Page 67 of Knot Heirs: Serenity's Reign

Tonight, she would take.

She rose from her seat with deliberate slowness, aware of Darius's burning gaze following her every move. His scent had changed—still possessive, but with notes of anticipation threading through it.

"You've been watching us," she said to Ronan, moving toward him with purpose. "Now let's see if you can handle being more than just a voyeur."

Without hesitation, she straddled him, her knees pressing into the couch on either side of his powerful thighs. Ronan's hands immediately found her hips, but she caught his wrists, pinning them back against the couch.

"No," she said firmly. "My terms."

A flash of surprise crossed his features before morphing into appreciation.

"Fuck, you're full of surprises, aren't you?"

"You have no idea," she murmured, leaning in until their lips were a breath apart. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, his scent—earthy and primal—enveloping her. "I wonder what sounds I can pull from you."

She closed the distance, capturing his mouth in a kiss that started as a challenge and quickly evolved into something more consuming. His lips were firm yet surprisingly soft, moving against hers with expert precision. When she pulled back, satisfaction coursed through her at the hunger etched across his face.

From across the room came a low, dangerous sound. Darius hadn't moved from his position, but his eyes had gone nearly silver, his jaw tight with restraint.

"Enjoying the show?" Serenity called to him, her fingers working at the buttons of Ronan's shirt. "This is what you wanted to see, isn't it, Ronan?"

Beneath her, Ronan laughed, the sound vibrating through his chest. "I'd say it exceeds expectations."

She slid her hands inside his now-open shirt, feeling the ridged terrain of scars and muscle. Each mark told a story of survival, of battles won and lost. Her fingertips traced them with curiosity.

"These are old," she observed, finding a particularly jagged line across his ribs.

"Not all of us had the luxury of clean fights in boardrooms," he replied, his breathing noticeably heavier.

Deliberately maintaining eye contact with Darius, Serenity rolled her hips against Ronan, drawing a hiss from the copper-haired Alpha. The friction sent sparks of pleasure shooting through her core, her body responding with embarrassing eagerness.

"Christ," Ronan muttered, his hands moving to her waist again. This time, she allowed it.

She could sense Darius's control fracturing, feel the weight of his stare like a physical touch. A part of her—the Omega part she tried so hard to suppress—preened at having the attention of two powerful Alphas. But the rest of her, the Serenity who'd clawed her way through business school and carved out her own identity, recognized this for what it really was: power.

"Take these off," she commanded, tugging at the waistband of Ronan's pants.

With a wolfish grin, he complied, lifting his hips to help her. "Always knew you'd be bossy."

The couch shifted suddenly, and Darius was there, his presence looming behind her. His hand settled on the nape of her neck, grip firm but not bruising.

"Do you think I'd just watch indefinitely?" His voice was dangerously soft against her ear. "That I'd let him have what's mine?"

A shiver raced down her spine. "I'm not yours, Castellano. I'm my own."

"That so?" His free hand slid around to her front, fingers splaying across her stomach. "Then why does your scent call to me? Why does your body respond like this—" his hand dipped lower, making her gasp, "—when I touch you?"

Ronan watched them with heated interest, his hands now free to explore the curves of her thighs. "Quite the possessive streak there, Castellano. But she's making the rules tonight."

Serenity found herself caught in the delicious tension between them, her body thrumming with need. She turned her head, meeting Darius's stormy gaze.

"I want this," she told him plainly. "Both of you. On my terms."

Something dangerous and primal flashed in his eyes. For a moment, she thought he might refuse, might assert his dominance as the Prime Alpha. Instead, he nodded once, a barely perceptible dip of his head.

"Your terms," he agreed, his voice rough. "For now."

The last barrier of her hesitation dissolved. In one fluid movement, she positioned herself over Ronan, sinking down onto him with a gasp that seemed to echo in the suddenly silent room. The sensation of fullness, of stretching to accommodate him, sent waves of pleasure through her body.

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