The morning light filtered softly through the sheer curtains, casting golden streaks across the marble floors of Dante Harlan's mansion. Avery stirred awake slowly, the warmth of her brother Ethan curled beside her offering momentary peace. But peace was a fleeting illusion under this roof.
She sat up, pushing her tangled hair from her face, and gazed out the window at the endless estate grounds. The events of the previous night still haunted her-the touch of Dante's fingers on her wrist, the low rumble of his voice asking if she wanted a bedtime story, the faint, wicked glint in his gaze when he told her not to wander.
He knew she had disobeyed him. And he hadn't punished her.
Yet.
A knock on her door snapped her from her thoughts. It wasn't loud, but firm-measured. Controlled.
She stood, heart pounding. When she opened it, a maid dressed in black and white bowed slightly.
"Mr. Harlan requests your presence in the west wing. Breakfast has been prepared."
Requests.
A polite word for a command.
Avery exchanged a glance with Ethan, who was still half-asleep. "Stay here," she whispered gently, tucking the blanket around him before stepping out.
The west wing was silent and foreboding, the ceilings high, the walls decorated with abstract art and haunting shadows. She found him seated at the long glass dining table, dressed impeccably in black as always, his hair damp like he had just showered. He didn't look up when she walked in.
"Sit," he said simply.
She did.
The silence stretched.
He poured black coffee into a white porcelain cup and slid it across to her. Then his eyes met hers.
"Do you make a habit of creeping into men's rooms at night?"
Avery swallowed. "I... I was only-"
"You disobeyed me," he said flatly, his voice smooth and emotionless. "I warned you not to wander."
Her fingers curled around the coffee cup for warmth, for courage. "I needed answers."
He leaned back in his chair, studying her as if she were some puzzle he hadn't decided to solve yet. "There's a price for curiosity in my house, Avery."
She straightened. "And what's the price?"
His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Obedience."
Silence fell again, heavier this time.
Then he stood.
"You want power. Wealth. Protection. All those things have a cost. And it begins with knowing your place. You live under my roof now. That means my rules."
Avery's voice was soft but unwavering. "And if I refuse?"
Dante stepped closer, shadows curling around him like they belonged to him. "Then you'll leave the same way you came-desperate, broken, and alone."
He brushed past her, but not before his fingers briefly, intentionally, brushed the edge of her collarbone.
"And next time you sneak into my room... bring something worth my attention."
He left her standing there, breathless and shaken.
Avery stood frozen in the doorway long after he dismissed her with that ruthless smirk and those unforgettable words: "Next time you sneak into my room... bring something worth my attention."
What did he even mean by that?
Her thoughts spun wildly as she padded back to her room, the echo of her bare feet swallowed by the mansion's opulent silence. The corridor stretched longer than she remembered, shadows playing tricks with her mind. Was he teasing her? Testing her? Or was it a warning in disguise?
By the time she reached her room, her heartbeat was a fluttering mess. She shut the door behind her, leaning back against it and exhaling sharply.
She didn't sleep.
Not really.
She lay awake, tangled in moonlight and thoughts of him - his fathomless eyes, the way he watched her like she was something wild that needed taming. Or maybe breaking.
---
Morning came dressed in gold, but warmth didn't follow.
Avery found Dante already downstairs, seated at the head of the dining table like a king in his court. His sleeves were rolled up, forearms inked with dark, dangerous stories. He didn't look up as she entered. Didn't need to. His presence filled the room even in stillness.
She sat down slowly, quietly, opposite him.
He finally lifted his gaze. "Did you sleep well?" he asked, voice void of emotion but heavy with suggestion.
Avery swallowed. "Not really."
"No?" he tilted his head. "Then perhaps next time you'll stay out of rooms where you don't belong."
The bite in his tone stung more than it should have.
"I wasn't trying to-"
"I don't care what you were trying to do," he cut in, setting his coffee down with a quiet clink. "But since you're so eager to know what it takes to hold my attention..."
He leaned forward slightly, eyes locking with hers. "Let's begin your obedience training."
Avery stiffened. "Obedience training?"
His mouth curled at the edges - not a smile, but a threat wearing a mask. "You offered yourself, Miss Quinn. I haven't forgotten. I accepted. And now you're mine to own."
The words hit her like a whip, sharp and humiliating.
But deep down... wasn't this what she'd bargained for?
"Rule one," he said coolly, sipping his coffee again. "You don't touch what's mine. My things. My space. My silence."
"And what am I?" she asked before she could stop herself.
His gaze flicked back to hers, deadly calm. "A girl who better learn fast, or burn trying."
Avery's breath caught. The clink of cutlery and soft hum of the chandelier overhead felt distant-muted beneath the weight of his words.
Dante sipped from his glass, his eyes never leaving her. "You want to live under my roof, you play by my rules," he said, his voice smooth but biting, like silk edged in steel. "And the first rule, Avery, is obedience."
She sat stiffly, her hands curled around the edge of her chair. "What exactly does that mean?" she asked quietly.
He leaned back in his chair, tilting his head slightly. "It means I don't tolerate lies. I don't tolerate secrets. And I especially don't tolerate disobedience. You walk into my room without permission again, there won't be another warning."
Her heart thudded. "I wasn't trying to-"
"You were trying to see me," he interrupted, his tone sharper now. "To understand me. But you won't. Not yet."
Silence stretched across the table. Ethan sat to her right, too busy with his food to sense the tension.
"Why did you call me down?" she asked.
Dante gestured to the plate before her. "Eat. Then you'll begin."
"Begin what?"
He smiled without warmth. "Your training."
Avery's fingers curled tighter around her fork. "I'm not-"
"You are now," he said, voice low. "You bargained for your brother's safety, for power and protection. That comes with a price. It starts with understanding the world you've stepped into. My world. One where your survival depends on how quickly you learn."
She looked up at him, caught in the shadows of his expression. He was unreadable, distant-like marble carved with fire.
"You'll shadow me today," he continued. "Watch. Listen. Speak only when told. One misstep, and this deal ends. And if it ends, so does his protection."
Avery's stomach twisted.
He stood. "You wanted power, Miss Quinn. Let's see if you can stomach it."
Then he turned and walked out, his coat flaring behind him like black smoke.
Avery stared after him, her jaw clenched, and whispered to herself, "What the hell did I get myself into?"