The days following Yura's surprise visit were a blur for Jiho. He went through the motions — meetings, paperwork, long hours — but his mind was anything but focused.
Zoey had kept him on a tight leash since their confrontation, always watching him with possessive eyes. Her presence was constant, her energy undeniable. She took him to meetings, forced him to sit beside her at every event, never allowing him out of her sight. Every time Yura's name came up, Zoey's grip tightened, though she never acknowledged it directly. Instead, she grew colder, more distant, and more commanding.
Jiho was on edge.
But he couldn't shake the feeling of Yura's presence, lingering in the back of his mind. The kiss, the touch, the heat in her gaze — it was all too much. He had no idea how to handle it, let alone the growing intensity of Zoey's ownership.
One evening, after a particularly exhausting day, Zoey invited him to dinner.
He had hoped for a brief reprieve from the tension, but he should've known better.
As they sat at a candle-lit table, Zoey's eyes never left him. She was quiet, studying him like a puzzle she couldn't quite solve. She leaned in slowly, her voice a seductive whisper.
"You've been thinking about Yura, haven't you?" Zoey's tone was laced with amusement.
Jiho's heart skipped a beat. He tried to look away, but she grabbed his chin, forcing him to meet her piercing gaze.
"I didn't…" he stammered, but Zoey cut him off.
"Don't lie to me." Her voice was cold and unwavering. "I can smell her on you."
Jiho's stomach twisted in guilt.
Zoey's lips curled into a small smirk. "I knew she'd try to get to you. She always does."
The air between them shifted, thickening with an intensity Jiho couldn't ignore. Zoey reached out, running a finger along his jawline, tracing the outline of his face as if memorizing it.
"You belong to me, Jiho. No one else," Zoey whispered, her voice low and commanding. "You'll never get away from me. Not now, not ever."
Jiho swallowed hard. Her words were both a threat and a promise.
Before he could respond, Zoey's hand slid down to rest on his thigh, just above his knee. He tensed, feeling the heat radiating off her touch.
"Do you feel that?" Zoey asked softly, her fingers gently pressing into his leg. "The tension. You don't have to pretend, Jiho. You want this. You want me."
Jiho's breath hitched. He wanted to argue, to push her away, but the truth was, he couldn't.
Zoey leaned in, her lips brushing his ear. "You'll come to me, Jiho. I'll make sure of it."
The words sent a shiver down his spine. He could feel himself getting lost in her, pulled deeper into the web she was weaving around him.
Later that night, after dinner, Zoey led Jiho back to his hotel room. He hadn't said a word since their conversation, his mind a storm of confusion. He could feel Zoey's presence around him, like a storm on the horizon.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Zoey locked it without a word. She walked toward the bed, her heels clicking against the floor, and then turned to face him, her eyes dark with intent.
"Take a seat," she instructed, her voice firm.
Jiho did as he was told, sitting on the edge of the bed, unsure of what to expect. Zoey walked over to him slowly, every movement deliberate. She leaned down, close enough that her breath fanned across his skin.
"You've been so good, Jiho," Zoey murmured, trailing a finger down his cheek. "But I know you need more. You've felt it, haven't you? That spark with Yura. The attraction. You don't have to hide it."
Jiho's heart raced, but Zoey pressed on, her hand sliding down his chest, caressing the fabric of his shirt.
"I know you want to feel what it's like to be with someone who can take control," Zoey whispered, her voice dropping lower. "Someone who can make you feel things you've never felt before."
She moved even closer, her body just inches from his. Her lips brushed against his ear as she spoke.
"You want to be taken, Jiho. Don't you?"
He couldn't deny it, not anymore. The pull between them was undeniable, the tension thick in the air.
Zoey's hand slipped under his shirt, her fingers burning against his skin.
"I'm the only one who can give you what you need," Zoey said softly. "You'll see. I'll make sure of it."
Jiho's breath caught as she kissed him, her lips firm and demanding. He wanted to pull away, wanted to fight, but Zoey's power overwhelmed him. She kissed him deeply, claiming him as her own. The world outside ceased to exist. There was only Zoey, only her control, and only the heat building between them.
{End of Chapter 14}