The Billionaire's Dangerous Obsession (Nivera) novel Chapter 130

Chapter 130

The car purred along the narrow toad, headlights slicing through the soft gold of the late afternoon.

The air outside shimmered with the kind of heat that caused a heat stroke, but inside, the hum of the AC was steady, cooling the leather scented interior.

Alejandro leaned back into the corner of the seat, one arm stretched along the backrest, and the other resting on his knee.

His gaze was fixed on Nivera, who hadn’t looked at him since they slid into the backseat together.

Not once.

This annoyed him as he wanted her full attention to be on him.

“Where exactly are we going?” His voice was low and it broke the silence in the car.

After she had gotten dressed, they had left the studio and she had insisted on taking her car as she didn’t want him to drive to where she wanted to take him.

Nivera didn’t look at him right away. She was sitting sideways in her seat, one leg crossed over the other, fingers idly playing with the hem of her shirt. “You’ll see.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the only one you’re getting,” she said, finally turning to meet his eyes. This is my turn to surprise you.”

His brow lifted. “Your turn?”

A teasing smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Mhm.” She turned toward him fully now, resting her elbow on the backrest.

“Last time, you took me to that spot you said you used to go to when you were younger. Remember?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You’re saying this is a date?”

She scoffed as she stared at the man who had an inflated ego much bigger than a hot–air balloon. “Don’t flatter yourself. It’s not a date. It’s-” She paused, glancing toward the tinted window as the scenery changed from the clean lines of the city to the rougher edges of a suburban stretch. “—it’s just somewhere I used to go. When I was younger.”

That last part was softer. Almost hesitant.

Alejandro had shared a piece of his life from when he was younger and she wanted to do the same. Maybe it would help her get closer to him.

Alejandro leaned back, crossing his arms in a way that looked casual but was anything but. “And I’m supposed to sit here and be patient?”

“Yes,” she replied, smirking back. “That’s the point of a surprise.”

“Patience isn’t one of my strengths, Nivera.”

“I know.” Her tone softened, though her gaze stayed steady on him. “That’s why I’m making you practice it.”

Darren glanced at them briefly through the rearview mirror, an almost imperceptible twitch at the corner of his mouth before he returned his attention to the road when Alejandro noticed it and glared at him.

His eyes narrowed slightly at her challenge, but he didn’t push further. Instead, he studied her quietly, taking in the faint color on her cheeks,

the curve of her neck, the way she was clearly pleased with herself for keeping him in suspense,

This little bratl

“You’re enjoying this,” he said after a beat.

“Maybe.”

He tilted his head. “Careful, Cabezota. You might set the bar too high for yourself if I’m not impressed-

“Oh, you will be,” she cut in, confident in a way that made his smirk widen.

The car hit a small bump, and Darren muttered something under his breath in the front seat. Alejandro ignored it. His focus stayed on her, trying to figure out what was going on in her head.

“Is it far?” he asked.

“Not really. Twenty minutes, maybe less.”

They lapsed into silence for a moment, the quiet filled only by the soft hum of the engine and Darren’s low conversation with the driver.

Alejandro watched her from the corner of his eye and he found himself unable to take his eyes off her.

He had cancelled all of his meetings just because of her simple message.

It shouldn’t have mattered after all, he didn’t care for her and after what happened the last time she let Damon get close to her, he knew she wouldn’t repeat the same thing.

However, that didn’t matter. In fact, he didn’t think about that as all rationale flew out the window.

That was very much unlike him as he always thought things through; but as usual, Nivera was a derogation from his laid down rules.

It was becoming a problem but the thing was that he didn’t want to do anything about it.

He leaned closer. “You know, most people give me a heads–up before dragging me into their memories.”

She tilted her head toward him, her hair brushing against her cheek. “Hasn’t it been established that I’m not ‘most people“”

Yes, it had–he couldn’t deny it.

Alejandro’s lips curved slightly- and it wasn’t the polished, public smile he gave at galas, but something smaller, warmer, private. “You’re really something!”

By the time the car slowed, the scenery outside had shifted again. The streets narrowed, winding past rows of old, uneven houses painted in fading colors.

Children darted between the sidewalks, their laughter carrying in the warm air. The place smelled faintly of sea salt and grilled food drifting from unseen kitchens.

Nivera’s gaze softened as familiar streets rolled past. It had been years since she’d been here. The nostalgia hit her and she smiled as she remembered old times.

“Stop here,” Nivera instructed, and the driver eased the car to a halt.

When she stepped out, Alejandro stepped out after her, adjusting his cuffs as he took in their surroundings. Darren stayed by the car with the driver, though his watchful eyes followed them.

This wasn’t the kind of place someone of her status, well previous status would be found no glittering skyline, no five star rechos d pavement was cracked, the streetlamps older than both of them, and yet… there was life everywhere.

It was just like the restaurant he escaped to. Then again, he was reminded of the fact that Nivera was the black sheep of her family and so taking that factor into consideration, it wasn’t shocking.

“This way,” she said, already walking ahead.

They moved down a narrow lane, her shoes clicking against the ground until the road gave way to a worn, sandy path.

Alejandro caught the faint sound of waves before he saw the water a small, hidden cove tucked between two rocky outcroppings. The tide lapped gently at the shore, the air heavy with the scent of salt and sun–warmed stone.

“This is it,” Nivera said simply.

Alejandro came to stand beside her, his hands in his pockets as he scanned the view. “Not bad,” he murmured, though his tone suggested it

was more than ‘not bad.‘

He was beyond impressed as it was indeed a very beautiful place.

Alejandro stepped beside her, his eyes taking it in. “You used to come here?”

“All the time,” she said.

“How did you find it?”

“When I was a teenager, I’d sneak out from the house and run down here with my brother. He was the one who brought me here.”

“He was?” Alejandro inquired.

“Yes. He initially thought it was dangerous to allow me come here, but…” She trailed off, shrugging. “It was ours. The one place no one followed us.”

She smiled faintly, crouching down to pick up a smooth stone before tossing it into the water. It skipped twice before sinking.

“He stopped coming here ages ago. I don’t know why though.

He studied her profile – the way her gaze softened as she looked at the water, the faint curve of nostalgia in her lips. “Why show me?”

She turned to him, and for a moment, the air between them tightened. “Because… you showed me your place. The one you said you went to when you needed to think. Maybe I wanted to even the field.”

Alejandro smirked. “Leveling the playing field with me is a losing game.”

“Maybe. But at least I can say I tried.”

For a while, they didn’t speak. She stepped closer to the edge of the water, letting her shoes sink slightly into the damp sand. He followed, though he kept just a half–step behind her, watching her instead of the horizon.

“You’re different,” he said eventually.

Her brow furrowed. “Different how?”

“Relaxed. Less… guarded.” Unlike the first few weeks when they met, she was more relaxed around him, especially as she wasn’t looking for an escape route.

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