Binds of Silk and Steel
Dark RomanceContemporarySteamyCEOSecretaryOffice RelationshipContract Marriage
Title: Binds of Silk and Steel
Author: M.R. Prince
Synopsis:
Julian Vance is a ruthless, self-made billionaire CEO who built his empire on absolute control. But when his board of directors threatens a hostile takeover, citing his cold detachment and lack of a public partner as proof of instability, Julian is forced into an ultimatum: find a fiancée by the end of the quarter, or lose everything he owns.
His solution? Clare Hayes, his fiercely intelligent, razor-sharp secretary who has managed his chaos, and secretly held his heart, for the past three years.
What begins as a cold, strictly professional business transaction designed to fool the board quickly spirals into dangerous territory. As they navigate high-society galas, forced proximity, and intense public scrutiny, Julian is determined to break down Clare’s guarded walls. But Clare is harboring a dark, terrifying past, one involving a vicious ex-partner with a restraining order and a history of violence who refuses to let her go.
When the past catches up to them in a brutal home invasion, the veneer of corporate control shatters.
Julian will burn down his entire empire before he lets anyone take the only woman who matters to him.
A high-stakes billionaire dark romance filled with forced proximity, a protective alpha hero, and a dangerous game of survival and desire.
Lesen
Chapter: The Cost of TrespassingUnder the full force of my wrath, the wooden door doesn't merely open; it splinters inward, tearing away from the rusted deadbolt and crashing to the floor with a deafening thud that echoes loudly in the room, making the dust on the floor rise and fall again.I step into the cramped flat, smelling faintly of old pages, ink, and a scent that makes terror claw at my throat: blood.My eyes take a moment to adjust to the dimly lit room, and when they do, the sight that greets me makes the blood in my veins run hot and cold at once.Clare, my fierce, intelligent Clare, is slumped motionless on the floor, her body twisted in a sickening angle, blood pooling beneath her head, with a naked Logan practically on top of her, his disgusting hands spreading her beautiful thighs apart, panting like an animal.He blinks at the sudden rush of cold air and light from outside, yet doesn't lift his head, thinking he's completely safe from my wrath. How utterly, catastrophically foolish.“Get. Away. From
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 2026-08-21
Chapter: Breaking PointJulian's POVThe hum of the engine should be a soothing sound, a quiet punctuation to an exhausting evening. Instead, the silence in the back of the car feels heavy, charged.My heart is beating wildly against my chest, a frantic rhythm that tells me something is horribly wrong.I stare out the tinted window, yet my mind refuses to let me focus on the passing trees and street signs.The memory of that slammed door rings in my ears, but more than that, it’s Logan’s parting shot that’s eating away at me: She hasn't told you, has she? You're in for a surprise.What could she possibly be hiding? What history does she share with a predator like Logan Benson that makes her look like a deer caught in headlights?I reach up, dragging a hand over my face, letting out a low, frustrated breath. For the last three years, Clare has been the most stable, unshakeable presence in my life. She knows my schedule before I do, handles my worst moods without blinking, and keeps my multi-million-doll
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 2026-08-18
Chapter: The Monster in the DarkClare's POV:I lean my head against the doorframe, my heart still hammering against my ribs. I clench my eyes shut as I try to steady my racing pulse.Why, out of every night, did it have to be today? Why did he have to show up just as Julian and I were making progress?Only when I hear the car engine start and drive off do I allow myself to exhale.I lock the door behind me, and turn toward the bedroom, kicking my heels off with a satisfied sigh, and freeze, gasping.“Hi there, Clare,” Logan purrs from my bed.“What are you doing here, Logan?” I demand, taking a step toward the bedroom to throw him out, only to freeze dead in my tracks as I realize he's completely naked.“Your new boyfriend threatened to end my life, Clare, I personally think he's more bark than bite,” he declares, standing up. “I'm simply here to collect what I'm due.”I take a quick step backward, almost tripping over the heels I recently discarded, and hear Logan chuckle, a low, rough sound that makes my skin craw
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 2026-08-18
Chapter: Shattered Glass and Closed DoorsJulian's POV:“We're leaving. Now,” I growl, lacing my fingers through hers again and leading her toward the exit.We don't speak a single word as the driver pulls up to the curb and we slide into the leather-lined interior of the car. The heavy doors thud shut, sealing us off from the noise of the gala, but the suffocating weight of what just happened follows us right inside.Clare immediately shifts away, angling her body rigidly toward the window, her hands clenched so tightly in her lap that her knuckles are white.Logan's vile words echo relentlessly in the dark recesses of my mind, loud and mocking: She hasn't told you, has she? You're in for a surprise.My jaw clenches so hard a back tooth aches with a dull, sharp throb. What is she hiding from me? What dark corner of her past is that predator holding over her head? The agonizing lack of control makes my skin crawl.“Clare,” I start, my voice cutting through the quiet, but she turns her head and slices me off before I can
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 2026-08-18
Chapter: Ghosts Of The PastClare's POV: The breath is knocked straight from my lungs as Logan's face comes into view. He hasn't changed much since I last saw him. No one, not even Julian, knows what actually transpired between the two of us. He's aware of the fact that he cheated on me, but not with who or the reasons he gave me. It's a secret I have guarded with my life, one I intend on taking with me to the grave. Don't, just don't approach this table, I beg silently as I watch him take in the room from where he's standing. Yet my pleading goes completely unanswered as he catches sight of us and starts heading towards our table with the kind of supreme arrogance few men on earth can muster. Beside me, I hear Julian growl as he recognizes him, his hand tightening around mine in a desperate attempt to remind me where we are, how high the stakes are, and who I am with in this moment. “Clare,” Logan's voice rings out, dripping with the faux affection he lost the privilege to years ago. “It's so good to see
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 2026-08-18
Chapter: Uninvited GhostsA week later, we're in my car heading toward the charity gala. Clare is sitting next to me, staring out the window, absolutely silent, yet the silence is telling.The subtle tightening of her jaw and the way she refuses to look me in the eyes make it clear that she's currently swimming in shame, a feeling I desperately want to erase from her dictionary.I had arrived unannounced at her apartment earlier that evening to pick her up. For a terrifying fraction of a second, standing in the cramped, dimly lit hallway of the decaying brick complex, I thought my driver had punched in the wrong address. But no, it was hers.The building smelled faintly of damp concrete and boiled cabbage. Inside her flat, the peeling floral wallpaper hung like dead skin from the corners of the ceiling, stained by years of water leaks from the unit above. A single, rickety bookshelf bowed under the weight of law texts and romance novels, and the linoleum kitchen floor was scuffed down to its dark underlay
Zuletzt aktualisiert: 2026-08-18
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