WRITER'S POV:
She didn't make it far.
Ivy was halfway up the staircase when the door behind her flew open."Ivy."Her entire body went cold.
Cassius's voice didn't shout. It cut. Clean. Precise. Devastating.
She turned slowly, like she could rewind the last five minutes with enough eye contact.
He was standing in the conference doorway, flanked by shadows and fury. His jaw was tight. His eyes—normally just unreadable—were molten.
"What," he said, voice low and dangerous, "do you think you're doing?"
Ivy opened her mouth.Nothing came out.Cassius was in front of her in three long strides, grabbing her by the arm—not painfully, but firmly, like she'd stepped into oncoming traffic and he had no time to be gentle."You were listening," he said. "To that."
"I—no. I just—" Ivy Stuttered.
"Don't lie to me."The heat in his voice scalded her.
She yanked her arm free, eyes stinging. "You told me not to leave. You didn't say anything about not listening." "Do you think this is a game? That you're some curious little pet who gets to wander wherever she wants?"
Her breath caught. "You don't get to talk to me like that," she said, voice shaking.
Cassius's mouth pressed into a hard line. "I am trying to protect you." "No, you're trying to control me. There's a difference." "You don't understand the consequences." "Then maybe you should've explained them before dragging me into this world, Cassius! Before locking me in luxury cages and making me feel—" She stopped herself. Too late. Cassius stared at her, eyes unreadable. "Feel what?" She took a step back. Her lip trembled. No. She wasn't going to cry.
"Like an idiot," she spat. "I should've stayed in Georgia. I should've never gotten on that damn jet. I should've never looked at you—" "Enough." His voice changed. Not louder. Lower. Deadly calm. Ivy froze. Cassius stepped closer.
The tension shifted from anger to something darker. Something hotter. "You're spiraling," he said. "You're scared. And you're lashing out." "Because you're terrifying, Cassius!"
"And you," he said quietly, "are reckless. Stubborn. And incredibly, painfully unaware of what you do to me." She blinked. "Go back to our suite. Now." "What—" "You disobeyed me. You crossed a line. And now I have to correct you."
Her stomach dropped. Her heart did something illegal. "I'm not—some employee you get to discipline."
"You're not just anything," he said. "That's the problem."
She swallowed. Hard. Her legs were already moving, carrying her back down the hall like her body had given up its right to vote.
Cassius didn't follow immediately. But she felt him.Watching.Tracking.
---
She reached the suite and shut the door behind her, breath heaving.
Every nerve in her body was a live wire.
Every thought was a question.
What was he going to do?
What did she want him to do?
And why did her hands shake more from anticipation than fear?
She didn't have answers.
But she heard his footsteps.
And then the door opened.
---
Cassius entered without hesitation, and Ivy flinched despite herself.
He closed the door behind him with terrifying calm.
She backed toward the couch as he approached slowly, his eyes unreadable, his jaw clenched like it was keeping in something volatile. "You knew you weren't supposed to follow me," he said. "And yet you did." "I just—" He raised a hand, and she fell silent. "No excuses. You wanted the truth. You wanted to play in my world. So now you're going to live with the rules." Her caught as he stepped closer. She took one small step back, until her legs hit the back of the couch.
He reached up to his belt. "Cassius—" He unbuckled it with a sharp pull, then let it hang from one hand.
Not raised.
Just present.
The air between them snapped with electricity. "I told you not to leave the room. Not because I don't trust you—but because I know what's out there. You don't." "So you're going to punish me? What is this, medieval mafia?"
His eyes darkened. "No. This is me keeping you alive. This is me teaching you what your actions cause."
Ivy opened her mouth to speak——and the door opened.
"Hey, are you—" Monday stepped in, then froze. His gaze took in Ivy, backed against the couch.
Cassius.
The belt.
The vibe.
Ivy's eyes widened.
Her silent scream was practically televised.
"Oh. Wow. Okay," Monday said, raising both hands like he'd just walked in on a sacred ritual. "You know what? That's on me. I'll just... fade away."
"Monday," Cassius said without turning. "Out."
Monday backed up so fast he almost tripped. The door clicked shut behind him. Cassius exhaled, very slowly, and locked the door. He turned back to Ivy. Let the belt drop onto the sofa. Then stepped into her space, pinning her with his gaze. "Now," he said, voice low, thick, and undeniably dangerous, "we're going to finish what you started."
And Ivy?She forgot how to breathe.