The silence that followed Ethan's departure was suffocating. His footsteps echoed faintly down the corridor before fading into nothing. I stood there, frozen, my back pressed against the wall, every nerve in my body alive with fear and adrenaline. Alexander's gaze was hot against my skin, his expression unreadable, but his presence—his control—radiated like a storm on the verge of breaking.
"Finally," he muttered under his breath, a cold smile curling on his lips. He turned and locked the door with a deliberate click. The sound felt final, like the shutting of a cage.
"You didn't have to push him out," I said, my voice trembling, but I still fought to sound defiant. I hated how it wavered, betraying my fear. "He was just trying to—"
"He was trying to interfere," Alexander cut me off, his voice dangerously low. He took a step closer, moving with a predatory grace that made my heart race. "And no one interferes when it comes to you. Not him. Not anyone."
My breath hitched as he closed the distance between us, his footsteps steady, like he already knew I couldn't run. I pressed myself harder against the wall, my pulse pounding in my ears. His hand shot out, gripping my chin, forcing me to look up at him. His touch was firm, unyielding, but not cruel—not yet. His dark eyes searched mine, and the intensity left me breathless.
"You're scared," he murmured, his voice soft—too soft. "Good. You should be."
I clenched my fists, trying to hold onto some semblance of control. "You don't scare me," I said, the words coming out too quickly, too much like a lie. My voice wavered, and I hated it.
His smirk deepened, a dangerous blend of amusement and something colder. "Liar."
Without warning, he spun me around, pinning me against the wall. His body pressed hard against mine, his strength overwhelming, inescapable. My heart raced as his hands moved with precision, fastening something cold and unyielding around my neck. I gasped as the collar clicked into place, the sharp metal feeling like a chain around my very soul.
"What are you doing?" I demanded, panic setting in as I reached up instinctively. My fingers brushed against the smooth surface of the collar, realizing the truth in that instant—it was locked.
"Insurance," Alexander replied, his tone maddeningly calm. He stepped back slightly, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction as he looked me over. "You won't be running from me anymore. Not that you ever could."
A surge of fear and anger twisted inside me. My mind raced, desperately searching for a way out. The reality of being truly trapped sank in, and it sent a chill down my spine.
"I am not a prisoner to anyone," I declared defiantly, my voice shaking, though I tried to make the words strong. "I will find a way out of this."
A smirk tugged at the corner of Alexander's mouth as he tightened his grip on the remote control in his hand. "You can try," he said, his voice low, his eyes narrowing. "But remember, I always have a way to keep you in line."
I swallowed, feeling the weight of the tracker—or whatever it was—pressing down on my chest like a stone. "You're insane," I hissed, my voice trembling with a mix of fury and fear. "You can't keep me like this. You can't…" I reached for the collar, desperate to remove it, but Alexander's hand shot out to stop me. His eyes flashed with warning. "Don't make me use force," he warned, his tone chilling. "If you remove it, you'll be tased."
My hands trembled as I slowly raised them in surrender, feeling helpless, small. The collar stayed firmly in place, a constant reminder of how powerless I was.
"Emma," he said smoothly, leaning in so close that his breath ghosted across my skin. "You don't know who you're dealing with. I suggest you start cooperating before things get even worse."
I glared at him, refusing to let him see the fear in my eyes, or the tears that threatened to fall. "I'll find a way out of this," I said, my voice shaking, but the words came out stronger. "You can't keep me locked away forever."
His laugh sent a shiver down my spine, low and menacing. "We'll see about that."
Before I could say anything, he grabbed my arm and dragged me across the room. His grip was like iron, unrelenting. He opened a door I hadn't noticed before—a smaller, darker room. Without hesitation, he shoved me inside. The force of it made me stumble, but I caught myself against the wall, breathing raggedly as I turned to face him.
His silhouette was barely visible in the doorway, but I could feel his presence in every corner of the room. His hand lingered on the doorframe, the dark shape of him blocking any escape.
"You'll stay here until I decide otherwise," he said, his voice empty, like it held no meaning for him. "No light. No distractions. Just you and the darkness."
My stomach dropped as his words sank in. "You can't do this," I said, my voice breaking, raw. "You can't just lock me away like this."
His lips twitched into a cold smile. "Watch me."
With that, he stepped back and slammed the door behind him, the sound of the lock sliding into place echoing in the dark room. Panic flooded me. I stumbled toward the door, pounding on it with both fists.
"Alexander!" I screamed, my voice cracking, desperate. "Let me out! You can't do this!"
But there was nothing. No answer. Only silence. The kind of silence that claws at you, that seeps into your bones and leaves you feeling completely alone. I slid down the wall, my back hitting the cold surface as I sank to the floor. My breath came in shallow gasps as tears streamed down my face, lost in the overwhelming silence, the impenetrable darkness.
I curled into myself, shivering in the cold, suffocating dark. "I hate you," I whispered, the words barely audible against the silence. He had torn through my life in less than a day, turning everything upside down. Why me? Who is this man who wields power so easily, who can lock me away with a flick of his wrist? What could he possibly want from me? My life was ordinary—mundane even—until he showed up. And now, in less than 24 hours, everything has unraveled.
My breathing was ragged, panic still clinging to me in waves. I could feel the weight of the collar around my neck, heavy against my chest, suffocating me. For a split second, I thought I might collapse under the pressure—the silence, the dark, the constant reminder of my helplessness. But I shook it off. I wouldn't let it break me. Not yet.