Please Divorce Me, Alpha! {BL}

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By the next morning, I had come to a pretty crucial realization. I needed to escape.

Again, not exactly a shocking insight, I know.

At this point, getting away from Lorenzo Castelli had become one of my hobbies, up there with grumbling about wealthy folks and imagining spending money I didn’t have.

Still, I felt like this time, maybe, just maybe, I had a better shot.

There was a tiny chance that I wasn’t completely doomed. Which, if my life experience was anything to go by, usually meant I was about to face some serious humiliation.

I stood outside Lorenzo’s study with my arms crossed, staring at the closed door as if I could somehow will it to open.

The plan was straightforward. Beautifully straightforward.

Almost annoyingly straightforward.

I wanted to go book shopping. Specifically, I was after more horror novels.

I’ve mentioned before that I liked reading, but since arriving at the Castelli estate, I hadn’t really had the chance to do much browsing.

There were tons of books here, of course, since Lorenzo seemed to think you needed a whole private library to function.

The estate had a bunch of rooms filled with books, many of them aged enough to have seen the printing press being invented.

But I wanted something fresh. Something I could choose myself. And more than anything, I wanted to get the fuck out of the estate.

That was the real goal. The bookstore would just be my excuse, the bathroom would be my opportunity.

At least, that was the plan.

From my previous escape attempt, I had learned that just running towards the nearest gate wouldn’t cut it.

Lorenzo had decided that letting me roam around without supervision was too much of a risk, which felt pretty offensive since I was a grown ass man (although it feel like it at times, I knew I was childish as hell) ...not exactly an athlete.

So I needed somewhere public. Somewhere crowded. A place where I could blend into the crowd without immediately becoming the subject of a manhunt.

A bookstore was perfect, I could ask to use the bathroom, slip away, change my clothes, find a taxi... I took a deep breath.

”You’re overthinking it.” I glanced at the door. ”Probably.”

I knocked at the door to my dear husband’s study.

”Come in.”

I opened the door and stepped inside, trying to project confidence instead of the nerves of a guy who’d spent the last twenty minutes talking to himself.

Lorenzo was sitting at his desk, reading something on his laptop. He looked up the moment I entered, his eyes scanning me slowly.

That made me uneasy, he had that look, the one that suggested he could see right through my thoughts. I hated that look.

”I want to go shopping.” I said it firmly.

Lorenzo leaned back in his chair. ”For what?”

”Horror novels.”

His eyebrow shot up. ”Horror novels.”

”Exactly.”

”Several?”

”Possibly.”

”Why can’t one of the staff buy them for you?”

I was ready for this question. ”I don’t trust them.”

He stared at me. I stared back. ”That’s a little insulting.”

”It’s nothing personal.”

”You’re saying our staff can’t be trusted to pick out books?”

”I just don’t trust them to choose horror novels.”

”What’s so hard about picking a horror novel?”

I moved further into the room. ”You wouldn’t get it, you’re not exactly a bookworm like I am, Dracula Z.”

”I’ve read books before.”

”That’s not what I mean.”

”Then explain.”

I sighed dramatically. ”Horror is really particular.”

He looked almost amused. ”You are particular.”

”I have standards.” I said, proudly. ”I despise almost everything people recommend. Because some people have awful taste.”

His mouth twitched. ”And you’re an expert?”

”Obviously.”

”Since when?”

”Since birth.”

That got me the smallest hint of a smile from him.

I ignored it. ”The point is, I need to choose them myself. I have to look at the covers, read the blurbs, assess the writing style, and check the first few pages to see whether the author is going to emotionally wreck me in a fun way or just waste my time.”

Lorenzo regarded me for a moment. Then he nodded slowly. ”I see.”

”You do?”

”No.”

I frowned. ”Then why did you nod?”

”Because you seemed determined.”

I rolled my eyes. ”Can I go?”

He went back to his laptop. ”Alright.”

I froze, I had been expecting questions, maybe even an argument. But he just agreed. ”Alright?”

”Yes.”

”That’s it?”

Lorenzo looked up again. ”Did you want me to say no?”

”No.”

”Then we’re done.”

I stood there, feeling uneasy. Something felt off, Lorenzo was way too calm.

He hadn’t even asked where the bookstore was or what time I wanted to go. He hadn’t even asked who would be going with me.

Nothing...

Huh, suspicious... very suspicious...

I narrowed my eyes. ”You’re not going to argue?”

”No.”

”You’re not even going to lecture me about wandering around?”

His mouth curved slightly. ”No.”

Now I was more suspicious. ”Why are you smiling?”

”I’m not.”

”You are.”

He went back to his laptop. ”Go pick your books, love.”

I lingered for a moment longer. My instincts were screaming that something was horribly wrong, but my desire to leave the estate was louder.

”Fine.” I turned to go, then stopped. ”You’re sure?”

”Yes, Alex.”

I glanced back at him, catching his eyes. There was something almost unsettlingly calm about him. ”Enjoy yourself.”

I frowned, that seemed suspicious...very suspicious. But I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to leave just because it was offered too easily.

So, I walked out. For the first time in days, I felt a flicker of hope.

That lasted about thirty-seven minutes.

I came downstairs dressed in dark trousers, a comfy sweater, and shoes that would let me run if needed.

I even had a small bag with me. Nothing suspicious, just the essentials. Wallet, phone, some cash, a change of shirt, and a few other items that seemed pretty normal for a book shopping trip.

I stepped outside and then stopped dead.

I stared, my brain struggling to process what the actual fuck my eyes were seeing.

There were cars...so many cars.

Black cars, big black cars, fancy black cars.

They were lined up along the driveway like a military parade, shining in the morning sun.

Men stood beside them. More men were stationed near the estate gates. I could see even more men further down the drive.

I counted, and then counted again. I lost track around fourteen.

”What...” I slowly turned to Lorenzo, who was coming down the steps behind me, looking completely unfazed. I pointed at the driveway. ”What the hell is this?!”