CHAPTER FOUR
1098 Words
Terms and Conditions
Aria’s POV
By evening, I knew one thing for certain, that avoiding Dominic Hale was no longer an option.
The city had already decided that we were something.
And Dominic, he wasn’t a man who let narratives spiral out of his control.
Which meant, that he would come looking for me. I just didn’t expect it to happen this fast. “Miss Vale.”
The voice came from behind me just as I stepped out of the building.
I paused and slowly turned. It was Marcus Reed, he stood a few feet away, composed as ever, his presence as controlled as the man he worked for.
Of course.
“Mr. Reed,” I replied calmly. “Following me now?”
“Escorting you,” he corrected.
That almost made me smile. “Is there a difference?” I asked.
“Yes.” His gaze didn’t shift. “One is optional.”
“Hmmph…“And this one?” I asked.
“It isn’t.” He replied. There it was. No room for negotiation.
I exhaled softly, then nodded once. “Lead the way.”
The car ride was silent, heavy and deliberate.
I didn’t ask questions. He didn’t offer answers. But by the time we pulled into the private underground garage, I already knew where I was. Dominic’s world.
Controlled, secured and untouchable, just like him. Marcus opened the door, gesturing for me to step out. “This way.”
I followed without hesitation. Because hesitation was weakness. And I couldn’t afford that here. The penthouse was exactly what I expected.
Minimal, expensive and cold. Power lived here.
I stepped inside slowly, taking in the space, the silence…And then I felt it, i felt him. “You’re late.” His voice cut through the room before I even saw him.
I turned and saw Dominic stood by the window, his back to the city, his presence filling the space like something unmovable. “I don’t remember agreeing to a meeting,” I said.
“You didn’t,” he replied, finally facing me.
His gaze locked onto mine instantly. Sharp and assessing. Like he was continuing a conversation we never finished. “But you came anyway.” He said.
“I was invited,” I said lightly.
“No,” he said. “You were summoned.”
I tilted my head slightly. “That’s a strong word.”
“So is ‘scandal.’” he says.
That stopped me. Barely. His eyes didn’t miss it.
“Your face is everywhere today,” he continued. “Every headline. Every speculation tied to me.”
“I didn’t ask for that.” I said.
“No,” he agreed. “But you didn’t avoid it either.”
That is fair, but I didn’t respond. Instead, I crossed my arms slightly. “So what is this about?”
Dominic stepped closer. Not rushed and not hesitant, but controlled.
“Damage control,” he said.
I frowned slightly. “Explain.”
His gaze darkened. “Right now, the media thinks you’re important to me.”
“And you don’t like losing control of a narrative,” I said.
“Exactly.” He says. “So we fix it.”
Something about the way he said that made my instincts sharpen. “Fix it how?” I asked curiously.
Silence followed and then the words dropped. “By making it real.” He replied.
My heart skipped once. Slow, deliberate and dangerous. “I’m not interested in playing pretend,” I said.
“You already are,” he replied smoothly. That hit harder than it should have.
“You walked into my world,” he continued. “You drew attention. Now we control what that attention becomes.”
I narrowed my eyes slightly. “And what exactly does that look like?”
He didn’t hesitate. “A relationship.”
The word hung between us. Heavy, calculated and it felt strategic.
“No,” I said immediately.
Dominic didn’t react, he didn’t argue. He just watched me. Like he expected that answer. “Temporary,” he added.
Still no.
“Public,” he continued. “Convincing. Controlled.”
My pulse picked up. Not from fear, but from the implications, like the access, proximity and the opportunity. This was exactly what I needed. And exactly what I shouldn’t accept. “I don’t do contracts,” I said.
His lips curved slightly. “Everyone does,” he replied. “Some are just better negotiated than others.”
I let out a quiet breath. “And what do I get out of this?”
That was the real question. Dominic stepped closer again. Close enough that I could feel the shift in the air between us. “Access,” he said.
My chest tightened. Damn him. He knew, but not everything. But he knew enough. “To my world,” he continued. “My events. My company.”
Everything I came here for.
“You stay by my side,” he added. “You play the role. And in return…”
A pause followed and his gaze locked onto mine. “You get everything you walked in here looking for.”
Silence stretched. This was it. The moment the plan either shifted…
Or collapsed completely.
“You’re assuming you know what I want,” I said quietly.
“I don’t assume,” Dominic replied. “I confirm.”
A chill slid down my spine. Because that sounded too close to the truth.
I held his gaze steady and unshaken and then slowly… “I have conditions,” I said. Something flickered in his eyes. It was interest. “Of course you do.” He said.
I tilted my chin slightly. “No personal questions.”
“Agreed.” He says.
“No control over my private life.” I said.
A pause and then….“Within reason.” I almost laughed. “Strict boundaries,” I added.
“Defined,” he corrected.
“Fine,” I said. The word felt heavier than it should have. It felt irreversible and final. Dominic studied me for a long second and then nodded once. “Good.”
“Welcome to the arrangement, Aria Vale.”
Something in the way he said my name again… It wasn’t casual, it wasn’t careless, It was deliberate and possessive. Like he had just claimed something.
And since this started…I felt it. Not control and not strategy.
But the quiet, and dangerous shift of something I hadn’t planned for.
The game wasn’t just changing anymore.
I had just stepped fully into it.
******
- Writer
