Sweet Hatred
Chapter 36: “Be a good girl, Aria."

Chapter 36: “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.

We passed Mia’s empty desk. Good. That meant I didn’t have to waste my time. Mia was desperate, but she’d learned her place. Aria, however... She still clung to the delusion of choice, of control and truthfully I enjoyed it.

I stepped aside, releasing my grip on her wrist as we reached the door to her new office. "Go on," I murmured.

She hesitated before cursing under her breath and twisted the knob open. The moment she stepped inside, her shoulders stiffened. There it was. That little flicker of surprise she tried so damn hard to hide.

I followed and leaned against the doorframe, watching her take it all in—the sleek, modern desk, the deep leather chair, the massive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. Everything in here screamed luxury and power.

"You can thank me later," I said smoothly.

Her head snapped toward me, amber eyes sharp with irritation. "You must really think you’re some kind of god huh?"

I tilted my head slightly. "Who says I’m not?"

"You’re so full of shit."

I crooked a cold smirk. "Careful, Aria. Blasphemy suits you... but we both know who answers the prayers here."

Her jaw clenched, her patience slipping. Push her further.

"So, do you like it?" I asked, voice deceptively calm.

She turned away, dragging her gaze over every inch of the office as if searching for something to hate. "It’s a glorified cage, I’ll give it that," she muttered.

"Your cage," I corrected, crowding her until the heat of her body screamed against mine. "You’ll work here."

She huffed a humorless laugh. "Work? Or you mean just sitting around waiting to be your personal—"

"Oh you’ll earn your place here firefly." I cut in, voice low, sharp. I let the words settle, stepping closer. Just enough to suffocate.

Her glare hardened. Good. I wanted it to sting.

"You still see me that way, don’t you?" she asked, voice calm—too calm. But her fists clenched at her sides, betraying her.

I hummed. "I don’t forgive mistakes easily, firefly." The nickname rolled off my tongue, lazy, taunting. "If you want my respect, you’ll have to impress me with your mind." My eyes dragged over her body, staying a second longer on her full tits. "Not just your body."

Crack.

Her palm snapped across my cheek. Sharp, fast. I barely felt it.

She leaned in, voice low, thick with something hot and dangerous. "I’ll make you eat your words."

I didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Instead, I closed the last sliver of space between us. Her breath hitched as our bodies brushed.

"I can’t wait to."

Her lips parted, just slightly, just enough for me to drink in the way her chest rose and fell.

Her glare thickened, unwavering, but the air between us sizzled. Ah. There it was. That intoxicating mix of defiance and barely restrained heat.

I leaned even closer. Slow. Deliberate. She backed up instinctively. Until she couldn’t. The desk pressed into her hips, my body into hers.

"Kael," she warned, her hand pressing against my chest. But I caught the slight tremor in her fingers.

She was already unraveling.

She let out a breath, laced with disdain. "Shouldn’t you be giving some of your attention to your loyal bird? She’s been itching for you and taking it out on me."

"Mia?" I exhaled sharply, amused. "I thought you already figured it out. We’re done." My hands flattened against the desk, caging her in. "I finally found what I was looking for."

She scoffed, chin tilting up in defiance. "Oh, and I should feel special?"

Her words were meant to cut, but all I saw was the way her dark curls framed her face, the way her chest rose with each breath. Gorgeous.

I smirked. "You don’t have to."

I held her gaze, savoring it like a slow burn—like a rare, expensive wine. And fuck, I wasn’t ready to let go. Not now. Not when she was looking at me like this.

My fingers brushed along her waist, light, teasing. "Because I won’t hesitate to cut you off if you turn out to be a waste of my time."

Her eyes narrowed. "You really don’t have to worry about that."

She leaned in, voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "I’d rather be strapped to a bomb and blown to pieces before I ever fall for a beast like you."

An insult. Sharp and intentional. But I just smirked.

Our breaths mingled, her chest rising and falling a little too fast. I dipped my head lower, lips hovering over the curve of her neck.

"Be a good girl, Aria," I murmured.

Her whole body tensed. "I already told you not call me that," she growled. "Or I’ll claw off your face."

I chuckled against her skin, feeling her try so hard to fight how much she wanted this.

Her hands pressed against my chest again as if to push me away, but before she could, I grabbed her by the thighs and lifted her onto the desk, forcing her legs around me.

Her breath hitched. My grip tightened.

"Do you have a thing for fucking inside an office?" she challenged, voice breathy, teasing, and pissed off all at once.

I leaned in, lips brushing her ear. "Are you eager to find out?"

I pulled her closer—flush against me. Her skirt bunched up completely, exposing the curve of her ass under her leggings. My hands found their way there, squeezing, kneading.

She let out something between a gasp and a curse, but I didn’t give her time to collect herself before I started kissing down her neck. Her collarbone. Her shoulder. Every inch of her skin that was mine to take.

Then—

A knock. The sharp quick thud. I knew whose it was.

Aria tensed, her nails sunk into my shoulders but I didn’t stop. Instead, my mouth devoured her skin up to her earlobe. My hands gripped her even harder, pressing her against me.

Her breath was ragged, hands threading into my hair before she yanked my face up to hers, eyes blazing.

"If someone walks in on us," she said, voice dripping with warning, "I will make sure no one walks out alive—including myself. I mean it."

Her words made me smirk. This woman. She really was amusing.

I finally pulled back, smoothing down her skirt like I hadn’t just been seconds away from ruining it.

"Prove your worth Aria," I murmured, stepping back completely, the ghost of a smirk still on my lips. "It’ll be a shame to prove me right again."

I turned toward the door just as it clicked open.

Now the real fun began.