"Good girl."
The praise didn't just soothe her; it rewired her. The shame of the confession evaporated, replaced by the heavy, narcotic weight of submission. She wasn't the CEO anymore.
She wasn't the imposter. She was just... his.
Alex's hand slid from her stinging flank to her hip, his grip firm, claiming ownership.
"Since you told the truth," he murmured, his voice a low, velvet rumble that vibrated against her chest. "And since you were such a good girl..."
He leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of her ear.
"Don't you think you deserve a reward?"
Helena's breath hitched, her eyes fluttering open. "A... reward?"
"Mmm."
Alex stepped back. The air in the room seemed to crackle as the distance opened between them.
"Watch," he commanded.
Slowly, deliberately, his hands went to the buttons of his shirt.
