Chapter 21

Warren's grip on Dan's wrist tightened even further, his fingers digging into Dan's skin, almost to the point of bruising. He leaned in closer, his face just inches from Dan's.

"You don't get it, do you?" he said, his voice sharp and furious. "I'm not claiming ownership over you. I'm claiming what's mine. You belong to me, and you always have. You're mine, and no fancy job or fancy suit can change that."

He took a step closer, crowding Dan against the wall.

Dan could feel his own anger rising to the surface as Warren's possessive words hit him. He refused to allow Warren to treat him like he was his property. He met Warren's intense gaze with a defiant one of his own.

"No, I don't belong to you. I'm not some prize to be won or claimed. I'm my own person, with my own life. You have no right to treat me this way," he countered, his voice firm.

"Excuse me." The voice pierced through the tense atmosphere, momentarily causing both Dan and Warren's attention to snap toward the intrusion. They turned to see Ferdinand looking at them.

"Dan, is everything alright over here?" He inquired, his voice laced gloomy.

Dan took a breath and composed himself before responding to Ferdinand.

"Everything is fine," he lied, his voice strained. "Just a minor disagreement."

He tried to discreetly pull his wrist away from Warren's grip but failed.

Warren's grip on Dan's wrist remained unyielding as he heard the intrusion. His eyes glowered at the sight of Eric, his fingers digging even deeper into Dan's skin.

"Everything's fine," he echoed Dan's words, his voice laced with anger. "Just a little disagreement between old friends."

He refused to let go of Dan's wrist, as if daring Eric to question.

Eric walked towards and touched Dan's shoulder. "Let's go and meet the other guests."

Dan felt a sudden tightness of Eric's hold. Knowing that Eric is not happy that Dan is with Warren, grabbing him and not with Eric.

Dan is taken back by Eric's tight hold on his shoulder . He could sense the undercurrent of tension in Eric's touch. The man clearly wasn't pleased to see Dan talking to Warren.

Warren glared at Eric as he touched Dan's shoulder, noticing the possessiveness in his grip. It only fueled his anger further. As Ferdinand suggested they move on to meet the other guests, Warren tightened his own grip on Dan's wrist even more, unwilling to let him go.

"I'm not done talking to him yet," he growled, his eyes fixed on Eric.

Eric met Warren's glare with an equally intense one of his own. "I think Dan can decide for himself if he wants to continue talking to you," he replied, his voice cold.

Dan felt the tension between the two men like a palpable force. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to ease the pain of Warren's grip on his wrist.

Eric grabbed Dan's waist and pulled him away from Warren.

Eric's sudden grip on Dan's waist took him by surprise, and he stumbled a bit as he was pulled away from Warren. The older man's fingers dug into his side, holding him in a possessive, almost claiming manner.

Dan found himself face to face with Eric, the two men only a few inches apart. He could see the possessiveness and jealousy in Eric's eyes, a clear indication that the older man was not happy about Warren's presence.

"Eric," Dan muttered, his voice tinged with irritation and surprise. "Let go of me."

Eric's grip didn't loosen as he pulled Dan closer to him, their bodies almost pressed against each other. The gesture screamed possession and ownership, and Dan could sense the undercurrent of tension in the air.

Warren watched them from a few feet away, his eyes narrowed and fixed on Dan and Ferdinand. He clenched his jaw, his hands clenched into fists as he seethed with anger.

Eric's grip on Dan's waist was firm and possessive, as if he was claiming him as his own in front of Warren. It was clear that Eric was not happy with Warren's presence, and his actions spoke louder than words.

Dan tried to pull away from Eric's grasp, but the older man held him close, their bodies almost touching. The air was thick with tension, and Dan could feel the intensity of Warren's gaze on them.

"May we go now, Dan?" Eric asked, still holding Dan tightly.

Dan couldn't help but feel a hint of irritation at Eric's possessive grip. He wanted to pull away and assert his independence, but he also knew that he had to handle the situation with caution.

"Yes, let's go," Dan said, trying to maintain a neutral tone. "There are still guests I need to greet."

As he spoke, he tried to discreetly pull away from Eric's grip once more, to no avail.

As they moved away from the dark corner, Dan could feel Warren's gaze following them. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Warren standing there, his eyes fixed on him and Eric.

Dan could sense the anger and jealousy radiating off Warren, and it made him feel uneasy. He knew that this situation was far from resolved, and he just hoped that things wouldn't escalate further.

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As they made their way into the event hall, Eric leaned in close to Dan's ear, his voice carrying a hint of possessiveness.

"Your little meeting with him in secret. Hmm?" he murmured, his breath warm against Dan's skin.

Dan felt a shiver run down his spine at the older man's words. He tried to deny it, but his nervousness betrayed him.

"N-no, I wasn't," he stuttered, his heart beating faster as he tried to defend himself.

Eric's grip on Dan's waist tightened, pulling him even closer as if staking his claim. His eyes darkened with possessiveness as he continued to speak in a low, quiet tone, making sure no one else could hear.

"It didn't look like just a casual conversation to me, Dan," he said, his voice dangerously close to Dan's ear. "You looked quite comfortable with him, didn't you?"

"No, I'm not." He replied flatly.

Eric was unconvinced by Dan's denial. He could feel the older man's grip on his waist tighten even more, almost painfully so.

"Oh, really?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You expect me to believe that you were just having a casual conversation with him? You looked pretty damn comfortable with him to me-" He paused, stared blankly at Dan's eyes and said. "Remember we made a deal 5 years ago. That you'll leave Warren and will not meet him again."

"That was five years ago, Eric," Dan said, trying to keep his voice even. "Things have changed since then. People change."

"Have they really?" Eric's eyes darkened with jealousy as he tightened his grip on Dan, almost possessively. "Or have you just been secretly seeing Warren behind my back this whole time? You know what happens to your mother if you break the deal. "