Chapter 9: The Next Level

This was moving far too quickly.

William Steele knew it.

And that alone should have been enough to make Him step back.

For years, He had maintained absolute control over every relationship, every scene, every submissive who entered His world. It wasn’t cruelty that kept Him distant — it was discipline. Structure. Understanding the dangers of emotional dependency inside power exchange dynamics.

Desire was manageable.

Attachment was dangerous.

Most submissives fell for Him long before He allowed Himself to feel anything significant in return. They admired the confidence, the authority, the calm precision He carried through Fantasy like a second skin. They wanted His attention. His approval. His control.

And He gave them exactly what He intended to give.

No more.

Never more.

But Ruby…

Ruby was already becoming a complication.

William sat across from her in the secluded lounge corner, bourbon untouched now as He watched her struggle beneath the weight of attraction neither of them seemed capable of hiding anymore.

Every reaction she gave Him was genuine.

Unrehearsed.

The sharp intakes of breath whenever He leaned closer.

The subtle trembling in her thighs when His voice lowered.

The way her pulse visibly fluttered beneath the delicate skin of her throat whenever He touched her.

God.

It captivated Him.

William had spent years mastering restraint, yet with Ruby the control He valued so deeply suddenly felt thinner than usual. More fragile.

Because she responded to Him in ways that struck something deeper than lust.

Need.

And He hated how much He already wanted more.

Ruby looked down briefly, clearly trying to steady herself, but William noticed the tiny tremble that touched her full red lips as she exhaled slowly.

His gaze locked there instantly.

Dangerous mistake.

Because now all He could think about was tasting her.

Not a rushed kiss.

Not careless hunger.

He wanted to take His time with that mouth. Wanted to feel those soft lips part beneath His slowly while she melted against Him. Wanted to discover whether she made those same soft little gasping sounds when kissed properly.

Christ.

William leaned back slightly against the leather booth, forcing His expression into calm neutrality while His thoughts turned increasingly less disciplined.

Across from Him, Ruby finally gathered enough courage to speak again.

“You keep looking at me like you’re trying to figure me out.”

William’s eyes returned fully to hers.

“I am.”

Her breath caught faintly at His honesty.

“And?” she asked softly.

His gaze traveled over her face again — those dark mysterious eyes, flushed skin, beautiful mouth — before answering.

“You’re responsive.”

Heat bloomed instantly across her cheeks.

William continued quietly.

“But not merely physically.” His voice lowered. “You respond emotionally to control. To trust. To being understood.”

Ruby stared at Him silently.

Because He was right.

William saw the exact moment realization settled inside her.

That she wasn’t simply aroused by BDSM.

She craved surrender.

Real surrender.

Not weakness.

Relief.

The realization softened her expression into something achingly vulnerable.

And William felt another dangerous pull low in His chest.

Too fast.

Far too fast.

He rarely spoke this openly with newcomers, yet somehow Ruby kept drawing honesty out of Him effortlessly.

“Most people misunderstand submission,” He said quietly. “They think it’s about obedience alone.”

Ruby listened carefully.

“But real submission,” He continued, “requires extraordinary trust. You place parts of yourself into someone else’s hands and believe they’ll protect them instead of exploiting them.”

Ruby’s voice softened.

“You sound like you’ve been hurt before.”

The observation landed harder than He expected.

William studied her silently for a moment.

Perceptive too.

Another complication.

“My world requires caution,” He answered carefully.

She held His gaze steadily now despite her nerves.

“And do you always keep this much distance?”

William almost smiled at that.

“You think I’m distant?”

“I think…” Ruby hesitated. “You feel things more than you let people see.”

The words struck directly through Him.

Because very few people noticed that.

Even fewer dared say it aloud.

William’s silver eyes darkened slightly as He looked at her.

“You notice too much.”

Her lips curved faintly.

“So do you.”

Silence settled between them again, thick with tension and mutual awareness.

William realized then that He no longer wanted this interaction to end politely.

He wanted more time with her.

More conversation.

More reactions.

More of those beautiful breathless moments where her composure disappeared beneath His attention.

And perhaps most dangerous of all…

He wanted to know her outside the club too.

Not merely as a submissive possibility.

As Ruby.

That realization alone should have sent Him retreating immediately.

Instead, it only deepened His fascination.

William leaned closer once more, resting one forearm along the back of the booth behind her.

Close enough now that Ruby’s breathing visibly changed again.

“There’s something you should understand about Me,” He said softly.

Her eyes lifted to His immediately.

“When I pursue something…” His voice lowered further. “I do so intentionally.”

Ruby’s lips parted slightly.

William’s gaze flickered there again.

Temptation surged sharply through Him.

“You affect My control, Ruby,” He admitted quietly.

The honesty stunned even Him.

Ruby inhaled sharply.

William watched desire flare visibly through her expression at the confession.

God, she liked hearing that.

And knowing she could affect a man like Him only made her want Him more.

William should have stopped there.

Instead He reached up slowly and brushed His thumb lightly along the curve of her lower lip.

Ruby trembled instantly.

A soft helpless sound escaped her before she could stop it.

The reaction slammed through Him like fire.

William’s control nearly snapped completely right there in the shadows of His own club.

Because suddenly all He could think about…

Was kissing her.

Not eventually.

Not after careful planning and consideration.

Now.

He wanted to taste those trembling red lips that had been tormenting Him since the moment she looked up at Him across the dungeon floor. Wanted to feel her melt beneath Him when He finally gave in to the tension burning between them both.

And that never happened.

William Steele did not lose control.

He was the man who maintained composure while everyone else unraveled around Him. The man who could stand inches from desire and still think clearly.

But Ruby made Him want recklessness.

She looked at Him with equal parts admiration, curiosity, and hunger, and every instinct He possessed urged Him to pull her into His lap and kiss her until she forgot where she was.

His jaw tightened visibly as He fought for control.

Ruby noticed.

Her dark eyes flickered over His face carefully. “What are you thinking?”

William exhaled slowly through His nose.

“You truly want honesty?”

“Yes.”

His silver gaze dropped to her lips again.

And stayed there.

“I’m thinking about how much I want to kiss you.”

Ruby’s breath caught sharply.

The raw confession sent heat flooding instantly into her cheeks, down her neck, lower between her thighs where desire already pulsed insistently every time He looked at her like that.

William saw the reaction.

God.

That beautiful body responded to Him so easily.

His voice lowered further, roughened slightly by restraint.

“And I’m thinking about the fact that I’m having to fight for control.” His eyes finally lifted back to hers. “Which never happens.”

The admission hung heavily between them.

Ruby stared at Him like she could barely believe a man as powerful and composed as Master Steele could want her that intensely.

William leaned closer slowly.

Close enough now that her breathing brushed faintly against His skin.

“Will you go with Me on a proper date?”

The question came out more commanding than tentative, deep and controlled despite the hunger burning unmistakably in His eyes.

He still looked at her lips while He asked it.

Like resisting them had already become a losing battle.