Everything about him shifted on that final command. His voice, his grip on her chin, his eyes. It all became harder, more demanding in a way that sent her heart racing. That hunger she’d been wrestling with dug its claws in even deeper, and she knew she wasn’t going to leave this room until she’d slaked it.
“Yes, Daddy.”
Chapter Five
Aria
She could do this. They were just panties, for fuck’s sake. And although she was a virgin, she had actually been naked in front of a guy before.
Just the one, but still. She could do this.
Silently lecturing herself for being so damn dramatic, she took a step back when he released her chin, hooking her fingers in the waistband of her panties. The movement drew his attention downward, and she watched as that same something from before flickered across his face.
“Mistletoe?”
“Yeah.” Thankfully her voice wasn’t as shaky as the rest of her felt. “I think it was Lottie’s idea of a joke. You know, kiss me under the mistletoe or whatever.”
“Lottie is a genius.”
There was such affection in his tone, in his eyes, it gave her pause. “Have you two ever…?”
“No. She’s a friend, nothing more.”
A friend. Right. Because he frequented the club her father owned, and Lottie wasn’t just Braden’s submissive and now wife, but worked a few nights a week. To keep her busy, Lottie had said, but Aria had always wondered if there was more to it than that.
Whatever the reasoning, it meant Lottie was here more often than not, so of course she’d be friends with the regulars. There was no reason for the jealousy twisting her stomach into knots at the mere thought of them knowing each other.
Shoving those uncomfortable feelings down deep, she returned to her task, sliding the satin panties down her thighs, balancing on one foot as she stepped out of one leg hole and then the other.
“Hand them to me.” His gaze locked on her face as he held his hand out for her panties.
Jerking her chin up, she let her lip curl in a smirk. “Say please.”
It was, she was fairly certain, the absolute wrong thing to say to a man like him. Would he punish her? Put her over his knee and spank her for daring to be so cheeky? Were the cabinets in here stocked like the ones in her father’s office, full of terrifying implements he might use to put her in her place?
The thought was both thrilling and horrifying all at the same time.
But to her surprise, he didn’t haul her over his knee or reach for the buckle of his belt. He didn’t even threaten her.
He simply… laughed.
“Brat.” The word held a wealth of affection, different from what she’d heard in his voice when he’d been talking about Lottie, but there all the same. “But you’re right. There’s no reason to eschew good manners just because I’m about to tie you down and have my way with you. So, princess, will you please give me your panties?”
He was teasing her, and oddly enough it relaxed her enough for her to finally drop the panties into his outstretched hand.
Emerald eyes flashed with approval as he lifted the damp fabric to his nose—and inhaled.
Holy fuck.
“Oh, you smell delicious, princess. I can’t fucking wait to taste you. Now that we’ve completed the first step of the plan, I want you on the bed, stretched out with your arms over your head.”
Her gaze flicked to the side. “Why can’t we use one of the thrones?”
Why the hell are we wasting time asking ridiculous questions when we could be getting laid?
Master O raised a dark brow in response. “Because you aren’t in charge here. You may be a princess, but I am a king, and you will do as you’re told or I will punish you.”
Humiliation slithered over her skin, leaving her burning in its wake. But not in a way that made her want to gather her clothes and storm out, telling him what an arrogant asshole he was, even if part of her was convinced that was exactly what she should do.
