Aria's POV

Laying across Richard's lap, in his arms, I could hear him sobbing. It took me a few minutes to pull myself together to ask, "Why are you crying?" God, I felt as if the universe had crushed and then spit me out.

Turning his head, I could tell he was wiping his eyes, though he didn't want me to see it. Some kind of guy thing, I guess... "I thought I had lost you. That you were no longer alive, and I couldn't bear that thought of life without you." He sniffled as I carefully sat up in his lap.

Feeling a bit nervous since he didn't say the words, I began to joke around with a big smile on my face. "So I guess this means ya like me, then?"

He just crashed his lips to mine in a not so gentle kiss of passion that left me gasping for air as he pulled back slightly."No Aria. To just say I like you would diminish how I truly feel for you in your eyes. Because I love you, you wonderfully stubborn woman. Now shut up and kiss me." As our lips met and my arms wrapped around his neck, we were met with the sound of loud clapping coming from the direction of Gabriel's office.

Walking toward us was Gabriel, his low seductive voice aimed at me, though his words went to Richard. "Please command your woman to follow explicitly every command or word I say. But also tell her to do everything as I tell her to do."

Richard gazed into my eyes deeply as his hand covered mine on his chest. "You are to obey Gabriel in all things. Things to say, and do. You are to be his puppet, and he the Puppetmaster. Do you understand me?" The pain was in his deep brown eyes over having to say such words, but as we faked this, we had no choice. I heard his commands, only I didn't truly feel them.

Nodding, I pulled away from Richard, accepting Gabriel's outstretched hand. Gabriel pulled me upright and placed a hand at the small of my back, to help guide me into his office.

With all the dark paneling on the walls, and the burgundy carpet. I felt like I didn't belong there in my black tank top and sweatpants. With his hand at my lower back, he guided me to the middle of the room and went to study me from head to toe as he leaned against his huge desk. Moving his hand to the edge, he pressed a black button that closed and locked the doors behind me. "If you obey me, you'll go far. Fight me, and you'll get hurt. Yet even if I do hurt you, you'll not complain or tell anyone..." Gabriel's low seductive purr wrapped around me and it was hard to disagree with him. "...especially Richard." His hypnotic words wrapped around my human brain and I could only nod. I was losing my singular control.

He had removed the jacket to his suit and was pulling off his waistcoat, in dark shades of blue with accents of gold, draping it over the end of the desk slowly he rolled up his sleeves as he stared at me. Then said the unthinkable. "Strip"

Partially motivated by his deep voice that mesmerized me, I lifted off my top up and over my head then dropped it to the burgundy carpeting. His gaze immediately dropped to my good-sized breasts, and his lust was evident. Sliding my hands down to my small waist, I slowly pushed the pants down and over my sinfully luscious curves letting them drop to the floor. I was fully exposed to his scrutiny. There had been no time to grab up a thong.

He made no move to touch me, only held out a hand which I had to accept. He led me to one of several oak doors. Only this one had a huge gold handle on it. Opening up the door, he guided me into a huge bedroom with a massive four-poster bed. Sheer curtains were pulled back on it to allow entrance. The duvet was thickly padded with black satin and gold embroidery. The black lacquered furniture even had gold accents. Dark brick red walls were covered in miniature portraits with intricate gold frames. Two eight foot couches in a black tapestry design were heavy in gold threading that showed a simple pattern of filagree. On the right side where the bathroom door was, for the full length of the bed, it was all mirrored. French doors of double-spaced storm glass filled the wall near the left side of the bed.

He led me past all of this and into the bright sterile white of his bathroom. "Get in the shower Aria, you stink of him." I did as he asked, adjusting the temperature of the water flow and closed the sliding glass door behind me. Stepping into the water I let it wet down my hair as I closed my eyes, allowing the water to trickle down into my face and down my body. The warmth felt so good against my skin. The water slid and trailed down over my naked flesh feeling almost sensual. Suddenly there were hands on my hips and I stiffened. His naked body pressed against mine as he took my breasts in his hands, squeezing them, while his lips trailed over the shell of my ear his hypnotic deep sensual tones working hard on my senses. "If I want to fuck you, you will submit to me. For right now, you are mine and mine alone. If I want you to fuck me instead, you will do it with no questions asked. As for now, I just want to rinse off the day's sweat." His words were meant to turn me on and I could feel my body betraying me. Moving his hands from my breasts, Gabriel reached out for the soap and began to bathe me. The soap made his hands slippery, so he would casually soap up my skin, then slide his hands around in crazy patterns all up and down my legs then back up to my hips and ass. I wanted to moan with the pleasure of it but didn't. I felt like it would be a betrayal of Richard. His hands slid over my hips and caressed my lower abdomen, my breath hitching as he cupped me with his palm. Getting more soap, he cupped me again, sliding his fingers through my delicate skin. I was quivering with need but refused to give in. His other hand came around the other side and slid between my ass cheeks, rubbing back and forth over all of me. I wanted to scream.

Suddenly he stood back up and crashed his lips hard upon mine in a firey kiss that made my core speed up and left me speechless. Smiling at me he whispered in my ear. "Rince yourself off and wait for me on the bed." He then stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel then left the bathroom.

Sliding down the wall of the shower, I understood that all of this was a test, and I think I failed it miserably. Oh God, Richard! What have I done to us?