The first thing Arisa felt was the soft, dangerous kiss of silk against her wrists. She was bound to the headboard of a massive king-sized bed. The room was bathed in a dim, golden amber light, smelling of expensive sandalwood, cold rain, and the faint, metallic scent of blood.
In the corner of the room, a shadow moved.
Abir Khan stood there, a predator admiring his prize. He had changed into a crisp white dress shirt, the top three buttons undone, revealing the hard, tanned muscles of his chest. His hair was damp, slicked back, and his eyes... they were glowing with a terrifying, golden hunger.
He walked toward her with the slow, rhythmic grace of a panther. Every thud of his expensive boots made Arisa's heart skip a beat. He stopped at the edge of the bed and sat down, leaning one knee on the mattress. In his hand, he gripped that same **chunky, black leather belt**, the silver buckle glinting wickedly.
"Where... where am I? Please, let me go," Arisa whispered, her voice trembling as tears welled up in her eyes.
Abir leaned in, his face inches from hers. The scent of his dark, masculine cologne overwhelmed her senses. He didn't speak. Instead, he took the cold leather of the belt and traced it along the curve of her jaw, down to her throat.
"Do you know what happens when the Devil finds something he likes, Arisa?" Abir's voice was a low, velvet growl that sent a shiver straight down her spine. "He hides it. He marks it. He makes sure the rest of the world forgets it ever existed."
"I have someone... he's waiting for me," Arisa sobbed, her body shaking.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Abir's hand suddenly gripped her chin, forcing her to look into his hollow, obsidian eyes. His thumb pressed firmly against her lower lip, crushing the soft flesh.
"Mentioning another man in my bedroom is a dangerous game, little bird," Abir hissed, his lips brushing against her ear. "Do you think that ordinary boy's touch can protect you from me? Should I burn his memory out of your skin? Should I show you what it feels like to truly belong to someone who can destroy you and worship you at the same time?"
He leaned lower, his nose grazing her neck, inhaling her scent as if he were intoxicated by it. Arisa gasped, her breath catching in her throat. The fear was there, but so was a strange, forbidden heat she couldn't explain.
"You are mine now," Abir whispered against her skin, his voice thick with obsession. "Every breath you take is by my permission. Every tear you shed is my property. You can cry for him all you want, but tonight, you will learn that no one else is ever coming for you."
He stood up, the leather belt slapping against his palm with a sharp *crack* that echoed through the silent room.
"Dinner in ten minutes," he said, his gaze raking over her bound form one last time with a possessive smirk. "My maids will dress you in what I've chosen. Wear it like the queen of my darkness. Because if you try to resist... I won't be this gentle next time."
As the heavy oak doors locked behind him, Arisa was left alone in the golden silence, her heart racing. She was no longer just a witness; she was the Devil's most prized obsession