“Kneel.”
He said it like it wasn’t a question. Like he already knew she would.
And he was right.
Aria’s body moved before her brain could catch up. Her knees bent, the hem of her black dress whispering as it slid up her thighs. The carpet beneath her was thick and soft, but her heart pounded hard enough to drown everything else out. She didn’t dare look away from him.
He hadn’t smiled. Hadn’t even spoken again.
Just watched her obey.
She sat back on her heels slowly, her hands shaking as she rested them in her lap. Her head was light—maybe from the champagne, maybe from adrenaline. Every nerve in her body was humming.
The last time she’d knelt like this… was never.
Not in real life.
Not outside of her late-night fantasies and bookmarked videos. Not without her laptop screen and di
