BOUNDARIES AND EXPECTATIONS

Sienna barely slept.

She lay on the massive bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind spinning. The room was too quiet, the kind of silence that felt unnatural like she was being watched, even though she knew she wasn’t.

Her body was exhausted, but her thoughts refused to settle.

What have I done?

The contract, the car ride, Damien’s cryptic words everything felt surreal. She had willingly stepped into his world,signed herself over for three months. And yet, she still didn’t know what that truly meant

With a frustrated sigh, she rolled onto her side, curling into herself.

She wasn’t a fool. She had researched Damien Cross before agreeing to this deal. Billionaire investor. Ruthless businessman. A man who never took no for an answer.

And now, she was his.

For three months, at least.

But what did that mean in practice? Would he demand her presence at all times? Would he test her? Would she be expected to simply follow his every command without question?

A shiver ran down her spine at the thought.

And the worst part?

She wasn’t entirely sure if her unease came from fear… or something else.

She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to block out the thoughts. Rest. You need to rest.

But just as she was beginning to drift off, a sharp knock echoed through the room.

Her heart jumped.

She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes as she glanced at the clock on the nightstand.

5:00 AM.

Who the hell was knocking at this hour?

Before she could fully process it, the door opened and there he was.

Damien.

Standing in the doorway, looking infuriatingly put together despite the ungodly hour. His crisp white dress shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, the sleeves rolled up just enough to reveal the strong lines of his forearms. He didn’t say anything at first just stood there, watching her.

Sienna swallowed hard. “It’s five in the morning.”

“I know.” His voice was calm, even.

She narrowed her eyes. “And you’re waking me up because…?”

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. “Get dressed.”

She blinked. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

Sienna scoffed. “Are you serious?”

“Always.”

She glared at him, fully awake now. “I just got to sleep.”

Damien’s gaze flickered to the untouched pillow beside her. “No, you didn’t.”

Her lips parted, but no words came out.

How the hell did he know that?

He took another step forward, his presence filling the room. “You agreed to this arrangement, Sienna. That means you follow my schedule, not yours.”

She folded her arms. “And what exactly does your schedule involve?”

His lips curved slightly, but there was no humor in it. “You’ll see.”

She let out a slow breath, irritation bubbling beneath her skin. “You enjoy being vague, don’t you?”

He tilted his head slightly. “I enjoy control.”

Her stomach twisted at the way he said it.

She shouldn’t have been surprised he had made it very clear from the beginning. But hearing it aloud, in his voice, in this setting, made it feel more real.

More dangerous.

She exhaled sharply and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. “Fine.”

She didn’t miss the flicker of approval in his eyes as she stood.

“Wear something comfortable,” he said, turning toward the door. “You have five minutes.”

And just like that, he was gone.

Sienna clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to throw something at the door. Five minutes? Who does he think he is?

She took her time on purpose, pulling on leggings and a fitted tank top before slipping her feet into sneakers. She didn’t know what he had planned, but something told her this wasn’t going to be a morning walk through the garden.

When she finally stepped out of the room, Damien was waiting at the end of the hallway, arms crossed.

She arched a brow. “Did I pass your little test?”

His lips twitched. “We’ll see.”

Without another word, he turned and started walking.

Sienna followed, matching his pace as they moved through the quiet corridors.

Eventually, they reached a private elevator, and Damien pressed a code into the keypad before the doors slid open.

She hesitated before stepping inside, suddenly hyperaware of how alone they were.

The doors shut, sealing them inside.

Silence stretched between them, thick and unspoken.

Sienna stole a glance at him, studying his sharp profile. The strong cut of his jaw, the way his eyes remained unreadable, even in close quarters.

“Are you always this intense?” she asked, breaking the silence.

His gaze flicked to hers. “You haven’t seen intense yet.”

Her breath caught.

A second later, the elevator stopped, and the doors slid open, revealing a private training facility.

Sienna’s brows lifted in surprise. “Wait. This is your gym?”

“Yes.”

It was massive floor-to-ceiling mirrors, state-of-the-art equipment, a boxing ring in the center. It wasn’t the kind of gym meant for casual workouts. This was a place built for discipline. Precision. Control.

“Come here,” Damien said, walking toward a set of mats.

Sienna hesitated. “You do realize I don’t need a personal trainer, right?”

He turned to face her, arms still crossed. “This isn’t about fitness.”

She frowned. “Then what is it about?”

He studied her for a long moment before answering. “Discipline.”

A chill ran down her spine.

“I want to see how you handle pressure,” he continued. “How you react when you’re thrown off balance.”

Sienna narrowed her eyes. “And you decided the best way to do that was a workout?”

Damien smirked. “Would you rather I test you another way?”

Her pulse jumped at the implication.

She exhaled slowly, trying to regain control of her own mind. “Fine. What do you want me to do?”

He nodded toward the mat. “Stand there.”

She did as he said, squaring her shoulders.

Then without warning he moved.

One second, he was standing a few feet away. The next, he was right in front of her, reaching for her wrist.

She barely had time to react before he shifted, twisting her arm just enough to throw her off balance.

A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she stumbled, but before she could fall, he caught her one arm wrapping around her waist, the other gripping her wrist firmly.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Her chest pressed against his, her breath uneven.

His grip was unrelenting. Controlled.

Sienna swallowed hard. “What the hell was that?”

“A lesson.”

He didn’t release her immediately. Instead, his thumb brushed against the inside of her wrist, the touch infuriatingly deliberate.

“You rely too much on control,” he murmured. “But control means nothing if someone stronger takes it from you.”

Her heart pounded in her ears.

What are you doing to me?

Damien finally let her go, stepping back.

Sienna exhaled sharply, forcing herself to ignore the heat crawling up her neck.

“Again,” he said.

She narrowed her eyes. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

His smirk deepened.

Sienna clenched her fists.

Fine.

If he wanted a fight…

She’d give him one.