CHAPTER 40: 40: WHO’S TESTING WHO?

Adrian was trapped.

Alexander’s words—"Kiss me and prove it"—were a gauntlet thrown down, not just to challenge Adrian’s sexuality, but to force him to break the professional distance he desperately clung to. The phrase, "For business purposes, of course," was the cruellest, most transparent lie, and it filled Adrian with a chaotic mix of fury and intense anticipation.

He stared at Alexander’s lips, so close now he could feel the ghost of the man’s breath on his own. The blood thrumming in Adrian’s ears drowned out the sound of the highway. His mind screamed a thousand warnings: Danger! Lie! Run!

But his body, fueled by the terrifying, undeniable heat that radiated from Alexander, felt paralysed.

"This is coercion, Boss," Adrian whispered, the protest weak and thin against the weight of Alexander’s presence. He tried to turn his head, to appeal to the sensible CEO he knew existed beneath the arrogant, possessive shell, but Alexander’s hand on his cheek was firm, guiding his face back into the line of fire.

"Coercion? Or an opportunity to clear your name and regain my full professional trust?" Alexander countered, his voice a silken menace.

He didn’t wait for Adrian to answer. His eyes dropped to Adrian’s mouth, and the heat in their blue depths intensified, burning away Adrian’s last pretence of neutrality.

"If you’re not gay, Adrian, prove it. If you feel nothing, I’ll never question your intentions again." Alexander spoke calmly.

Adrian knew he couldn’t win this argument. Denying the kiss would be admitting fear, which Alexander would translate as an admission of guilt—that he was attracted and afraid to reveal it. To Alexander, only the uninterested would kiss him without consequence.

With a surge of reckless, cornered defiance, Adrian made his choice. He wouldn’t let Alexander win this game of humiliation and control. He would prove he was in charge of his own feelings, even if it was the biggest lie of his life.

"Fine," Adrian breathed out, his eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and desperation. "Business purposes. You want proof? You’ll get it."

He didn’t give himself time to think, or to let Alexander initiate. Adrian surged forward, pressing his lips firmly against Alexander’s.

It was meant to be quick, cold, and emotionless—a sterile, simple contact to satisfy the terms of the challenge.

But the moment their lips connected, the careful script dissolved into chaos.

Alexander’s initial surprise lasted less than a second before his control fractured. The hands that had been caging Adrian immediately tightened—one pulled the back of Adrian’s neck, crushing the space between them; the other slipped to Adrian’s waist, locking him in place.

Alexander didn’t just meet the kiss; he consumed it. His mouth opened, urgent and deep, shattering the thin pretence of a ’simple lip-to-lip.’ The kiss was a furious explosion, a raw expression of the banked tension and possessive desire that had been simmering between them since they met.

Adrian’s breath hitched, the carefully constructed indifference collapsing instantly. He was drowning in the taste of coffee and cedar, in the demanding pressure of Alexander’s mouth. His own hands, meant to push Alexander away, curled weakly into the expensive fabric of Alexander’s suit jacket, holding on for dear life as his equilibrium vanished.

The planned proof failed spectacularly. Adrian wasn’t numb; he was on fire. Every nerve ending screamed, his heart pounded against his ribs, and the quiet part of his mind that still tracked the ’business purposes’ vanished.

Alexander finally drew back, breaking the kiss with a soft, ragged sound. His eyes were dark, dilated, and blazing with a triumphant, undeniable heat. He was breathing heavily, his chest heaving under Adrian’s hands.

He watched Adrian’s parted lips, his flushed face, and the terrified, astonished look in his grey eyes. The hand behind Adrian’s neck dropped to his shoulder, resting heavy and claiming.

His eyes spoke volumes, shock, surprise, hunger, and rage.

He couldn’t believe himself. He couldn’t believe what he’d done.

Adrian stared back, speechless, the heat of the kiss still burning on his mouth. He couldn’t speak, couldn’t lie. The proof was right there: not in his words, but in the violent, undeniable response of his thrumming body. He was utterly and completely compromised.

But, he could tell that he wasn’t the only one involved. If he recalled correctly, it was Alexander who deepened their kiss, so, does it mean Alexander is gay?

"Boss –"

"Not a word, Mr. Cole," Alexander bit out, frowning hard.

Adrian pressed himself into the seat, hugging his backpack to his chest and staring out the window.

Without a word, Alexander started the car and sped it along the highway, his fingers clenching around the steering wheel as he gritted his teeth.

’What was I thinking when I asked him to kiss me? What kind of a boss asks that of their employee? Who was I really testing, Adrian or myself?’

His mind was a loud combat field of his own thoughts.

He was trying to understand what had just transpired between his secretary and himself a few seconds ago. It was never meant to escalate the way it did. It was just supposed to be a simple lip-to-lip graze.

But the moment he had felt Adrian’s soft lips on his, it seemed like a possessive demon was unleashed within him and the demon needed to devour, to claim, to own.

He muttered a curse under his breath and roughly swerved the car in front of a fancy silver building, parking it.

Adrian gasped slightly as the car swerved, his hand bracing against the armrest. He slowly looked up as the car parked, taking in the fancy silver building.

A few cars were parked in front of it, and from the sliding glass door, Adrian could tell that they were at a jewellery store.

’Why are we here?’ He questioned himself.

Alexander left the car without a word, walking around it to yank Adrian’s door open.

"Get out," He said in a bitter tone, his eyes burning with unrecognised rage.

Adrian shook his head, "I think I’ll just stay in the car, boss." He said in a small voice, looking down at his knees.

Alexander raked his hair with his fingers, his jaws working as they clenched together.

He slowly stepped closer to the door, placing his hand above the door as he leaned in, "Do not push me, Mr. Cole. You would be surprised at the length I’d go to make you obey my every fucking word. Don’t forget I own you now, and until your debt is paid, you can only say yes to me. Now, get out of the fucking car." His voice was low as he threatened his poor secretary.

Adrian gulped and nodded, slowly bringing his legs out of the car.

He sensed the anger emanating from Alexander and decided it was best not to poke a sleeping lion. But, left for him, he wanted to stay as far away as possible from his boss.

Alexander was a cruel man, how could he kiss Adrian that way and suddenly turn cold on him? As if it never happened.

Adrian would have lived to state to Alexander that but it was both of them who responded to the kiss and not himself alone. Maybe he needed to help Alexander see that he just might be in denial, or he already knows what he is and is lying to himself and every other person.

He sighed quietly as he followed Alexander into the jewellery store.

There was no way he would dare to bring up that kiss to Alexander. It was too embarrassing and too good to be true. He wouldn’t want to relieve the shame of a silent rejection and abandonment.

After all, it was for business purposes, right?

"Good evening, Mr. Devereux. What do you fancy tonight?" The pretty staff member asked from behind the counter.

Adrian stood a little away from Alexander, pushing his hands into his pockets and acting like he wasn’t here with Alexander. He wouldn’t want the staff to get the wrong idea about two men in a jewellery store.

"I need a ring. Your best," Alexander stated, voice calm and steady.

"Gold, silver, copper –"

"Diamond. Thank you," Alexander cut in smoothly, nodding his head.

The staff’s eyes flushed with adoration as she nodded her head and quickly turned around to search for the best of the best.

"Hello, sir. Do you need something?" Another staff member approached Adrian and questioned him politely.

Adrian paused and forced his eyes away from the glittering jewellery in front of him, focusing on the young man in front of him.

He gave a nervous smile, "No, I was just looking around." He replied, shaking his head.

"It’s alright, we allow window shopping. You have such beautiful fingers, how about I show you rings that would suit you, whenever you’re ready, you’ll come pay for them?" He young staff member held Adrian’s hand and admired his finger, smiling.

Adrian blushed lightly from embarrassment, "No, thank you. But I’ll just –"

"Do we have a problem?" Alexander suddenly strode over, gently taking Adrian’s hand away from the young man, and pinning an intimidating gaze on the poor staff member.

The young man cowered at Alexander’s dominating presence. He took a step back, bowing his head, "No problem, Mr. Devereux, I didn’t realise he was with you." He said and quickly walked away from the scene.

Alexander glanced at Adrian, who had his face lowered and gritted his teeth, "Stop being a pushabout." He said, tightening his hold around Adrian’s wrist.

Adrian frowned.

He wanted to reply with something that might just cost him his life, but he was saved by the pretty staff member.

"Mr. Devereux, please feel free to choose amongst our finest," The pretty lady spoke.

"Come on, Mr. Cole. I need your finger," Alexander commanded and dragged Adrian toward the counter.

"Boss, I-I don’t think this is ideal..." he murmured as he saw the disapproving look in the pretty lady’s face.

"Test the ring on his finger. He is the same size as my wife," Alexander said to clarify the situation.

"Ah, yes... of course..." The pretty lady laughed softly, relief evident on her face.

"Then, select, please," she said, gesturing over the six glittering rings she’d displayed over the counter.

"Mr. Cole, pick one," Alexander commanded.

Adrian froze, "Huh? Me? Boss, it’s for your wife. I’m sure you’ll know her taste better." He tried to step away but Alexander’s hand found his waist and held him in place.

"I know nothing of that woman. Now, pick a darned ring and we’ll be out of here," he whispered very close to Adrian’s ear, his hand still holding Adrian’s waist.

The pretty lady was starting to doubt them again, watching the way Adrian’s cheeks blushed the moment his boss touched him, it planted ideas in her head.

She cleared her throat to draw their attention back to the ring because they seemed to have gotten lost in each other’s eyes.

"Pick a ring, Mr. Cole," Alexander ordered, stepping away from behind Adrian.

Adrian inhaled shakily.

’Okay, then. Here I go, picking my own darned ring,’ he thought inwardly and lowered his eyes to the diamond rings.

Adrian pointed at the simplest ring — a thin band, modest and unassuming.

"This one," he murmured.

Alexander took it, his fingers brushing Adrian’s. The touch sent a quiet tremor through him.

"Simple," Alexander said softly, slipping the ring onto Adrian’s finger instead.

Adrian froze.

"Perfect," Alexander added, his gaze unreadable. "It fits."