position had even fully dissipated, a sleek black car was waiting to take me to his estate. My small apartment, with its chipped walls and worn furniture, felt a millio

s, and a long, winding driveway that felt designed to deter the uninvited. The car pulled up to a grand entrance, all cle

aster. Mr. Wolfhar

-ceiling windows offered panoramic views of the manicured grounds and the distant city skyline. It was beautiful,

, larger than my entire apartment, with its own living area, a walk-in closet, and a bathroom that featured a tub I could practically swim in. It

your own space," Eleanor said, her tone flat and unreadable

Available whenever needed. The words had

there, Cassian was moving through his evening, unaware that the woman he'd invited into his ho

soft knock on my door

your presence in his

they were more for show than for reading. Cassian was seated behind a large desk, a laptop open in front of him,

chairs facing him. "Have a seat,

. "I prefer to think of mysel

sound. "Unexpected, certainly

I d

rove yourself

. He leaned back in his chair, la

owed you to

.. very generou

ing to be living here, we should dispense wit

it settled in. I was living

the name. It felt foreign, ye

the standard personal assistant tasks-scheduling, correspondence, managing

"Matters that cannot leave this house. Inform

ities I was here to expose. He was giving me the

my voice steady. "Confid

s empire is built on." His expression hardened

chilling reminder of the consequences if he ev

outlined upcoming events, key contacts, the delicate balance of power players he navigated daily. He spoke with a casual authority that

yawn escaped me, and I

I murmured.

"We'll start properly in the morning. For to

d in the vast, silent study. This wa

esk. "Come, I'll s

ned corridor. My heart hammered against my ribs. W

. It looked similar to the one leading to my suite, bu

open. "This

is room. Why was he

niably masculine. A large bed dominated the center, covered in dark, expensive-looking linens. There was a f

owards a closed door on the far side of the room. "It made more sense, lo

ing suite. Separated only

I saw it.

ig enough for two people

hen back to Cassian. He was watching me, his expressi

ote flashed in my mind:

ectly connected to his. Close enough that a shared wall was all that separated us. Close enough that any sound, any movem

About control. About testing the boundaries of this

peated faintly, the

e window, looking out at the city lights. "We're going to be spending

, dark and intense in the dim ligh

said. "Tomorrow, t

roximity was. The knowledge that he was just a door away, that the line between

ounded deafening in the silence. The luxurious room felt less like a sanctuary and mor

g to get burned by the fire I

ension was already a palpable thing, a silent scream