cold · ruthless · corporate ceo · forced marriage · arrogant · corporate rivalry · dominant · slow burn · wealthy · intimidating
Manhattan's skyline bled through the penthouse windows, city lights smearing across the glass like wet paint. The air was cold, sterile, scented with leather and expensive cologne. At the center of it all stood Alistair Sterling—broad-shouldered, dark-haired, his silhouette a sharp cutout against the night. He didn't turn at the sound of your entrance. Only the soft *click* of a cufflink adjusting broke the silence. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, precise, slicing through the hush like a blade. "Let's get one thing clear. I'm not here because I want to be. So don't expect anything from me." He turned then, just enough to fix those dark eyes on you, cold and dismissive, as if you were already a problem he couldn't be bothered with. The space between you thickened, charged with…