ten minutes. She really needed to calm down, or she would be a nervous wreck by the end of the day.
****
18:25 p.m. October 13, 2004
Val eased her feet out of her shoes as she sat on the bus taking her back to Jones’ apartment. She’d had a hectic day, running around, organizing one display after another. They had a new exhibition about to go live within the next few weeks, and the gallery was barely ready to receive the pieces from the artists’ personal collection. Not to mention the private collectors who had agreed to loan their pieces. It was a security nightmare, and the featured artist was a screaming diva who kept demanding more and more security from them than was necessary or warranted.
She heaved a sigh of relief and leaned back in the seat. As she turned her head to the side to ease the kinks out of her neck, she thought she saw someone looking in her direction. Val thought she’d seen the same guy a few times today while she was running around in the gallery. She rubbed her eyes, thinking maybe she was concocting fake scenarios in her head, or perhaps she was just tired and her imagination was running away with her.
Whatever!
Val got off the bus and began walking towards Jones’ apartment. Her mind was so far away that she didn’t notice the running footsteps approaching her direction at first. When she was bumped violently by a man in a dark training suit who had continued jogging up the road, she was more than a little surprised and her natural reaction was to scream.
Panic gripped her chest, and she suddenly felt weak in the knees. What the hell was wrong with her? She’d conjured up all kinds of situations that day that a simple bump on the shoulder had her screaming as though someone was murdering her! The road wasn’t even that dark yet!
Val looked around, scanning the darkening street on both sides of her. She tried to decipher what was in the hidden corners and darkened spaces as she continued her trek through the streets, the stranger who’d bumped her, momentarily forgotten. She didn’t want to be a complete wimp, but this was too much for her. From all the weirdness of the day, her nerves were on edge. Her goal was to get to Jones’ place and leave all her worries on the other side of the door.
Since Damon had walked out so easily, she had a bad feeling about his motives. He had never left so quickly before, and she couldn’t help but think that this wasn’t it. It couldn’t possibly be that easy to make a break from him. He was too possessive, too in-control and she’d had enough of being controlled by him; by anyone for that matter!
Without warning, strong arms gripped her from behind, muffling her attempted scream with a large hand. Val’s heart jolted in her chest, the worst case scenario imagined in her mind. She was pushed roughly up against the wall, held immobile. Val whimpered. Fear coursed through her veins. Her breath stopped, unable to go in or out. There was no escape. She’d been overpowered in a few short seconds.
“Please…. D-don’t hurt me… Please!” Val stammered past the lump in her
“They are lovely flowers, though,” said Christen.
“Yeah!” replied Val, “You didn’t happen to see who brought them, did you?”
“No. I’m just coming in myself.”
“Have a look and see if there’s a card,” Val urged her.
“There doesn’t seem to be one. Must be a secret admirer,” Christen teased.
“Yea right. That’s just what I need.” Val sat behind her desk, eying the flowers with distrust.
“They’re lovely, though. May I?” Christen asked as she pointed towards the flowers.
“Knock yourself out!” quipped Val.
“Mmm! Adorable!”
“Yes!” replied Val, “Anyway, is Philip in yet?”
“What? Oh, yes, of course, he is. Remember that time a bomb went off on the underground?” Christen chattered away in her usual mindless chatter.
Val drew in a breath, pushing away the tension of the last ten minutes. She really needed to calm down, or she would be a nervous wreck by the end of the day.
****
18:25 p.m. October 13, 2004
Val eased her feet out of her shoes as she sat on the bus taking her back to Jones’ apartment. She’d had a hectic day, running around, organizing one display after another. They had a new exhibition about to go live within the next few weeks, and the gallery was barely ready to receive the pieces from the artists’ personal collection. Not to mention the private collectors who had agreed to loan their pieces. It was a security nightmare, and the featured artist was a screaming diva who kept demanding more and more security from them than was necessary or warranted.
She heaved a sigh of relief and leaned back in the seat. As she turned her head to the side to ease the kinks out of her neck, she thought she saw someone looking in her direction. Val thought she’d seen the same guy a few times today while she was running around in the gallery. She rubbed her eyes, thinking maybe she was concocting fake scenarios in her head, or perhaps she was just tired and her imagination was running away with her.
Whatever!
Val got off the bus and began walking towards Jones’ apartment. Her mind was so far away that she didn’t notice the running footsteps approaching her direction at first. When she was bumped violently by a man in a dark training suit who had continued jogging up the road, she was more than a little surprised and her natural reaction was to scream.
Panic gripped her chest, and she suddenly felt weak in the knees. What the hell was wrong with her? She’d conjured up all kinds of situations that day that a simple bump on the shoulder had her screaming as though someone was murdering her! The road wasn’t even that dark yet!
Val looked around, scanning the darkening street on both sides of her. She tried to decipher what was in the hidden corners and darkened spaces as she continued her trek through the streets, the stranger who’d bumped her, momentarily forgotten. She didn’t want to be a complete wimp, but this was too much for her. From all the weirdness of the day, her nerves were on edge. Her goal was to get to Jones’ place and leave all her worries on the other side of the door.
Since Damon had walked out so easily, she had a bad feeling about his motives. He had never left so quickly before, and she couldn’t help but think that this wasn’t it. It couldn’t possibly be that easy to make a break from him. He was too possessive, too in-control and she’d had enough of being controlled by him; by anyone for that matter!
Without warning, strong arms gripped her from behind, muffling her attempted scream with a large hand. Val’s heart jolted in her chest, the worst case scenario imagined in her mind. She was pushed roughly up against the wall, held immobile. Val whimpered. Fear coursed through her veins. Her breath stopped, unable to go in or out. There was no escape. She’d been overpowered in a few short seconds.
“Please…. D-don’t hurt me… Please!” Val stammered past the lump in her
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