ive: Dama

it back to her desk, he

chair and buried he

ready been called out in fr

ne buzz

essage fr

executive loun

art sk

e? She didn't even

the welcome binder Eric had given her earlier

Lounge...

he grabbed her ID badge and

-

floor w

usy operations floor or the

rich mahogany wood, leather chairs, and floor-

round table, scrolling through his pho

ok up as she

roat nervously. "You

id without l

ting on the edge of the

ence dr

ht the urg

e. "You made two

t stoppe

one down and fixe

"Second... letting the entire offi

confusion. "Wai

ich means people will watch you. Closely. Wait

harder than

look weak," he added, voice low a

ed hard. "I d

meant," he interrupted.

tween them

cond, neither

shifted-still col

small file beside him and slid

ared dow

ilities: call schedules, meeting summaries, client p

ore tomorrow morning," Damian said. "An

ed. "All this.

es

but then nodded.

red at the corner of his mouth.

oo

again, signaling the

added without looking up

used.

first day. Barely..

e that pulled at her lips as she

e... she could sur

as she stepped back into the el

lly let out a long breath she

ived...

pt repeating

else... something she

ere was something addictive about the way he looke

desk, she op

at the sheer amou

s, internal communication styles, and the strict

-

Persona

rive 15 minu

my phone unles

e from interruptions un

speak for

cipate my needs

tions? Leave th

t went dry as

? Before he says the

d started jotting notes, dete

hours, she barely m

ff a coffee. "Surviving, I see,

a weak laug

for the day, she was still typing, flipp

eyes burned. But s

PM, her phone

ssage fr

morrow's revised meeting age

softly but smi

over... but tomorrow wa

d took one last look at the sk

ghts blinke

der her breath:

art, she walked out of Knight Tower, re

came faster tha

5:30 AM, and she gro

amian Knight's message from last night

eting agenda... before

ed, pulled on her most professional (and only)

floor, reviewing the agenda one more time, making sure t

lightly as she stapl

ed up to the top floor and kn

came his

inside, her

dressed sharply in a dark gray s

said, "Leave it on th

fully, fighting the urge to expla

n away, Damian's gaze li

it

lowered herself into th

pages slowly, scanning each line with that cold

ought she saw his ey

t... ap

as it appeare

aid flatly. "Good. At least you can foll

ders sagged i

r. Knight," s

. "You'll start sh

owing? As in... followi

act

d his jacket, and

. Don't interrupt. Don't speak unless

, grabbing her notepad and

-

she followed him through one

. conference calls... s

managed to scribble eve

ached. Her

h, determined not to

didn't slow down. He simply grabbed a protei

earlier suddenly didn't feel

idn't dar

-

Damian finally glan

our notes

ly handed h

ds... then placed the notepad b

. another

ted, even if

elf to breathe, Damian's voi

.. we star

ned. "Earlier? Ea

He just smirked fain

... exhausted... but oddly ex