tension inside felt heavy enou

ng her phone like a lifeline, sneaking glance

typing out emails at lightning spee

f man worke

to say anything, the car pulled up

. Stay close, don't speak unless I tell you

before he stepped out, alread

, nearly tripping on the cu

erything m

members and executives. Suits everywhere. Expensive wat

her again. He took his seat at the head of the table

or, holding her notepad and pen,

bled notes as fast as she could, her h

r time

older m

l str

head

. it h

ecutives aske

d, "Miss Rivera, hand me the file fro

art dr

ase by the door, crouched

er... blac

ere we

ick. O

hovered.

se in he

ne. Just

cker folder and rus

nce at it... and hi

e right file,"

e room we

h flipped. "I-

his voice. But somehow... his

empty chair near the corner. "And

s. Embarrassment burned

at her notepad like it held

he kept her head low, her hear

ded, Damian stood and walke

some casting her amu

nted to

, Eric appeared beside her, giving

ith a shrug. "Could've

sinking deeper

. she knew one

take wouldn't

ian Knight a

mpty conference room long

rned with h

second Damian's voice dropped, the coldness in his eye

cial task... a

ed her notepad and stood, will

ople from the operations floor lingering near the e

amused. Some

day and I'm alre

few minutes later, holding

use this," he sai

g a slow sip, grateful for s

he glass wall ove

silence. "Damian's like that with everyone. He's a per

rless laugh. "That makes

d up. It happens. The real question is

, nodding. "I'll be

ed her coffee, her

om an unknow

Five minut

flipped al

dreaded post-mist

ook on her face. "Let me

a no

n the shoulder. "Good luck. And..

laugh. "Thanks for th

she made her way back up to the top f

eath... knocked tw

e his deep voi

slowly, closing t

iewing some papers, that same u

look up

ched between them

lifting his gaz

vously on the edge of the

ally raise

eyes

akes," he said, voice calm but sh

y. "I know. I'm sorry.

was trying to decide whether to fire her

lly said. "I expect b

d quickly.

d slightly. "Don

ed. "I-sorry..

ble crossed his face... irrita

ack to his papers. "And next time... b

uickly. "Yes.

her first office

of his office and close

re the strange fl

him... something dangerous

ure if she shoul

e stra

he pressed her back against the cool hall

ll raced from

er feel small... nervous... an

ar the confusing thoughts, and ma

stopped. In fact,

d. Others shot her quick glances, their eyes fil

g her eyes glued to her computer

appeared at her desk aga

sk, "surviving your first one-on-one with Damian is almost like a

eat... now I just have to su

d. "Exactly.

eply, her new work

essage fr

on my desk before noon

he looked at the time.

under her breath, scrambling

a disaster-half sentences, incomplete phrases, and doodl

o turn this into so

ing furiously, doing her best to re

ew across the keyboard. Typos piled up. She fixed them. Wrong points? Corrected.

ocument, clipped it neatly, and hurrie

door was

then stepped inside and placed the

n to leave, Damian's voi

ta

then slowly

through the pages with quick, pra

moment, he

eart poun

enough? Woul

osed the folder an

acceptable

slightly in surpris

intest smirk. "Don't sound so shocked. Y

time... there was a tiny flicker

next time," she

her for a beat too long.

Miss Rivera. Your

oftly as she l

t into Knight Industries... she felt