Isabella’s POV
The clock ticked louder than my own heartbeat, each second feeling like a betrayal. Alex was gone again. And by gone, I mean disappeared into his world of chaos and power, leaving me alone with the hollow silence that always followed his presence.
I shouldn’t feel this way-this pang of loneliness that gnawed at my insides-but I did. I always did when he walked out. And every time, I promised myself it wouldn’t hurt as much. But it did.
I reached for the collar around my neck, the one he insisted on me wearing like some twisted badge of honor. A reminder. A symbol of his control. His possession.
“Shit,” I muttered under my breath, dragging my hand down the cool metal. His.
His absence left me with nothing but thoughts. Nothing but the creeping realization that I was tangled up in this life more than I ever thought possible. More than I ever wanted to admit.
Isabella Greco, the lawyer-the woman who prided herself on her intelligence and strength. The woman who had always believed in independence and control. But now? Now, she was the woman who kneels at his feet, whose body and mind are twisted in the web Alex spun.
“God, what the hell is happening to me?” I whispered, the question hanging in the air like a dark cloud.
He never told me to miss him. He didn’t need to. But I couldn’t stop myself. Every day that passed, I wondered if he would ever look at me the way I craved.
The way I needed him to.
I wasn’t stupid. I knew why he kept me around. I was a tool-a necessity in his war against the world. My legal expertise kept his empire safe, and in return, he provided me with a gilded cage.
But somewhere in the shadows of his cold, hard gaze, I wondered… Did he need me for something more?
I wasn’t expecting him to sweep me off my feet, to whisper sweet promises in my ear. That wasn’t him. He had other women for that-other women who were nothing like me. His “flings,” as he called them, came and went, while I stayed in the background, always just out of reach.
It stung more than I cared to admit.
“You’re my good girl, aren’t you?” His voice echoed in my mind, dark, commanding, as if it had been carved into my soul.
I didn’t respond, not this time. Instead, I reached for the drawer where I kept the small bottle of bourbon he’d left behind.
It wasn’t the first time I’d taken a drink to numb the ache. But it felt different tonight. The glass trembled in my hand, the liquid dancing with the dim light as I stared at the empty space across from me.
Where was he?
Suddenly, the door slammed open, and my heart leaped in my chest. He was standing there, his silhouette framed by the dim light of the hallway. That familiar aura of power washed over me like a cold wave.
“Did you miss me, princess?” His voice was low, teasing, almost mocking. He knew the effect he had on me, the way he could make my pulse race with just a word. And right now, he was playing me.
I bit my lip, forcing myself not to show the reaction he wanted. Not to give him the satisfaction of seeing me squirm.
“Where the hell have you been?” I managed, my voice shaking just slightly. “I’ve been waiting here like an idiot.”
His lips curled into that all-too-familiar smirk, the one that never failed to drive me mad. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Were you lonely?” He stepped closer, his eyes scanning me like I was some kind of puzzle he was eager to solve.
My heart pounded as his proximity sent a shockwave of tension through the air. “You never came back last night,” I said, trying to keep the hurt out of my voice, but failing.
His hand cupped my cheek, the touch surprisingly gentle, and for a moment, I thought he might actually say something meaningful. Something that could shatter the walls I’d built up inside.
But then he whispered, “You know the deal, don’t you, Isabella?” His voice was dark, filled with an edge I knew too well. “I don’t owe you explanations. And you don’t owe me anything… except obedience.”
My breath caught in my throat. His words sliced through me like a razor.
“Obedience,” I repeated, tasting the bitterness of it.
“Exactly,” he said, stepping even closer. His hand slid down my neck, fingers grazing the collar. “This is the price you pay for this life. You wanted it, remember?”
The words hit harder than I expected. I had wanted it. At least, that’s what I told myself. I needed it. Or, maybe I just wanted to believe I had some control in a world that seemed to be spiraling out of my reach.
“I never agreed to be your puppet, Alex,” I said, my voice steady but fierce. “You don’t get to control me like this. Not forever.”
He chuckled darkly, stepping back just enough to observe me. “You’re right,” he said. “You’re not a puppet. You’re my good girl. And don’t forget, Isabella, you’ve always been mine.”
There was no escaping it. His words weren’t just a command; they were a binding agreement, sealed with a contract neither of us could break.
“You know what happens when you try to run away, don’t you?” he added, his gaze hardening. “I’ll remind you. But I’d prefer if you stayed close, sweetheart. So I can keep you under control.”
And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, breathless and shaken. His presence still loomed, even in his absence.
I stood frozen for a moment, the weight of his words sinking deep.
Was this really what I wanted? The power struggles, the submission, the pain… the pleasure?
I didn’t hear him leave. It was as if he’d vanished into thin air, his footsteps fading into the distance. But his words lingered, a constant echo in my mind.
“Stay close, Isabella. I’ll remind you.”
Was I close enough now? Had I really been close all along, or had I just fooled myself into thinking I had any control?
The choice was mine now. And I had no idea which way I would go.
But one thing was certain: Alex wasn’t done with me. Not yet.
The door creaked open, and I turned, half-expecting to see him standing there again. Instead, a manila envelope was sitting on the desk. I hesitated, then opened it, pulling out a single piece of paper.
“The next step of the game is about to begin. Are you ready to play?”
I swallowed hard. What had he planned for me next?