SURRENDER TO YOU

Playing With Fire

Elena stared at the contract in front of her, the ink practically burning through the pristine paper.

All she wanted to do was take a break and rest after the long drive to Mr Pierce's penthouse and hours of unpacking. The maids wanted to help, but Elena was an organized lady; she preferred to handle her personal belongings herself.

One year. Three hundred sixty-five days of playing the devoted wife.

She could still hear Victoria’s voice echoing in her head. Alexander belongs to me.

"The hell he did! " Elena muttered with a sneering chuckle.

Taking a deep breath, she picked up the pen, but before she could sign, a deep voice cut through the silence.

“Having second thoughts already?”

She glanced up to see Alexander Pierce, leaning against the floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse, arms crossed over his broad chest.

She hated how effortlessly perfect he looked. The dark designer suit hugged his body like a second skin, and those gray eyes, cool, sexy, attractive, unreadable, and always one step ahead, studied her like she was a puzzle he had already solved.

“I don’t back out of deals, Mr. Pierce,” Elena said tightening her grip on the pen.

He smirked. “Good, then sign, and let's have fun, darling.”

She let out a slow breath, willing her hand to stay steady as she scrawled her signature at the bottom of the page.

She set the pen down and met his gaze. “Done! Happy now?” She asked standing up from the sofa.

Alexander stepped forward, his presence consuming the space between them. “That depends; how well do you handle publicity, Miss Harper?”

Elena blinked. “What?”

“The engagement announcement is tomorrow.”

Her stomach dropped. “Tomorrow? Already?”

“I don’t like to waste time.” He moved to the bar and poured himself a glass of whiskey, the ice clinking against the glass.

“We’ll make our first public appearance at the Lawson Foundation Gala.”

Elena’s pulse spiked. Bianca’s family gala?!

Alexander smirked as if he could read her mind. “Don’t look so surprised. I don’t avoid enemies, I confront them.”

She crossed her arms. “What's the drill?”

He took a slow sip of his drink before answering. “You’ll smile, hold my hand, and convince the entire city that you’re madly in love with me.”

Her lips parted in protest, but before she could argue, he stepped closer, lowering his voice.

“You wanted rules, Elena? Here’s mine, once we step into the public eye, you’re mine.”

Her breath hitched. Not because of his words but because, for the first time, she wasn’t sure if it was a warning… or a promise.

* * *

Elena ran a hand through her hair, exhausted yet restless. The weight of the contract, the upcoming gala, and Alexander’s infuriating dominance pressed down on her. She needed a moment to breathe, to clear her head.

She stepped out, intending to grab a glass of water from the kitchen and return to her room. It was on her way back that she mindlessly pushed open the door to what she thought was her bedroom. The layout was identical, modern, sleek, and dimly lit by the warm glow of the city skyline.

But something felt… off. She couldn't find any of her stuff.

Then, a deep voice, rough and laced with amusement, shattered the silence.

"Breaking into my room already, wife?"

Elena’s heart leaped to her throat as she spun around.

Alexander stood in the doorway of his en-suite bathroom, a white towel slung dangerously low around his hips, droplets of water gliding down his sculpted chest. His damp hair was slightly tousled, making him look less like the ruthless billionaire she had signed a contract with and more like a forbidden temptation.

She forced herself to look away. "Your rooms look exactly alike. I thought this was mine."

He smirked, stepping forward. "So, you accidentally walked into my room in the middle of the night?" His tone was teasing, but his gaze held something deeper. "Don't flatter yourself," she shot back, turning toward the door. But before she could reach it, he moved, closing the space between them with an effortless grace that sent chills through her spine.

His scent, fresh, masculine, and intoxicating, wrapped around her like an invisible chain, making it suddenly difficult to breathe.

"Since you're here," he murmured, his voice lower, softer, dangerous.

"Let me ask you something."

She swallowed hard, refusing to step back. "What?"

"Are you afraid?" he asked. His eyes searched hers, unreadable but intense.

Her pulse hammered. "Afraid of what?"

"Me."

For a moment, neither of them moved. The air crackled with unspoken tension, with a pull she didn’t want to acknowledge.

Then, she tilted her chin up. "No, Alexander. I'm not afraid of you."

His lips curved, slow and knowing. "Good."

The way he said it sent a shiver down her spine.

Realizing how close they were, she forced herself to step away from him and head for the door. She grabbed the handle, hesitating for just a second before turning back to meet his gaze.

"Goodnight, husband," she said, her voice cool but her heartbeat racing.

Alexander watched her with a glint of something unreadable in his eyes.

"Sweet dreams, wife."

As the door clicked shut behind her, Elena let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

Today was only her first day into the contract but she was already playing with fire.