Enemies in the same bed
740 Words
Evelyn didn’t know how she made it up the sweeping staircase without stumbling. Her wedding gown, heavy with lace and satin, felt like shackles around her legs.
Alexander Kane walked ahead of her, his powerful frame cutting a sharp silhouette in the dim light of the mansion. He didn’t glance back, not even once to check if she followed.
Of course he wouldn’t. Why would he?
This marriage wasn’t about love. It wasn’t even about convenience. It was about power. Control. And a contract she had signed without thinking too hard about the consequences.
She swallowed hard, her throat dry as dust.
“Try not to look so terrified, Mrs. Kane,” Alexander said, his deep voice breaking the silence. There was a hint of amusement in his tone. We wouldn’t want the staff to think I married a woman under duress.
She bit back a retort, keeping her chin high as they passed two maids scurrying down the hall. Under duress? He might as well have said under blackmail.
Because that’s what this was.
The master suite loomed ahead like the entrance to a lion’s den. Dark oak doors, polished to a shine, and a golden handle that caught the light.
Alexander pushed the doors open and stepped inside. Evelyn followed, her stomach twisting tighter.
The room was breathtaking. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city skyline, lights glittering like stars. A king-sized bed, dressed in crisp white sheets, dominated the space.
This wasn’t a bedroom. It was a stage.
Welcome to your new cage,Alexander murmured, shrugging out of his jacket and tossing it carelessly onto a chair.
She stiffened. “I’m not your prisoner.”
His head tilted, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Aren’t you?
Evelyn moved toward the vanity, her fingers fumbling with the tiny buttons at the back of her gown.
Don’t bother, Alexander said, his voice low and commanding. I’ll do it.
Her heart thudded as he stepped behind her. She felt the heat of his body before his hands even touched her.
Relax,he murmured, fingers grazing her bare shoulders as he slid the zipper down. It’s not as if I’m going to devour you.
Evelyn shivered. “You already have. Piece by piece.”
His hands froze for a fraction of a second before continuing their task.
The gown slipped to the floor, pooling at her feet like a puddle of ivory. Evelyn yanked her silk robe from the vanity and wrapped it around herself, clutching it tight.
Alexander’s gaze was sharp, assessing, like a predator waiting for its prey to make the wrong move.
You don’t have to pretend,Evelyn said, her voice steadier than she felt. “We both know this marriage is nothing but a transaction. Don’t act like you care.”
I don’t care,Alexander replied smoothly, stepping closer until their bodies nearly touched. But I do expect my wife to follow the rules.
Her jaw tightened. “And if I don’t?”
“Then, Mrs. Kane…” His hand brushed her cheek, deceptively gentle. You’ll learn that defiance has a price.
Evelyn slapped his hand away and turned for the bed.
Stay on your side,she said coldly, slipping under the covers. This doesn’t mean you get to touch me.
Alexander chuckled darkly. “Don’t flatter yourself. I don’t touch what isn’t mine.”
Her head snapped toward him, but he was already walking to the couch near the window. He poured himself a drink, swirling the amber liquid lazily.
“Sleep well, Mrs. Kane,” he said without looking at her.
Evelyn turned away, pulling the sheets up to her chin.
But sleep didn’t come.
She lay awake for hours, staring at the ceiling as the reality of her situation settled like a weight on her chest.
She hated him. Hated his arrogance, his smirks, his power over her life.
But she hated herself even more for the spark of something she felt every time he got too close.
Just as she drifted into uneasy sleep, Evelyn felt the mattress dip beside her. A warm hand slid around her waist, pulling her back against a solid chest.
“Did you really think you could run this marriage on your terms?” Alexander whispered in her ear.
Evelyn’s eyes flew open, her pulse roaring in her ears.
“Let’s get one thing straight, Mrs. Kane,” he murmured. “You’re mine. And tonight, I’m claiming what’s mine.”
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- Writer
