Chapter 123
Aria's POV
Devon drove us away from Eden, all enthusiasm gone from his face. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath, knuckles white against the steering wheel. He clearly hadn't anticipated Richard Brown's appearance at the club. The tension in the car was palpable as he sped through Manhattan's streets, eventually pulling into the private garage of his luxury high-rise. Without a word, he led me to his private elevator and up to his penthouse apartment.
The elevator ascended silently to the penthouse level of Devon's Manhattan skyscraper. I stood rigidly beside him, my body still trembling from what had happened at Eden. The revealing black lace from the club felt like sandpaper against my skin, barely covered by the jacket Devon had draped over my shoulders when we fled.
When the doors slid open, revealing the marble foyer of his penthouse, I hesitated. Something about crossing that threshold felt like surrendering the last shred of control I still possessed.
Devon turned, his gray eyes cold as they raked over me. "What's the matter? Do you prefer to let the security cameras record you dressed like that?"
His gaze drifted to where the jacket had slipped, revealing the edge of black lace. Heat flooded my cheeks, but I forced my chin up and stepped into his apartment.
"I'm never going back to that club," I declared, trying to sound firm despite my voice catching.
Devon closed the door with a decisive click. "Is that so?"
He studied me with an unnerving intensity that made me feel like a specimen under glass. I shifted uncomfortably, the memory of Richard Brown's hands on me still crawling across my skin. The way Devon had appeared, his face contorted with rage as he yanked Richard away... I took an involuntary step back.
"Scared?" Devon's voice dropped to a dangerous low. "You look like a frightened deer."
I swallowed hard, forcing myself not to retreat further. The echo of his threat to Richard—break the hand he used on her—replayed in my mind. There had been no hesitation in his voice, just cold certainty.
"Of you?" I tried to inject confidence I didn't feel. "Why would I be afraid of you?"
Devon moved closer, his fingers capturing my chin. "Aren't you?"
His gray eyes searched mine, something complicated flickering in their depths. I felt my pulse quicken, trapped between fear and something else entirely.
"No," I lied. "I'm not."
A cold smile touched his lips. "It seems the lesson at Eden wasn't clear enough."
His fingers trailed from my chin down my throat to my collarbone, lingering on my exposed skin. My entire body shivered, betraying me completely.
"You remember what I told you before?" His breath was warm against my ear, making my heart hammer wildly. "What did I say, Aria?"
I tried to maintain composure, offering him a placating smile despite the alarm bells ringing in my head. "Devon gets what Devon wants."
His hand slid to the small of my back, guiding me toward his bedroom. The movement contained his trademark dominance, but beneath it, I sensed something almost gentle.
"Tonight," he murmured, "be a good girl, Aria."
Before I could respond, his mouth captured mine in a kiss that stole my breath. His lips were firm, insistent, and I felt his teeth graze my bottom lip as his hands gripped my waist. I gasped, and he took advantage, deepening the kiss with an intensity that made my knees buckle. My back hit the wall, and Devon pressed against me, one hand sliding into my hair, holding me in place.
"Tell me you want this," he demanded, his voice rough against my lips.
My body betrayed me, responding to his touch as if programmed. "Yes," I whispered, hating the neediness in my voice.
His hands moved to the jacket, pushing it off my shoulders. It fell to the floor with a soft thud. I stood there in just the black lace, feeling exposed and vulnerable, yet the hunger in Devon's eyes sent heat racing through me.
He stepped back slightly, taking in the sight of me. "Turn around," he ordered.
I hesitated.
"Turn. Around." Each word was deliberate, commanding.
I turned slowly, facing the wall. Devon's hands found my shoulders, then trailed down my back, following the curve of my spine. I shivered as his fingers reached the small of my back, then continued lower. His touch was possessive, marking territory.
"Richard touched what's mine," Devon said, his voice thick with anger. "I don't share what belongs to me."
"I don't belong to anyone," I replied, trying to maintain some semblance of defiance.
Devon spun me around to face him, his eyes dark with desire and something else—possessiveness, maybe even jealousy. "Tonight, you do."
He lifted me effortlessly, my legs wrapping around his waist instinctively. As he carried me to the bedroom, his mouth found mine again, hungry and demanding. We fell onto his massive bed, Devon's weight pressing me into the mattress.
His hands were everywhere—sliding up my thighs, gripping my waist, cupping my breasts through the thin lace. Each touch sent electricity through me, making it harder to remember why I should resist.
"I want to hear you say it," Devon said, his fingers hooking into the waistband of the lace underwear.
"Say what?" I managed, breathless.
"That you're mine. Tonight."
I looked into his eyes, seeing the need there—not just physical, but something deeper, something that made me wonder if Devon Kane might be as trapped in this game as I was.
"Tonight," I whispered, "I'm yours."
Devon's control seemed to snap at my words. He tore the lace from my body, the delicate fabric giving way easily in his hands. His mouth moved down my neck, leaving a trail of heat wherever his lips touched. When he reached my collarbone, he paused at my beauty mark, tracing it with his tongue before continuing lower.
I arched beneath him, my body acting on instinct, seeking more. My hands fumbled with his shirt buttons, suddenly desperate to feel his skin against mine. Devon helped, shrugging out of his shirt to reveal the muscled chest beneath.
"Do you know how long I've wanted to have you like this?" Devon asked, his voice husky as he unbuckled his belt. "Since that first night in the hotel room."
His confession surprised me. I'd thought our arrangement was purely transactional for him, a power play. The vulnerability in his voice made my chest tighten.
When he finally entered me, it was with a forceful thrust that made me cry out. Devon paused, his eyes finding mine, checking—despite his dominance—that I was okay. I nodded, and he began to move.
His rhythm was relentless, driving me higher with each thrust. My nails dug into his back, leaving marks I knew he'd wear tomorrow. The thought sent a thrill through me—marking him as he marked me.
"Look at me," Devon commanded as I felt myself nearing the edge. "I want to see your eyes when you come."
His words pushed me over. I kept my eyes locked on his as waves of pleasure crashed through me, my body clenching around him. Devon followed moments later, his control finally breaking as he groaned my name against my neck.
After, we lay tangled in his sheets, sweat cooling on our skin. Devon's fingers traced lazy patterns on my back, his touch surprisingly gentle now that the urgency had passed. I felt boneless, utterly spent.
"You're full of surprises, Aria Harper," he murmured, pressing a kiss to my shoulder.
I wanted to reply, but exhaustion pulled at me, dragging me toward sleep. The last thing I felt was Devon pulling me against his chest, his heartbeat steady under my cheek.
---
The next day, I lay sprawled across his silk sheets, unable to move. Devon reclined against the headboard, his eyes taking in my exhausted but satisfied expression.
"We should try role-play more often," he mused, fingers trailing along the beauty mark on my collarbone. "Your performance behind that mask was... unexpected."
Embarrassment and excitement twisted together inside me. I pulled the sheet over my body, suddenly conscious of my nakedness, of how exposed I'd been—not just physically but emotionally. With each encounter, I felt my control slipping further away.
Devon rose from the bed, his movements fluid and confident as he dressed. The casual way he slipped into his tailored suit transformed him back into the business titan.
He glanced over, eyebrow raised. "You're not even going to cover yourself?"
Startled from my thoughts, I hurriedly pulled the sheet higher, which earned me a smirk.
"I have an early meeting," he stated, adjusting his tie with practiced precision. "There's food in the refrigerator. Ask the housekeeper if you need anything else."
He moved toward the door, then turned back, his expression suddenly serious. "Don't wander, Aria. Wait for me to return."