The elevator doors slid shut, sealing them into the quiet hum of the penthouse.
Aria slipped off the emerald heels, the relief in her feet almost enough to dull the pounding in her head. Almost.
"You didn't tell me it was an ambush," she said, setting the shoes down with more force than necessary.
Darius loosened his tie, unbothered. "It wasn't an ambush. It was an introduction."
"To who? The people who think I'm either a gold-digger or a hostage?"
"Both," he said evenly, shrugging out of his jacket. "And they needed to see you hold your ground."
Aria crossed her arms. "You could have warned me about Draven."
His brow lifted. "Did he say something?"
"He implied plenty," she shot back. "And you swooped in like you were staking a claim."
"I was," Darius said, as if it were obvious. "Men like Draven don't respect boundaries unless you draw them in blood."
She stared at him, torn between irritation and the faint, unwelcome curl of warmth at the idea of him "claiming" her. "You're impossible."
"I'm effective."
Silence stretched between them, thick with the residue of the night. He moved to the bar, poured himself a drink, then glanced her way. "You handled yourself well. Better than I expected."
The compliment was so unexpected she almost didn't catch it. "That sounded dangerously close to praise."
"Don't get used to it." He took a slow sip, watching her over the rim of his glass. "This isn't about me liking you. It's about making sure you're strong enough to survive in my world."
"I don't want your world," she said quietly.
He set the glass down, stepping toward her. "You're already in it, Aria. The sooner you stop pretending otherwise, the easier this will be."
Her pulse skipped. He was close now — not touching, but close enough that the scent of his cologne curled around her, dark and expensive. She hated that she noticed.
She stepped back. "Goodnight, Mr. King."
"Goodnight, Mrs. King." His voice followed her down the hall, low and certain, like a vow.
She closed the bedroom door behind her, leaning against it for a moment. In the silence, she realized the truth she didn't want to face — the lion's den wasn't just his anymore.
It was swallowing her whole.