Locked In

Orion’s POV

Mason’s gaze darted between Ava and I, lingering on the handcuffs. His expression shifted—confusion melting into disbelief, then hardening into something sharp and unforgiving.

“What the hell is this?” Mason’s voice was cold, clipped. The flowers, bright and cheerful in his hands, seemed out of place now.

Ava stiffened beside me, her body taut like a wire pulled too tight. I could feel her pulse quicken through the chain connecting us, but I didn’t look at her. My attention was fixed on Mason.

“Did you lose something?” I said smoothly, my tone casual even as tension crackled in the air. I hooked a finger under the chain, letting the metal clink for emphasis.

“Orion,” Ava hissed, her voice laced with warning.

Mason ignored me, his eyes locked on Ava as though searching for answers. “Ava? What is this?” he asked, his voice softer now, almost pleading.

She didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she shifted her weight uncomfortably, her fingers curling around the edge of her shawl. “It’s nothing,” she said finally, her voice tight.

“Nothing?” Mason’s voice rose, incredulous. “You’re chained to him, Ava. How the hell is that nothing?”

“Watch your tone,” I said darkly, my body shifting instinctively to block Ava from his view. My possessiveness surged like a tidal wave, hot and uncontrollable. Mason’s very presence grated against me, his concern for her sparking a fury I barely held back.

Mason took a step closer, his hand still clutching the bouquet as if it might somehow shield him. “You’re insane,Mr Miller,” he spat, his voice venomous. “You can’t just—”

“I can do whatever the hell I want,” I cut him off, my voice low and dangerous. “Especially when it comes to my wife.”

Ava flinched at the word, her head snapping toward me as though I’d struck her. “Stop it,” she whispered, the cracks in her voice slicing through me. “Both of you, stop it.”

Her words hung in the air like smoke, the weight of them dousing the fire threatening to erupt between us.

“Ava, please,” Mason said quietly, taking another step forward. “You don’t have to stay with him. I can help you—”

“That’s enough,” I growled, my patience snapping. I grabbed Ava’s hand, pulling her closer, the chain rattling in protest. “She’s mine, Mason. You need to accept that.”

Mason’s jaw clenched, his knuckles white against the stems of the flowers. “You can’t keep her like this, Mr Miller. She’s not a possession.”

I ignored him, focusing instead on Ava. She was pale, her eyes darting between Mason and me as though trying to gauge who would break first. I hated seeing that look on her face—the uncertainty, the fear.

“Hopefully, we don’t see each other ever again,” I said to Mason, dismissing him as I turned toward the building, tugging Ava along with me. She resisted at first, her feet planted firmly on the pavement, but I didn’t stop. Not until we were out of Mason’s earshot, the echo of his words still lingering behind us.

“Orion, let go,” Ava hissed, her voice sharp with anger as we rounded the corner of the building.

I stopped abruptly, turning to face her. “Let go?” I echoed, my voice low and mocking. “So you can run straight to him?”

Her eyes flared with fury. “You’re unbelievable! Mason’s just a friend—”

“A friend who brings you flowers?” I shot back, my hand tightening around hers, the cuffs digging into our wrists. “You think I don’t know what he wants from you?”

“It doesn’t matter what he wants!” she snapped, her face inches from mine now. “What matters is that you’re acting like a damn psychopath!”

Her words stung, but I refused to let them show. I leaned in closer, my voice a rough whisper. “I’m not letting you go, Ava. Not now, not ever.”

She stared at me, her chest rising and falling with each labored breath. “You don’t own me, Orion,” she said softly, her tone cutting me deeper than any shout could.

I searched her face, desperate to find a crack in her resolve, a sign that she didn’t mean it. But there was nothing. Just the cold truth in her eyes.

And for the first time, I felt the weight of what I’d done.

I couldn’t lose her. Not like this.

The chain between us felt heavier than ever as we stood there, locked in silence. I knew I’d pushed her too far—maybe past the point of no return.

But I wasn’t going to let go.

“Fine,” I sighed with a resigned tone. “But you have to sign a paper that you won’t bring up leaving me ever. That’s the only way I’ll get to take these cuffs off,” I said, desperately.

“Never, Orion. I will leave you. As a matter of fact, I’m almost done drafting the papers,” she spat coldly.

My jaw clenched as frustration flared in my chest. “So be it,” I muttered, my voice calm but firm. Without giving her a moment to protest, I grabbed Ava’s wrist and pulled her into the entrance of the building.

Her startled gasp only fueled my determination. I didn’t stop there—no, I ripped the shawl off her shoulders, exposing the handcuffs binding us together for all to see.

“Orion!” she hissed, her face coloring in a mix of outrage and humiliation.

I ignored her. Let her squirm. If she wanted to fight me, let her understand what she was up against. I walked with purpose, unbothered by the stares and hushed murmurs as we made our way through the lobby.

“Is that… Mrs. Miller and her husband?”

“Handcuffs? Did they have a wild night or…?”

“Maybe they’re just that deep in love.”

I smirked to myself, pleased by the whispers. Let them talk. Let them speculate. Ava, red-faced and seething beside me, was trying to shrink away from the attention, but there was no hiding it now. Everyone in this building would know she belonged to me—chained or not. She wouldn’t dare file for divorce after this. Not with her pride at stake.

When we reached the elevators, she turned on me, her voice low and furious. “This is insane! You—”

I didn’t let her finish. Instead, I pulled her close, tilting her chin up to mine, and crashed my lips onto hers. The moment Ava froze, I knew I’d caught her off guard. I expected her to fight me—to push me away—but she didn’t. Oh, she tried at first, her palms pressed against my chest as if to create distance, but her resistance melted quickly.

She kissed me back. Really kissed me.

A rush of satisfaction flooded through me as her fingers curled into my shirt, clinging to me like I was her anchor. She didn’t want to admit it, but I could feel it in her touch—she wanted me just as much as I wanted her.

The elevator doors opened with a ding, and someone cleared their throat awkwardly. I pulled back just enough to glance around. A group of employees stood there, wide-eyed and speechless. I almost laughed at their discomfort. Without a word, I pulled Ava out of the elevator.

“Unbelievable,” she muttered, glaring at me with fire in her eyes.

“Mrs. Miller, the meeting is about to start,” Rose said when we got to her office, her tone doing so little to hide the questions in her head.

“Unlock these cuffs,” Ava snapped at me in a harsh whisper as we headed toward the conference room. “Now.”

I leaned in close, letting my voice drop to a teasing murmur. “You’re the one holding yourself back, Ava. Maybe you like being this close to me.” I smirked when her glare intensified. “Admit it—you don’t want to let me go.”

She stormed ahead, pulling me with her, but I let her. I’d already won.

When we stepped into the glass-walled conference room, the entire table fell silent. The handcuffs connecting us were impossible to miss. Ava froze, clearly mortified, but I wasn’t done yet. Before she could even reach her seat, I grabbed her waist, pulling her down onto my lap as I sat first.

The reaction was immediate—gasps, coughs, the unmistakable shuffle of discomfort. Ava’s whole body stiffened, and I leaned close, my voice a low whisper. “You know what you need to do. Sign the papers, Ava. No divorce.”

Her jaw clenched so tight I thought she might crack a tooth.

The meeting started, but I wasn’t about to let her off easy. I rested my hand innocently on her thigh at first, but slowly, I let it slip higher under her dress, fingers brushing bare skin. Ava went rigid. I watched her struggle to keep her composure, her face turning crimson.

When my hand dared a little further, closer to her panties, she slammed her palm onto the table, startling the entire room.

Every pair of eyes turned to her.

“Are you all right, Mrs. Miller?” one of the board members asked cautiously.

Ava cleared her throat, shooting me a look so venomous I nearly laughed. “I’m fine,” she muttered, trying to regain her composure.

“Fine. I’ll sign the damn papers.”

I smiled, satisfaction flooding me as I murmured against her ear, “Good girl.”