The morning sun was a brutal, unforgiving blade of light cutting through the glass towers of the financial district, but for Avana, the world felt plunged in a permanent, chilling twilight. She stood before the massive oak doors of the CEO's suite, her hand hovering over the handle. Her heart was a frantic bird trapped in a cage of ribs, fluttering with a rhythmic terror that made her lightheaded.
She had spent the night in a fever dream of red silk and cold sapphire. Every time she closed her eyes, she felt the phantom pressure of Delan's thumb against her lip.
She pushed the door open.
The office was silent, save for the low, rhythmic hum of the building's climate control. Delan was already there. He wasn't behind his desk; he was standing by a marble pedestal in the center of the room. On top of it sat a sleek, white box tied with a ribbon the color of dried blood.
"You're three minutes early," Delan remarked without turning around. His voice was a low, melodic vibration that seemed to crawl up her spine. "Eagerness is a trait I admire in my staff, Avana. Or perhaps you just couldn't wait to see what I had planned for you today?"
"I... I just didn't want to be late, Mr. Vane," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Come here."
Avana stepped forward, her movements stiff. As she reached the pedestal, he gestured to the box. "Open it. It's your uniform for today's luncheon with the Board of Architects. They are men of... traditional tastes. They appreciate beauty in its most distilled form."
With trembling fingers, Avana untied the ribbon. Inside lay a dress of sheer, midnight-blue lace. It was exquisite, expensive, and utterly terrifying. It had no back, and the hemline was even more scandalous than the crimson silk of the day before. Beside it lay a pair of strappy stilettos that looked like they were made of glass and moonlight.
"I can't wear this," Avana breathed, her eyes wide with horror. "Sir, please... everyone will see. I'll be the talk of the entire company. I'm just an intern."
"You were an intern," Delan corrected, finally turning to face her. His dark eyes scanned her face with a hunger that made her knees weak. "Now, you are the reflection of my status. And my status is absolute. Change. Now."
Twenty minutes later, Avana emerged from the dressing room. The lace felt like a spider's web against her skin—light, delicate, and impossible to escape. The dress clung to her as if it were painted on, leaving her shoulders and back completely bare to the cool office air. She felt physically exposed, her every breath visible through the fine fabric.
Delan was waiting by the window, holding a small, velvet-lined case. When he saw her, his breath hitched—a rare, human slip in his stony facade. He walked toward her, his footsteps echoing like a heartbeat.
"Beautiful," he murmured, his voice dropping to a gravelly whisper. "But you're missing something."
He opened the case. Inside, the Aethelgard Star—the sapphire and diamond necklace—lay coiled like a shimmering snake.
"No," Avana said, backing away until her heels hit the glass wall. "I can't take that. It's what started all of this. It's the reason I'm... I'm in this position. I don't want it."
"You don't understand, Avana," Delan said, stepping into her personal space until the heat from his body radiated against her bare skin. "I'm not asking you to borrow it. I'm giving it to you."
"Giving it to me?" She shook her head, her voice rising in panic. "It's worth millions! Why would you give a thief the very thing she tried to steal?"
Delan's smile was sharp, a predator's grin. "Because, my dear, since you were so desperate to have it in your bag, I've decided you should have it on your skin. A gift for my most... dedicated assistant."
"I won't accept it," she defied him, her chin trembling. "You're trying to buy me. You're trying to make me a part of your collection."
"You already are," he countered. He reached out, his hand wrapping around her waist to pull her flush against him. With his other hand, he lifted the necklace. "Don't struggle. You'll only make the clasp catch on your hair."
Avana froze as he moved behind her. She could feel his cool breath on her neck, sending shivers cascading down her spine. The metal of the necklace was ice-cold as it settled against her collarbone, the heavy sapphire resting perfectly in the hollow of her throat.
He didn't pull away once the clasp clicked into place. Instead, his hands lingered on her shoulders, his fingers grazing the bare skin of her collarbone.
"Look in the mirror, Avana," he commanded, turning her toward the reflective glass.
She looked. She didn't recognize the woman staring back. The girl in the baggy cardigans was gone, replaced by a creature of lace and light, branded by a billionaire's fortune. The necklace felt like a collar—a beautiful, shimmering weight that told the world exactly who she belonged to.
"Never lose it," Delan whispered into her ear, his lips almost touching her skin. "And never try to take it off. If I see you without it, I will consider it a breach of our agreement. Do you understand?"
"You're cruel," she choked out, her eyes stinging with tears of frustration.
"I am an architect," he replied, his grip tightening just enough to be possessive. "I know how to reinforce a structure. And right now, Avana, you are the most important project I've ever worked on. This necklace... it's not just jewelry. It's a promise. As long as you wear it, you are under my protection. But it also means you are mine. Every inch of you."
He leaned down, his nose brushing against her temple. "Now, dry your eyes. We have a board meeting. I want them to see exactly what I've built."
Avana stared at her reflection, her hand instinctively rising to touch the cold sapphire. But as she looked into Delan's dark, triumphant eyes, she realized she hadn't just stolen a necklace. She had walked into a cage, and the man who held the key had just made her wear the bars.