AZRAEL
The city buzzed beneath my office window, lights flickering in the dusk like scattered stars.
Contracts and reports lay neatly across my desk, but my attention wasn't on business. It was on her on Seraphina, moving through the studio hundreds of miles away.
A notification blinked on my phone.
A candid photo: Seraphina laughing with Elara, the co-star who had a reputation for subtle rivalries.
Nothing scandalous, but the composition the curve of her smile, the tilt of her head made it perfect material for gossip.
I didn't need to be there physically. I didn't need to storm the set. I just paused, eyes narrowing, absorbing every detail of the image.
The way she moved, the warmth in her expression, the glow of life she radiated and how others might misinterpret it sent a dark thrill through him.
A text appeared on her phone a moment later:
"Remember where you are."
"No explanation, no threats just a reminder. She shivered, sensing his presence in every corner of her mind. The memory of him the sharp angles of his cheekbones, the deep, dark glint of his eyes, the broad line of his shoulders, the way he filled any space he occupied wrapped around her like an invisible cloak."
During the afternoon, Seraphina continued her rehearsals. The assistant who accidentally brushed past her froze, her co star's smile faltered. She couldn't explain it, but the air seemed heavier, tighter, as though someone unseen had stepped into the room.
She went back to her apartment after the day.
Her phone buzzed once more, a simple message from him:
"We'll talk soon."