Sun Fish

After finishing their lunch, Valeria suggested they head to the beach in search of a sunfish. She wanted to test their luck, teasing that whoever found one first would be the luckier person in their relationship. Xander, still riding the high of his earlier proposal, agreed without hesitation, unaware of the impending misfortune awaiting him.

As soon as they arrived, Valeria’s playful nature took a turn for the dominant. Under the pretense of a challenge, she lured Xander into a supposed 'fishing technique' demonstration; only for him to realize too late that he was the bait. With a swift, practiced motion, she looped a sturdy rope around his wrists and yanked them behind his back, securing them with a merciless knot. The rough fibers bit into his skin as he struggled, but Valeria only smirked.

“Oh? Looks like the great Xander has been caught,” she mused, tightening the restraints with a tug that sent a sharp jolt through his shoulders.

Xander gritted his teeth. His back arched slightly from the uncomfortable position, his muscles tensing against the ropes, but they held firm. His arms were effectively useless, bound tightly together in a way that pulled at the joints with every slight movement. If that wasn’t enough, Valeria playfully nudged him down to sit on the warm sand, looping another restraint around his ankles just to be sure.

"Valeria," he exhaled, barely masking the frustration in his tone. "I already proposed to you. Shouldn't you be, I don’t know, gentler to your future husband?"

Valeria leaned in, her lips curving into a smirk as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Oh, darling," she cooed, tapping his nose lightly. "Sweetness doesn’t mean surrender. You said 'yes' to me, which means you already knew what you were getting into."

Xander exhaled sharply, his pride bruised more than his bound limbs. He was supposed to be the Alpha; strong, untamed, dominant. But under Valeria’s touch, her teasing dominance, and that heartless beauty masking a dangerous charm, he realized something.

Maybe he wasn’t just marrying her. Maybe he was being completely, utterly claimed.

As the waves crashed onto the shore, Xander found himself in an utterly humiliating predicament. His hands were tightly bound behind his back with a rope so firm that even his strength couldn’t break free. The knots dug into his wrists, restricting movement, and his posture was forced into an uncomfortable arch. His muscles burned, his shoulders ached, and his balance wavered on the uneven sand.

Valeria stood in front of him, arms crossed, a playful yet dangerously satisfied smirk on her face. “I thought an Alpha male like you wouldn’t get caught so easily,” she teased, tilting her head.

“Damn it, Valeria—! You tied it too tight!” Xander gritted his teeth, his voice strained as he struggled against the ropes.

She hummed, inspecting his predicament with feigned innocence. “Really? But you look so… fitting like this.” Her fingers lightly traced his jaw before tapping his nose playfully. “You did propose to me, after all. I should make sure you’re properly… disciplined.”

Xander let out a frustrated growl before a sharp jolt of pain from his wrists forced him to throw his head back, releasing an unrestrained, agonized shout. “VALERIA—!!”

His voice echoed across the shore, blending into the crash of the waves. But instead of mercy, Valeria simply laughed, the sound light and melodic, as if she had just found her new favorite pastime.

Valeria raised an eyebrow, amused. “Wow. That was louder than I expected.”

Xander shot her a glare, chest rising and falling with each labored breath. “You think this is funny?” he spat, still writhing against the ropes.

“Very.” She crouched to meet his eye level, her smirk widening. “You’re always so composed, Xander. I just wanted to see what it takes to make you scream.”

Xander exhaled sharply through his nose, his patience thinning. “Untie me. Now.”

Valeria feigned a pout. “Where’s the magic word?”

He clenched his jaw. “Valeria.”

“Nope.”

“Valeria, I swear—”

“Still wrong.”

Xander’s head fell forward in defeat, knowing she wasn’t going to let this go easily. He inhaled deeply, then muttered, “Please.”

Valeria grinned. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”

Then Valeria brings him to the boat and she starts looking for sunfish.

___________ On the boat

Valeria leaned over the boat's railing, her eyes scanning the shimmering waters for any sign of the elusive sunfish. The wind played with her long, silken hair, while the waves rocked the vessel in a steady rhythm. Behind her, Xander struggled against the rough knots binding his wrists behind his back, his posture tense as he shifted uncomfortably.

"Valeria…" His voice was low, almost breathless. "Come on. I already proposed. Haven't I earned my freedom?"

Valeria tilted her head, a slow smirk curving her lips. "Oh? So you think a proposal grants you immunity?"

Xander exhaled sharply, tilting his head back against the wooden deck. "At least let me move my arms. You’ve practically turned me into your captive—again."

Valeria knelt beside him, her cool fingers tracing his jaw with deceptive gentleness. "Pleading already?" she mused. "Guilty, as always, Xander. You make such a perfect convicted man."

Xander groaned, rolling his shoulders against the strain. "Mercy, my lady."

Valeria chuckled, the sound rich and indulgent. "Mercy? But I’m just getting started. I haven't even found my sunfish yet." She rose gracefully, turning her attention back to the sea as if Xander were nothing more than a decorative fixture on her boat.

Xander let his head fall forward, inhaling deeply. Trapped, bound, and at the mercy of the woman he loved; he should have known that the moment he surrendered, Valeria would reign supreme.

Xander, bound and helpless, had become more of a decoration than a prisoner. With his dark hair slightly tousled, his sharp jawline tense, and his broad shoulders restrained in perfect symmetry, he looked less like a man in distress and more like an artistic display—an unintentional masterpiece of misfortune. Even with his wrists locked behind him and his expression a mixture of frustration and reluctant acceptance, he still carried an air of undeniable allure. If anything, the struggle only enhanced his charm, making him appear like the most handsome captive in history. Valeria, standing before him with arms crossed, couldn't help but admire her handiwork. “You know, Xander, if you weren’t so angry, you’d make an excellent centerpiece.”

However, exhaustion finally settled over Xander, draining the last remnants of resistance from his body. His once-tense muscles slackened, and the fire in his eyes dimmed into something calmer—resigned, yet still smoldering beneath the surface. Now, he no longer struggled or voiced his frustration. Instead, he embodied the quiet dominance of a tamed Alpha male, exuding an air of composed strength despite his predicament.

There was no more noise; no growls of defiance, no sharp remarks. Just the steady rise and fall of his chest as he sat there, regal even in restraint. If anything, his silence made him even more intimidating, like a storm that had momentarily stilled but still held the power to unleash havoc at any moment. The room felt different now, as if everyone was waiting to see whether this calm was genuine surrender; or simply the eye of the storm.

Valeria folded her arms, tilting her head as she studied Xander’s eerily calm demeanor. Her perfectly arched brow lifted in skepticism. “Well, well, look at you,” she mused, stepping closer. “You’ve finally accepted your fate? How predictable.”

Xander’s lips curled into a slow, knowing smirk. “Accepted?” His voice was smooth, rich with amusement. “No, sweetheart. I’m just conserving energy. You like your prizes well-behaved, don’t you?”

Valeria narrowed her eyes. “You—”

Before she could finish, Xander leaned forward just enough to make her inhale sharply. “Careful, Valeria,” he murmured, his gaze lazy but piercing. “Keep looking at me like that, and you might start believing your own lie; that you’re the one in control here.”

Her fingers twitched. Oh, he was insufferable. Even now, shackled in place like the world’s most handsome captive, he had the audacity to tease her, to twist the power dynamic like it was some game only he understood.

But Valeria wasn’t so easily thrown off. She exhaled, schooling her expression into cool indifference. “I don’t need to believe anything, Xander. I am in control. You’re the one looking like an expensive centerpiece.”

Xander chuckled, deep and low. “A handsome centerpiece,” he corrected.

Valeria rolled her eyes, but the corner of her lips twitched. “If you’re so eager to be admired, I could put you in a glass case.”

He smirked. “That’d be a shame. You’d miss the thrill of playing with me.”

For a split second, Valeria hated how effortlessly he turned the tables, how he made even captivity seem like a choice he had allowed. But then again, wasn’t that why she had chosen him?

Valeria exhaled sharply, her eyes narrowing as Xander's teasing once again pulled her focus away from the task at hand. She glanced over at him, her posture rigid but her tone laced with a sharp edge. “I’m starting to think you believe this entire trip is about your performance, Xander. You’re not the star here.”

Xander, still bound but seemingly unbothered, raised an eyebrow. “Not the star? Funny, you’re the one who keeps admiring my… talents.” His voice carried a hint of mischief, yet there was an undeniable underlying calmness, as if the playful exchanges were part of the natural rhythm of their dynamic.

Valeria’s lips curled into a small, exasperated smile. “We’re out here to find sunfish, not to indulge your ego. Focus, Xander,” she said, her words firm but not unkind.

He chuckled, shifting slightly in his restraints, his eyes glinting with that same unshakable confidence. “Don’t worry, Valeria. I know exactly what we’re doing. The sunfish are still out there, aren’t they? You don’t need to worry about me... unless you’re concerned that I’ll steal the show.”

Valeria shook her head, a soft laugh escaping her despite herself. “You really are something else.” She turned back to the water, but her thoughts lingered on his words, the smoothness of his voice, the way he effortlessly played the role of the handsome captive while subtly reminding her that, even bound, he was never truly out of control.

The sun hung high above, casting shimmering reflections on the crystal-clear water as Valeria guided the boat closer to the shore. The rhythmic motion of the waves barely stirred the tension between them as Xander, still bound, shifted uneasily. His muscles ached, but the silence between them had grown comfortable—almost routine.

As the boat slowly docked and the soft crunch of sand met the hull, Valeria motioned to the shore. "Out of the boat, Xander. Time to display you."

Xander furrowed his brow, his voice low and edged with a touch of sarcasm. "Display me? I thought we were here for sunfish, not for some art exhibition."

Valeria smirked, clearly unfazed by his teasing. "You’re not exactly in a position to negotiate, darling."

With no further words, she gestured to the nearby area. Xander’s heart skipped a beat as he realized what was happening. The scene was familiar but unexpected. He had seen exhibitions like this before, and it seemed the time had come for him to be placed at the center of this one.

Xander was led from the boat and toward an open-air display, a sleek glass case, tall and polished. The glass gleamed in the sunlight, almost too pristine. "What the hell is this?" Xander muttered under his breath, his mind racing.

Valeria, with a deliberate grace, approached the structure, running a finger along the smooth surface of the case. "You’re going to be the centerpiece, Xander. A perfect work of art. Captive, yet untouchable. Admired but never owned."

Xander stood still, his chest tightening. The restraints around his wrists were beginning to feel heavier, the idea of being on display in such a vulnerable, yet strangely controlled, state making him feel... strange. His face remained calm, though internally, his thoughts were in turmoil.

Valeria’s eyes sparkled with a mix of amusement and something darker. “You’re going in. You’ll be placed on display like you’ve always been; a handsome captive, locked away for everyone to admire, but never to be truly touched."

Xander’s lips twitched into a reluctant smile. Despite the absurdity of the situation, a small part of him found it... fitting. As much as he was bound by these physical restraints, he had learned that his role in Valeria’s world was always under her control. And she knew how to make him play along.

With a fluid motion, Valeria guided him into the glass case, the door closing softly behind him. There he stood; silent, still, and beautifully displayed in the center of the gleaming glass, a silent testament to her mastery, her dominance over him.

His expression softened, no more resistance. No more teasing. Just the quiet acceptance of his place in her world. And for now, that was enough.

Xander found himself inside the glass case, his reflection staring back at him with an amused yet slightly exasperated look. He knew exactly why he ended up here—because he had successfully distracted Valeria from her supposed goal of finding sunfish. Instead of scanning the waters, her eyes had been glued to him, her focus wavering between his teasing remarks and the way he carried himself even in restraint.

Now, pressed against the cool glass, Xander smirked, his voice muffled but still undeniably confident. "Valeria, are you sure you’re looking for a sunfish? Because it seems like your eyes are locked on something far more interesting." His words dripped with playfulness, challenging her even in his current predicament. He tilted his head slightly, his dark hair falling just enough to accentuate his sharp jawline, knowing full well the effect it had.

Valeria, arms crossed and lips slightly pursed, tried her best to ignore him, though the faint twitch at the corner of her mouth betrayed her amusement. "I don’t remember signing up to go hunting for a handsome captive," she mused, tapping the glass with her nails. "You’re the one who kept getting in the way, so now you’re part of the scenery."

Xander chuckled, rolling his shoulders as much as his confinement allowed. "So, I’m the new exhibit? Do I at least get a title? 'The Most Unfortunate Yet Stunning Display' sounds about right." His teasing tone didn’t falter, even as Valeria sighed dramatically.

"You should be grateful I haven’t auctioned you off yet," she quipped, finally stepping back to resume her search; though Xander had a feeling she wouldn’t be able to ignore him for long.

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