My hands froze the moment I saw him. Elliot's eyes, dark and sharp like twin obsidian blades, fixed on me with a mixture of displeasure and dominance. The pen I had been twirling rolled to his feet, and before I could react, he picked it up and placed it in front of him deliberately out of reach, a silent claim marking his territory.
My cheeks burned hot with embarrassment. I needed that pen to take notes, to do my work, yet standing there, I felt exposed under the weight of his Alpha presence. Swallowing hard, I stood and reached forward, snatching the pen back forcibly. His gaze followed me, unblinking, but he didn't comment or scowl. The power in that silence was suffocating.
Felicia cleared her throat awkwardly. "Okay… let's continue the meeting," she stammered, as if to distract us both from the tension that crackled like static between Elliot and me. My face burned even hotter. Why did it always feel like trouble followed him like a shadow?
