Twisted Vows (Two Vows, Two Lives)

The blinding flash of a dozen cameras drowned out the dim murmur of the ballroom. Elena kept her posture stiff, her chin raised just so, a practiced smile curving her lips. She was the picture of a young woman who had fallen from obscurity to the glittering heights of high society. To the swarms of reporters crowding the velvet rope, she was a Cinderella figure, a humble little princess who had married into the family and became Vance Enterprises’ favorite heiress. "A little closer, Mr. Vance! Look at her!" one photographer shouted over the din of the ballroom. "With pleasure," Julian murmured in her ear, his voice a rich caress to her skin, as he pulled a small black velvet case from his jacket pocket. Inside, a heavy platinum necklace caught the glint of the crystal chandeliers, its icy diamonds flashing with an almost predatory gleam. The Star of Vance, an infamous family heirloom, was worth millions. Julian stepped behind her and, for the briefest moment, Elena's practiced smile faltered. She could feel the press of the cold metal against her skin as he slid the heavy necklace around her throat and fastened the clasp with a sharp click that echoed in her ears. He smoothed the hair from the nape of her neck, his thumb idly tracing her spine as he leaned closer, his breath warm against her ear. "There," he murmured, his lips brushing the delicate lobe of her ear as he bent to whisper in her ear. "Now everyone knows who you belong to, my love." He straightened, his hand sliding down her back to settle against the curve of her waist. Julian's fingers dug into the silk of her dress, pushing her down into a more dramatic pose as the flash of the cameras grew busier around them. Elena stiffened as he leaned into her, his mouth hovering just above her collarbone. The pressure of his fingers against her side was firm enough to dig into the bruises blooming there from his morning lesson. A sharp jolt of pain flared through her ribs as he squeezed her waist in warning. Her hand tightened around the handle of her clutch as she fought to keep her smile in place, her eyes flicking briefly to the reporter from the Global Tribune who had tried to ask her a question before the cameras had been thrust in her face. Julian's grip on her waist was firm, his knuckles pressing into her bruised ribs as he punished her for her insolence. "Smile, darling," he murmured against her ear, his voice rich with false devotion as he bent his head so that his lips hovered just above the curve of her neck. "The cameras are watching." She forced her lungs to inflate, filling her chest with the scent of expensive perfume and the feel of the platinum necklace pressing cruelly against her windpipe, as she kept her smile in place until the flashes of the cameras had died down. "Excuse me for a moment, sweetheart," Julian murmured against her ear before he stepped back, releasing her waist with a soft sigh. A group of investors had gathered at the edge of the floor, gesturing for him to join them. "Stay where I can see you." The moment his hand left her waist, the dull ache flared to life again, and Elena felt the need to draw a deep breath. The air in the ballroom was stifling, the scent of expensive perfume and brandy clinging to her senses as she eased herself away from the press of the main floor. She drifted soundlessly toward the tall French doors at the far end of the ballroom, pushing them open and stepping out onto the secluded terrace beyond. The night air was cool, the scent of the rain-softened stone floor clinging to her senses as she inhaled deeply. She pressed a hand against the diamond choker at her throat, trying to ease it down so that she could draw a proper breath. "It won't give," a voice murmured from the darkness. "Julian doesn't design his traps with release valves." Elena turned sharply, her heart pounding in her chest as a figure stepped from the shadows. Alexander Sterling, the infamous CEO of Sterling Global, loomed before her, his dark hair tousled by the night breeze. Alec, as he was known to the business world, was Julian's most feared competitor, a man who had battled the Vance family for years in the cutthroat world of corporate warfare. He was tall and broad-shouldered, dressed in a tailored black suit, and his piercing blue eyes regarded her with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. Unlike Julian, who exuded an air of polished civility, Alec had an aura of danger about him, as if he were a predator waiting to strike. Elena pulled her hand away from her neck, her fingers curling into a fist at her side. "Mr. Sterling. You shouldn't be here. If Julian sees you-" "Julian is currently lying to three European delegates about his third-quarter revenue," Alec said smoothly, his gaze sweeping over her before settling on the deep red bruise just below her collarbone. He took a slow step closer, until he was standing just a few inches away from her. "He has a way of making people disappear when they annoy him." Elena's breath caught in her throat as his scent washed over her, a mixture of rain-soaked earth and sandalwood. His eyes flickered down to the choker at her neck before coming to rest on the delicate skin just below it. "You're suffocating, Mrs. Vance," he said softly. "I'm fine," she said, her voice steady despite the racing beat of her heart. "I have everything I need." Alec chuckled, a deep, rich sound that sent a shiver down her spine. He stepped even closer until he was standing right in front of her, blocking the view of the ballroom from her line of sight. "Is that what he tells you while he leaves those little love marks on your skin?" he murmured, his fingers hovering just above the tight setting of the necklace. "He bought you like a pet, little dove. A pretty little plaything to parade around his parties. But you don't look like a pet." Elena met his gaze, her dark eyes flashing with something fierce and defiant that she hadn't realized was there. She didn't shrink away from him or cry. Alec's lips twitched into a slow smile as he looked at her. "No," he murmured, leaning down until his lips were almost touching hers. "You have the eyes of a wolf. So tell me... how long are you going to let him feed on you?" Her heart pounded in her chest, but she didn't answer. She didn't have to. Alec didn't offer her pity or forgiveness. He offered her something else entirely - a weapon, a way out. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, the heavy glass door to the terrace slid open, flooding the room with light. Julian stood in the doorway, two glasses of champagne in his hands, his face a mask of cool amusement as he looked out over the room. His eyes were black as he took in the sight before him. "Stepping out with the enemy, sweetheart?" Julian's voice was smooth as silk as he stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Elena as he took a slow sip of his drink. "You know what happens when you misbehave."