Alex
I watch her, Emma, sitting beside me like a trapped bird. Her gaze is locked on the horizon, but the tension in her body is unmistakable. I can feel the storm brewing beneath her calm exterior—anger, frustration. She's ready to fight.
"Stop looking at me," she snaps, jaw clenched, fists tight at her sides.
I smirk, leaning back in my seat. Her resistance only feeds my hunger for control. She thinks she's strong, but I know better. I will break her. Slowly.
"You're just making me want to control you more," I whisper, my breath warm against her ear. "Soon, you won't have a choice but to surrender to me."
She shudders, but there's something in her eyes—defiance. I can see it, even under the fear. She won't go down without a fight. But neither will I.
"You forced me into this marriage, but you don't own me," she says, her voice shaking but determined.
I laugh, amused by her audacity. "Oh, but I do, Emma. You'll realize that soon enough." I pull her closer, ignoring her struggle, savoring the feel of her body pressed against mine. "Resistance is futile."
She pushes my hand away, but I tighten my grip, enjoying her fight. "Leave me alone! Your touch makes my skin crawl," she spits.
I lean in, my lips grazing her neck. "You're already mine. Body and soul." Her fear is intoxicating, and I can't resist teasing her, pressing my lips against her collarbone, savoring the taste of her skin.
She shudders beneath my touch, her body trembling. The rush of power is overwhelming, and I tighten my grip, knowing she's at my mercy now.
"Why me?" she asks, barely a whisper.
I smile cruelly, "Because you crossed me. And now you'll pay the price." Her fear only makes me crave her more.
"For God's sake, I don't even know you!" she pleads.
I chuckle darkly. "Do you want to? Let's start with my name." I grab a handful of her hair, tilting her head back, and whisper in her ear, "Alexander Roth. Remember it."
Her eyes widen with recognition, a shiver running through her. I release her hair and let her slump back in the seat, trembling.
I start the car and pull away, my smirk never fading. She knows who she's dealing with now. My reputation precedes me. She thinks she can escape? Let her believe it.
We drive in silence, the tension between us thick. Finally, I stop the car. Grabbing her wrist, I force her to look at me. "You wanted to know why?" I murmur. "Because you belong to me. And this? It's just the beginning."
Her eyes widen in shock, but no words come out. I open the door and step out, leaving her trapped inside. She'll realize soon enough what's waiting for her—and the price of crossing me.
A phoenix she may be, but I'm the dragon. Her fire is nothing more than a spark. And once caged by me, she'll never dare challenge me again.
******
Emma
The grand foyer loomed, cold and imposing, as I stepped deeper into Alexander's mansion. Marble floors gleamed beneath the crystal chandeliers, their reflections blinding. Portraits on the walls seemed to judge me from every angle.
This was Alexander's world—one built on power, not comfort. And I didn't belong here.
I could feel his presence in the air—constant, pressing. Alexander had bound me to this place, and no matter how much I fought it, I couldn't escape.
When he appeared, walking from the shadows, I froze. Alexander was all power—tall, sharp, every inch of him demanding attention. His eyes locked onto mine, his smirk promising trouble.
"Welcome to your new reality, Emma." His voice rumbled, low and deliberate.
I swallowed the knot in my throat. "More like a nightmare," I shot back, barely above a whisper.
"Depends on how you see it," he said, stepping closer. "But make no mistake, you're in my world now."
I clenched my fists, hating the way his words crawled under my skin. I hated the way his presence made me feel so small, so exposed. Yet a strange pull, stronger than my anger, thrummed beneath it all.
"Your world doesn't scare me," I lied, voice trembling.
"Good," he said, the smirk widening. "Fear is useful, but I prefer something stronger. Submission. Don't forget, you belong to me now."
Before I could respond, a voice cut through the tension.
"She doesn't belong to you."
My heart slammed into my ribs. That voice—it couldn't be.
Ethan stood in the doorway, his presence as unmistakable as the name he carried. Time had carved harder lines into his face, but I knew him. My ex. My first love. The man who had walked away and left me broken.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I whispered, barely able to breathe.
Ethan's eyes met mine, regret flashing briefly before he masked it with indifference. "I'm here to make sure he doesn't ruin you like he ruins everything else."
Alexander's smile vanished. "Watch your tone, son," he growled, the disdain clear.
Son. My knees threatened to buckle. Ethan—my Ethan—was Alexander's son.
"That's right," Alexander said, watching me closely. "Ethan likes to play the hero. But don't fool yourself, Emma. He's no saint, no matter how much he tries to act like one."
Ethan's jaw clenched, his hands curled into fists. "Let her go, Alexander. She doesn't belong here."
Alexander laughed, cold and biting. "She belongs wherever I say she does. And if you think your little rebellion is going to change that, you're more deluded than I thought."
The room seemed to close in on me. I was caught between them—two men who controlled my every move.
"Emma," Ethan's voice softened as he stepped closer. "You don't have to stay. You don't have to do this."
I backed away, shaking my head. "Don't," I pleaded, voice breaking. "Don't act like you care. Not after everything."
Ethan's expression twisted—guilt, anger, pain. "I had my reasons."
"And I have mine," I snapped, the anger rising in me. "You don't get to save me now. You don't get to rewrite what happened."
Alexander's gaze flicked between us, unreadable. "This is getting interesting," he mused.
Ethan turned on him, fury in his eyes. "If you hurt her—"
"You'll what?" Alexander interrupted, a sharp laugh following. "You can't protect her, Ethan. You never could."
I couldn't take it anymore. "Stop!" I cried, my voice shaking. "Both of you—just stop!"
The room fell silent, but the air crackled with tension. I looked between them, realizing the truth. There was no escape from this place, this nightmare, or from the ghosts of my past.
I had to leave. Now.
Without another word, I turned, desperate to flee, but before I could move, I felt it. The tug.
A hand closed around my arm—strong, commanding. Alexander.
"You're not going anywhere," he rumbled, his grip unyielding.
Before I could even pull away, another hand locked around my wrist—Ethan's.
"No," he said, urgency in his voice. "Come with me, Emma."
I was trapped. Torn between them, each pulling me in opposite directions. Alexander's cold, powerful grip on one side, Ethan's warmer touch on the other.
"Let go of her," Alexander growled, eyes narrowed, rage building.
Ethan's grip tightened. "She was never yours to claim like this."
The tension between them was suffocating, their wills clashing. I could feel it—power, dominance, each pull threatening to tear me apart.
"Stop!" I whispered, my voice barely audible. "Please, stop."
Neither of them let go. The weight of their hands on me felt like chains, holding me in place. I was caught between two men who each believed they had a right to claim me.
And I realized, as I stood there, helpless, that there was no way out. No escape.
I was trapped, a pawn in a game I didn't understand—and I wasn't sure I'd ever be free.