Valeria's POV

My entire body tensed as Dani sat down beside me, too close, too smug.

"Look who suddenly started coming out of the shadows," she mused, crossing one leg over the other, her gaze flicking over me like she was studying a puzzle she had already solved.

I stayed silent.

Dani tilted her head, smirking. "Finally decided to reach for what you can't have?" I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to keep my expression blank, but something inside me was cracking, breaking apart. Dani knew what she was doing.

She wanted a reaction. She wanted me to slip. She wanted me to admit that watching her touch Emilia made my skin crawl. That I wanted her hands off.

That I wanted-

No. I refused to give her that satisfaction.

So I smirked back, leaning back in my chair, mirroring her ease, her confidence-her game.

"I wasn't aware there was anything to reach for," I said smoothly, letting my tone drop into something slow, calculated.

Dani's smirk faltered-just for a second.

Then she let out a soft, amused hum. "Oh, there is. But don't worry." She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping into something too quiet, too dangerous. "You'll realize it when it's too late."

Before I could react, Emilia's voice cut through the air.

"What are you two talking about?"

My head snapped up just as Emilia threw an arm around Dani's shoulder, her tone playful, completely unaware of the weight in the conversation she had just interrupted.

Dani's smirk returned. Triumphant. And then-she pulled Emilia closer. Like she was making a statement. Like she was staking a claim.

And Emilia-the fool-let her.

I stared her down, my gaze sharp, unwavering. Daring her to realize what she was doing.

She did.

The moment her body shifted, the moment she realized the way Dani was holding her, her muscles tensed. I saw the flicker of realization in her eyes-the way she swallowed hard, suddenly uncomfortable.

Good. But not good enough. Because Dani still had her hands on her. Because Emilia still wasn't moving away.

And I-

I was two seconds away from pulling her away myself.

Emilia's POV

Dani's fingers trailed down my arm, her touch light, teasing. It was nothing new-Dani had always been like this. Playful, flirty, always toeing the line between friendship and something more. I never took it seriously.

But this time, something felt off.

The moment her hands lingered on my waist, a strange tension curled in my stomach. It wasn't excitement. It wasn't anticipation. It was discomfort.

And I knew exactly why. I felt her.

Even without looking, I could feel Valeria's eyes on me, burning into my skin from across the room.

I turned my head slightly, and there she was. Sitting stiffly, her fingers curled against her knee, her entire body taut like a loaded weapon. Her jaw clenched, her eyes sharp and unreadable. But the way her fingers twitched, the way her shoulders locked-I knew.

She hated this. A strange, unfamiliar guilt spread through me, tight and unexpected.

This was Dani. I had always let her be playful with me, always let her touch me like this. But now, under Valeria's stare, it felt wrong.

Dani, ever the troublemaker, must have sensed the shift in my posture. Her smirk widened as she leaned in, dropping her voice to a sultry whisper.

"We were just talking about how delicious you are."

My body tensed. I knew exactly what she was doing.

I laughed, shoving at her shoulder lightly, trying to act like I wasn't flustered. Like I wasn't hyper-aware of Valeria's eyes boring into me.

"Dani, behave," I said, trying to step away.

But she didn't let me. Her arm curled around my waist, keeping me pressed against her side.

Shit. I had gotten too comfortable, too used to Dani's casual touches. I forgot Valeria was watching. Forgot that this wasn't just playful anymore. Because when I looked back at her, Valeria wasn't just watching.

She was staring me down. Her expression was unreadable-but her eyes... God, her eyes.

Something burned there, something that made my pulse hammer, made my throat go dry. She wasn't amused. She wasn't indifferent.

She was angry. The tight grip of her fingers against the fabric of her jeans. The way her jaw clenched just slightly.

Not just angry. She was pissed.

And I-God help me- was in too much trouble.

I stepped away from Dani, shaking my head as if she had said something ridiculous. "You're such an idiot," I muttered, trying to play it off.

Then, without thinking, I moved. Straight to Valeria. She was still seated, legs slightly parted, looking too unreadable, too closed off. She didn't even glance at me when I stepped between her legs.

Her hands rested on her thighs, fingers twitching slightly, but she didn't look up.

I hesitated. I didn't know why, but I suddenly needed her to say something.

Needed her to look at me the way she had last night-like I was something fragile she couldn't bear to break. But she didn't. So I did the only thing I could think of.

I sat on her lap. The second I did, her body went rigid. Her hands shot up, gripping my waist instinctively-not to push me away, but to hold me in place.

Firm. Possessive. Dominant.

My breath caught. I didn't know what I expected, but this reaction wasn't it. She didn't shove me off. She didn't tell me to move. She just sat there, her fingers digging into my waist, holding me still like she wasn't sure if she should let me go.

I swallowed hard. Slowly, I wrapped my arms around her neck, pressing my chest to hers. The tension in her shoulders didn't ease. If anything, she got stiffer.

Her breath hitched just slightly, her grip tightening before she exhaled sharply, as if trying to control herself.

I liked it. The power I suddenly had over her, the way I could make her react just like this.

I shifted slightly, my lips brushing against her temple as I whispered, "I wasn't enjoying it."

Her hands flexed against my waist. A warning. "I don't care," she said flatly.

Liar.

I smirked. "You do." She went completely still.

I had her. I knew I had her. And the best part? She knew it too.

Dani's face was a mixture of shock and disbelief. Her lips parted slightly, eyes narrowing as if she couldn't quite process what she was seeing-what I had just done.

And honestly? I couldn't believe it either.

I had acted on instinct. Desperation. The need to remind Valeria-to remind myself-that Dani's touches meant nothing. That this was where I wanted to be.

But Dani recovered quickly. She crossed her arms, tilting her head with a smirk that didn't quite reach her eyes. "So... are we petting strays now?"

I opened my mouth, ready to say something-anything-but before I could, Valeria moved.

She leaned in-so close, too close-and I barely had time to react before her face was at my neck. I stopped breathing.

Her nose brushed against the sensitive skin beneath my ear, and I choked on my words, my entire body locking up.

What-?

Her lips didn't quite touch me, but the heat of her breath sent shivers down my spine.

"I'm tired," she murmured, her voice low, almost lazy, like she had done this a thousand times before. Like it was natural. Like she belonged there.

She didn't pull away. If anything, she pressed closer, her hand tightening around my waist, fingers flexing as if silently demanding an answer.

"When do you finish work," she whispered against my skin, "so we can lay down?"

Oh.

Oh??

My heart slammed against my ribs. My fingers clung to her shoulders before I could stop myself, nails digging in as if they were the only thing keeping me grounded. This wasn't real. This wasn't happening.

But it was. I felt her, all of her. The way her body molded against mine. The way her voice sank into my bones like warm honey, rich and consuming. I struggled to speak. No words. No air. No escape.

My mind screamed for me to explain, to say something-anything-before she misunderstood. But it felt like my heart was stuck in my throat, beating so wildly I couldn't even breathe, let alone talk.

Then, Valeria's arm tightened around my waist. She pulled me closer. Deliberately. Possessively.

My breath hitched.

"Princess," she rasped, her voice low, rough-dangerous.

The sound of it-the way it wrapped around my name, the way it slid past her lips like a warning, a claim, a challenge-sent a shiver down my spine.

Dani let out a scoff, but I barely heard her. Because Valeria was still holding me.

And I?

I swallowed hard, my lips parting slightly. "Valeria..." She didn't let me finish. Her fingers lifted to my jaw, tilting my chin up.

I was trapped in her gaze-helpless, breathless, waiting. Her thumb brushed over my lips, slow, deliberate, burning.

"Come upstairs with me," she murmured, her voice so quiet, so low, it sent a shockwave through my veins. My pulse slammed against my ribs.

She was close. Too close. I didn't recognize this side of her-this raw, unrestrained dominance, this burning intensity that made my knees weak.

I didn't know what she was going to do next. I didn't know what I wanted her to do next.

All I knew was I didn't want her to stop.

Valeria's POV

Dani storms away, her anger palpable in the sharp click of her heels, but she's already forgotten.

Because Emilia is still on my lap. Still pressed against me, her body molding into mine like she was made to fit there.

And I-

I can't breathe.

My hands are on her waist, fingers curled tightly against the fabric of her shirt, and I can't tell if I'm holding her in place or bracing myself from losing control. The weight of her is both grounding and dizzying, and the heat of her body sears into mine, burning through every wall I've built to keep her out.

She isn't moving. She isn't speaking. She's just watching me. Like she's searching for something in my expression. Like she's waiting.

My jaw clenches, my pulse pounding so loudly I can barely hear the silence between us. I know I should shove her off. Remind her of the line she keeps stepping over. But I don't.

Because the way she reacts to me- It's different.

She's the one who pushed Dani away. The one who chose this, who chose me. And that knowledge is an ache I don't know how to name.

Her breath ghosts against my lips, too close, too dangerous, and for the first time, I let myself feel it.

The tension. The need. The silent war we've been fighting for weeks. I tighten my grip on her waist, my fingers digging in just enough for her to feel it. She shudders.

Her lips part, her eyes searching mine, desperate-waiting. Always waiting.

Something snaps. My voice is low, rough when I finally speak.

"Next time, if Dani's hand lingers, I'll cut it off."

Emilia inhales sharply. Her pupils dilate, her breath catching like I've touched her without even moving. Her fingers tremble against my neck, but she doesn't pull away.

Doesn't run. Instead, she just stares.

Like she's memorizing this moment. Like this-this-is what she's been waiting for.

Her lips part like she wants to say something, but nothing comes out. I watch as the realization settles in her gaze-that I finally reacted, that I finally let myself react.

And for the first time, she doesn't know what to do with it.

She swallows hard. "Valeria..."

It's barely a whisper, but I feel it everywhere.

Her eyes flicker down to my lips for the briefest second, and suddenly, the air is too thick, too charged, too much.

I exhale sharply, jaw tightening as I try to keep control, but she's making it impossible.

I lean in slightly, just enough to remind her that she's playing with something she doesn't understand. That she's in over her head. Her breath stutters.

And then-hesitation. Her lips tremble, like she wants to say something else, but for the first time, she doesn't know how to push me.

So I push first. I smirk, voice turning sharp, dangerous.

"What's wrong, princesa?" I murmur, tilting my head slightly, letting my lips ghost near the shell of her ear. "I thought you said you were winning this game?"

She stiffens and I receive no response, she is looking at me as if I am not real.

"Let me make something clear."

I grip her waist harder, fingers digging in just enough to remind her exactly where she is-on my lap, in my hands, in my world. Her breath stutters, lashes fluttering as if she's trying to hold onto something steady. But there's nothing steady about this. About us.

"I don't like sharing."

The words fall between us, heavy, irrevocable.

Emilia sucks in a sharp breath, her chest rising and falling too quickly. Her grip on my shoulders tightens, nails pressing into my skin like she needs to feel something real, something solid. Like she needs this. Like she needs me. Her body trembles-not in fear, but in something else. Something deeper, something she's been waiting for.

She swallows hard, her tongue darting out to wet her lips, and I catch the way she struggles to form words. The way my voice-my claim-is sinking into her, unraveling her in real time. And then-finally-she smiles.

It's small, hesitant, but devastating in the way it makes my chest ache. Because she knows. She felt it. She won. Not just this moment. Not just my reaction. Me. She has me. And she fucking knows it.

The realization lights up her eyes, dark and knowing, like she just found the one thing she's been searching for all this time. Her fingers twitch against my skin, like she wants to pull me closer-like she wants to say something but can't trust herself to speak. And for the first time, I see it-the raw, unfiltered need. Not just for my touch. Not just for this moment. For me to be hers.

The weight of it is suffocating. I hate it. I hate her. I hate that I didn't shove her off the second she crawled into my lap. I hate that my body reacts to her before my mind can stop it. I hate the way her presence is something I've come to expect, something I need, something I don't know how to fight anymore.

But most of all-I hate that, despite everything, I don't shove her away.

Emilia's POV

She didn't push me away.

The realization settles deep in my chest, thick and electric, making it hard to breathe. I'm still sitting on her lap, still pressed against her, and Valeria hasn't done a damn thing to stop it. Her fingers are locked around my waist, grip firm but unmoving, like she's torn between pulling me closer and shoving me off.

And her voice-God, her voice. "I don't like sharing."

The words echo in my head, looping over and over like they're burned into my skin. I can feel the heat of her body against mine, the tension radiating off her in waves. She's stiff, her muscles tight, her jaw locked as if she's fighting something she doesn't want to name. But I see it. I feel it. She's trying so hard to control it, to act like this means nothing.

But it does. It does.

I should say something. Maybe tease her, push her just a little further, test how much she can take before she snaps. But for the first time, I don't want to ruin this moment. I want to memorize it.

So instead of speaking, I watch her. Valeria's eyes are dark, unreadable, but there's something underneath all that frustration-something raw, something that makes my pulse spike. Her breathing is uneven, her fingers tightening against my waist before she forces them to relax. She's struggling. With me. With herself.

I love it. I love that she finally reacted. That for once, she wasn't cold and distant, pretending not to care. And maybe-just maybe-she's starting to realize she can't keep pretending.

A slow, knowing smile tugs at my lips before I can stop it. Not just because I won, but because now, I know the truth. She wants me. She just isn't ready to admit it yet.

Her grip on me falters for half a second, as if she senses the shift, as if she knows I see right through her. I tilt my head, my fingers ghosting over the nape of her neck, feeling the slight tremor in her muscles. Her breath catches.

For the briefest moment, she leans in. Barely. Just a fraction. But enough. It's all I need to be sure.

Something flutters in my chest-something warm, something dangerous-but I don't let it show. I don't let her see how much this moment affects me, how much I needed her to react like this. Because I refuse to let her think she's the only one who can play this game.

I lean in slightly, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You don't have to share."

Her fingers twitch against my waist.

"I made that clear to everyone here." She goes completely still.

I watch as the realization slams into her, as her entire body tenses beneath me. She blinks, her breath coming in sharp, uneven waves. And then, slowly, she turns her head just enough to glance past me.

To the studio. To everyone watching. I feel it the moment the weight of it settles in her chest.

Her jaw tightens, her hands abruptly loosening their grip on me. Her entire demeanor shifts-not just stiff, but defensive. Like she just realized she let herself be seen.

"Get off," she mutters, her voice rough but not as sharp as it should be. Like she knows she lost control for too long and is desperately trying to regain it.

I don't move. Not yet. I tilt my head, watching the way her throat bobs as she swallows hard, trying to act unaffected.

"You didn't seem to mind a second ago," I whisper, just to see how deep I can sink into her thoughts. Her entire body goes rigid.

And that's when I move, slipping off her lap with deliberate ease, taking my time just to see if she'll stop me. She doesn't. But when I glance back at her, the look in her eyes tells me everything I need to know.

I'm in her head now. And she hates it. But she felt it.

And that? That's all I need for now.