“Be a good girl, Aria."

KAEL

"If you have nothing meaningful to say to me, I'm leaving. Sir."

Aria exhaled sharply, defiance sharpening every syllable, before spinning on her heel to leave, defying my words. Wrong fucking move.

"Where do you think you're going?"

My hand snapped out, steel wrapped in velvet, crushing her wrist before she could take a second step. Her pulse hammered against my grip as I dragged her forward instead, her body stumbling into the gravity of mine.

She twisted in my grip, her glare burning into my back as I pulled her down the hall. "Let go of me."

I didn't. Wouldn't.

Her fingers clawed at my hold, her body coiled like a spring—all fury, no strategy. Pathetic. I could've released her. Should've, maybe. But the way her defiance ignited something primal in my chest? The way her futile struggles carved a smirk onto my lips? No fucking way.