THE POSSESSIVE CEO

CHAPTER THREE: THE PUBLIC CLAIM

​The gala at the Metropolitan Museum was a den of wolves dressed in tuxedos and silk. Elena felt the diamond choker Silas had fastened around her neck earlier that evening like a literal collar. As they stepped out of the black sedan, the wall of camera flashes was blinding.

​Silas didn’t wait for her to find her footing. He reached back, his large hand sliding firmly around her waist, pulling her flush against his side. The gesture was too intimate for "just a date," and the reporters' whispers rose to a fever pitch.

​"Stay close," Silas murmured, his breath hot against her temple. "And smile, Elena. You’re supposed to be the happiest woman in the room."

​Inside, the Great Hall was filled with the elite of Manhattan. Silas moved through the crowd like a king surveying his subjects. He didn't introduce her as an architect or a partner. He introduced her as "mine." Each time he said it, his hand would tighten slightly on her hip, a silent reminder of the contract she had signed.

​The night took a sharp turn when a voice called out from the crowd. "Elena? Is that really you?"

​A man in a well-fitted grey suit approached. It was Julian, a fellow architect she had interned with—and briefly dated—years ago. He was kind, talented, and represented everything Silas was not.

​"Julian," Elena said, a genuine smile breaking through her mask for the first time that night. She moved to step toward him, but Silas’s arm became an iron bar across her midsection, anchoring her to him.

​"Vane," Julian said, his smile faltering as he took in the possessive stance of the man beside her. "I didn't know you and Elena were… acquainted."

​"We are much more than acquainted, Julian," Silas said. His voice had lost its smooth velvet and turned into a low, territorial growl. He didn't offer a hand to shake. Instead, he pulled Elena even closer, his fingers splaying across her ribs. "Elena is under an exclusive contract with Vane Global. Professionally. And personally."

​Julian’s eyes widened as he looked at the diamond choker, then at the way Silas looked at her—not with affection, but with the cold intensity of a predator guarding its kill. "Elena, if you’re in some kind of trouble—"

​"She’s in excellent hands," Silas interrupted, his eyes darkening to a dangerous shade of flint. "In fact, we were just leaving. The air in here has become… stale."

​"Silas, wait," Elena whispered, embarrassed. "I haven't seen him in years."

​Silas ignored her. He leaned down, his face inches from Julian’s. "I’ve heard of your firm, Julian. It would be a shame if your investors decided to pull out tomorrow morning because you were seen harassing my companion. Move."

​Julian stepped back, pale and shaking. Silas didn't wait for a response. He spun Elena around and marched her toward the exit, his grip so firm she could feel the heat of his palm through her dress.

​Once they reached the seclusion of the parking valet, he spun her around against the side of the car. The shadows of the night hid them from the cameras, but the intensity in his eyes was brighter than any flashbulb.

​"Who is he?" Silas demanded, his voice a low hiss.

​"A friend! An old colleague!" Elena snapped, her own temper finally flaring. "You can't just threaten people for talking to me!"

​"I can do whatever I want with what belongs to me," Silas growled. He stepped into her space, his chest heaving. He gripped her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Let me make this clear, Elena. Every man in that room was looking at you. Every man wanted to touch what I have. But you are the one who gave him that smile. That smile is mine. Your eyes are mine. If I see you looking at another man like that again, I won’t just ruin his career. I’ll make sure he’s erased."

​"You're a monster," she breathed.

​"I’m a man who keeps what he buys," he countered, his gaze dropping to her lips. For a moment, she thought he would kiss her—a hard, punishing claim—but he simply let go and opened the car door. "Get in. We’re going home. And tomorrow, we’ll discuss the new security measures I’m placing on your office."

​As the car sped away, Elena looked out the window, the diamonds at her neck feeling heavier than lead. She was learning the most terrifying rule of all: Silas Vane didn't just want her loyalty. He wanted her soul.