A Dance with Danger

Chapter Thirty-Five

**Estelle POV**

I reached his office at the end of the hall—the one room I knew Tiberius would never think to look in immediately. The house, grand and imposing, had a coldness to it that almost felt suffocating. It was designed for power, for control, each corner a symbol of wealth and dominance. I pushed the door open, its hinges creaking in protest, a soft groan that seemed too loud in the eerie silence of the house.

The office was dim, lit only by the soft glow of the desk lamp. The rich scent of leather, polished wood, and the faintest trace of cologne hung in the air, a reminder of the man who owned it. I slipped inside quietly, making sure the door clicked shut behind me. My back pressed against it, and I took a moment to steady my breathing, trying to calm the rapid thrum of my heart. I needed to stay composed, to keep my wits about me.

The silence in the room felt deafening. My pulse hammered in my ears as I fought to keep the panic from rising in my chest. I had to stay calm.

I quickly scanned the room for a place to hide. There were no large cabinets or closets to dive into, nothing that could easily conceal me, but then my gaze landed on a large, plush chair behind the desk. Without thinking, I moved toward it. My knees hit the floor as I crawled under it, praying I could make it in time. The soft fabric of the chair brushed against my skin as I squeezed myself underneath, curling into the small space as tightly as I could.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway, growing closer. My breath caught in my throat, and I pressed my back further into the shadows. The room felt impossibly small, and I could hear the erratic beat of my heart pounding louder in my ears, making it hard to focus.

The door opened, and I froze, barely daring to breathe. Tiberius stepped into the room, his silhouette filling the doorway. His broad frame, the way he moved—there was no mistaking it. He stood there for a moment, scanning the room slowly, deliberately.

His lips curled into that signature smirk, the one that always made me want to punch him or kiss him, sometimes both at the same time. I could feel the weight of his gaze, even from under the desk. He knew I was here. He was just enjoying the hunt.

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a soft click, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. I held my breath, praying he wouldn’t hear it, wouldn’t catch me.

“Come out, malyshka,” he called, his voice low, almost too calm. “I know you’re here.”

I could hear him moving around the room, the scrape of his boots against the polished floor as he searched. With each step, the tension in the air thickened. I pressed myself deeper into the darkness, hoping the shadows would hide me just a little longer. His movements grew closer, more calculated. I was running out of time.

And then, as if he could sense my growing panic, his voice cut through the silence again.

“I found you.”

His words sent a shock through my body, and before I could react, his hand shot out, grasping my wrist with an iron-like grip. I yelped in surprise, the sound barely escaping my throat before he yanked me from under the desk, dragging me into the middle of the room.

The shock of his touch made my pulse spike. My heart raced as he spun me around, forcing me to face him. His dark eyes were intense, hungry—like a predator finally catching its prey. His lips curled into a devilish grin as he looked me up and down, his gaze almost possessive.

“Now, malyshka,” he said, his voice thick with amusement and something darker, “you know the rules. If I catch you, I take something.”

I barely had time to process his words before he was already moving. His hands were on me—one grabbing my thighs, the other yanking my underwear off in one swift motion. My breath caught in my throat as the fabric tore, the action leaving me exposed in the dim light of the room. A flush of heat spread across my face, humiliation and arousal mixing together in an intoxicating wave.

“You’ve lost the first round,” he said, his voice dangerously low, almost a growl. “But I’ll give you a bonus.”

I blinked, momentarily confused. “A bonus?” I whispered, unsure of what he meant.

He stepped closer, his body pressing against mine, his breath hot against my ear as he murmured, “If I catch you again, malyshka... you’re mine.” His words sent a shiver down my spine, a thrill of fear and desire running through me.

I swallowed hard, my mind spinning as I tried to process everything. I needed to escape, to get away before this spiraled further. But before I could make a move, he was already on me.

Without warning, I pushed away from him, making a desperate dash for the door. I heard his chuckle just before I yanked the door open and bolted into the hallway. But Tiberius was faster. His hand shot out, grabbing me by the wrist with brutal force. He yanked me back toward him, and I collided with his chest.

“You’re not going anywhere, malyshka,” he snarled, his voice thick with authority.

Before I could even try to resist, he slammed me against the cold, smooth surface of the glass door that led to the balcony. The impact knocked the air out of me, and I gasped, my hands instinctively pressing against the glass to steady myself. Tiberius’s arm wrapped around my neck, trapping me in place. The heat of his body was suffocating, and yet it felt... magnetic. His presence was overwhelming, and I couldn’t escape it.

“Game over,” he whispered, his voice a dark, triumphant murmur against my ear.

I gasped for air, my chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths. His arm tightened around my neck just enough to make me lightheaded, to remind me just how much control he had over me.

“Do you feel that, malyshka?” he asked, his voice a mix of amusement and something much darker. “Do you feel how much you belong to me now?”

His words hit me like a punch, and I couldn’t help the thrill that surged through my body in response. My body was betraying me, reacting to him in ways I couldn’t fully comprehend. The heat, the power in his touch—it was consuming. My pulse thundered in my ears, and I couldn’t think clearly anymore.

“Say it,” he demanded, his grip tightening slightly. “Say you’re mine.”

I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. But as I felt his body against mine, the raw hunger in his voice, I knew I couldn’t deny it any longer.

“I’m yours,” I whispered, the words coming out barely audible.

Tiberius’s lips pressed against my neck, his approval a low growl. “Good girl,” he murmured, his voice dark and possessive. “Now, you’ll learn exactly what it means to be mine.”

The air around us seemed to shift, the tension between us thickening with every passing second. I was falling deeper into his world, into a game I didn’t fully understand but couldn’t escape from. The rules were simple: once he caught me, I was his. And with every move, every touch, he was drawing me in further.

Tiberius’s lips found mine in a searing kiss before I could react. His kiss was fierce, demanding, a clash of raw need and power. His hands were everywhere—gripping my wrists, pulling them above my head, holding them there with a strength that left me no room to move. I was completely at his mercy, and it felt both terrifying and exhilarating.

His hand tightened around my throat just enough to make my pulse thrum against his fingers. He was testing me, pushing me, seeing how far he could take me. And I was helpless to resist. Every touch, every movement, was calculated, designed to break down every defense I had left.

I let out a soft moan as his lips trailed down my neck, his breath hot against my skin. I could feel the power in his every movement, the control he had over me. It was intoxicating, frightening, and yet... I wanted more.

“You’re mine, Estelle,” he repeated, his voice a growl. “And you will learn to submit to me in every way.”

I didn’t know what I had expected when I married him. Peace? Control? Freedom? Maybe something else entirely. But now, in this moment, I knew. Tiberius wasn’t just a man with a kingdom—he was a force of nature, and I had just become a part of his world. And though it terrified me, I realized I couldn’t escape.

The game had only just begun.