Ace's POV:
She hesitated, her lips barely brushing against mine before she pulled back like I was some schoolboy she had to humor.
I let out a low chuckle. Wrong move, little pet.
Before she could react, I grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet my gaze. Her pupils were blown wide, not just with defiance but with something else—uncertainty. Fear? No, not yet. But it would come.
"You think that was a kiss?" My voice was calm, almost amused. "Try again."
She clenched her jaw, her wrists shifting slightly in the cuffs. I knew that look—calculating, weighing her options, thinking she still had some control here. Adorable.
I leaned in close, my lips barely an inch from hers. "Or I can take what I'm owed."
I could feel her pulse quicken. She was stubborn, but she wasn't stupid. She knew I was done playing nice.
