Orion

The sound of her gentle hum echoed in the room as Ava crossed to the bathroom. She didn’t say a word, didn’t even glance back at me. Her silence was maddening—intentional, I was sure of it. The door shut with a soft click, and the sound of water running followed moments later.

I stood there, staring at the closed door, my knuckles white from clenching my fists so tightly. The storm she’d stirred up inside me raged on, but her audacity? That bordered on recklessness. No one—no one—had ever dared to push me this far.

And yet, here she was, practically daring me to retaliate, to match her move for move.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. I was supposed to be with Chloe tonight, not her. How did she change the tide so easily? Why am I the one being played?

But even with all this, I couldn’t shake the thought that maybe, just maybe, this is how things should be. Maybe if I’m this close to her, it won’t take time to finally get rid of her.

I brushed my fingers against my lips as I remembered the way they captured hers. Why the heck did I do that? At that moment, that was the only picture in my head; having her lips on mine. She had infuriated me, insulted Chloe by keeping her things at the servant’s quarters and all I did was what…kiss her?

I’m definitely drunk. Especially when I’m fully aware that I didn’t step out before I was scared of her…no. Her threats didn’t even move me a bit.

I just had to change the plans, since she moved the tide all of a sudden. After all, you have to study your enemy up close to destroy them.

I crossed to the bed, sitting heavily on the edge. My eyes wandered to my suitcase, neatly placed at the foot. She had wasted no time claiming this space as ours, rearranging my life without so much as a second thought. Her scent already lingered in the air—lavender, with a hint of something sharper.

The sound of the shower stopped. The room fell into silence again, save for the faint rustle of movement behind the door. I leaned back on my hands, letting out a slow breath.

This game she was playing? She thought she was in control. But I knew better.

The bathroom door opened, and Ava stepped out, wrapped in a silk robe, her damp hair cascading down her shoulders. She moved towards the vanity with a grace that was as effortless as it was infuriating.

I just couldn’t stand her! I stormed into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me harder than necessary. The cold tiles beneath my feet did little to cool the heat rushing through my veins. Stripping down, I turned the shower to its coldest setting, letting the icy water pummel my skin.

I wanted it to drown my needs—to wash away the frustration boiling inside me. Tonight, certain things should be happening, things I could not do with Ava.

I should’ve been with Chloe, sharing a night that belonged to us. But here I was, standing under freezing water, while she lay alone.

The thought twisted in my chest. This wasn’t just a betrayal of Chloe—it was a betrayal of everything I’d planned. Ava had stolen this night, tangled herself into my life with her games and defiance.

Yet even now, I couldn’t deny the pull she had over me, the way her presence clawed at my sanity.

I cannot make the mistake my father made. I won’t let her destroy what Chloe and I have built for each other. I won’t let her gold digging ass charm me into falling for her.

Never.

I stayed under the water until the chill sank deep into my bones, numbing the fire inside. Finally, I stepped out, drying off with quick, rough motions. I pulled on a pair of shorts, my mind still clouded with thoughts I couldn’t unravel.

When I emerged, Ava was still at the vanity, her hair cascading down as she combed through it with slow, deliberate strokes while drying it. Her reflection caught mine in the mirror, eyes calm and unyielding.

“Comfortable?” she asked, arching an eyebrow as her gaze settled on me.

“Not particularly,” I replied, my voice even. “You’re making that difficult.”

Her lips curved into a small, knowing smile. “Good. You don’t have the right to be comfortable.” She whispered and continued drying her hair. Her movements were calm, deliberate, as though this was any other night.

It wasn’t.

“You enjoy provoking me,” I said, watching her in the mirror.

Her eyes met mine through the glass. “And you enjoy being provoked. Otherwise, you’d have walked out of here by now.”

She wasn’t wrong.

I pushed to my feet, closing the distance between us in a few strides. She stiffened slightly as I placed my hands on either side of the vanity, caging her in.

“Do you ever get tired of being annoying? Do you ever get exhausted from playing these games?” I murmured.

She tilted her head, feigning thoughtfulness. “Not when I’m winning.”

Her defiance ignited something deep inside me—an urge to remind her who she was dealing with. I leaned closer, my breath warm against her ear.

“Careful, you’re playing with fire, Ava.”

She turned her head slightly, her lips inches from mine. “Good thing I’m not afraid of getting burned.”

The tension between us was palpable, a living, breathing thing. I could feel her pulse quicken, her composure slipping just enough to reveal the crack in her armor.

Before I could respond, she slipped out from under my arms, brushing past me with that same infuriating smile.

“Goodnight, husband,” she said, climbing into bed without another glance in my direction.

I stood there for a moment, torn between frustration and something I couldn’t quite name. Then, without a word, I turned off the lights and lay down beside her, the space between us an invisible battlefield.

Sleep wouldn’t come easily tonight.