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A Game of control

Author: Clarabella
last update Last Updated: 2025-03-11 00:17:39

The world around them seemed to blur.

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Crystal glasses paused mid-air, conversations stilled, and the air in the grand ballroom turned electric.

But all Sienna could feel was Damien.

His lips on hers—firm, possessive, and undeniably real.

She stiffened for a brief second, her body instinctively preparing for the pretense she had perfected in front of cameras. But this… this wasn’t just for show. There was no audience that mattered more than the fire igniting inside her, the way his fingers pressed into the small of her back, grounding her, claiming her.

Damien deepened the kiss, not enough to cross a line, but just enough to ensure there was no doubt.

This was a message.

And the second he pulled away, leaving behind a heat that coiled in her stomach, the world snapped back into focus.

A murmur swept through the room. Some guests exchanged looks—amused, intrigued, scandalized. Others whispered behind gloved hands.

But Sienna didn’t care about any of them.

Her eyes locked onto Ethan.

The smug amusement he had worn moments ago? Gone.

His jaw was set, his hands curled into fists at his sides, barely restraining his reaction.

Good.

If he thought he could walk into this gala and rattle her, he’d just learned otherwise.

Damien’s arm remained secure around her waist as he guided her away from the center of attention, his posture relaxed, his expression unreadable. But she could feel the tension in his body, the storm brewing beneath his carefully composed exterior.

He was furious.

And when Damien was furious, he was dangerous.

As they stepped away from prying eyes, his fingers brushed against her bare back—a subtle touch, but one that sent a shiver down her spine.

“Are you okay?” His voice was low, intimate, meant for her ears alone.

Sienna forced a breath, steadying herself. “Yes.”

A lie.

Because her heart was still racing.

Not from fear. Not from Ethan.

From Damien.

From the way that kiss had unraveled something inside her, something she wasn’t ready to name.

Before she could dwell on it, Eleanor Lancaster appeared beside them.

“That was quite the performance,” Damien’s mother mused, sipping her champagne. Amusement danced in her sharp eyes, as if she knew exactly what had just happened—and why.

Damien smirked, a hint of challenge in his expression. “Seemed appropriate.”

Eleanor glanced across the room, her gaze landing on Ethan. “He won’t leave without trying something.”

Sienna lifted her chin. “Let him try.”

Damien’s grip tightened slightly at her words, and she knew—without looking—that his fury was barely restrained.

Eleanor studied them both for a moment, then nodded approvingly. “Handle it carefully. Richard doesn’t make moves without a plan.”

Then, with a knowing smile, she disappeared into the crowd, her words leaving behind an ominous weight.

A Dance with the Devil

Before Sienna had a chance to catch her breath, Damien suddenly tugged her toward the dance floor.

She looked up at him, startled. “What are you doing?”

His hand found her waist again, the other capturing her fingers. “Giving him something to watch.”

Her pulse jumped. “Damien—”

“Dance with me, Sienna.” His voice was low, dark. A challenge.

And she couldn’t refuse.

The orchestra shifted into something slow, something that sent shivers down her spine.

She should have pulled away.

She should have told him that the kiss was enough, that she wasn’t sure how much more of this she could take without losing herself.

But instead, she let him lead.

They moved together effortlessly, the world fading around them as their bodies pressed closer, swaying in perfect synchrony.

Damien’s fingers traced slow circles against her lower back, his grip firm but unhurried, as if savoring the moment.

Sienna swallowed hard. “You kissed me.”

A smirk touched his lips. “You kissed me back.”

Her cheeks burned, but she didn’t look away. “Was that just for the show?”

His fingers curled slightly, pulling her a fraction closer. “Does it matter?”

Yes.

No.

She didn’t know anymore.

Her heart was pounding, her breathing uneven, and the way he was looking at her—intense, unreadable—made it impossible to think straight.

Before she could formulate an answer, Damien’s gaze flickered over her shoulder.

And she knew.

Ethan was coming.

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