The tension between Elena and Alexander had been simmering since the gala. But neither of them was willing to acknowledge it.
Elena refused to believe she felt anything for a man who saw their marriage as nothing more than a transaction.
And Alexander? He wasn't the kind of man who allowed emotions to dictate his actions.
But that night… something changed.
A Late-Night Encounter
Elena tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. The encounter with Dominic had stirred too many painful memories.
She finally gave up, slipping out of her room and making her way downstairs.
The penthouse was dimly lit, the city skyline stretching endlessly beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.
She poured herself a glass of water, but just as she was about to take a sip—
A deep voice broke the silence.
"You couldn't sleep either."
Elena flinched, turning to see Alexander leaning against the counter, his piercing gaze locked on her.
He was dressed in nothing but black sweatpants, his broad chest and defined muscles illuminated by the faint glow of the city lights.
She swallowed hard. "No."
He stepped closer, his presence almost overwhelming. "Thinking about Sinclair?"
Elena stiffened. "That's none of your business."
A slow smirk tugged at his lips. "Everything about you is my business now."
Her grip on the glass tightened. "That's not what our contract says."
Alexander reached out, his fingers gently brushing over her wrist. His touch was warm, firm—dangerous.
"I don't care about the contract right now, Elena," he murmured.
A shiver ran down her spine, but she refused to back down. "Then what do you care about?"
His gaze darkened. "You."
A Moment of Weakness—or Something More?
The air between them was thick with unspoken tension.
Alexander moved even closer, his scent—clean, masculine, intoxicating—wrapping around her.
He reached out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The gesture was so gentle, so unexpected, that Elena forgot to breathe.
"You're still shaken," he said, voice softer now. "Not because of Sinclair. But because you don't trust anyone, do you?"
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
Because he was right.
She had learned the hard way that trusting someone meant giving them a weapon to destroy her.
"I don't need to trust anyone," she whispered. "I can handle myself."
Alexander studied her for a long moment. Then, to her shock, he let out a quiet chuckle.
"I believe that," he said. "But you don't have to fight alone anymore."
Elena's chest tightened.
What was this?
This wasn't how their relationship was supposed to be. It was meant to be cold, calculated, strategic.
Yet standing here, in the dead of night, with Alexander looking at her like he saw right through her masks…
She felt exposed in a way she never had before.
A Warning and a Promise
Alexander suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
His expression hardened. "There's something you need to see."
Elena frowned as he handed her the device. On the screen was a photo of her—taken earlier that night.
Her breath caught. "Where did you get this?"
"My security team intercepted it," he said. "It was sent to an anonymous number with the message: 'She won't escape this time.'"
Elena's blood ran cold.
She knew exactly what this meant.
Her past was catching up to her.
Alexander's jaw clenched. "Whoever it is, they're watching you."
Elena forced herself to stay calm, but the weight of the situation settled heavy on her chest.
"Let me handle it," she said.
But Alexander's expression darkened. "No."
He stepped even closer, his presence commanding, protective, possessive.
"You're my wife now, Elena," he said, voice low and dangerous. "And no one—no one—threatens what's mine."
Elena's heart pounded, not just from fear…
But from the way Alexander Reid was no longer just her business partner.
He was becoming her protector.
And that scared her even more.
Elena's grip tightened on the phone, her knuckles turning white.
Her mind raced. Who was watching her? Who had sent that message?
She wasn't naïve enough to think this was a coincidence.
But before she could spiral further, a strong hand closed over hers.
Alexander's warmth seeped into her skin, grounding her.
"Elena," he said, his voice low but firm. "We're going to find out who's behind this. And when we do…" His thumb brushed lightly against her wrist, a silent promise of retribution.
She pulled her hand away, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I don't need your protection, Alexander."
His lips curled into a smirk—dark, amused, but not entirely pleased.
"No?" he murmured, stepping closer.
Elena backed up instinctively—only to realize she was trapped against the cold marble counter.
She sucked in a breath as he placed a hand on either side of her, caging her in.
"You're trembling, Elena." His voice was softer now, more intimate. "Are you afraid?"
She lifted her chin, meeting his gaze. "No."
"Good," he said, his lips barely an inch from hers. "Because I don't want you to be afraid. I want you to know that whoever did this? They'll regret ever thinking of hurting you."
The intensity in his voice sent a shiver down her spine.
Why was he doing this? Why was he acting like he cared?
This was not part of their deal.
A Moment Too Close
Elena tried to push him away, but Alexander caught her wrist again. This time, his grip was gentler.
Her pulse raced as he slowly lifted her hand, pressing it against his chest.
His heartbeat was steady. Unshaken.
"I don't play games when it comes to threats," he murmured.
Elena's breath hitched.
She could feel the heat of his skin beneath her fingertips. The power. The control. The dominance.
And yet, he wasn't forcing her.
He was simply letting her feel—his strength, his resolve.
Something inside her cracked.
Just for a moment.
Alexander's gaze flickered to her lips, his own pressing into a thin line, as if fighting something.
A long, heavy silence stretched between them.
Then
His phone vibrated, breaking the spell.
He pulled away first, jaw tight, as if irritated by the interruption.
Elena exhaled sharply, stepping past him, needing distance—needing air.
What the hell was that?
The Danger Lurking in the Shadows
Alexander checked his phone, his expression turning unreadable.
His silence made her uneasy. "What is it?"
Instead of answering, he slid the phone toward her.
Elena looked down—
And her blood ran cold.
The screen showed a live video feed.
A dark alleyway. A hooded figure. Dragging a beaten, bloodied man across the pavement.
Her former bodyguard.
The one she had secretly contacted to investigate Dominic.
A message flashed on the screen:
"Stay out of the past, or this will be you."
Her entire body went rigid.
Alexander's expression was lethal.
He picked up the phone and, without hesitation, dialed a number.
"Find out who sent this," he ordered, his tone cold and deadly. "And make sure they wish they were never born."
Elena's breath hitched.
This was no longer just about a contract marriage.
She had just unknowingly dragged Alexander Reid into her war.
And he wasn't the type of man to forgive an attack.
He was the type of man to destroy.
A Dangerous New Reality
Elena turned to face him, her heart pounding. "You don't have to get involved."
Alexander's sharp gaze locked onto her. "Too late."
"This isn't your fight," she insisted. "I can handle it."
Alexander let out a low, dark laugh. "You still don't get it, do you?"
He stepped toward her again, but this time, it wasn't playful.
It was deadly serious.
"Elena," he said, voice like steel. "You are my wife now. And that means your battles are mine."
She shivered at the finality in his tone.
"But we're just—"
"Don't," he cut her off, eyes burning into hers. "Don't insult my intelligence. I protect what's mine."
Elena opened her mouth to argue
But she couldn't.
Because for the first time in years
She wasn't fighting alone.
And that terrified her even more than the enemy lurking in the shadows.