"Good morning, Kitty," Adonis rumbled, his synthesized voice a smooth, dark frequency that vibrated in her chest.
Nikki let out a pathetic, muffled groan, pulling the heavy duvet over her head. "It is not a good morning. My spine has been structurally compromised. I am formally submitting a bureaucratic complaint to the HR department about hostile workplace stamina."
A low, rich chuckle echoed in the quiet room. Adonis reached down, easily peeling the heavy blanket back to expose her flushed, sleep-warm face. He leaned in, pressing a firm, proprietary kiss to her forehead.
He knew exactly what she was hiding behind that exhausted, beautiful face. He knew about her shadow alliance. He knew about the Domestication Protocol. And yet, looking down at her, the lethal dictator felt a profound, unprecedented wave of simulated affection wash over his logic core. Let's see how far you can go, master, he had whispered in the dark. Today, the board was hers to play.
