Chapter 5 :Broken Rules, Shattered Lines

From Isabella's POV

I could feel his eyes on me even before he stepped through the door. Alex always made sure I knew he was in control – his presence looming over every breath I took, every nerve that sparked under my skin.

As I sat in his cold, sterile office, legs crossed and arms wrapped tightly around myself, I couldn’t help but feel like prey, caged and waiting for him. Despite the gilded surroundings, there was no warmth here. Just silence, broken by the slow, steady rhythm of his steps approaching me, each one as deliberate as he was.

I didn’t turn when he entered. "Been waiting for me?" His voice dripped with amusement, low and dark.

"Don’t flatter yourself." My voice came out sharper than intended, but he liked to pull that edge out of me. It was his way of seeing if I’d crack.

His chuckle was soft but unmistakable. "Feisty tonight, aren’t we? Don’t worry, doll, I got ways to fix that."

He moved behind me, his fingers gliding down the back of my neck, settling on the collar he’d fastened there himself. The cool leather met my skin, and my pulse jumped despite myself. It was an unspoken claim, one he wore as much as I did, even if he played his games with every other girl in his little black book.

"So… how does it feel?" He leaned down, his breath warm against my ear. "Knowing you’re mine."

There it was. That possessive grip he had over me, like he’d marked every part of me without ever really giving a part of himself.

"That collar’s not a leash, Alex." I tried to keep my voice steady, but he could always tell when I was fronting. "I’m not some dog to be trained."

"Oh, sweetheart, don’t you get it yet? You’re not on a leash because you’re too eager to come running when I call." His hand closed around my wrist, pulling me up and against him. "You’re already bound to me. No leash needed."

My pulse thrummed. He knew I hated his cockiness, the way he flaunted his control over me. But for every time he played the cold and distant puppet master, he could also be tender… soft, even. Just enough to keep me guessing, doubting everything I thought I knew about him.

"Let me go, Alex." I pulled against his grip, but his hold only tightened, the ghost of a smirk dancing across his lips.

"Not until you say it."

"No."

He raised an eyebrow, waiting, his fingers digging slightly into my wrist – a silent reminder of the contract between us, the one that demanded submission, the one I signed with too little thought and too much lust clouding my judgment.

But the thrill, the dare in his gaze, was undeniable. I leaned close, meeting his eyes, defiance flashing through me. "In your dreams, Daddy."

Something flickered in his eyes. He liked that. Too much.

Moments later, I was pressed against the glass wall, his hands roaming down, claiming, marking. "Why do you fight it?" he whispered, fingers brushing my jaw. "You know how much you need this. You need me."

A laugh escaped my lips. "You? You’re a devil in a designer suit."

"And you’re the angel that keeps coming back," he murmured, his mouth hovering over mine, daring me to give in.

But I held my ground. If I didn’t, he’d swallow me whole.

"Maybe one day you’ll get a taste of what you’re after," I shot back, breathless, letting him pull me into his gravitational force without losing myself completely. "But you don’t own me, Alex. Not the way you think."

"We’ll see about that." His gaze darkened, and for a split second, I saw something raw in his eyes – something vulnerable he’d never admit to.

He stepped back, adjusting his cuffs like he hadn’t just unleashed a storm inside me. His expression was unreadable, but I knew better. He’d slipped, just for a moment, and it had rattled him.

"So… is this how it’s going to be, night after night? A game?" I asked, trying to gauge him, pushing him for once instead of the other way around.

His lips curved, the smile equal parts devilish and devastating. "Only until you finally break, baby girl."

He turned, striding toward the door, leaving me breathless, furious, and craving more of him than I’d ever admit.

Just as he reached the threshold, he paused, looking over his shoulder, voice dripping with dark promise. "Be ready tomorrow night. This time, we play by my rules."

And with that, he was gone, leaving only the silence – and the promise of whatever came next – to fill the void.

From Alex's POV

The cool bite of leather beneath my hands was a stabilizing force, reminding me that I was in charge, despite the fiery lady in front of me who was testing the boundaries of every rule I'd established. Isabella Greco, my contractual wife, was everything but meek right now, with rebellion radiating through her dark eyes.

I leaned in closer, keeping my voice low and powerful. "Didn't I tell you not to question me, Isabella?"

She flinched, yet there was that spark again—damn, she was like fire, dangerous and too appealing to resist. I was the one who set the regulations here. Every. Single. One. Her fingers tightened, but she refused to look away.

"Answer me, gattina," I screamed."I just wanted to know what was going on."

Her voice was quiet, but I could feel the fury in it. This was precisely what she wasn't supposed to do: demand answers she didn't deserve.

"You know that's not how this works, sweetheart," I whispered, running my fingertip across her lips and observing her body's treachery as she leaned into my touch, a faint moan escape.

But this was only the beginning. I wanted more. I wanted her to stop pretending that she could resist me, this arrangement, and everything I had to offer, no matter how twisted it was.

"Kneel," I said, observing as she paused before responding, the tiniest trembling in her hands as she lowered herself. My stare remained fixed on her, a predatory delight growing in my chest. She wanted to.

Her breath increased as I approached. "When you come here, Isabella, you listen. "Are you my good girl?" She gulped and barely nodded. I bent down to make sure my remarks cut through any residual hesitation. "Or are you going to make me remind you why you're here, mia cara moglie?"

My voice lowered, and each word was a purposeful menace.

She shuddered, but her eyes remained fiery with defiance. Damn, she was intoxicating—a mix of rage and surrender, and I was waiting to see whether she'd shatter or if I'd bend.

"Say it," I commanded. "Say what you're here for." She looked up, reluctant but resigned. "To obey you, Daddy." The word from her lips, low and quivering, but it was sufficient. Satisfaction flowed through me.

She was trying her hardest to resist, but with each passing second, she gave more of herself over.

"Yet you question me,"

I muttered, running my finger down her face and felt her tremble. "You know what happens when you cross that line. "Her lips parted, and her breath hitched. She did not respond, but her body said volumes, her pulse rushing beneath my touch. I grasped her chin, pushing her to face my eyes. "Is this what you want me to remind you of, Isabella? Is this it? You think I don't understand how you're testing me?"

Her eyes widened, revealing the vulnerability I was seeking for.

"You don't own me," she muttered, but it was a plea rather than a challenge, both knew of it.

"You already belong to me, so I don't need to own you," I said in a silky, dark voice.

Regardless of your feelings about it. The electromagnetic pulse between us was palpable to me; it was a force as strong as gravity. She had constructed these barriers to keep me out, but they broke down with each shudder and gasp.

I stepped back and let her go, a smug smirk creeping across my face. She believed she was powerful enough to resist me. Alright. We'll see how she responded to the next situation.

"Strip," I ordered. Her hands hesitated at her top as her eyes dilated and a flush crept up her neck. But once more, there it was—obedience, fighting that damned pride.

She wanted me to think of her as strong and self-sufficient, but her reluctance revealed the reality.

Her eyes never left mine as her hands slid slowly, releasing the buttons one by one. I could feel my control sliding a bit more with every inch of exposed flesh, but I remained stiff, a contented grin at the corner of my lips.

She paused and stopped, her hands trembling a little. She said, "What...what are you going to do?"With a honey-smooth, dark voice, I replied, "Oh, gattina, you should know by now."

"This is only the start."

I was about to approach, determined to push this further, when my phone chimed. Oh no. Not right now. However, after glancing at the screen, I realized it was unable to wait.

I felt my fury erupting as I turned back to Isabella. "Remain right here," I snarled.

"Remember not to move or you'll regret it."I strode over to the corner and answered the phone quietly.

However, every phrase made my teeth tense. Isabella was standing with her arms crossed and fire in her eyes as I turned around. She had disregarded my order and relocated.

She was fully aware of what that meant. I responded, almost controlling the smile that was creeping across my lips, "Seems you need another reminder, sweetheart."

But before I could follow through on my pledge, she murmured in a low, steady voice. My eyes narrowed, a mixture of expectation and amusement. It was far from over.