Tangled love

“Breaking Point”

Breaking Point

The tension between them was palpable, a constant undercurrent running through every interaction, every moment they shared. The dinner had ended, and the night had grown colder, but nothing seemed to ease the heat of the emotions swirling between Selena and Alec.

The ride back to the penthouse was almost unbearable. The silence in the car felt like a storm waiting to break, the air heavy with unsaid words, unacknowledged truths. Alec sat next to her, his posture relaxed, as if nothing had happened, as if the smoldering jealousy that had twisted Selena’s insides didn’t even exist.

But Selena couldn’t shake the feeling. She couldn’t get that woman’s laugh out of her head, or the way Alec had looked at her. It wasn’t just casual flirtation; it was something deeper. Something familiar. The woman had claimed a part of him, and in that moment, Selena had felt the raw sting of what it meant to truly be invisible to him.

She wasn’t his world. She was a piece in it — a necessary piece, perhaps, but nothing more. Just a trophy. A piece of property.

And he knew it. He knew exactly how to make her feel small, insignificant, without even trying.

Selena’s gaze drifted out the window, watching the city lights blur past them. She could feel Alec’s eyes on her, but she refused to meet his gaze. She couldn’t let him see how much it hurt. Not again.

When the car pulled up to the penthouse, Alec got out first, his movements graceful and controlled. Selena followed, her body stiff as if every step she took was a defiance of the gravity that seemed to pull her into his orbit.

Inside, the door clicked shut behind them, and Selena felt the familiar weight of Alec’s presence in the room. It pressed in on her, thick and unrelenting, filling every corner like smoke. The lights were dim, the atmosphere tense, and even the air seemed to hold its breath.

Alec didn’t say anything at first. He just stood there, watching her with those piercing eyes, the same eyes that seemed to see through her, to strip her of her defenses, layer by layer.

Selena could feel the heat of his gaze like a burn against her skin.

“You’re upset,” Alec finally said, his voice low, almost casual, but there was something dangerous in his tone. “Jealous, maybe?”

Selena’s heart skipped a beat, and she could feel the color rush to her cheeks. She turned her head away quickly, trying to hide the flush, but it was too late. He had already seen.

“Why does it matter to you?” she asked, her voice sharp, though it trembled slightly. She hated that she couldn’t keep the rawness out of her words. “You don’t owe me anything.”

Alec stepped closer, his eyes never leaving hers. “You’re wrong, Selena. I owe you everything. I just don’t think you understand that yet.”

Her breath hitched at his words. He sounded so certain. So sure of himself.

He reached out, his fingers brushing lightly against her cheek, and Selena’s body went stiff, as if the touch was an electric shock. It wasn’t gentle, though. It wasn’t tender. It was possessive. It was a mark, a reminder that she was his.

Alec’s gaze darkened. “I don’t like it when you pull away from me.”

Selena swallowed hard, stepping back, away from his touch. “I’m not yours to control, Alec. I never was.”

He chuckled, but it wasn’t a warm sound. It was cold, calculating. “You never will be free, Selena. Not while you’re with me.”

His words hit her like a slap, a cruel reminder of the cage she had walked into willingly. She had thought she could change things, but Alec was the master of this game. He always had been.

“You’re nothing but a toy to me,” he continued, his voice colder now, sharper, as if he were stripping her down with his words. “You can resist, you can fight, but in the end, you’ll always come back. Because you need me. You crave it.”

The words cut deep, deeper than anything he’d ever said to her before. It wasn’t just the tone, the cruelty. It was the truth behind it. She hated the way it made her feel, the way it made her feel like she was worthless in his eyes. Like she was nothing more than a plaything.

But what hurt the most was that part of her knew he was right. Part of her craved his control, even if it destroyed her.

“I don’t need you,” she said, her voice shaking, but the defiance was still there. “I can walk away anytime I want.”

Alec stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. He was inches away now, his scent surrounding her, intoxicating. His hand brushed her hair back from her face, his touch still possessive, like a brand.

“You can walk away, but you won’t,” he whispered, his lips close to her ear. “Because you want me. You want to fight me, but deep down, you know that you need to lose. You need me to break you.”

She jerked her head back, but Alec was faster. His hand shot out, grabbing her wrist with a force that left no room for escape. His fingers tightened, his grip unrelenting.

“Let go,” Selena demanded, but her voice was a desperate plea, and she knew it.

“Make me,” Alec replied, his tone calm, almost amused. He pulled her toward him, until their bodies were pressed together. She could feel the heat of him, the power radiating off him like a physical force.

For a moment, she stood there, frozen, her chest heaving with each breath. His face was so close to hers that she could see the faintest line of tension around his jaw, the way his eyes darkened when he looked at her.

Alec’s fingers moved to her chin, tilting her head up to meet his gaze. “You’re so beautiful when you’re angry,” he murmured. “When you fight me. It makes me want to break you more.”

Her pulse quickened, the words vibrating through her like a string pulled taut. She hated him. Hated how he made her feel, how he controlled her so effortlessly. But there was something else, something darker stirring beneath the surface — something that made her heart race even faster.

“I’ll never be yours,” she said, the words a lie she tried to convince herself of.

Alec’s smile was slow, deliberate, as he leaned in, his breath warm against her lips. “You already are,” he whispered, and in that moment, Selena felt like she was losing herself. Her body trembled under the weight of his control, and no matter how hard she fought, she couldn’t escape him. Not tonight.

Suddenly, the sound of her phone ringing broke through the tension, slicing through the moment like a sharp blade. It was an unexpected interruption, a fleeting distraction that snapped them both out of the moment.

Selena’s phone buzzed again, this time more urgently. She pulled away from Alec, grabbing her phone from the table. The name on the screen made her freeze.

It was a message from the woman at the restaurant.

I don’t think you’re the one Alec really wants.

Selena’s heart sank into her stomach, a wave of fury and humiliation rushing over her. Alec, noticing the change in her expression, moved to her side, his gaze sharp.

“Who is it?” he asked, his voice low, laced with an edge of something dangerous. But it wasn’t the same kind of anger that Selena had expected. No, Alec was enjoying this. He was savoring her vulnerability.

Selena’s fingers trembled as she read the message again, the woman’s words like acid on her skin. I’m the one he’s thinking about. Not you. You’re just his shadow.

She felt the anger bubble inside her, rising like a tidal wave. She wanted to throw the phone at Alec. Wanted to scream. But she couldn’t.

Instead, she turned toward him, her eyes burning with fury. “You’re nothing but a liar, Alec. You play this game like you own me, but you don’t. Not anymore.”

Alec’s smile twisted into something darker, more dangerous. “You’re just as much mine as you’ve ever been, Selena,” he said, his voice chillingly calm. “And don’t ever forget it.”