As I reached the edge of his desk, his hands gripped my hips, the sudden contact making me gasp. His touch was firm, almost painful, as he spun me around to face the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city. "Look out there," he said, his breath hot against my ear. "See all of that?" I nodded, my eyes blurring with unshed tears as I took in the twinkling lights of the cityscape. "That's your world," he whispered, his grip tightening. "And I control it. Now, bend over the desk." ________________ Blind to his relentless gaze, Ciauna moves through her day, unaware of the noose tightening around her. Obeye watches from the shadows, biding his time, savoring the moment before he strikes. By the time she senses something is wrong, it's far too late. He has her now, trapped in his grip, forced to bend to his every dark whim-no escape, no turning back. But the worst part? A part of her doesn't want to resist him at all.