Alex’s POV
The air in the room was suffocating, even with the windows cracked open. She stood there, defiant as ever, her gaze slicing through the distance between us. My eyes dropped to the crimson marks on her wrist, peeking out from beneath her blouse. Damn her for wearing that today. She knew what those marks did to me, how they tethered me to that night, to her silence.
“You’ve been busy,” I said, breaking the tension, my voice steady but loaded.
Her lips twitched, teasing at a smirk. “You’re the one with all the meetings, Alex. Don’t pin your neglect on me.”
My jaw tightened. That sharp tongue of hers. “Neglect?” I stepped closer, feeling the familiar pull of her energy, her chaos. “I keep you in my bed, don’t I? Isn’t that enough for you?”
Her laugh was soft, dangerous. “You don’t keep me anywhere, Alex. I let you think you do.”
The words hit, sharp as a blade. She was baiting me, testing the leash she thought she could break. “Careful, Isabella,” I warned, my voice low. “You don’t want to find out how short that leash really is.”
She tilted her head, challenging me, those damn eyes daring me to snap. “Is that what you think?” she said, stepping closer, her heels clicking on the marble floor. “That I’m just some pet you can control?”
“Control?” I repeated, the word laced with a dark laugh. “Oh, Bella. I don’t need control. I own you.”
Her fingers clenched around the edge of her skirt, but she kept her face calm, unreadable. “Is that what you told your precious little informant, the one feeding you half-truths and lies about me?”
My pulse quickened, though I kept my face impassive. She’d found out. Of course, she had. Isabella was no fool, and she had her ways of slipping through cracks I didn’t even know existed. “Careful where you’re treading, baby,” I said, stepping closer, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “You might not like what you uncover.”
Her laugh was bitter, cutting. “I already don’t, Daddy.”
My grip tightened on her wrist before I even realized I’d moved. “Watch your tone,” I growled, the title she spat burning like venom. “You signed the contract, Bella. You knew what this was.”
“And you think a contract can cage me?” she shot back, pulling free of my hold. Her skin was warm against mine, her scent maddening. “You’re so used to buying loyalty, Alex. But me? I’m not for sale.”
I leaned in, my lips brushing her ear. “No, Bella. You’re just rented.”
She slapped me, hard enough that my head turned. The sharp sting grounded me for a second, then sent a slow burn coursing through me. My tongue ran over my teeth, the taste of anger and something darker simmering beneath. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Bella,” I said, straightening.
“And you’re so damn good at pretending, aren’t you?” Her voice cracked, just slightly. “Pretending you don’t care. Pretending this isn’t eating you alive.”
I grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at me. “What I care about, Bella, is winning. And you, my love, are just a prize I don’t intend to lose.”
Her breath hitched, her defiance flickering for a moment before she pulled away, her steps retreating toward the door. “You keep telling yourself that, Alex,” she said, her voice softer now, like a whisper of regret. “But one day, you’ll realize this isn’t about winning. It’s about surviving.”
Before I could respond, she was gone, the door slamming shut behind her. My fists curled, my breath uneven. She had secrets, no doubt about it. And I’d just uncovered a new one-hidden in her hesitation, in the way her voice faltered.
Whatever she was hiding, it was big. Big enough to make her run.
And I wasn’t about to let her get away with it.
I picked up my phone, dialing the only person who could help me unravel this mess. As the line connected, I spoke without hesitation.
“Track her,” I said. “I want to know every move she makes.”
The voice on the other end hesitated. “Boss, there’s something you should know-”
“What?” I barked, impatience boiling over.
“She’s meeting someone. A man. Tonight.”
The line went dead in my hands as my mind raced. Isabella had just stepped into a web she wouldn’t escape. Not without paying the price.
And I’d make damn sure she knew exactly who she was dealing with.
The clock ticked past midnight, but Isabella hadn’t returned. My patience-already razor-thin-snapped.
I leaned against the balcony railing, the icy wind slicing through my shirt. She knew better than to break curfew, yet here I was, checking my phone like a lovesick fool. Message after unanswered message glared back at me.
“She’s testing you,” I muttered under my breath.
And I couldn’t let her win.
Grabbing my keys, I headed for the car. My driver opened the door, but I waved him off. Tonight, I needed control-absolute, unrelenting. I needed to remind her who was in charge.
The streets blurred as I drove, my mind replaying our last fight. Her sharp words. My tighter grip on her waist. She’d pushed every button I had, knowing damn well it would land her in trouble.
“Fuck,” I growled, slamming the wheel.
The moment I found her, she’d beg for mercy. She’d kneel, trembling, her stubborn tongue silenced by my touch.
I found her at some seedy downtown bar. A place that reeked of bad decisions and worse company. She was at the counter, laughing at something the bartender said, her hand lightly brushing his.
The sight of another man’s hand near her skin lit something primal in me.
“Bella,” I called, my voice a low growl.
Her head whipped around, the laughter dying on her lips. Her eyes met mine-defiant, but beneath it, I saw the flicker of guilt.
“What are you doing here, Alex?” she asked, trying for nonchalance but failing.
I stalked toward her, the crowd parting like water under the force of my gaze. “You really want to ask me that? After ignoring my calls all night?”
She crossed her arms, tilting her chin up. “I needed space.”
“You don’t get to ‘need space,'” I snapped, my voice cutting through the music. “Not without my permission.”
“Permission?” she laughed, bitter and sharp. “You’re not my keeper.”
My hand shot out, grabbing her wrist. She gasped, her pulse racing under my fingertips.
“Don’t push me, Bella,” I warned. “You won’t like where it ends.”
“You can’t control me forever,” she hissed, yanking her arm free.
“Oh, can’t I?” I countered, stepping closer until there was barely an inch between us. “You signed that contract, sweetheart. You belong to me.”
Her cheeks flushed-anger, embarrassment, desire. “I belong to no one, Alex.”
“Liar.”
Her breath hitched, and for a moment, neither of us moved. The air between us crackled, heavy with tension. She hated how much I affected her, but I saw it in her eyes: the hunger, the surrender she tried so hard to deny.
“You don’t know me,” she whispered.
“I know enough,” I said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. My fingers lingered on her cheek, feeling the heat radiating off her skin. “Enough to own you.”
Her lips parted, a retort dying before it could form. For a split second, the world around us faded-no music, no bar, no prying eyes. Just us.
“Come with me,” I demanded, my voice softer now but no less commanding.
“No,” she said, her voice trembling. “Not this time.”
Her refusal hit me like a punch.
“What did you say?” I asked, my tone dangerously low.
She stepped back, shaking her head. “I can’t keep doing this. You take and take, and I-”
Before she could finish, someone bumped into her, and a drink spilled across her dress. The man stammered an apology, but I barely noticed. My eyes were locked on Isabella, who looked ready to bolt.
I grabbed her waist, steadying her. “You’re not running from this,” I said, my grip firm but not cruel.
“I’m not running,” she whispered, meeting my gaze. “I’m leaving.”
The words sliced through me, sharp and final.
“You’re not going anywhere, Bella,” I said, my voice like steel.
She pulled away, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Watch me.”
And with that, she turned and walked out into the night, leaving me standing in the wreckage of my own making.
I let her go-for now. But she’d be back. She always came back.
Because she was mine.
And I wasn’t letting her go.