Page 18 of Taming the Lion
Alex moves quickly, faster than I’ve ever seen him, positioning himself just behind the villain’s line of sight. Meanwhile, I step into the center of the ring, drawing all the attention. Zeus follows, his massive presence undeniable. The crowd gasps, thinking this is part of the show, their excitement building. They have no idea how real the danger is.
The villain’s eyes narrow, but I can see it now—desperation. They know they’ve lost control. Good.
“Where are you going to run?” I say, my voice steady, louder than I thought it would be. The audience can’t hear me over the roar, but the villain can. “There’s nowhere left to hide.”
For a moment, they falter, eyes flicking to the exits. But we’ve anticipated every move. The performers have blocked every escape route. The animals are safe, secured far from the chaos. It’s just the three of us now—me, Alex, and the villain.
I step closer, Zeus moving beside me, his gaze fixed on the threat. I can feel his power, his instinct to protect, and it mirrors my own. We’ve faced down danger before, but this is different. This is personal.
“Give it up,” Alex says from behind the villain, his voice cold and measured. He’s always been good at staying calm under pressure. “You’re not getting out of here.”
The villain’s gaze shifts between us, frantic now. Their cool exterior cracks, and I see the fear underneath. Good. They should be afraid.
In a final, desperate move, they lunge for the nearest exit, but Alex is there, cutting them off. I step forward again, Zeus roaring, a low, dangerous sound that reverberates through the tent. The villain freezes, their gaze snapping back to me.
“Enough,” I say, my voice low, but firm. I’m done playing games. “This ends now.”
For a moment, there’s silence. The villain’s shoulders slump, their hands falling to their sides in defeat. Alex steps in, his hand on their arm, securing them before they can make another move. It’s over.
As the reality sinks in, the adrenaline slowly ebbs from my system, leaving me standing in the middle of the ring, breathing hard, but steady. The villain is led away, and the truth—about the thefts, the manipulation, everything—is revealed to the rest of the circus.
The audience, blissfully unaware of the danger they just witnessed, erupts into applause, thinking it was all part of the act. The sound fills the tent, but I’m barely listening. My focus is on Zeus, still standing beside me, his massive form a comforting presence.
And then, on Alex.
We’ve saved the circus. Zeus is safe. But this moment is about more than just victory. It’s about reclaiming my strength, about realizing that I’m not the same woman I was before. The fear that haunted me, the trauma I’ve carried—it’s still there, but I’m not powerless against it anymore.
Alex steps closer, his eyes meeting mine. There’s something between us now—something undeniable. The connection is still raw, still simmering beneath the surface, but it’s real. And for the first time in a long time, I’m ready to face it.
This isn’t the end. It’s the beginning of something new. Something worth fighting for.
Chapter Fourteen
Alex
The circus grounds are eerily still, the chaos from earlier finally settling into a rare moment of quiet. For the first time in days, it feels like I can breathe. But the air between Sophia and me is thick—too thick, charged with tension and the weight of everything we haven’t said. We’re standing a few feet apart, alone, away from the performers and animals. There’s no one around, and yet, it feels like the entire world is balanced on what happens next.
I glance at her, taking in the way she crosses her arms, her expression guarded, as always. I know that look—it's the same one she wore the first time I met her. She’s waiting for me to break the silence, to give her a reason to keep that distance between us. And I get it. I’ve given her plenty of reasons to keep me at arm’s length.
The weight of the past few weeks—hell, the weight of everything we’ve been through—sits heavy on my shoulders. I know I’ve hurt her. I know the secrets I kept have shattered the trust we’d started to build. But I can’t let this moment pass without telling her the truth. Not just about the investigation, but about why I stayed, why I fought so damn hard.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Sophia," I start, my voice low, uncertain at first. She looks at me, her eyes narrowing slightly, like she’s bracing for another lie. But there are no more lies. Not anymore.
“I need to explain,” I continue, my voice gaining strength. “What happened wasn’t just about the investigation. At first, it was, but... things changed. I changed. You changed me.”
Her brows furrow, but she doesn’t speak. I can tell she’s listening, even if she doesn’t want to admit it. I swallow, running a hand through my hair as I struggle to find the right words. Words I should’ve said a long time ago.
“I’m not good at this,” I confess, my voice raw. “Talking about how I feel. But you deserve to know the truth. The more time I spent with you, the more it stopped being about solving the case. It became about you. Keeping you safe. Making sure you weren’t hurt.” I pause, meeting her gaze, and I can feel the intensity of the moment weighing down on both of us.
Her arms remain crossed, but I see the flicker of something in her eyes—something softer, something more vulnerable.
“I wasn’t just doing my job, Sophia,” I continue, stepping closer, though I’m careful not to get too close. “I was protecting you because I care about you. Because I—” I stop, the words catching in my throat. But I force myself to say them. “Because I love you.”
There it is. The words hang in the air between us, heavy and real. I’ve never said them out loud before. Not like this. Not to her. Not to anyone. But I mean them. I’ve meant them for a while now, even if I couldn’t admit it.
Sophia blinks, her expression softening for just a split second before she hardens it again. I can see the battle waging inside her—the same battle I’ve been fighting. She wants to believe me, but I know she’s scared. Scared of getting hurt. Scared of letting me in.
“You lied to me,” she says finally, her voice quiet but filled with emotion. “You kept things from me. You used me to get closer to the truth.”
