A DANGEROUS PROPOSITION

Sienna sat across from Damien Cross, her back stiff against the plush leather chair. His office was as imposing as the man himself sharp angles, sleek furniture, and a breathtaking view of the city below. But none of that compared to the weight of his presence.

The contract lay between them on the polished desk, untouched. Damien had read through it with quiet intensity, his expression unreadable. Now, he watched her with the same calculated focus, his gray eyes cool and assessing.

“You seem nervous,” he said, his voice smooth and deliberate.

Sienna inhaled sharply. “I’m not nervous.”

His lips twitched as if he found her answer amusing. “Lying doesn’t suit you.”

She bristled but said nothing. He wasn’t wrong, but she refused to let him see how much this unsettled her.

Damien leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. “You said you needed help.”

She nodded. “Yes.”

His fingers tapped once against the dark wood. “And you understand what I expect in return?”

Sienna swallowed hard, forcing herself to hold his gaze. She had gone over the terms in her mind a hundred times, yet now, faced with the man himself, the reality of what she was agreeing to felt far more dangerous.

“For the next three months,” she said, her voice steady despite the way her stomach twisted, “I belong to you.”

A slow, satisfied smirk crossed his face. “Good.”

She gripped the arms of her chair, willing herself to stay calm. This was just business. A transaction. She needed financial security, and he whatever his reasons had offered a solution.

Still, there was something unsettling about the way he watched her, as if he already owned her.

Damien reached for the contract, flipping to the final page. He slid a pen toward her, the movement controlled, effortless.

“Sign,” he said.

Sienna hesitated.

Once she put her name on that line, there would be no turning back. She knew what was expected of her. She had agreed to it, but that didn’t make it any less overwhelming.

Damien arched a brow. “Second thoughts?”

She lifted her chin. “No.”

Before she could change her mind, she picked up the pen and scrawled her name across the page.

For a brief moment, silence filled the room. Then Damien took the contract, glancing at her signature before setting it aside.

“It’s done.” His voice held finality.

A strange mix of relief and apprehension settled in her chest.

“So,” she said, shifting in her seat, “what happens now?”

Damien stood, adjusting the cuff of his tailored suit. “Now, you come with me.”

Her pulse jumped. “Where?”

His gaze flickered with something unreadable. “You’ll see.”

Sienna’s stomach tightened. She had agreed to this, but now that it was happening, the reality felt much heavier.

Still, she stood, smoothing her palms over her dress. “Lead the way.”

Damien’s smirk returned, but this time, it was darker. More dangerous.

“Good girl.”

Sienna’s breath hitched at the way the words rolled off his tongue.

She had no idea what she had just signed up for.

But something told her that by the time this was over, she would never be the same again.

As Damien led her toward the elevator, his hand brushed the small of her back. The touch was light, almost casual, but it sent an unexpected shiver through her.

She refused to look at him, knowing that if she did, she might lose whatever composure she had left.

The doors slid open, and they stepped inside. The air between them felt charged, the silence heavy.

As the elevator descended, Damien finally spoke. “This arrangement isn’t just about obedience, Sienna.”

She turned her head slightly, her heart hammering. “Then what is it about?”

His gaze darkened. “Control.”

A warning or a promise?

Sienna wasn’t sure.

All she knew was that she had just stepped into his world.

And there was no turning back.