The office felt different today.
Too quiet.
Too controlled.
Like something was waiting to happen.
Elena sat at her desk.
Yes.
Her desk.
Right outside his office.
Close enough that she could feel his presence.
Even through the door.
She hated that.
"Miss Carter?"
She looked up.
A man stood in front of her.
Familiar.
From the meeting.
"Daniel Hayes," he said with a smile.
"We spoke yesterday."
Elena nodded.
"Yes."
His smile was easy.
Confident.
Too easy.
"I wanted to say… you handled yourself well."
A pause.
Then—
"Thank you."
He leaned slightly against her desk.
Too comfortable.
"Coffee?" he asked.
Elena blinked.
"What?"
"A break," he said lightly.
"You look like you could use one."
She hesitated.
Just for a second.
"Sure," she said.
It wasn't a big deal.
Just coffee.
Right?
"Great," he said.
They walked toward the elevator.
Side by side.
She felt it.
Eyes on her.
From behind.
She didn't turn.
The café downstairs was quiet.
Warm.
Normal.
Too normal.
Daniel ordered.
She didn't argue.
Didn't think.
"So," he said, sitting across from her,
"How long have you been working with Wolfe?"
"Not long."
"That explains it."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Explains what?"
He leaned forward slightly.
Lowered his voice.
"He doesn't bring people into his space easily."
Silence.
"So why you?" he asked.
Elena held his gaze.
"I could ask you the same question."
He smiled.
"Fair."
A pause.
"You should be careful," he added.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the cup.
"Why?"
Another pause.
"Because he doesn't do anything without a reason."
She already knew that.
"You sound like you know him well," she said.
Daniel leaned back.
"I've worked with him for years."
A beat.
"And I've never seen him look at someone the way he looks at you."
Her heart skipped.
"What does that mean?"
His smile faded slightly.
"It means…"
A pause.
"You're not safe here."
Silence.
That landed.
Before she could answer—
"Miss Carter."
That voice.
Cold.
Sharp.
She didn't need to turn.
But she did.
Adrian stood a few steps away.
Still.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
His eyes were not on her.
They were on Daniel.
And they were dark.
Very dark.
"Mr. Wolfe," Daniel said, standing quickly.
Too quickly.
"I didn't realize—"
"You didn't need to."
Silence.
Heavy.
Adrian stepped closer.
Slow.
Measured.
His gaze finally shifted.
To Elena.
"Back to work."
Not loud.
Not angry.
Worse.
Final.
Elena stood.
"I was just—"
"I know what you were doing."
Her chest tightened.
"This is my break."
A pause.
Then—
"No."
Just one word.
And somehow…
It shut everything down.
"I decide when you take breaks," he added.
Her jaw tightened.
"I'm not a machine."
His eyes locked on hers.
"No," he said quietly.
"You're mine."
Silence.
Daniel shifted slightly.
Uncomfortable.
"I'll leave you two," he said quickly.
Good decision.
He walked away.
Fast.
Now it was just them.
Elena turned back to Adrian.
"You don't get to do that."
A pause.
"Do what?"
"Control who I talk to."
Silence.
Then—
"I already told you."
A step closer.
"I don't share."
Her heart beat faster.
"That's not normal."
"No," he said.
"It's not."
She stepped closer.
"You embarrassed me."
A pause.
Then—
"You embarrassed yourself."
Her breath caught.
"That's not true."
His gaze didn't move.
"You accepted a meeting without informing me."
"It was coffee."
"It was unnecessary."
Her hands clenched.
"You don't own my time."
"I do."
Silence.
Again.
Always back to that.
Elena looked away.
Then back.
"You don't trust me," she said.
A pause.
Then—
"No."
That was honest.
Too honest.
Her chest tightened.
"Then why am I here?"
Silence.
Longer this time.
Then—
"Because I don't trust anyone around you."
Her breath caught.
That wasn't what she expected.
"That's not the same thing," she said quietly.
"No," he agreed.
"It's worse."
She stared at him.
Trying to understand.
Trying not to feel that pull again.
"You're doing this on purpose," she said.
"Yes."
"Why?"
A pause.
Then—
"Because I don't like the way he looked at you."
Her heart skipped.
"That's not your concern."
"It is."
Silence.
Heavy.
Then—
Without warning—
He reached for her wrist.
Pulled her slightly closer.
Not hard.
But firm.
Her breath caught.
"Adrian—"
"Don't say his name again."
Her heart raced.
"What?"
His grip tightened slightly.
"Not in front of me."
Silence.
This was different.
Darker.
More real.
She pulled her hand back.
"You're crossing a line."
A pause.
Then—
"I erased that line when you signed."
Her chest tightened.
"You're not the only one who can play this game," she said.
His eyes darkened.
"Then play."
Silence.
Dangerous.
But this time…
She didn't step back.
And neither did he.
This was no longer just control.
It was something else.
Something that was growing.
Fast.
And neither of them was stopping it.