A Public Confrontation – Dominic's Last Attempt
The exclusive charity gala was one of the most anticipated events of the year. It was a battlefield where power and influence mattered more than morals, where alliances were formed over whispered deals and veiled threats.
Elena walked in, poised, untouchable, breathtaking. The midnight-blue gown hugged her curves, shimmering under the golden chandeliers, making her look like royalty.
She had spent years walking into events like this, head bowed, trying to earn approval. But tonight?
Tonight, she wasn't here to be accepted.
She was here to make sure the world never underestimated her again.
Beside her, Alexander Reid was a storm in a suit. His presence was magnetic, his dark eyes scanning the room with cold detachment. He looked like a man who owned everything—and he did.
The whispers started immediately.
"She was once Dominic Sinclair's fiancée, wasn't she?"
"How did she manage to land Alexander Reid?"
"She must be extraordinary in bed."
Elena ignored them. She was done listening to fools.
They barely had time to take their seats when Dominic Sinclair appeared.
His smug grin told her everything. He thought he still held power over her. He thought she was still the weak woman who once begged for his love.
He was about to learn just how wrong he was.
"Mr. Reid," Dominic greeted smoothly, stepping up to their table. "And… Elena. Or should I say, Mrs. Reid?"
His eyes flickered with something—anger, jealousy, disbelief.
Elena lifted her glass, offering him a polite, empty smile. "Dominic."
He chuckled, shaking his head. "I must say, this is quite the surprise. I didn't think you were the type to—" His gaze flicked to Alexander. "—jump so quickly from one bed to another."
A hush spread through the surrounding tables.
Elena's fingers curled around her glass. The old her would have been humiliated. The new her? She was ready to destroy him.
But before she could speak, Alexander placed his glass down with a sharp clink.
The room tensed.
His movements were slow, controlled, lethal. He leaned back in his chair, fixing Dominic with a gaze so cold, the temperature in the room seemed to drop.
"You seem obsessed with my wife," Alexander said, voice smooth but edged with something dangerous.
Dominic stiffened slightly.
"I wonder why," Alexander continued, tilting his head. "Guilt, perhaps? Regret?" His lips quirked in amusement. "Or are you just bitter because you lost something you never deserved in the first place?"
Dominic's face darkened. "She belonged to me first."
A deadly silence.
Alexander exhaled a quiet laugh, but there was no humor in it.
He stood, buttoning his jacket with effortless grace, and then—he stepped right into Dominic's space.
"I don't share what's mine," Alexander murmured, his tone calm but carrying a threat that sent chills down Elena's spine.
Dominic clenched his jaw. "You think you own her?"
Alexander smirked. "I don't need to own her. She chose me. And that is something you will never be able to change."
Dominic's fist tightened at his side. His eyes flickered to Elena, as if expecting her to refute Alexander's words.
Instead, she lifted her chin and leaned into Alexander effortlessly, elegantly, her body brushing against his like it was the most natural thing in the world.
A clear, undeniable message.
Dominic had lost.
And worse?
He had never even been a real contender.
Dominic's Rage – A Fool's Move
Dominic stormed out of the gala, his hands shaking. He had planned this evening perfectly. He was supposed to humiliate Elena.
Instead, he had been the one embarrassed.
That bastard Alexander Reid had treated him like nothing. And Elena—his Elena—had acted as if she didn't even remember the years they spent together.
Lily Carter, watching from the shadows, smirked. "That didn't go well for you, did it?"
Dominic turned on her. "Shut up."
But Lily wasn't deterred. She stepped closer, tracing a perfectly manicured nail down his chest. "You're losing your grip, Dominic. Elena isn't your concern anymore."
Dominic grabbed her wrist, his grip tight. "She will always be my concern."
Lily's smile didn't falter. "Then you better think of something fast. Because if you keep acting like a fool, Alexander Reid is going to crush you."
Dominic's grip tightened.
No.
He wouldn't let that happen.
And if he had to destroy Elena to make sure of it?
Then so be it.
That Night – The Tension Boils Over
Back at the penthouse, Alexander poured himself a glass of whiskey, his sleeves rolled up, his muscles tense.
Elena watched him from across the room, her pulse still unsteady.
She had expected him to walk away after the gala. He had made it clear that this marriage was a contract, not a relationship.
But then why…
Why had he looked so possessive tonight?
Why had he stepped between her and Dominic as if he would kill anyone who touched her?
Elena slowly approached, her heels clicking against the floor. "Why did you defend me tonight?"
Alexander didn't turn. He took a slow sip of his whiskey before finally speaking.
"Because no one—" He placed the glass down. "—gets to speak to my wife like that."
Elena's breath hitched.
She stepped closer, feeling the heat radiating from his body.
"You almost sounded like you meant it," she murmured.
Alexander turned then, abruptly, swiftly, powerfully.
Before she could react, his hand was around her waist, pulling her flush against him.
"You think I'm lying?" he whispered, his breath warm against her skin.
Elena shivered. Not from fear. From something far more dangerous.
She swallowed hard, refusing to look away. "I think you're playing a game."
His low chuckle sent a shiver down her spine.
"And if I am?" he murmured. His thumb brushed against her lower lip. "Do you think you can win?"
Her breath hitched.
But she wouldn't back down.
She tilted her chin up, her lips barely an inch from his. "I never play to lose."
Alexander's dark eyes flashed.
And then—he kissed her.
Hard. Fierce. Unforgiving.
Elena gasped as he pushed her against the wall, his body pressing into hers, his hands tangled in her hair.
She had expected control.
But this? This was hunger.
The kind that burned. The kind that consumed.
She moaned softly, her fingers clutching his shirt, desperate for more.
And Alexander?
He growled against her lips, completely losing control.
A Dangerous Game – Who Will Break First?
The kiss was nothing like Elena expected.
It wasn't just passion—it was possession.
Alexander's lips moved against hers with an intensity that left her breathless, his hands gripping her waist, pressing her against the cold wall. The heat between them was undeniable, burning away the thin layer of restraint she had left.
She had walked into this marriage thinking she could keep her emotions in check.
But this man?
He was making her forget why she ever thought she could resist.
Her fingers clenched against his shirt, trying to regain some control, but Alexander wasn't giving her any room to breathe. His grip was firm, commanding, as if he was staking his claim.
A gasp escaped her lips when he bit down, teasing, before pulling away just enough to meet her gaze.
His dark eyes were stormy, unreadable.
"Do you still think I'm playing games, Elena?" His voice was rough, his breath hot against her lips.
Elena's pulse hammered against her skin. She wouldn't let him win this easily.
So she smirked, despite the way her legs trembled. "If you're not, then what was that?"
Alexander's expression didn't change, but his grip on her waist tightened.
"Elena," he murmured, his fingers trailing dangerously lower, brushing over the curve of her hip. "You walked into my life, into my world, and thought you could set the rules?"
His lips traced along her jaw, the roughness of his stubble sending shivers down her spine.
Her breath hitched when his hands slid down, pressing into the small of her back, pulling her against him.
"I told you from the beginning," he continued, his voice a low growl. "I don't do love. But I take what's mine."
Elena's nails dug into his shoulders. The way he said it—mine—sent a jolt of something dangerous through her body.
But she wouldn't surrender.
Not yet.
She tilted her head, their lips almost touching again. "And if I don't belong to anyone?"
A dangerous glint flickered in Alexander's eyes.
He suddenly spun her around, pressing her back against his chest, his lips brushing the shell of her ear.
"Then," he whispered, his hand slipping over her bare shoulder, slow, teasing, torturous, "I'll just have to prove you wrong."
A sharp gasp left her lips as he bit down, softly but possessively, on her neck.
Her body betrayed her, heat pooling in her stomach, her breath ragged.
Alexander smirked against her skin. "What's wrong, Elena?" he murmured. "You're shaking."
Damn him.
Damn him for knowing exactly what he was doing to her.
She swallowed hard, trying to gather her thoughts.
"I—" Her voice caught when he traced his fingers down her arm, painfully slow.
"What was that?" he taunted, his lips hovering over her pulse. "You were saying?"
Elena clenched her jaw.
Two could play this game.
Before he could react, she spun in his arms, pressing her body fully against his.
Then—she grabbed the back of his neck and kissed him just as fiercely.
A deep, guttural sound rumbled in his chest, his grip tightening as he lost himself in her.
Elena poured every ounce of frustration, fire, and challenge into the kiss. If he wanted to show dominance, then she'd show him she was no weak little thing for him to toy with.
His hands slid over her hips, gripping them so tightly she knew she'd feel him there tomorrow.
Good.
He was about to learn that she was just as dangerous as he was.
The air between them burned, every touch leaving invisible marks, unspoken promises.
Finally, shepulled away, just slightly, her lips swollen, her breath ragged.
Alexander stared at her, his jaw clenched, his eyes dark with something unreadable.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then—he smirked.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
"You really don't know what you've just started, do you?"
Elena lifted her chin, fighting the way her heart pounded. "Then teach me, Mr. Reid."
A slow, dark chuckle escaped him.
"Elena," he murmured, gripping her jaw, his thumb brushing her lower lip.
"You might regret saying that."
But she didn't.
Because for the first time in a long time…
She felt alive.