MADDEST OBSESSION - Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Aria sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, her fingers curling around a glass of red wine she hadn’t touched. The sprawling city lights glittered beyond the glass, a perfect contrast to the storm brewing inside her.
Dominic stood behind her, silent for once. She could feel his gaze on her back, heavy with unspoken words.
“I’m not your prisoner, Dominic,” she said softly, not turning to face him.
“You’re my wife,” he corrected, his voice low and dangerously calm.
“My title doesn’t give you ownership over me.”
Silence stretched between them.
Finally, he stepped closer, his reflection joining hers in the glass. “You’re wrong, Aria. The moment you signed that marriage contract, you became mine—body, name, and soul.”
Aria’s jaw tightened. She turned to face him, fire flashing in her eyes. “I am not a possession you can control.”
Dominic’s eyes darkened, his jaw clenching. “Control isn’t the word I’d use.” His voice dipped lower, silk laced with steel. “I protect what’s mine. I keep what’s mine.”
“You mean you suffocate what’s yours.” She stepped closer, defiant. “Is that why you planted your men outside my door? To guard me? Or to keep me from escaping?”
His eyes flickered with something unreadable. “Both.”
The confession made her heart hammer, but not with fear. Anger. Frustration. And something far more dangerous—desire.
“I won’t be caged,” she whispered fiercely.
He stepped so close that their breaths mingled. His hand lifted, fingers trailing along her jawline with surprising tenderness.
“You already are,” Dominic whispered, his lips brushing hers. “But you don’t even realize how much you crave it.”
Her breath caught.
The magnetic pull between them ignited. His thumb traced her lower lip, watching her reaction. Her pulse quickened.
In that moment, Aria knew she should pull away. Resist. Keep the distance she’d carefully maintained.
But her body betrayed her. She leaned into his touch.
Dominic seized the opening. His mouth claimed hers, the kiss searing with dominance, frustration, and raw need. He pressed her back against the cold glass, pinning her in place, his hands gripping her waist as if afraid she might vanish.
Their tongues tangled, breaths quickening, hearts racing in sync with the hunger between them.
And yet beneath the fiery kiss was a war—his need to dominate, her struggle to maintain control.
When he finally pulled back, his breathing was ragged. “You can pretend you hate this, Aria. But your body tells me otherwise.”
Her cheeks flushed. Her pride screamed at her to slap him. But she couldn’t deny the truth in his words. The power play between them was intoxicating—and terrifying.
Dominic’s voice softened. “I won’t let anyone hurt you. Not even yourself.”
Aria stared into his stormy eyes. For the first time, she saw the faintest crack in his armor. Beneath the ruthless exterior was a man who was fighting not only for power, but for her.
And that scared her more than anything.
Because she didn’t know who she was more afraid of—him… or herself.