Chapter 10 The Queen Bends The Knee

Slowly, the shock on Natasha's face began to melt away. The corners of her lips twitched upward into a small, amused smile, though her eyes remained completely serious.

She leaned back in her chair, letting out a soft laugh that sounded completely relaxed.

"You really are something else, Ghost," she said, her voice dropping to a smooth purr.

"Nobody has ever threatened my men in front of me. Especially not while looking down the barrel of two loaded guns."

"Ares does not make threats, Natasha," he said calmly, straightening his back and pulling his hands off her desk. "He states facts. Your men are alive right now because I allow them to breathe."

Boris, the larger guard behind him, let out a rough grunt. "Boss, just give the word. Let me put a bullet in this arrogant bastard."

"Quiet, Boris," Natasha said without looking at him. She raised a single finger, and the room instantly became quiet again.

She stood up from her chair slowly, the detailed tattoos on her bare arms shifting under the yellow light as she walked around the long desk, stopping just a few feet away from Ares.

"You say you want a map of the city's underground. You say you want to take over every single faction. But why should I trust a man who hides his face?"

"You do not need to trust me," Ares replied, keeping his eyes fixed on hers. "You only need to understand that I am the one who makes the rules now."

"Is that so?" Natasha whispered.

Before the last word fully left her lips, her expression changed from calm to completely fierce.

Her right hand moved with incredible speed, sliding toward the inside of her jacket sleeve. With a clean, practiced motion, she pulled a small, silver hidden blade from her cuff.

She lunged forward, aiming the cold metal straight toward his neck. It was a fast, lethal strike, meant to test his limits and see if his reflexes matched his heavy words.

To Ares’s divine sight, her movement was entirely clear. He could see the exact angle of her wrist and the slight shift in her balance before she even completed the step.

Ares did not step back. He simply waited until the silver blade was inches away from his throat.

With a swift flash of his left hand, he slapped her wrist to the side, completely throwing off her aim.

Before she could recover her balance, he stepped deep into her space, his body pressing against hers.

He grabbed her right forearm with an iron grip, twisting it slightly until the silver blade slipped from her fingers and clattered loudly against the floor.

Natasha gasped, her eyes widening in surprise as she tried to pull away. But Ares was already moving.

He wrapped his right arm around her waist, lifting her slightly off her feet, and forced her backward across the room.

They moved fast, stumbling back toward one of the deep leather couches against the wall. With a single, powerful push, he drove her down onto the soft cushions.

Before she could scramble back up, he pinned both of her wrists above her head with one hand, leaning his heavy frame down over her body so she could not move an inch.

"Let go of her!" Boris screamed, the two guards rushing forward with their guns raised.

"Stay back!" Natasha shouted, her voice echoing sharply across the room.

She was breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling fast against his. She glared up at the guards, her face flushed with a mixture of anger and excitement.

"Do not move! If either of you fires a single shot, I will skin you alive myself!"

The guards froze in their tracks, their faces full of confusion as they held their weapons mid-air.

They looked at each other, completely unsure of what to do as they watched their powerful boss pinned down on her own couch by a stranger.

Ares looked down at Natasha, his dark eyes completely cold and dominant through the slits of his black mask.

The proximity between them was intense, their breath mixing in the quiet space. He could feel the rapid beating of her heart against his ribs, but his own pulse remained perfectly steady.

"You should not play with toys you do not understand, Natasha," Ares said, his voice low and dangerous, vibrating right above her face.

"I told you before. I am the predator here. If I wanted you dead, your heart would have stopped before you could even touch your sleeve."

Natasha did not look angry anymore. As she stared up into his cold, unwavering eyes, the fierce look on her face completely disappeared. A sudden, wild light sparked in her deep eyes. For her entire life, she had been the strongest person in every room.

She had ruled over brutal men, killers, and corrupt politicians through fear and absolute control. Every man she met either feared her or tried to use her.

But right now, she was experiencing something she had never felt in her entire existence. She was facing a man who was completely, undeniably superior to her in every single way.

His raw strength and absolute lack of fear did not terrify her—instead, it completely aroused her wild, untamed nature. The slow burn of excitement in her chest turned into a roaring fire.

A slow, breathless smile spread across her red lips. She stopped fighting against his grip, letting her body go completely soft beneath his.

"You really are a god, aren't you?" she whispered, her voice shaking slightly with an emotion she could not contain. "You are completely magnificent."

Ares did not answer, keeping his grip tight on her wrists for a few more seconds to make sure she understood her place.

When he saw the absolute submission in her eyes, he slowly released her hands and stepped back, straightening his clothes.

Natasha stayed on the couch for a moment, rubbing her wrists where the faint red marks of his fingers were visible.

She sat up slowly, smoothing down her hair, her eyes never leaving his form. She looked at him not as an enemy, and not just as a business partner, but as her absolute master.

She stood up from the couch and walked over to her desk, her steps no longer carrying their previous pride.

She stopped in front of him, taking a deep breath, and then she did something that would have shocked the entire city of New York to its core.

The Underworld Queen bowed her head deeply before him, lowering her eyes to the floor.

"The Crimson Syndicate is yours, Ghost," Natasha said, her voice clear and completely dedicated.

"My men, my docks, my wealth, and my own life. Everything I own is now at your disposal. Tell me what you want me to do, and it will be done."

Ares looked down at her bowed head, feeling the first true piece of his mortal empire falling into place. "Good," he said flatly. "Get me the map of the factions by tomorrow morning. And tell your men to clean the cage downstairs."