Hate Contract.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, my gaze narrowing at him.

"To hate me." His smirk returned slowly and sultry, eyes glinting with a dark intensity that made my breath seize for a split second."…without holding back."

This bastard.

"You want me to hate you." I repeated, making sure I heard him right. "Relentlessly. Daily."

"Yes" he answered. "Hate me until your hands shake," he growled. "But do it on top or beneath me, where I can watch you savor every cut."

"Well that's pretty fucking easy." I scoffed.

My heel grazed his calf beneath the desk—a fleeting strike.

Kael didn't even flinch. "And in exchange? A promotion at HQ?"

"Better. You'll be my executive assistant." His gaze dropped to my mouth. "And mine. Every moment, every breath, every vicious little insult you throw? Mine."

My stomach twisted. The way he said it—like he was claiming me, like I was already his before I even agreed—made something dark coil deep inside me.

The room tilted. This bastard really did his homework, I thought.

My heel slid up his calf again—slow this time, teasing, taunting—before I pressed down, hard enough to bruise.

His lips barely twitched. "That's cute, firefly."

I lifted my chin. "And the catch?"

Kael's voice dropped, rough as gravel. "You lose."

I blinked. This Devil-

He smiled, slow and lethal. "You can fight me, Aria. Every second of every fucking day. You can slap me, spit at me, dig your nails in deep enough to scar—"

He leaned in until our lips barely brushed.

"And I'll still have you moaning my name by midnight."

My breath hitched. My pulse slammed hard against my ribs, a traitorous heat crawling up my spine.

"You arrogant bastard—" my hands raised instinctively, but before I could do anything,

Kael grabbed my hand, pinning it to the desk with ease.

"No." His fingers tightened just enough to make me swallow. "I own your hate, sweetheart. And every time you fight back? You're only feeding me more."

A slow, unbearable heat curled in my gut. My nipples hardened, my thighs clenched—

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I yanked my hand free, gripping the lighter like a weapon. "I won't break."

His laugh was low. Dark. Almost fond. "Oh, firefly." He traced a fingertip along my jaw, down my throat, stopping at the pulse hammering beneath my skin.

"You're already cracking."

I clenched my teeth, refusing to look away.

"Miss Thorne…"

"It's Aria to you."

"Aria… You want revenge for me humiliating you?" he taunted, voice dripping with dark invitation. "Then ruin me. Take your pound of flesh exactly where it hurts while I ruin you equally."

Heat pooled low in my gut. Fuck him. Fuck the way his thumb circled my knuckle, slow as a confession sending a shiver down my spine. "Masochist" I breathed

"Realist," he corrected. "You don't want to break me, Aria. You want to see how much I can take." His voice dipped lower. "And I want to see how long you can resist before you snap."

My mind raced. Fast. Think of something. "Five days." I forced out, my voice sharp. "I set the rules."

Kael clicked his tongue. "No, sweetheart." He stepped closer, the heat of him suffocating. "I do."

My breath came too fast. My fingers tightened around the lighter. "And the other two days?"

Kael smiled, slow and sinful. "You'll be begging me not to stop."

I should've walked away. Should've ended it there.

Instead, I grabbed his tie, yanking him forward, my breath uneven. "You'll regret this."

His fingers curled around my wrist, steady, unshakable. "Sounds like a plan."

And then he let me go, like I was nothing. Like I was already his.

Like I'd already lost.

His laugh was dark velvet. Something that stirred my distaste for him, mixing into something more tempting.

"You'll wish I'd killed you."

He traced my jaw, thumb lingering on my lip. "Promises promises."

"And what's the deal breaker?"

He paused. His brows arched slightly and then leaned even further. "Isn't it obvious?" his deep voice dropped even dangerously lower, and colder.

For a split second, I pictured him groaning under me. But my expression remained stone. "You can't fall in love with me." He continued, his expression turning more serious.

I sneered. "I guess I'll be stuck with you for a long time."

"Maybe." He smiled. "But don't let your guard down, I can be pretty charming."

Eww. The only good thing about him was his face and probably his dick. There was no way I'd throw away my self respect for that.

Besides that, I was done with falling for those XY chromosomes and their pathetic lies. I flashed him a look of disgust, silent but telling. He really didn't need to worry about that.

I rose, heels barely leveling our height. "I'll want it in writing."

"Of course." He pulled a contract from the drawer, ink still wet. "Sign in blood or bourbon. Your choice."

I scanned the clauses—cold, clinical, thorough. My pulse thundered. Mom's Surgery. The debt. All erased. And the breach? "if one party fell in love." I chuckled. "Typical."

I scrawled my name, the pen cracking under my grip.

Kael watched, green eyes glinting. "No hesitation?"

"Hesitation's for people who can afford it." I tossed the pen, its gold plating clattering against the desk. "The surgery must be done soon."

"Already done." He slid a keycard toward me— Suite 401. "I had her moved to better room. Your mother's surgeon is from outside the country. The best."

The metal bit into my palm. Control. Finally. But at what cost?

He rose, circling me. "Regrets?"

"Only that I can't strangle you twice."

His breath hitched—a nearly imperceptible crack. "Got you."

I strode to the door, heels echoing like gunshots.

"Aria."

I didn't turn.

His voice was molten steel, branding itself onto me.

"Your anger isn't yours anymore. I own it. Every snarl, every scar. You wanna hate someone? Hate me. No one else gets a taste."

I let the words settle, rolling them over like a blade between my teeth. Then I halted, spinning on my heels to match his gaze. His stare didn't flicker—a predator's grin sharp enough to draw blood.

"Then I'll make damn sure you choke on the smoke."

His smirk was sharp, approving. "You resume tomorrow."