The morning light crept through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Ethan Blackwood’s penthouse, casting a golden glow across the luxurious room. Aria stirred under the crisp sheets, still flushed from the previous night. Her body hummed with a lingering ache, a reminder that Ethan’s dominance was no longer just a threat—it was a thrilling reality.

Her eyes snapped open as she remembered the events of the gala—the public teasing, the secret touches, the way he had claimed her without ...