The velvet rope swayed slightly as Jax guided Aria past it, his fingers warm against the small of her back. The alcove was hidden behind a towering arrangement of blood-red roses and black orchids, their heavy scent clinging to the air like a secret. The moment the heavy oak door clicked shut behind them, the deafening pulse of the Zenith party all bass and laughter and clinking glasses vanished, swallowed by the soundproofing. The silence that replaced it was thick, almost suffocating, broken only by the faint hum of the antique lamp casting long, golden shadows across the deep crimson velvet of the couch and armchairs. The room smelled of aged leather, polished wood, and something darker something like anticipation.
Aria turned to face him, her back pressing against the door as if she needed its solidity to keep her grounded. The dim light caught the sharp angles of her cheekbones, the way her dark lips parted just slightly, as if she were already tasting the words she hadn't yet spoken. Jax stood a few feet away, his broad shoulders blocking most of the lamplight, his expression unreadable but his eyes weren't. They burned, raw and hungry, the careful mask of the performer stripped away. For the first time, she saw him without the armor of his reputation, without the shield of his music. Just a man, just him, and the realization sent a shiver down her spine.
This is it, she thought, her pulse hammering in her throat. She'd faced down enemies with guns, with knives, with nothing but her wits and her will to survive. But this this was different. This was the kind of danger that didn't just threaten her body. It threatened the walls she'd built around herself, the ones that kept her from feeling too much, wanting too much. And yet, here she was, wanting. Wanting his hands on her again, wanting to see just how far she could push him before that infamous control of his snapped.
Jax didn't move. He could have. He could have crossed the space between them in two strides, could have pinned her against the door and taken what they both knew he wanted. But he didn't. Because this wasn't about seizing. This was about earning. His fingers twitched at his sides, his jaw tight with restraint. I respect her too much to take, he thought, the words a mantra in his mind. She has to choose this. She has to meet me. The power was hers now the realization sent a thrill through him, sharp and electric. He loved the way her eyes challenged him even as her body betrayed her, the way her breath hitched just slightly, the way her fingers curled into the fabric of her dress as if she were fighting the urge to reach for him.
Aria broke first. Her voice was low, husky, the words carefully chosen but the tremor beneath them gave her away. "The Vanguard Designs contract," she said, tilting her chin up just a fraction, as if daring him to call her out on the lie. "What details are so urgent, Jax?"
A slow, knowing smirk curved his lips. He took one deliberate step forward, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off him, close enough that if she reached out, her fingers would brush his chest. "The clause regarding compensation," he murmured, his voice rough, like gravel under slow footsteps. His gaze dropped to her mouth, lingered there for a heartbeat before lifting back to her eyes. "I need to be paid in your full attention, Aria. No more rivals. No more distance." His hand lifted, just slightly, as if he were about to touch her but he stopped himself. * hers to take. Hers to command.* "Only you and me."
That was all it took.
Aria's hand shot out, her fingers gripping the sharp line of his jaw, her thumb brushing over the stubble there. She could feel the way his breath stuttered, the way his muscles tensed under her touch. And then she pulled him down, crashing her mouth against his in a kiss that was all teeth and hunger and weeks of denied want. Jax groaned into her, the sound low and rough, his hands finally giving in, sliding down her back to grip her waist, pulling her flush against him. The kiss deepened, turned brutal lips bruising, tongues tangling, breaths shared in ragged gasps. Aria's fingers tangled in his hair, yanking just hard enough to make him hiss, and he responded by biting her lower lip, soothing the sting with a slow lick that made her whimper.
He lifted her effortlessly, spinning her until her back hit the velvet couch, the fabric cool and smooth against her bare arms. She arched into him as he followed her down, his body covering hers, his weight pressing her into the cushions. His hands roamed over her collarbone, down her arms, tracing the curve of her waist before his fingers brushed against the scar on her abdomen. Aria stiffened instinctively, an old habit, but Jax didn't flinch. His thumb traced the faint, silvered line, slow and deliberate, his touch reverent.
"Beautiful," he murmured against her neck, his breath hot, his lips pressing to the spot where her pulse fluttered wildly. Aria's head fell back, a broken sound escaping her as his teeth grazed her skin. She'd never had someone touch it like that like it was something to be admired, not pitied. Like it was proof of her strength, not her vulnerability.
Her hands were frantic now, tugging at his shirt, needing to feel his skin against hers. Jax sat back just long enough to yank it over his head, revealing the hard planes of his chest, the ridges of his abdomen,
dark ink of tattoos that twisted over his shoulders like shadows. Aria's legs hooked around his waist, her skirt riding up, the cool air hitting her damp panties. She ground against him, the friction maddening, her body aching with need. "Fuck, Aria," Jax groaned, his lips trailing down her chest, his tongue teasing the edge of her bra before he tugged it down, freeing her breasts. He didn't hesitate his mouth closed over one nipple, sucking hard, his tongue swirling in slow, deliberate circles that had her back arching off the couch. His free hand slid down her thigh, past the scar, past the trembling muscle, until his fingers found the wet heat between her legs.
"So fucking wet," he growled against her skin, slipping one finger inside her, then another, stretching her, curling them just right. Aria's hands fisted in his hair, her hips rocking against his hand, her breath coming in sharp, desperate gasps. "I want you so fucking bad," she gasped, yanking his mouth back to hers, kissing him like she could crawl inside him, like she could consume him whole.
Jax didn't need to be told twice.
He ripped her panties off in one sharp motion, the sound of tearing fabric lost under her moan. Then he was between her thighs, his cock thick and throbbing, the head pressing against her entrance. He teased her for a second just the tip, just enough to make her whimper, her nails digging into his shoulders but then he thrust inside, filling her in one deep, relentless stroke. Aria's head thrashed back, a broken cry tearing from her throat. He was big, stretching her, the burn of it almost too much but then he started to move, slow at first, letting her adjust, his hips rolling in deep, measured strokes that had her seeing stars.
"Fuck, you feel perfect," Jax groaned, his voice rough, his control already fraying at the edges. The couch creaked beneath them, the velvet cushions muffling the wet sounds of their bodies coming together, the sharp slap of skin on skin. Aria's legs locked around him, her heels digging into his ass, urging him deeper, harder. She could feel the ridge of his cock dragging against her inner walls, could feel the way her body clenched around him, desperate to keep him there.
"More," she demanded, her voice a rasp, her fingers clawing at his back. "Fuck me like you mean it, Jax."
That was all it took.
His control shattered.
Jax snapped his hips forward, driving into her with a force that had the couch skidding backward, the wood frame groaning in protest. Aria screamed, her scar glistening with sweat, her body coiling tighter with every punishing thrust. His hand slid between them, his thumb finding her clit, rubbing in tight, relentless circles that had her vision whiting out at the edges.
"Cum for me, Aria," he growled, his voice hoarse, his hips pistoning faster, his cock hitting that spot inside her that made her see stars. "Let me feel you fall apart."
She came with a broken cry, her back arching, her pussy clenching around him so tight it wrenched a guttural groan from his chest. Her orgasm ripped through her, wave after wave, her nails drawing blood from his shoulders as she shuddered beneath him. Jax followed with a snarl, his release spilling into her in hot, thick pulses, his cock twitching as he emptied himself inside her.
They collapsed in a tangle of limbs, breathless, hearts hammering against each other, the silence of the room now heavy with the scent of sex and sweat. Aria's body hummed, her skin oversensitive, her mind deliciously blank. For a moment, there was nothing but the rise and fall of their chests, the slow drag of Jax's fingers tracing idle patterns over her scar.
Later, wrapped in the expensive velvet blanket from the sofa, Aria rested her head on his chest, listening to the pounding beat of his heart. The noise of the party was a faint, distant hum. She felt a peacefulness she hadn't known since she was a child. The wall of hate was not just gone; it was replaced by a foundation of trust.
"Soverkis likes you," Aria stated quietly, running her finger over his collarbone.
Jax laughed softly, the sound rumbling in his chest. "She tried to pressure Elias to give up the contract they had with Zenith Records. I declined. She offered me everything to leave, and I didn't want it."
"She thinks you are obsessed with me. That you are targeting me," Aria continued, needing to confirm the truth of his intentions.
Jax tilted her chin up until she met his eyes. "Soverkis is obsessed with power and control, Aria. She projects that onto everyone. I am obsessed with you, but not to control you. I am obsessed with earning your respect, earning your trust, and proving that I can stand beside you. I love you, Aria. I want to build something with you, not possess you."
His simple declaration, delivered in the privacy of the small room, was more powerful than the chorus of any song he had ever written. Aria felt a flood of reciprocal emotion. She was falling, finally and completely, for the man who had loved her even when she hated him.
"You're right," Aria said, a small smile touching her lips. "The contract is signed, Jax Ryland. We're in."
They dressed quickly, the intimacy shared making them feel closer and more exposed than ever. They straightened their clothes, replacing the façade of the celebrity and the shareholder.Later, wrapped in the expensive velvet blanket from the sofa, Aria rested her head on his chest, listening to the pounding beat of his heart. The noise of the party was a faint, distant hum. She felt a peacefulness she hadn't known since she was a child. The wall of hate was not just gone; it was replaced by a foundation of trust.
"Soverkis likes you," Aria stated quietly, running her finger over his collarbone.
Jax laughed softly, the sound rumbling in his chest. "She tried to pressure Elias to give up the contract they had with Zenith Records. I declined. She offered me everything to leave, and I didn't want it."
"She thinks you are obsessed with me. That you are targeting me," Aria continued, needing to confirm the truth of his intentions.
Jax tilted her chin up until she met his eyes. "Soverkis is obsessed with power and control, Aria. She projects that onto everyone. I am obsessed with you, but not to control you. I am obsessed with earning your respect, earning your trust, and proving that I can stand beside you. I love you, Aria. I want to build something with you, not possess you."
His simple declaration, delivered in the privacy of the small room, was more powerful than the chorus of any song he had ever written. Aria felt a flood of reciprocal emotion. She was falling, finally and completely, for the man who had loved her even when she hated him.
"You're right," Aria said, a small smile touching her lips. "The contract is signed, Jax Ryland. We're in."
Then, slowly, Aria sat up, smoothing her skirt down with hands that only trembled slightly. Jax watched her, his smirk lazy, his eyes dark with satisfaction as they lingered on the mark his mouth had left on her collarbone. She shot him a look part warning, part promise before sliding off the couch, her heels clicking against the hardwood as she crossed to the door.
She paused with her hand on the knob, glancing back at him over her shoulder. "New York next week," she said, her voice steady, as if they'd just discussed quarterly earnings instead of fucking each other senseless. "The Vanguard Designs opening." Her lips quirked, just slightly. "You and I need to talk about the deeper implications of that 'small correction' you made to my assets."
Jax grinned, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "I'm looking forward to it, Aria. The strategic discussions are always my favourite."
Then she opened the door, and the roar of the Zenith party rushed in like a tidal wave, swallowing them whole. They stepped out side by side, their expressions carefully neutral, their bodies composed, two predators who had just reminded each other exactly who they were and exactly what they were capable of.