Chapter 274
Aria’s POV
The evening sun painted Manhattan's skyline in shades of amber and crimson as I sat on the edge of Devon's king-sized bed, my phone and laptop arranged on the nightstand like prisoners awaiting execution. I'd been in my room since Devon had picked me up from the hospital and back to the apartment today.
Emily had just left, her departing footsteps still echoing in my mind along with the faint click of the door lock.
The dinner tray sat untouched on the dresser: grilled salmon with quinoa salad, meticulously prepared according to the pregnancy-friendly meal plan Devon's personal chef had devised. I should have been grateful. Should have felt cared for. Instead, I felt like a bird in a gilded cage, my wings clipped by invisible chains of concern and control.
I could handle Harper Group's emails from here—Devon had made that abundantly clear when he'd handed me my laptop this morning with a warning look. But leaving the apartment? That was forbidden territory, guarded by Marcus and Lucas in the hallway outside, their presence both protection and prison.
My gaze drifted to the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the endless stream of traffic forty-three floors below. People moved freely through the city, unaware and unburdened. The sight made something twist sharply in my chest.
"I'm not a canary", I thought bitterly, pressing one hand against the cool glass. "I don't need to be kept in a gilded cage."
My other hand moved unconsciously to my abdomen, still flat but harboring a secret that had transformed everything. "Baby," I whispered to the tiny life growing inside me, "Mommy needs to make your daddy understand something important. Protection doesn't equal imprisonment."
The sound of the elevator chiming made my pulse quicken. Devon was home early—it was barely eleven o'clock. I heard his footsteps in the hallway, the low rumble of his voice as he dismissed Marcus and Lucas for the night. Then the bedroom door opened, and there he was: six-foot-three of controlled power, his gray eyes finding me immediately with that predatory intensity that never failed to make my breath catch.
He'd loosened his tie, and his dark hair was slightly disheveled, as if he'd been running his hands through it. The sight of him in that state—vulnerable, tired, almost human—gave me courage.
I moved to kneel behind him on the bed, wrapping my arms around his neck and resting my chin on his shoulder. His cologne mixed with the clean scent of his skin, intoxicating and familiar.
"Devon," I whispered, letting my lips brush against his ear. "I have a small request..."
My fingers trailed down his chest, tracing the defined muscles through his dress shirt. I could feel his heart rate pick up under my palm, could sense the tension coiling in his body.
"What is it?" His voice was carefully neutral, but his shoulders had gone rigid.
"Maybe tomorrow I could go into the office?" I kept my voice soft, almost pleading. "Just for a few hours. Marcus and Lucas could come—"
"No."
The single word was absolute. I felt frustration surge through me, but I forced it down, let my hand slide lower instead. My fingers found the buttons of his shirt, working them open one by one.
"Devon, please." I pressed my lips to the side of his neck. "I'm going crazy in here."
His hand shot up and caught my wrist. "Aria. Stop."
But I didn't stop. My free hand moved to the front of his trousers, pressing against the growing hardness there. I felt him tense, heard his sharp intake of breath.
"You're playing a dangerous game," he said, his voice dropping to that low register that sent heat pooling through my body.
"I'm not playing." I cupped him through the fabric, felt him throb against my palm. "I'm negotiating."
He turned suddenly, so fast I gasped. His hands gripped my upper arms, and those gray eyes had darkened to something almost black. "You think you can use sex to manipulate me?"
"I think," I said, meeting his gaze steadily despite my racing heart, "that you want me. And I think if you're happy, you might actually listen to what I need."
For a long moment, he just stared at me. Then his lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Fine. You want to play it this way? Let's play."
He released my arms and leaned back against the headboard, legs stretched out in front of him. His shirt hung open, revealing the hard planes of his chest and abdomen. The bulge in his trousers was obvious now, straining against the expensive fabric.
"You made me hard, Aria. Now you're going to take care of it."
My cheeks flushed hot. "Devon, I didn't mean—"
"No?" He raised one eyebrow. "You put your hands on me. You knew exactly what you were doing. So now you're going to finish what you started. And if you do a good job..." He paused, his eyes traveling over me slowly. "Maybe I'll consider your request."
I stared at him, my pulse pounding in my ears. This wasn't what I'd planned. I'd thought maybe he'd kiss me, that we'd fall into bed together like we always did. But this—him sitting there, making me perform for him—this was about power and control.
"I don't..." I started, but the words died in my throat when I saw the challenge in his eyes.
"Don't know how?" He reached out and traced one finger along my jaw. "I can teach you. Or you can go back to your emails and forget about ever leaving this apartment."
Anger and arousal warred inside me. I hated that he could reduce everything to this—to transactions and tests of will. But I also couldn't deny the heat spreading through my body, the way my hands trembled with something that wasn't entirely fear.
"Fine," I said, the word coming out harsher than I intended.
His eyes flashed with something—triumph, maybe, or hunger. "Then come here."
I moved closer, kneeling between his legs. My hands shook as I reached for his belt buckle. The leather was soft and expensive under my fingers as I worked it open, then moved to the button and zipper of his trousers.
"Look at me," Devon commanded.
I raised my eyes to his face. He was watching me intently, his jaw tight, breathing controlled but faster than normal.
"Good girl," he murmured. "Now take me out."