The VIP lounge was all polished marble, champagne flutes, and the subtle scent of money. Laughter rang from every corner, flirtation flowed as freely as the wine, and for once, Arielle played the part perfectly.
A golden dress hugged her figure like sin. Her hair fell in loose waves down her back, and her eyes sparkled with something mischievous. She wasn't just mingling. She was commanding the room.
And Dominic Raine noticed.
From across the lounge, he stood near the balcony with a circle of executives, pretending to listen to a pitch he'd already decided to decline. His gaze, however, was fixed on one thing—and one thing only.
Arielle.
She was laughing now, head tilted back, hand resting casually on the arm of a tall man in a navy suit who clearly didn't know the rules. He leaned in too close, said something too smooth. Arielle didn't pull away.
Dominic's jaw flexed.
"You know him?" one of the men beside him asked.
"No," Dominic said flatly.
"But he's—"
"I said no."
He excused himself before he said something regrettable.
Arielle didn't see him approach. Not until his voice, low and lethal, brushed against her ear like a silk blade.
"Having fun?"
She turned, slowly, lips curling. "Dominic. I didn't know you were watching."
"I wasn't." His eyes flicked to the man still hovering at her side. "He was too close."
"Oh?" She tilted her head. "You jealous?"
His gaze darkened. "I'm possessive of things under my responsibility."
"Things?" she echoed, voice sweet and dangerous. "You make it sound like I'm your property."
He stepped closer, his body blocking her from the other man entirely. His voice dropped to something that vibrated against her ribs.
"If I wanted to claim you, Arielle, there'd be no confusion about it."
Her breath hitched.
Heat curled low in her stomach.
The other man cleared his throat awkwardly. "I'll… give you two a moment."
Smart move.
The second he left, Arielle whispered, "You're not supposed to care."
"I don't," he lied. "But if another man touches you again—especially on my time—he's gone."
"That possessive streak of yours is showing," she taunted, though her pulse betrayed her calm tone.
He leaned down, lips brushing the shell of her ear. "You like it."
She didn't deny it.
Couldn't.
Because her body was already answering for her—blood hot, nerves alive, wanting more.
Dominic stepped back, cool as ever, like he hadn't just left her trembling in designer heels.
"Don't be late tomorrow," he said.
Then walked away—his shoulders squared, his control back in place.
But Arielle?
She stood there, flushed and breathless, fingers tingling where his voice had touched her.
And for the first time that night…
She wasn't in control anymore.
The next morning, Arielle was on time.
No, not just on time—early.
She walked into Dominic's office at 8:45 AM sharp, iced coffee in one hand, tablet in the other, her heels clicking confidently against the floor like she owned it.
Dominic looked up from his laptop, unsurprised, but inwardly intrigued.
"Coffee for me?" he asked dryly.
"No," she replied without missing a beat. "You don't strike me as the iced vanilla latte type."
He said nothing, just stood and extended a manila folder toward her.
"What's this?"
"Your schedule for the day. You'll be sitting in on the investor call, preparing the analytics sheet for next quarter's projections, and you're expected to deliver a summary to me by 5 PM."
She blinked. "You expect me to analyze your company's quarterly performance today?"
"I expect you to learn how to handle responsibility. And pressure."
She narrowed her eyes. "You want to break me, don't you?"
"I want to make you useful."
She leaned in slowly, standing on the other side of his desk, their eyes locking like two storms colliding.
"What happens if I pull it off?"
He tilted his head. "Then maybe I'll stop treating you like a spoiled brat."
She smirked. "And start treating me like what?"
His voice was low, dangerous. "Like someone who matters."
Her breath caught. For a fraction of a second, the usual smirk on her lips faltered.
Then she spun on her heel. "Challenge accepted, Mr. Raine."
The day was brutal. Investor lingo. Boring spreadsheets. Complex financial data that made her head spin.
But she didn't quit.
She didn't flinch.
And when 4:59 PM struck, she marched back into his office with a printed report and a fire in her eyes.
He took the paper from her hand, scanned it silently.
His brow lifted. "You did this yourself?"
"Surprised?"
"A little."
"Don't be. I may be a brat, but I'm not stupid."
He set the paper down slowly. Walked around the desk. Closer.
"You showed me something today," he said, voice low.
"What's that?"
"That underneath the diamonds and defiance, there's a woman who doesn't just want to be seen. She wants to be respected."
She swallowed. "Maybe I do."
He was standing in front of her now. Too close again.
Her heart thudded in her chest. Her pulse roared in her ears.
Dominic's voice dropped another octave. "You're still under my rules, Arielle. Still under my command."
She raised her chin defiantly. "Then command me properly."
His eyes flickered with something dark. Dangerous. Heated.
But he didn't touch her.
Didn't lean in.
He just smiled—a rare, razor-sharp thing that promised storms were coming.
"You just earned tomorrow's test. Let's see if you survive it."
It was nearly midnight when Arielle returned to the office.
The city skyline glittered beyond the glass windows like a silent audience. Most of the building was dark, silent—except for the faint glow under Dominic Raine's door.
She hesitated.
He hadn't asked her to come back. But something about his parting words—You just earned tomorrow's test—had nagged at her all evening. She hated that he could get under her skin like that.
She pushed open his door.
He was still at his desk, sleeves rolled up, the top button of his shirt undone, reading something on his screen with the same intensity he used when looking at her—like he could slice through lies with just a glance.
"You're late," he said, not even looking up.
"I wasn't scheduled."
"You came anyway."
She stepped inside, letting the door click softly behind her. "Curious what kind of test you had in mind."
Dominic finally looked up. "Are you always this eager to be punished?"
Her lips twitched. "Depends on the punishment."
He stood, moving slowly—every movement precise, like a predator circling prey. The silence between them stretched, hot and pulsing.
She leaned back against the table, arms crossed. "You know, for someone so cold, you have a very intense way of looking at people."
"I only look at people who matter."
"And do I?" she asked, softer now.
He stepped closer, stopping just a breath away. "You're… getting there."
A charged beat.
Neither moved.
Neither blinked.
Then he did something unexpected.
He reached past her, grabbed a thick binder from the table, and set it between them. His voice dropped into that low, almost seductive register that made her skin tingle.
"Here's tomorrow's presentation. You'll deliver it. Boardroom. 9 AM."
She blinked. "Wait, I—?"
"You said you wanted to be respected," he cut in. "Let's see if you can handle it."
She searched his face. "And if I mess it up?"
He leaned in, just enough that his breath grazed her cheek. "Then I'll make sure you never forget what failure feels like."
Her pulse kicked.
She should've been offended.
But instead… she was burning.
Burning with something dangerous and thrilling—because she couldn't tell anymore if she wanted to beat him at his own game… or be ruined by him.
He pulled back, slow and deliberate.
"You have eight hours," he said.
And just like that, he turned away, heading back to his desk.
But he didn't sit.
Instead, he glanced over his shoulder. "You're still here."
"I noticed."
"Go home, Miss Sinclair," he said, eyes glittering. "Or you might tempt me to forget you're still on probation."
She smirked, flipping her hair as she turned toward the door. "You're welcome for the temptation."
And she left.
But her skin was still tingling when the elevator doors closed.
And Dominic?
He stared at the door long after she was gone… jaw clenched, hands tight, knowing full well—
He was already in too deep.