Aria Morgan should have run.
Every logical part of her mind screamed to step back, to rip off the glittering mask Theo Kingston had handed her and walk away before she got burned.
But instead, she was sinking deeper.
And Theo was letting her drown.
The ballroom was still spinning around them, a blur of glittering dresses and the low hum of classical music. Theo's hand remained pressed firmly against the small of her back as he guided her through the next turn. His gaze was sharp beneath the golden lights, his mouth drawn into that dangerous half-smile that made her stomach twist uncomfortably.
"I'm starting to think you enjoy this," Aria said, her breath tight.
Theo's mouth tilted. "Enjoy what?"
"The game."
His eyes darkened. "I don't play games, Aria."
"James would disagree."
Theo's jaw tightened, his grip at her waist sharpening slightly. "James doesn't know me as well as he thinks."
Aria arched a brow. "And how well do you think I know you?"
Theo's gaze burned into hers. His hand slid lower, fingers brushing the bare skin just above her hip.
"Not well enough," he murmured.
Aria's chest tightened dangerously. She needed air. Distance. A moment to remember why this was all an act.
"I need a drink," she said.
Theo's gaze sharpened. His grip didn't loosen. "Careful."
"Of what?"
"Walking away."
Aria's eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat?"
Theo's mouth curved. "It's a reminder."
Aria's breath hitched as Theo released her, stepping back with the kind of quiet control that made her heart race for all the wrong reasons.
"You have five minutes," Theo said flatly. "Don't make me come find you."
Aria's chest tightened as Theo turned and melted into the crowd. Her eyes followed him as he crossed the ballroom sleek black tuxedo, the sharp line of his jaw catching the light, the effortless control in the way people seemed to part for him without even realizing it.
The man was dangerous.
And Aria had just signed herself over to him.
Her throat tightened. She needed air.
She slipped through the crowd, the hem of her satin gown brushing against the marble floor. Eyes followed her sharp, calculating gazes from women who saw her as a threat and men who saw her as an object. Her skin crawled beneath the weight of their attention.
A waiter passed by with a tray of champagne flutes. Aria grabbed one and downed half of it in a single gulp.
"Not bad," a voice said behind her.
Aria turned. James Holloway stood near the edge of the room, hands tucked into the pockets of his tuxedo pants. His smile was easy, too easy and his blue eyes gleamed with quiet amusement.
"You again," Aria said.
James's mouth curved. "You sound disappointed."
Aria's gaze narrowed. "What do you want?"
James stepped closer, his gaze flicking over her shoulder toward where Theo had disappeared. "Just checking in. Making sure Theo's latest… arrangement knows what she's getting into."
"I can handle Theo."
James's eyes glinted beneath the low lights. "I'm sure you think that."
Aria's jaw tightened. "Why do you care?"
James's mouth curved slightly. "Call it professional curiosity."
Her eyes darkened. "Or jealousy?"
James's smile sharpened. "Careful, Aria. You don't know who you're standing next to."
"I could say the same about you."
James's gaze darkened with something colder, something almost dangerous. "Fair point."
Aria's hand tightened around the champagne flute. "What happened between you and Theo?"
James's mouth twisted into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Theo and I used to work together."
"And?"
James's eyes gleamed beneath the lights. "Let's just say Theo Kingston has a habit of burning bridges."
Aria's chest tightened. "And you think he'll burn me?"
James's gaze sharpened. "No."
Her stomach twisted.
"I think he already has."
Aria's breath hitched.
Across the room, a flash of movement caught her eye. Theo stood near the entrance of the ballroom, his gray eyes cutting across the crowd toward her. His gaze sharpened immediately when he spotted James standing close to her.
A muscle jumped in Theo's jaw.
James's smile widened. "Looks like your fiancé isn't thrilled with our conversation."
Aria's heart hammered as Theo's gaze darkened. He pushed away from the wall, moving toward them with the quiet control of a predator closing in on prey.
James's eyes flashed with quiet amusement. "Guess that's my cue."
He leaned in slightly, his breath brushing the edge of Aria's ear. "Careful, Aria. If you think you can control him, you're already losing."
Aria's chest tightened painfully as James stepped back.
Theo reached them a moment later, his hand sliding around Aria's waist with quiet possession. His gaze flicked toward James.
"Is there a problem?" Theo's voice was sharp, cold.
James's mouth tilted. "Not at all. Just getting to know your… fiancée."
Theo's grip at her waist sharpened. "You've done enough of that."
James's smile didn't waver. "Always so territorial."
Theo's eyes flashed dangerously.
James's smile widened. "Enjoy the rest of your evening."
Aria's breath hitched as James disappeared into the crowd. Theo's hand remained at her waist, his grip firm.
"What did he say to you?" Theo's voice was low. Controlled.
"Why does it matter?"
Theo's eyes darkened. "Because James likes to plant seeds."
Aria's gaze sharpened. "Seeds of what?"
Theo's jaw tightened. "Doubt."
Aria's pulse spiked. "Should I be doubting you?"
Theo's gaze burned into hers. "That depends."
"On what?"
"Whether you're willing to trust me."
Aria's chest tightened. Her mind screamed to push back to tear down the dangerous path this conversation was taking but Theo's eyes were dark and burning beneath the low lights, his grip on her waist protective and possessive.
"This is a game to you," she said quietly.
Theo's mouth curved slightly. "You agreed to play."
Her heart slammed painfully beneath her ribs. "And what happens when the game ends?"
Theo's hand slid along her hip, his thumb brushing the bare skin beneath the curve of her dress. His gaze darkened.
"Who says it will?"
Aria's breath hitched.
Before she could respond, Theo's hand tightened, guiding her toward the exit. His gaze remained sharp and unwavering.
"We're leaving," he said flatly.
Aria stiffened. "I wasn't finished."
Theo's mouth curled slightly. "You are now."
Aria's pulse hammered as Theo's grip at her waist guided her toward the grand staircase. Her heart screamed in protest but her body followed his lead.
Theo Kingston was dangerous.
And Aria Morgan was falling right into the fire.
Theo's grip on Aria's waist was firm, not painful, but commanding as he led her through the grand marble hallway of The Drake Hotel. The hum of conversation from the ballroom faded behind them, replaced by the rhythmic click of Aria's heels against the polished floor.
Her heart hammered against her ribs.
"You didn't have to drag me out of there," Aria said, her voice sharp.
Theo didn't slow his pace. "Yes, I did."
Aria's jaw tightened. "Since when do you get to decide where I go?"
Theo stopped so abruptly that Aria nearly stumbled. His hand shot out to steady her, his fingers tightening around her wrist as he pulled her into the shadowed curve of the hallway.
His eyes cold, cutting steel locked onto hers.
"Since the moment you signed the contract," Theo said flatly.
Aria's chest constricted painfully. "That wasn't part of the deal."
Theo's mouth curved slightly. "It is now."
Her eyes narrowed. "That's not how contracts work."
Theo's gaze darkened. He stepped closer, his hand still wrapped around her wrist. "You agreed to play the part of my fiancée. That means you stand next to me, not with James Holloway."
Aria's breath hitched. "You don't own me, Theo."
His mouth tilted. "No?"
Theo's grip loosened, but instead of letting go, his thumb brushed against the sensitive skin on the inside of her wrist. Her pulse jumped beneath his touch.
Theo's gaze sharpened as he felt it.
Aria's breath came in shallow bursts. "You're making this personal."
Theo's mouth curved slightly, but his eyes remained sharp. "It was always personal."
Her chest tightened painfully. "You said this was a business deal."
Theo's gaze flicked toward her mouth. "I lied."
Aria's pulse slammed into her ribs. Her heart screamed at her to pull away to remind Theo that this was a game, not real but her body refused to move.
Theo's hand slid along her jaw, his fingers brushing beneath her chin. He tilted her face upward, his gaze burning into hers.
"You let James touch you," Theo said quietly.
Aria's eyes narrowed. "And?"
Theo's thumb brushed along her jawline. "I didn't like it."
Aria's breath hitched.
Her hands curled into fists at her sides as Theo leaned in. His mouth hovered just above hers, his breath stirring against her lips.
"This isn't real," Aria whispered.
Theo's gaze darkened. "Isn't it?"
Her chest rose and fell beneath the sharp cut of her dress. Her skin burned beneath Theo's touch, every nerve ending alive and dangerous.
But this was a mistake.
A dangerous, beautiful mistake.
Aria's hands shot up between them, pressing against Theo's chest. She pushed him back hard.
Theo's jaw tightened as he steadied himself, his gray eyes flashing beneath the low lights.
"You don't get to do this," Aria said, her voice sharp. "You don't get to blur the lines just because you don't like seeing me with someone else."
Theo's eyes darkened dangerously. "You're mine, Aria."
Her breath hitched. "Until the contract ends."
Theo's gaze sharpened. His mouth opened but before he could respond, a sharp voice cut through the hallway.
"Well, this looks intimate."
Aria's head snapped toward the sound. Emma Sinclair stood at the edge of the hallway, her ice-blue gown trailing behind her like smoke. Her eyes cool and predatory swept over the scene with thinly veiled amusement.
Theo's hand dropped from Aria's wrist, his face hardening into cold indifference.
Emma's mouth curved. "Theo," she purred, stepping toward them. "I thought you were leaving."
Theo's gaze remained sharp. "Change of plans."
Emma's gaze slid toward Aria. Her smile sharpened. "I see."
Aria's jaw tightened. "We were just leaving."
Emma's eyes glittered. "Oh, I'm sure." Her gaze sharpened as it shifted back toward Theo. "Careful, darling. This one looks fragile."
Theo's mouth curved dangerously. "Looks can be deceiving."
Aria's stomach twisted. She opened her mouth to speak, but Emma's eyes flashed toward her.
"You know how this ends, don't you?" Emma's smile was thin and sharp. "Theo always leaves in the end."
Theo's jaw tightened.
Aria's chest constricted painfully. "I'm not you."
Emma's smile sharpened. "No," she murmured. "You're not."
Theo's gaze darkened. "Emma." His voice was low and dangerous.
Emma's gaze flicked toward Theo, her mouth curving. "Relax. I'm just giving the girl some advice."
"Unnecessary," Theo said coolly.
Emma's gaze lingered on Aria for a moment longer before she stepped back. Her smile was poisonous. "We'll see."
She turned and melted into the shadows of the hallway, her ice-blue gown trailing behind her.
Aria's chest tightened painfully.
Theo's jaw was still tense, his eyes storm-gray beneath the low lights.
"I don't like her," Aria muttered.
Theo's mouth curved faintly. "That makes two of us."
Aria's gaze sharpened. "Then why was she your fiancée?"
Theo's gaze darkened. His hand slid back around her waist, pulling her closer.
"I don't make mistakes twice," he said quietly.
Aria's breath hitched. "And what happens when this is over?"
Theo's eyes burned into hers.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there."
Aria's chest tightened painfully. She knew how this ended. She knew this was a deal, a game and nothing more.
But the heat in Theo's gaze made her question everything.
"Come on," Theo said, his hand sliding along her hip. His touch was steady and controlled, but the tension beneath it was sharp. "We're leaving."
Aria stiffened as Theo guided her down the hallway toward the elevator.
As they stepped inside, Theo's hand remained at her waist.
Aria's heart hammered painfully beneath her ribs as the elevator doors slid shut.
Theo's gaze lingered on her reflection in the mirrored walls, his eyes dark and calculating.
"This is a dangerous game," Aria whispered.
Theo's mouth curved slightly. "And yet you keep playing."
Her breath hitched. "What happens when someone loses?"
Theo's gaze sharpened. His hand slid along her waist, his thumb brushing the edge of her hip.
"I don't lose," Theo said softly.
Aria's heart slammed into her ribs as Theo's mouth lowered toward her ear. His breath stirred against her skin.
"Let's see if you can keep up."
The elevator chimed.
Theo's hand slid from her waist as the doors opened. He stepped into the darkened lobby, his gaze sharp beneath the low lights.
Aria's pulse hammered painfully as she followed him.
She knew this was dangerous.
But some reckless part of her was already wondering how far she could fall.