The door clicked shut behind Vivienne, but the air still seemed charged with the remnants of her presence. I could feel the tension she left behind like a physical weight, her eyes lingering in my mind, measuring, calculating, as if trying to find cracks in the armor I'd carefully built. I pressed my hands to my knees, forcing myself to stay composed, to remind myself that the rules, though suffocating, were my shield.
Asher's gaze found me immediately, dark and assessing, but there was a glint there-a private, sharp approval that made my chest tighten. He stepped closer, close enough that I could feel the faint warmth radiating from him without even touching, close enough that the tiny brush of air from his movement made my pulse spike.
"You handled that beautifully, babygirl," he murmured, voice low and deliberate. The word alone made my breath hitch, a subtle shiver crawling along my spine. "Calm, poised, polite... exactly like I expected."
I bit my lip, cheeks warming at the praise. Even under the strict rules of our arrangement, his words had weight-they teased and claimed, reminding me of the delicate balance we maintained between contract and tension. His hand brushed briefly against my arm, the faintest pressure, enough to anchor me without breaking protocol.
"I... thank you," I whispered, trying to steady the flutter in my chest. Every syllable felt loaded, every glance of his dark eyes a silent command I couldn't resist.
He leaned closer, the shadow of a smirk brushing his lips, and murmured, "You know, princess... seeing you handle that with me watching, with her in the room... it's impressive. You've got that fire, that control, that subtle dominance that makes everything else irrelevant."
My stomach twisted at his words, heat rushing to places that had nothing to do with the conversation. He wasn't touching me, not really, but the weight of his presence, the deliberate dominance of his tone, made my body betray me with tiny tremors.
"You... think I did well?" I asked, my voice soft, teasingly uncertain, as though I wanted the confirmation and also feared it.
"I know you did," he replied, voice low and commanding. "Every word, every gesture, every small movement-you owned it. And you made it undeniable who belongs to me. Do you feel that?"
I swallowed hard, nodding slightly. My heart raced, and I could feel the ache of wanting something more than permission, wanting him to push boundaries he couldn't under the contract. And yet, even with the restraint, every word, every glance, every deliberate pause he gave me was intoxicating, overwhelming, and entirely his control.
Before I could respond, his phone buzzed on the table, sharp against the polished surface. He glanced at it, dark eyes briefly flicking to the screen, and then back to me with a sharp arch of his brow. "Friends," he murmured, almost amused. "They've invited me to a business party tonight. You'll be coming. I expect... the same poise, the same fire, the same presence you displayed just now. Do I make myself clear, princess?"
"Yes," I whispered, voice trembling slightly despite my best efforts to sound steady. His smirk deepened at my answer, and I could feel the possessive pride radiating from him in waves.
"Good," he said, leaning back just enough to give me a tiny measure of space, though the aura of his control still pressed in. "Tonight, we show them exactly what they're dealing with. Every glance, every word, every movement-it all has to scream... us. And don't forget, babygirl..." His voice dipped low, almost a growl in its quiet precision. "Even under rules, even under contracts... you're mine. Undeniably mine."
I shivered, the words sinking deep, imprinting themselves on my nerves. Every breath I took seemed to echo in the tension that now existed only between us, thick, magnetic, inescapable. He wasn't touching me inappropriately-at least not enough to break any rules-but the weight of his dominance, the verbal claims, the teasing that skirted the edges of restraint, made my body ache in ways I hadn't expected.
"I... I understand," I murmured, my voice low, my chest tightening. Each word felt deliberate, as though I was claiming myself in return, even under the rules.
He leaned closer again, the faintest brush of his hand against my lower back grounding me, a silent reminder of the invisible line we danced around. "I'm impressed," he said, low and measured. "Every single moment, you prove yourself... in front of others, even in front of Vivienne. You held your ground. You played the part perfectly. And I noticed everything-every glance, every breath, every subtle hesitation you mastered."
My pulse spiked at the praise. The words felt like fire in my chest, heat building, thrilling and dangerous. And even though the contract dictated restraint, even though nothing physical could overstep, every syllable from him, every calculated moment of dominance, was intoxicating.
"You... make it very hard to stay professional," I murmured softly, feeling a teasing tremor in my tone that mirrored the forbidden flutter inside me.
He chuckled, low, dark, approving. "I don't need to touch you to control you, princess. Your fire, your restraint, your obedience... it's all enough to make anyone lose themselves. And right now, I like watching you squirm under my praise. It's... effective."
My breath hitched again, subtle and involuntary, and I could feel the pull of the tension between us, the dangerous dance that was entirely ours-even with rules, even with contracts.
He straightened finally, pulling back just enough to give me the space to breathe, though his presence still loomed. "Get ready," he said, voice sharp with a commanding edge. "Tonight, we step out together. And tonight, I expect every single word, every glance, every measured movement to leave no doubt... that you're mine."
I nodded, chest tight, heart hammering, feeling a heat that had nothing to do with the city lights outside. Even under the strictest rules, even under a contract, the weight of his words, his teasing dominance, his praise... it made me ache.
"And babygirl?" he added, just as he reached for the door, one last glance over his shoulder. "Don't forget... I see everything. Every moment, every move... I notice. That's what makes you... irresistible."
I swallowed hard, heat rising to my cheeks, my breath shallow, and I knew-tonight, with every guest, every glance, every whisper... we would show exactly who we were, who we belonged to, and the unspoken power I now shared with him.