Ryker's POV
She looked confused at my words. I wasn’t surprised. Even I wasn’t sure if the venom I felt toward her was anger... or something else that scared me far more.
I leaned back, resting against the chair, letting my arms rest lazily on the armrests while she sat there, unsure of what to do next.
“You’re on my lap, Valentina,” I said, my voice low and razor-sharp. “Don’t sit like I’m your priest.”
She flushed. That same slow-burning heat that crawled up her neck like guilt. Her hips shifted slightly on instinct, and I felt her tense. I let it happen. I let her drown in the weight of silence.
Her fingers twitched at her sides. “Are you waiting for applause?” I asked. “Or instructions?”
“I don’t want to make a mistake,” she answered softly.
I smiled again, and this time there w
