[Evelina's POV—Vinter Corporation—Later]
"An envelope, huh?" I murmured, turning it lazily between my fingers. The Hartgrave seal stared back at me—desperate, pretentious, already cracking.
I smirked. "What should I do," I mused aloud, "play with her a little?"
The thought tasted sweet.
"I wonder," I added, voice light and wicked, "how she'd look kneeling on the ground."
Warmth slid in behind me.
Not the room. Him.
A broad hand settled at my waist with infuriating familiarity—gentle, heavy, claiming. Theo's presence wrapped around me like smoke. His chin rested on my shoulder, breath warm against my ear.
"Say the word, babe," he murmured, voice low and dangerous, velvet dragged over steel. "Who do you want to see kneeling? I can make that happen."
I glanced back at him, unimpressed. "Will you stop touching me so casually?"
He didn't move his hand.
Instead, he smiled—slow, shameless, and unapologetic.
"Casual?" he echoed softly. "No. Intentional."
