Isabella’s POV
I stepped into Alex’s office, the air thick with that unnerving calm he wore like armor. He sat behind his desk, eyes cold but laced with something darker, watching me like a predator.
“Good morning, Isabella,” he drawled, his voice smooth, a lazy smirk lifting one corner of his mouth. “I assume you have the new contract draft?”
I held my ground, chin high, gripping the document tightly. “Yes, Alex. It’s right here. But I have a question about-”
“Questions?” he interrupted, his gaze turning sharp. “You don’t question me, Bella. Not here.”
The words, heavy as iron, settled into the silence that followed. A small thrill snaked down my spine, but I straightened, refusing to let him see it. He loved his power, his control. I was the one person who could break his rules…if only I dared.
“You don’t own every thought I have,” I whispered, almost daring him.
A dangerous glint appeared in his eyes, his fingers drumming once on the desk. “Is that so?”
Alex rose, stalking around the desk until he stood so close that I felt the heat of him-intoxicating, maddening, like fire beneath cool steel. His hand reached out, his thumb grazing my jaw, tilting my face up so I had no choice but to meet his gaze.
“You’re my wife by contract,” he murmured, his voice a low growl. “And you signed up for more than just paperwork.”
It was true. I’d signed up for so much more. But today, I’d had enough of being the pawn in his twisted game.
“Is that all I am to you?” I whispered, unable to keep the edge of bitterness from my voice.
“For now,” he replied, his hand tightening on my chin, leaving no space for doubt. “But you’ll learn what you’re truly worth to me in time.”
Despite the tension, his hand slid from my chin to the back of my neck, pulling me close enough that I could feel his breath ghosting over my lips. My heart raced, betraying my resolve to stay aloof.
“You’re trembling,” he noted, a hint of mockery laced in his words. “You’re still mine, Isabella. Every inch of you.”
I swallowed, trying to stay calm, but his touch was already melting my defenses. “You can’t own me, Alex. Not entirely. Not the way you think.”
“Then prove me wrong,” he said, voice daring, his lips barely an inch from mine. “Fight me. Or surrender.”
He always did this-dragged me right to the edge, just enough to make me think I’d won a sliver of freedom, only to pull me back in with one brutal stroke of power. I hated it, and yet, I craved it.
“I think we both know which you prefer, Bella.” His lips brushed my ear, each word a molten promise. “You want me to dominate you. To take away that choice you cling to so desperately.”
Taking a shaky breath, I glanced down at the contract in my hands. This time, I’d slipped in a clause he’d overlooked-something small, but potentially freeing. I looked up, meeting his gaze with a defiant spark.
“I amended the contract,” I said, each word deliberate, feeling a thrill of rebellious pride.
A flicker of surprise crossed his face before he laughed, a dark sound that sent shivers down my spine. “Is that right? My little lawyer thinks she can outwit me?”
“I didn’t think-I know,” I replied, barely concealing my triumph.
In an instant, his playful amusement vanished. His eyes hardened, and he took the papers from my hands, flipping through until he spotted the change. His silence was unbearable, stretching out until I felt I might break.
Finally, he looked up, a smile that was anything but friendly tugging at his lips. “Nice try, Bella. But this isn’t over.”
He folded the papers carefully, tucking them back into his desk. “I’ll allow this little…change. But you’ll pay for it.”
I swallowed, heart pounding as he leaned close, his mouth hovering near my ear.
“You have no idea what you’ve started,” he murmured, the words a dark promise.
I tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come, trapped under the weight of his gaze. In one swift motion, he turned and walked out, leaving me alone in the silence, my mind racing with both fear and a thrill I couldn’t deny.
As the door clicked shut, I exhaled, clutching the desk for support.
“What have I done?” I whispered, heart pounding with a mix of dread and exhilaration.
Will Alex retaliate, or will this mark the beginning of Isabella’s long-sought freedom?
Alex’s POV
He doesn’t see me coming, I tell myself as I enter his office unannounced. And why should he? After all, he thinks I’m still wrapped around his finger, trapped in our unbreakable contract.
Isabella walks in with that fierce look, the one that tells me she’s about to pick a fight. I keep my eyes on the screen, pretending she’s invisible, but the sound of her heels slicing through the silence like a knife is unmistakable.
“Got a problem?” I ask, barely glancing up.
“Do you?” she snaps back, arms crossed. She knows exactly what she’s doing, pushing boundaries she swore to keep.
I smirk, finding her sudden rebellion amusing. “You forget our arrangement? Or maybe you’re confused about who’s in charge.”
Her eyes flash, a mix of defiance and something else-something even she might not fully understand yet.
We sit across from each other, tension thick as smoke. Isabella’s jaw tightens, daring me to keep pushing, to see how far I can take it before she snaps. She’s like fire wrapped in silk, and as much as she hates it, she knows I have the control.
“Look, Alex, I’m not some doll you pull out when it suits you,” she starts, voice laced with irritation.
“Oh, really?” I lean forward, keeping my voice low. “Seems like you don’t mind it, given how fast you show up when I call.”
A pause. Her cheeks flush, and I know I’ve hit a nerve. She can’t stand that she’s drawn to this-us-even if it makes her want to scream. I’m playing with fire, but I love every second.
“You’re delusional,” she snaps, but her voice wavers. “This isn’t what I signed up for, Alex.”
“Sure it is,” I say smoothly, watching her face. “Every inch of that contract has you wrapped around my world, sweetheart. Don’t act like you didn’t know.”
Her gaze drops, fingers gripping the edge of her seat, knuckles white. She’s fighting herself more than she’s fighting me, and it only makes me want to push harder.
I slide a folder across the table, our infamous contract laid out, black and white. The document that binds us, that she thought would be her ticket to freedom, but it’s become her cage.
“Why are you doing this?” she asks, voice barely a whisper. It’s not fear I hear, but something much more complicated. Curiosity? A dare?
“Because I can,” I reply simply, my gaze never wavering. “And because you wanted this.”
“No,” she says, shaking her head. “I wanted stability. I wanted out from under my past, not… this.”
“Funny,” I smirk, leaning back in my chair. “You seem to crave the very thing you say you hate.”
Her jaw tightens again, a stubborn silence taking over. This girl, she doesn’t realize that resistance just makes me want her more.
She closes her eyes, steadying herself. I can tell she’s struggling-between what she thinks she wants and what she actually feels. Her breathing quickens, and I know I’ve won this round.
The silence stretches, my gaze locked on her as she avoids my eyes.
“Alright, then,” I say, breaking the silence. “If you want out so bad, there’s always the termination clause.”
Her head snaps up, disbelief flashing across her face. She knows damn well the termination clause isn’t in her favor-it’s a steep price, and she’d lose everything.
“You wouldn’t,” she whispers, the fire in her eyes flickering with doubt.
“Think again,” I say coolly. “I’m not in the business of mercy, Bella.”
She clenches her fists, lips pressed tight. I’ve cornered her, and she knows it. The idea of losing her independence, her pride-her control-eats at her, yet she’s drawn to the very thing that chains her.
“Fine,” she mutters. “Then I’ll play your game. But don’t think for one second that I’ll let you win.”
I let out a low chuckle, savoring the challenge in her voice. She wants to be free, but she doesn’t even know what that means anymore.
I get up, crossing to her in two quick strides. She flinches but doesn’t move back. I like that. She wants to stand her ground, even if it means getting burned.
“You think you can handle this, Bella?” I murmur, fingers brushing her chin, forcing her to look at me. “This life… my world… it’ll eat you alive.”
She swallows hard, her pulse racing beneath my fingertips. “I can handle more than you think, Alex.”
“Oh, really?” I murmur, my hand slipping to the back of her neck, pulling her close. Her breath catches, and I feel the rush of satisfaction-she’s as captivated as I am, whether she’ll admit it or not.
“This arrangement isn’t just a game for you,” I whisper. “You want this, Bella. Every twisted, broken part of it.”
“No,” she whispers, but her eyes say something different. I see it-the thrill, the need she hides beneath layers of defiance. She wants the darkness, the control, even if it terrifies her.
“You can lie to yourself, sweetheart,” I say, brushing my thumb over her cheek. “But don’t lie to me.”
She pulls away, breaking the spell for a split second, but I see the hesitation. She doesn’t want to go, and I’m not letting her.
“You can walk out that door,” I say, voice low and lethal. “But remember, there’s no coming back. You step away from me, and you’re on your own.”
She stops, her hand resting on the door handle, but she doesn’t turn the knob. She’s frozen, trapped in that moment between leaving and staying.
“Decide, Bella,” I whisper, voice rough with challenge. “Are you mine, or are you nothing?”
She swallows, turning just enough for our eyes to meet, and I see the turmoil, the craving she’s trying so damn hard to deny.
“Tell me,” I continue, each word a command, a plea, a dare. “Tell me you’re ready to walk away.”
The silence stretches, her fingers trembling on the door handle, eyes filled with questions she doesn’t dare ask out loud.
Finally, she looks back, voice barely above a whisper. “What happens if I stay?”
A slow, dark smile spreads across my face. “Then, Bella… we both get exactly what we want.”