The heavy silence after the initial provocation seemed to freeze the air. Liam stopped in front of Alex, his green eyes dark, filled with an unyielding coldness, his posture rigid and imposing.

"Since when do I tell you what I do with a woman behind closed doors?" he shot back, his voice low and sharp, like a precise strike.

Alex raised an eyebrow. His tone remained controlled, laced with the subtle irony lawyers use in court to disarm an opponent.

"Wow, someone's in a mood…" he said calml