CHAPTER 4: The Awakening

NAOMI's POV

Hindi ako nakatulog ng maayos.

Every time I closed my eyes, nandoon si Raze. Ang boses niya. Ang kamay niya sa mukha ko. Ang paraan ng pagtingin niya sa akin na parang nakikita niya lahat ng secrets ko.

"What do you want me to do to you?"

Damn him. Damn him for making me admit it. Damn him for not following through.

I rolled over, checking my phone. 3:47 AM.

Wala pa ring tulog.

I kept replaying the entire night sa utak ko. The way he touched me—barely, really—pero parang every nerve ending ko was on fire. The way he looked at me when I finally admitted what I wanted.

And then he just... sent me home.

"Think about what you really want."

Fine. I'll think about it.

I closed my eyes, letting my mind wander. What did I really want?

I wanted to feel desired. I wanted someone to look at me like I was the only person in the room. I wanted to stop second-guessing every move I made. I wanted to feel... powerful.

And I wanted Raze to be the one to show me how.

The next day at work...

"Naomi, you okay?" My coworker, Jen, waved her hand in front of my face. "You've been staring at that spreadsheet for ten minutes."

"What? Oh. Sorry." I blinked, trying to focus. "Just... tired."

"Late night?" She grinned knowingly.

If only you knew.

"Something like that."

My phone buzzed. I grabbed it immediately, hoping it was Raze.

It wasn't.

Kira: How did it go last night? You didn't text me back. Should I be worried?

I typed back quickly.

Me: I'm fine. Nothing happened.

Kira: NOTHING?? You went to Raze Vitale's penthouse and NOTHING happened?

Me: It's complicated. I'll explain later.

I put my phone away before she could respond. I couldn't explain it to her. Hell, I couldn't even explain it to myself.

The rest of the day dragged. Every minute felt like an hour. I kept checking the clock, counting down until 8 PM.

Get a grip, Naomi. You're acting like a teenager with a crush.

But this wasn't a crush. This was... something else. Something darker. More dangerous.

And I couldn't wait to dive deeper.

7:45 PM

I arrived early this time. Hindi ko kinaya ang anticipation.

I stood outside his building, staring up at the penthouse level. My heart was racing. My palms were sweaty.

You can still leave. You can still walk away.

But I didn't want to.

I entered the code—1109—and rode the elevator up. This time, I knew what to expect. The minimalist penthouse. The floor-to-ceiling windows. The cold, controlled atmosphere.

But when the doors opened, something was different.

The lights were dimmed. May music playing softly in the background—something slow, sensual. And there were candles. Not a lot, but enough to create an intimate atmosphere.

"You're early." Raze's voice came from the shadows.

He stepped into the light, and my breath caught. He was wearing all black again—black shirt, black pants—but this time, the shirt was completely unbuttoned, showing his toned chest and abs.

Holy shit.

"I... I didn't want to be late," I managed to say.

"Eager." He walked toward me, that predatory smile back on his face. "I like that."

"You said to think about what I want," I said, trying to sound confident. "I did."

"And?" He stopped in front of me, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off his body. "What did you come up with?"

I took a deep breath. No fear. No shame. Just honesty.

"I want to feel powerful," I said. "I want to stop being afraid of my own desires. I want to know what it feels like to take control."

His eyes darkened. "Interesting."

"Why interesting?"

"Because most women who come to me want to be dominated. They want me to take control. But you..." He reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "You want to learn how to dominate."

"Is that... is that wrong?"

"Wrong?" He laughed softly. "No, Naomi. That's exactly right. Power isn't just about being on top. It's about knowing when to take control and when to surrender. And you can't truly surrender until you know what it feels like to have power."

"So what's lesson two?"

"Patience." He stepped back. "Take off your jacket."

I hesitated for a second, then slowly removed my jacket, letting it fall to the floor.

"Good. Now your shoes."

I slipped off my heels, suddenly feeling shorter, more vulnerable.

"Come with me." He turned and walked toward the bedroom.

My heart was pounding as I followed him. The bedroom was just as minimalist as the rest of the penthouse—a massive bed with black sheets, more floor-to-ceiling windows, and a single chair in the corner.

"Sit." He gestured to the chair.

"What?"

"Sit down, Naomi."

I sat, confused. "I don't understand. I thought—"

"Lesson two is about observation." He walked to the bed, sitting on the edge. "You want to learn about power? Then you need to learn how to read people. How to understand what they want without them saying a word."

"How do I do that?"

"By watching. By paying attention." He leaned back on his hands. "I'm going to ask you questions. And you're going to answer based on what you observe. Not what you think. Not what you assume. What you actually see."

This was not what I expected.

"Okay," I said slowly.

"Look at me. Really look at me. What do you see?"

I studied him. His posture was relaxed, pero there was tension in his shoulders. His jaw was tight. His eyes were dark, intense, focused completely on me.

"You're... you're in control," I said. "But you're also holding back."

"Good. What else?"

"Your breathing is steady, pero your hands are clenched. You're restraining yourself."

A slow smile spread across his face. "Very good. And why do you think I'm restraining myself?"

My cheeks flushed. "Because... because you want me."

"Yes." He stood up, walking toward me slowly. "I want you, Naomi. I've wanted you since the moment you walked up to me in that bar. But wanting someone and acting on it are two different things."

He stopped in front of my chair, looking down at me.

"Power isn't about taking what you want whenever you want it. It's about control. Discipline. Knowing when to act and when to wait." His hand reached out, fingers trailing along my jawline. "And right now, I'm teaching you the most important lesson of all."

"What's that?" I whispered.

"Anticipation." He leaned down, his lips hovering just inches from mine. "The longer you wait, the sweeter it becomes. The more you want it, the better it feels when you finally get it."

I could barely breathe. "How long do I have to wait?"

"Until you can't take it anymore." His thumb brushed across my lower lip. "Until you're begging for it. Until you're willing to do anything to have it."

"I'm already there," I admitted.

"No, you're not. But you will be." He pulled back, and I almost whimpered at the loss. "Go home, Naomi. Come back tomorrow. Same time."

"You're kidding."

"Do I look like I'm kidding?"

I stared at him, frustrated beyond belief. "You're torturing me."

"I'm teaching you." He walked to the door, opening it. "And trust me, when I finally touch you the way you want me to, it'll be worth the wait."

I left his penthouse again, sexually frustrated and completely confused.

But one thing was clear: Raze Vitale was playing a game.

And I was determined to win.