Chapter:00005

Skye’s POV

Heat rushed to my face. Was it that obvious?

Silence stretched between us. I couldn’t find the words to lie so I said nothing at all.

His thumb traced the line of my bottom lip before sliding down my throat. My legs began to tremble, a fine shiver I couldn't suppress, but I forced myself to stand my ground. His fingers continued their slow, agonizing descent, trailing over my collarbone and down the center of my chest.

I swallowed hard, my breath hitching as his hand passed my navel. When his fingertips reached the very edge of my panties, the contact sent a jolt through me. A soft, traitorous moan escaped my lips before I could stop it.

I gasped and covered my mouth in shock.

He smirked, then stepped back as if nothing had happened.

Turning away, he walked to the wardrobe and pulled out a white, long-sleeved shirt, tossing it in my direction.

I caught it clumsily.

He didn't look at me as he spoke again.

"I don't deal with innocent virgins."

My heart skipped violently. Did that mean I'd failed? Was this the end before it had even begun?

"How about I lose it…elsewhere?” The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them. "Would I be qualified then?"

Dante spun around with such violence that I flinched. His expression wasn't cold anymore…it was dangerous, dark in a way that made my pulse spike.

I had crossed a line.

"I... I didn’t mean it like that," I stammered, clutching the white shirt to my chest. "I just wanted to be qualified. I'm serious about this."

The silence that followed was suffocating. He didn't speak; he just stared at me with those predatory eyes, making me feel smaller than I ever had.

A sharp knock on the door shattered the tension.

I turned instinctively. The door opened slightly, and a man stepped inside. He bowed briefly.

"The contract is ready, sir."

"Give it to her," Dante said "Then leave."

The man walked toward me, his eyes strictly on the floor as he held out a heavy brown envelope. I took it, and as quickly as he’d appeared, he was gone.

"Go through it," Dante said, his voice flat and businesslike, as if he hadn't just had his hands on my skin moments ago.

My heart leapt as I opened the envelope, excitement and fear tangling in my chest. I scanned the pages, forcing myself to read every line.

It was a two year agreement.

I would be his woman, nothing more, nothing less.

Our arrangement would remain private. No public acknowledgment unless he decided otherwise. In return, I would receive a monthly allowance, protection, influence... and everything I needed to rise.

Money. Fame. Power.

I wasn't allowed to date. I wasn't allowed to form attachments. And if I fell for him, if feelings entered the equation…the contract would be terminated immediately.

There were dozens more clauses—rules for how I dressed, where I went, and who I spoke to. It wasn't just a contract, it was a cage.

"So tell me, Miss Vaughn," Dante said, his voice cutting through my thoughts. "What is it you actually want from me?"

I lifted my chin and met his gaze.

"I want to be the top actress in the industry."

He studied me for a long moment. "Do you have talent? Money doesn't always buy greatness. And I don't invest in mediocrity."

"I love acting," I replied.

"Loving something and understanding it are two different things," Dante said

"I know how to act," I insisted, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "And I promise I won't give you a reason to doubt my potential."

Dante stared at me before he finally nodded. He stepped closer, pulled out a fountain pen and held it out, waiting for me to take the final step.

"Sign."

I took it and scrawled my name at the bottom of the parchment. I didn't let myself hesitate. I’m doing the right thing, I whispered to myself like a mantra. This is the only way.

When I was done, he took the contract and pen flinging them carelessly onto the bed behind him.

His hand settled at my waist, firm and possessive, pulling me against him.

"You belong to me now, Miss Vaughn," he said quietly. "I hope you can handle that"

Before I could respond, he lifted me effortlessly. I gasped and instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck.

He didn't take me to the bed; instead, he sat me back against the hard surface of the table.

He moved quickly, sliding my panties down and tossing them aside. My breathing turned shallow, my heart pounding against my ribs

Are you scared?" he asked, his silver-grey eyes searching mine.

"I'm not," I lied, my voice barely a whisper

He didn't call me out on the lie. Instead, he spread my legs and slowly, agonizingly guided a single finger inside me. My body reacted instantly, my muscles clenching tightly around him. The sensation was a shock to my system; I was already wet, aching for a touch I didn't fully understand.

I wanted more. I wanted him to move.

As if he could read the desperation in my thoughts, he began to move his finger against my walls. A soft, broken moan escaped me. It was a brand new world of sensation. Then, he added a second finger, and then a third, his pace quickening until he was a blur of friction and heat.

My moans grew louder, echoing off the high ceilings of the suite. I found myself arching my back, my hips moving of their own accord to follow his rhythm. My mind clouded over, and a fleeting, dizzying thought crossed my brain. If his fingers feel like this, what would it be like to truly be fucked by him?

I gripped his shirt, staring into those eyes as he worked me. My whole body began to shake violently, the tension building until it reached a breaking point.

Then, the world shattered. A scream tore from my throat as the release hit me..a wave of pure, liquid heat that left me breathless and trembling in his arms.