Page 91 of The Contract

I don’t do jealousy.

It’s pointless. Useless. A distraction at best.

But this?

This isn’t jealousy. This is something else.

Something far more dangerous.

I should look away.

I should stay focused on the larger picture, on the merger, on the endgame we’re so close to achieving.

But I don’t.

Because I fucking can’t.

Adrian shifts closer, his fingers pressing slightly into the curve of her waist.

She tenses, her body language giving away more than she realizes.

That’s it.

I set my glass down with a little more force than needed, already moving before I’ve fully processed the thought.

Elena catches sight of me just as I reach them. Relief flashes in her eyes for the briefest second before she smooths her expression into something composed. Unreadable.

I don’t break stride.

“Mind if I cut in?”

My voice is calm, deceptively smooth, but there’s no mistaking the weight behind it.

Adrian, predictably smug, offers a lazy smirk.

“Actually, we were just?—”

“I wasn’t asking.”

I step forward, sliding an arm around Elena’s waist, pulling her against me in one fluid movement.

The shift is immediate—she’s in my arms, and he’s dismissed.

Adrian exhales sharply through his nose, clearly irritated but not foolish enough to press the issue. Instead, he salutes lazily with two fingers on his forehead, some mock acknowledgment before strolling away.

I swear to God, I’ve never wanted to wipe a look off someone’s face more.

Exhaling slowly, I fight the tension coiling inside me, redirecting my focus to the woman now in my arms.

Her pulse is racing beneath my fingertips. Her pupils blown wide, a clear sign of high adrenaline.

“Are you okay?” I murmur, my voice lower now, meant only for her.

She hesitates, just barely, before forcing a small smile.

“It’s fine.”

It’s not.

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