The Art of Control

c5: Shadows in Her Mind

Maya couldn't shake the dream. No matter how hard she tried to bury it, the memory of Damian's voice, his hands, and the raw power he held over her body lingered like smoke in her mind. It wasn't just the dream itself that unsettled her—it was what it meant. She had felt something she hadn't expected: desire. Not just for him, but for the control he had over her, the way he could dominate her so effortlessly.

Sitting at her kitchen table, staring into her coffee, she tried to make sense of it. Damian Blackwood was dangerous—she had known that from the beginning. But now, the danger wasn't just his influence over her career. It was deeper, more intimate. She had always thought of herself as strong, independent, unwilling to bend to anyone's will. Yet, with every passing day, every encounter with Damian, that conviction seemed to weaken.

The problem was that it wasn't just lust. If it were, she could manage it, compartmentalize it, and move on. But there was something far more consuming in the way her body responded to him, something she couldn't ignore. The thought of his hands on her, his voice commanding her, made her shiver, and not with fear.

But what disturbed her most was the part of her that wanted to give in—to see how far he would go, how much of her he could claim.

Maya sighed, setting the coffee down. Get a grip, she thought, rubbing her temples as if that would somehow force the thoughts out of her head. She needed clarity, a sense of control over her own life again. Maybe meeting him today wasn't such a good idea, not with the way her mind kept pulling her back into the memory of that dream.

She glanced at the clock. It was nearly noon, and Damian had requested she come to his office to discuss "future plans." The way his voice had slid over the words on the phone had sent an involuntary thrill through her, a reminder of just how much he knew she depended on him now.

Her first major gallery show was a few weeks away, and the thought of the opportunities it could unlock made her heart race. She knew that if she played this right, her career could skyrocket to heights she'd only dreamed of. But with every step toward success, she was tethering herself tighter to Damian's world, and she didn't know how much longer she could pretend that wasn't dangerous.

The question gnawed at her as she dressed, her fingers fumbling slightly as she pulled on her jeans and a loose blouse. She kept it casual—businesslike, but nothing too formal. She wasn't going to let him think he had any more power over her than he already did.

Yet, as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but wonder if it even mattered what she wore. Damian could see right through her. He always had that way of looking at her—like he already knew what she was thinking, like he could sense the battle she was fighting inside herself.

And maybe he could, she thought grimly as she grabbed her bag and headed for the door.

The drive to Damian's office felt longer than usual, the city passing by in a blur of noise and motion, but Maya's mind was elsewhere. She couldn't stop replaying fragments of the dream, the way Damian's hands had felt on her skin, his voice low and commanding in her ear.

This is madness, she thought, gripping the steering wheel tighter. It was just a dream. He doesn't really have that power over me.

But deep down, she knew that wasn't entirely true. The dream had only highlighted something she had been feeling for weeks now—the magnetic pull between them, the way Damian could make her question her own strength. And the truth was, some part of her didn't want to resist it.

By the time she arrived at his sleek, high-rise office building, her mind was buzzing with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension. She took a deep breath, smoothing her blouse before stepping out of the car. Her hands were steady, but her heart was racing. She wasn't sure if it was nerves, or something more dangerous, something more tempting.