Chapter 4 The Breaking Point

• Noah’s hands trembled as he wiped down the bar, the rhythm of the cloth against the polished surface the only sound that kept his mind from spiraling. It had been two days since Elias had walked into the club, since that moment when everything had changed. Since he had said, with such quiet certainty, “You’re mine.”
• Noah hated it. He hated the way Elias’s words echoed in his mind, the way they wormed their way into his thoughts even when he was alone, even when he tried to push them away. He had always prided himself on being in control, on being the one who called the shots. But with Elias? He felt out of his depth. He was drowning in something dark, something he couldn’t even name.
• He tried to focus on his work, to block out the thoughts that threatened to consume him, but it was impossible. Every noise in the bar, every flicker of light, seemed to remind him of Elias. The way his voice lingered in his ears, the cool confidence in his eyes—it was like a drug Noah couldn’t quit. And despite every warning bell in his head, despite the walls he’d built to keep people out, Elias had managed to slip through them effortlessly.
• Tonight was no different.
• The club was busy, as usual, the air thick with the scent of alcohol and perfume, the sounds of laughter and music filling the space. But Noah couldn’t shake the feeling that something was different. The tension in the air was palpable. He could feel it in his bones. Elias would be here tonight.
• He didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t want to care. But the truth was, he couldn’t help it. He was already caught in Elias’s web, and the more he resisted, the tighter the strands seemed to pull around him.
• Sure enough, just as the clock ticked past midnight, the door opened, and Noah’s heart skipped a beat. Elias walked in like he owned the place, his presence as overwhelming as always. The crowd seemed to part for him as if they instinctively knew to give him space, to bow to his magnetic pull. He was dressed in dark jeans and a black leather jacket, a stark contrast to the sharp suits he usually wore, but still radiating the same dangerous energy that made him impossible to ignore.
• Noah couldn’t stop himself from glancing up, and the moment their eyes locked, it was like the rest of the world faded away. Elias’s gaze was locked on him, intense and predatory, as if he knew exactly what he was doing to Noah.
• “Here to give me another lesson on how I shouldn’t resist?” Noah muttered, trying to keep the edge in his voice, but failing miserably.
• Elias’s smile was slow, almost cruel. “I don’t need to teach you anything, Noah,” he replied smoothly. “You already know. You just need to admit it.”
• Noah felt his stomach twist. The words were like a punch to the gut, but they weren’t wrong. Elias was right. Noah did know. He knew the danger he was in. He knew what Elias was capable of. But still, he couldn’t seem to break free of the pull between them.
• “Do you ever stop?” Noah snapped, trying to push back. “You’re relentless.”
• “Why would I stop?” Elias asked, stepping closer to the bar, his gaze never leaving Noah’s. “You’re more interesting than I thought.”
• Noah’s pulse quickened as Elias’s hand brushed against his arm, just a casual touch, but it was enough to send a jolt of heat through his body. He pulled back quickly, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and something darker.
• “I’m not your toy, Elias,” Noah said, his voice lower than he intended, a growl that betrayed the emotions swirling inside him. He hated how much he was starting to want this, how much he was starting to crave Elias’s touch. The part of him that was still trying to fight it only made the pull that much stronger.
• Elias’s smile softened, though it wasn’t a warm smile. It was possessive. It was knowing. “You’re not my toy, Noah. You’re much more than that,” he said, his voice rich with meaning.
• The air between them thickened. Noah could feel it, the pressure, the inevitable collision of two forces that had been circling each other for so long. He wanted to pull away, wanted to walk out the door and never look back. But there was something about Elias’s presence that kept him rooted in place, like a magnet, like gravity.
• The music in the background shifted, but it felt distant, muffled, like everything outside of their bubble didn’t matter. There was only Elias, and Noah, standing on the edge of something dangerous.
• Before Noah could speak, Elias reached out and brushed his fingers against Noah’s cheek, a touch that was too soft for the hard edge in his eyes. “You’re still trying to resist,” Elias murmured. “But it won’t last much longer.”
• Noah could feel the heat of Elias’s hand against his skin, could feel his breath, so close, so close it made him dizzy. He was losing control. And he hated it.
• “I’m not...,” Noah began, his words faltering, as if his own body was betraying him. He couldn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t want to. He wasn’t sure if it was because he was lying to himself or because Elias already had him exactly where he wanted him.
• Elias’s hand slid down Noah’s neck, his thumb brushing over the pulse that was racing there. “I know you don’t want to admit it,” Elias said quietly, his voice like a low rumble that sent shivers through Noah’s spine. “But you’re mine, Noah. Whether you like it or not.”
• The words struck deep. Noah’s heart raced, and for a moment, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to run away or give in. He could feel the tension, the undeniable attraction, the hunger building between them. It was getting harder to breathe, harder to think.
• “I—” Noah started, but before he could say anything more, Elias stepped back, his fingers brushing over Noah’s lips in a quiet warning.
• “You’ll come to me eventually,” Elias said, his voice firm, unwavering. “I’ll make sure of it.”
• And just like that, he was gone.
• Noah stood there, frozen, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. The knot in his chest tightened with every passing second. He wanted to scream. He wanted to run. But all he could do was stand still, his bo
• dy betraying him as he realized Elias had already won.