Chapter 5

Alexander didn’t waste time with warnings after the office incident.

By six that evening, a black designer suit was laid out on my bed, complete with a crisp white shirt and a blood-red tie that screamed control.

A note in his sharp handwriting rested on top of the outfit that read:

“We're going to a charity gala. 7:30 sharp. Be ready or the allowance drops to zero. No excuses this time Noah.”

I stared at it, jaw tight. Part of me wanted to shred the suit and walk out in ripped jeans just to watch his perfect face crack.

But the other part – the broke, grieving, cornered part – knew I was trapped.

I dressed like I was going to war.

The suit fit too well, hugging my shoulders and waist like it had been tailored for me. The tie felt like a noose. 

When I stepped into the living room, Alexander was already waiting by the elevator, checking his watch. He wore midnight black, the jacket cut sharp enough to slice. 

His eyes swept over me once, slow and assessing, almost like… he was checking me out. 

I killed the thought immediately. Alexander Sterling would be the last man to be gay. The thought of it was unimaginable even. 

“You clean up… adequately nice.” he said.

“Fuck you,” I shot back, but my voice lacked heat. The memory of his body crowding mine in the office still lingered on my skin.

The ride down in the private elevator was pure torture. Just the two of us, mirrors on every wall reflecting us back a hundred times. 

He stood close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from him. Neither of us spoke. The silence crackled, heavy with everything we weren’t saying.

The gala was at some glittering rooftop venue overlooking the city. Crystal chandeliers, champagne towers, women in diamonds and men in power suits laughed to loud and drank to much. 

Alexander moved through the crowd like he owned it, which he probably did. People parted for him, shook his hand, and whispered his name with respect and a little fear.

I trailed behind, playing the reluctant ward. Every time someone asked who I was, Alexander’s hand would land lightly on my lower back and he’d say, “My responsibility,” in that cool tone that made my teeth grind.

But the worst part? I was good at this. Charming strangers came easy. I flashed smiles, cracked jokes, flirted shamelessly with a tall blonde who kept touching my arm. 

Her laugh was bright, and her eyes seemed interested. I leaned in closer just to feel Alexander’s stare burning into the side of my head.

He watched from across the room, jaw set so tight I could see the muscle jump. One hand clenched around his glass like he wanted to crush it. Good. Let him feel some of the frustration he’d been dumping on me.

By the time we climbed into the back of his sleek town car for the ride home, the tension was a living thing.

The driver raised the privacy screen without being asked before silence fell over us both.

Then Alexander spoke, voice low and edged. “Enjoy yourself?”

I slouched against the leather seat, loosening my tie with deliberate slowness. “Yeah. That blonde was fun. Asked for my number. I just might call her tomorrow.”

His eyes snapped to mine. The city lights strobed across his face, highlighting the sharp line of his jaw, the storm brewing in his gaze.

“You’re testing my boundaries again.”

I shrugged, but my pulse kicked up. “What boundaries? You dragged me there to play happy family. And I did exactly that. You should be happy I willingly danced to your tune.”

He shifted closer on the seat. Not touching, but close enough that I could smell his cologne and the faint scotch on his breath. “Flirting with half the room to get under my skin. You're so childish.”

“But it worked though, didn’t it?” I met his eyes, daring him. “You looked ready to drag me out of there by the collar.”

Alexander’s hand shot out, fingers wrapping around my wrist. Hand around mine felt firm and warm, sending sparks racing up my arm. He didn’t squeeze hard, but he didn’t let go either. 

“Careful, Noah. You don’t want to see what happens when I stop being patient.”

My breath hitched. All of a sudden the car felt too small, the air too thick. His thumb brushed once over my pulse point, and I hated how my immediately reacted to him. 

I leaned in instead of pulling away, voice dropping to a whisper. “Maybe I do.”

For one electric second, his gaze dropped to my mouth. The car hummed around us, the city blurring past the tinted windows. 

His grip tightened, pulling me fractionally closer. I could see the war in his eyes – control versus something raw and hungry.

Then he released me like I’d burned him once again and turned to stare out the window, jaw clenched so tight veins popped out on his neck

“Get some sleep when we get back,” he said flatly. “Tomorrow’s schedule starts at six.”

The rest of the ride passed in suffocating silence. My wrist still tingled where he’d held it. My mind raced with the almost-moment, the way his control had cracked for just a heartbeat.

If I thought Mr Alexander wasn't into men before, this definitely convinced me that he was. 

When we stepped into the penthouse, the lights were dim, the city sparkling beyond the glass. Alexander headed straight for his office without another word, shoulders rigid.

I watched him go, chest tight with frustration and something a little less innocent. 

But as I turned toward my room, my phone buzzed in my pocket with an unknown number.

I opened the message to see:

“Saw you tonight. Looking good on Sterling’s leash. Careful who you flirt with, Kane. Some secrets bite back… hard.”

My blood ran cold.

I glanced down the hall toward Alexander’s closed office door. The photo in his office flashed in my mind. But i pushed the thought away. There was no way he was involved with this people… right? 

And besides that, who the hell was watching us?

And what did they know that I didn’t?