Chapter 5
1039 Words
Elena Sinclair’s POV
The moment Alex entered the room, the air changed.
His cold blue eyes locked onto Lucas, sharp and unrelenting. But there was something else beneath his facial expressions.
Not just anger.
Something close to... possessiveness.
Lucas, on the other hand, looked completely at ease, his lazy smirk never faltering. He turned to me with a slow, assessing gaze, like he was peeling back my layers, trying to see what was beneath.
"Your wife is quite the beauty, Alex," he said, tilting his head. "I can see why you keep her locked up here."
Alex’s hands clenched at his sides, his whole body stiff with tension. "Get out."
Lucas chuckled. "Always so hostile. I was just making conversation."
Lucas, shaking his head like an older brother scolding a child. “Is that any way to treat family?”
“I don’t consider you family,” Alex bit out.
Lucas sighed dramatically. “Still holding onto grudges? That’s exhausting, little brother.” He turned to me, flashing a charming smile. “Isn’t it, Elena?”
I didn’t answer. I could feel Alex’s eyes on me, burning with something unreadable.
Lucas chuckled again, as if my silence amused him. “Well,” he continued, stepping closer, “since we’re practically family now, I thought it was only fair that we got to know each other.”
Alex took a step forward, his voice dropping dangerously low. “You don’t come near her.”
Lucas tilted his head. “Is that a threat?”
“It’s a promise.”
“You really haven’t changed, have you?” His gaze flicked back to me, and I didn’t miss the way his eyes studied my face, slow, calculating. “Tell me, Elena. Do you even know who you married?”
I stiffened.
Lucas smiled at my reaction. “I bet he didn’t tell you much, did he?”
Alex’s hands curled into fists. “Lucas.”
“Relax, brother.” Lucas held up his hands in mock surrender. “I’m just making conversation. No harm done.”
Alex stepped between us, blocking me from Lucas’s view. His voice was low, controlled, but the tension in his body told me he was barely holding himself back. “You have thirty seconds to leave before I have security drag you out.”
I swallowed, sensing the shift in the air. I had only spoken to Lucas for a few minutes, but it was already clear—he wasn’t just here to catch up. He was here to test me. To test Alex.
And Alex didn’t like that.
At all.
Lucas took a slow step toward me, just enough to make Alex react. I didn’t miss the way his fingers twitched, like he was stopping himself from physically yanking his brother away from me.
Before anything else could happen, Lucas smiled. "Well, this has been fun, but I’ll take my leave now." He turned to Alex, his expression turning more serious. "We’ll be seeing each other soon."
With that, he walked past Alex, unfazed by the murderous glare burning into his back.
The moment he was gone, Alex turned towards me.
If anything, it got worse.
I swallowed hard, my fingers curling at my sides. "Are you going to say something, or just stand there glaring at me?"
His jaw clenched. "What exactly were you talking to him about?"
I lifted my chin, refusing to cower under his intense gaze. "Not much. He introduced himself, made some comments, and then you walked in looking ready to murder someone."
Alex’s eyes darkened. "You don’t talk to Lucas."
"He talked to me first," I pointed out, crossing my arms.
"Then you walk away."
His voice was low, controlled, but I could hear the warning beneath it.
I exhaled, frustrated. "I’m not a child, Alex. I don’t need to be told who I can and can’t speak to.”
Alex turned to me, his expression unreadable. I braced myself for a sharp remark, a cold warning, but what he said next made my stomach drop.
"Pack up the maids and send them home."
I blinked. "What?"
"You heard me." His tone was dangerously calm. "Every single one of them. They’re off duty for the rest of the week."
my stomach dropped.
"You’re joking," I said slowly.
"Do I look like I’m joking?"
His expression was unreadable, but his tone sent a shiver down my spine.
"You’re punishing me," I realized, my nails digging into my palms. "For talking to your brother."
Alex took a slow sip of his drink, watching me over the rim of his glass. "Call it a lesson."
I clenched my fists, my skin burning with frustration. "And what exactly am I supposed to do? Clean this entire mansion by myself?”
"Unless you want me to send them away permanently, I suggest you don’t argue," he cut me off, his eyes daring me to challenge him.
I felt my stomach tighten.
He wouldn’t… would he?
I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm. "And what exactly am I supposed to do while they’re gone?"
Alex’s lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smirk, but close.
"You’ll be taking care of the house."
I inhaled sharply, refusing to let him see how much it bothered me. "You expect me to do the work of an entire staff?"
He stepped closer, his gaze never leaving mine. "I expect you to remember who you belong to."
My breath caught.
Possessive.
That was the only word I could think of in that moment.
Alex Carter was possessive.
And for some reason, that sent a strange thrill down my spine.
I should have been angry. Furious. But instead, my heart pounded, my skin burned under his gaze.
I hated him.
But part of me wanted to know what would happen if I pushed him just a little further.
So I tilted my chin, refusing to look away. "And if I refuse?"
Alex’s smirk widened slightly. "Then you’ll learn just how creative I can be with punishments."
A shiver ran down my spine, but I held my ground.
I had no choice but to do as he said.
But I wasn’t going to make it easy for him.
- Writer
