My body moved without my mind's permission. It was a new kind of obedience. My knees found the cool marble of the floor. My hands, trembling from the cold, reached out, finding their way to his shoes. The leather was smooth and expensive beneath my fingertips. I didn't look up, but I knew his eyes were on me.
A low, deep sound, like a purr, escaped his throat. "Look at me, Elena."
My heart hammered against my ribs. I swallowed, forcing myself to raise my gaze. His eyes, dark and unreadable, were fixed on mine. He was a shadow in the dim light.
"You said you would do anything for your empire. Today, we begin to find out if that's true." He stepped closer. "This is your first command."
My breath hitched. The words were simple, yet they held the weight of a heavy chain, wrapping around me and pulling me in. I was a beautiful thing he had just acquired, and he was testing its function. I had given him my word, my submission, my body, and my ambition. And now, I was learning the cost of that exchange.This was not the stardom I had dreamed of. It was a dark and dangerous stage, with a single audience of one, and a performance I was compelled to give.
I want you to pleasure me, Elena. I want you to show me the extent of your submission." he said, his voice a quiet order, final and absolute.