“Kneel,” I command her, wanting to prove that the power I held over her before is ever present. Even if the fear she held for me has vanished.
The realization that is what’s different sends a spike of regret through me, but it’s fleeting. I harden my voice as I tell her again, “Kneel and then ask me if things have changed.”
The heat ignites in me as Aria narrows her gaze, the hazel reflecting the flickers of the flames that linger behind her in the fire.
Her lips part and she squirms in her place, but as her eyes close, she only smiles at me while shaking her head.
“I don’t want to,” she dares to defy me.
My dick hardens instantly, but my knuckles turn white as I grip the arm of the sofa.
Everything inside of me is at war. It seems fitting, since my little songbird seems to be in the same predicament. Her body begging to bend to my command, yet her strong will preventing her from giving in.
“I don’t want to punish you today. Not when you need comfort. Don’t mistake my gift to you for anything other than what it was.” I push the words through clenched teeth, not wanting this tension between us to end. I love her fight. I love it, even more, when I can take it from her.
“And what was it?” she asks me, her eyes sparking with the desire for the truth.
The grin on my face grows as I realize she’s set me up, seeking the answer I wouldn’t give her when she asked her first question. Why did I do it? The tension in my body eases slightly, although the thrill of punishing her is still ringing through me.
“Taking away the fear you had, so I could end it and be the only thing you have left to fear.”
“I think you’re lying,” she bites back although her voice is teasing, sensual even. Not believing me for a moment. Her gaze doesn’t waver as she challenges me. I love that she knows better, but if she knew the power she had over me, I could lose everything. She’s still loyal to the enemy. There’s no denying that.
The thought makes my gaze drop to the fire behind her and it only returns to her when she adds, “But I don’t know why you’re lying to me.”
“Because you don’t need to know,” I tell her simply and at first her lips part, ready to tell me off, but then she questions herself.
“You’re biting your tongue so hard that I imagine you can taste blood,” I point out and try to force a smirk to my lips.
“I’ve asked you two questions and you haven’t answered either truthfully,” she tells me and then glances at the fire behind her. “What’s the point?” she asks no one in particular with a faint whisper.
“Maybe you’re asking the wrong questions,” I offer her although my entire body is alive with fire. Yesterday was hard on her and she performed exactly as I wanted, but her defiance today is uncontained, and I have no idea how to handle her. Not when she needs me to give her comfort. I wish I’d had her when I was in this same position years ago.
Even knowing that I’ve had enough of her insolence.
Those hazel eyes pierce through me at that moment, as if she heard my thoughts. The turmoil inside me twists into a knot until she asks the one question that solidifies my decision to leave her on her own for a few hours, so she can feel the need for me once again.
“Are you still going to let him kill my father?” she asks me. Her voice is steady, with maybe even a hint of provocation there.
Let him.
Let Romano.
She doesn’t know that if I could do it myself, I would. If I could be the man to pull the trigger, I’d do it without a second thought.
The silence is only broken by the burning wood, now cracking and hissing. As our conversation continued, the sun has set and with the dimming light from the windows, shadows play along Aria’s small form.
“I have to go out tonight.”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” she’s quick to reply, not taking her gaze from me.
“The game is over.” My voice hardens, the anger pushing through.
She is mine. She will obey. Or I will risk everything to reign over her. There is no question in my mind what will happen if she doesn’t take her place beside me.
“How convenient,” she responds and that’s when I meet my limit. There’s only so much she can push.
It only takes three large steps until I’m towering over her. One swift motion and my hand is around her throat. My fingers press against the pulse in her veins as her fingers wrap around my hand. Her eyes widen but not with fear, not even with shock. They widen with hate, with anger… They widen with a spark of fight that rivals the roaring fire behind her.