Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Elena hung up the phone slowly, feeling an involuntary shiver run down her spine. A sigh escaped her lips before she could stop it. She placed a hand over her chest, as if her own body were trying to understand what had just happened.

“What was that?” she murmured to herself.

She had never reacted that way to a simple professional phone call. And yet, Mark Darkmoor’s voice lingered in her mind, low, firm… dangerously captivating.

Exactly thirty minutes later, the door to the executive office was opened by the security guard. Mark stepped out with impeccable posture. The dark suit seemed tailored to his strong body, defying the age he appeared to be.

He stopped in front of her.

“Shall we?”

Elena stood up immediately, feeling her heart race for no logical reason.

At that same moment, Eleanor was returning from lunch.

“Eleanor, I’m taking Elena with me,” Mark informed her, discreetly adjusting his shirt cuff.

“Yes, sir,” she replied, casting an attentive glance at the young woman before heading to her desk.

They walked in silence to the elevator.

Inside, they stood far too close.

Elena had to lift her gaze. Mark Darkmoor was immense. Broad. Imposing. If his presence was like this at his age… what must he have been like when he was younger? The thought caught her off guard, bringing a sudden warmth to her cheeks.

He noticed. His dark eyes observed her calmly.

Once again, Elena felt it. That strange… intense sensation. Could it be seduction?

Startled by her own thought, she immediately looked away, silently scolding herself.

How absurd.

The elevator continued descending while Mark remained motionless beside her.

His scent was… intoxicating.

Elena took a deep breath, trying to understand what was happening to her. It made no sense. It wasn’t an ordinary cologne. It was something deeper, warmer, almost addictive. Her body reacted before her mind could catch up. Her muscles tensed, her breathing becoming irregular.

She stiffened without realizing it.

“Are you all right, Miss Lancaster?” Mark asked, noticing her sudden rigidity.

His voice, so close, sent another shiver across her skin.

“Yes… of course,” she replied quickly, though her heart was pounding far too fast. “Just… a little dizzy.”

Mark tilted his head slightly, studying her with attention. His dark eyes traced her face, lingering longer than necessary. He felt it. He always did. The effect he had on people, especially women.

“If you prefer, we can postpone lunch,” he said calmly.

Elena swallowed hard.

“No,” she answered too quickly. “I’m fine.”

He held her gaze for another second, as if he could read every thought she was trying to hide. Then he nodded slowly.

“Very well.”

The elevator finally stopped. The doors opened. Elena took a step forward, her body still warm, without understanding why. As she passed him, she noticed something even more unsettling:

Mark Darkmoor’s discreet smile. It was as if… as if he knew exactly what he was doing to her. No. Impossible.

She took another step, and the panel lights flickered for a second.

In the metallic reflection of the elevator wall, something did not align. For a brief instant, Mark’s reflection did not perfectly match his movements. He blinked, and the reflection returned to normal.

He exited the elevator right behind her, adjusting his jacket with an elegant gesture, as if nothing had happened. As if he had not just fought an instinct he had sworn long ago to keep under control.

They entered the limousine, and the security guard sat beside the driver. As soon as the door closed, the privacy glass was activated.

Elena sat carefully on the soft leather seat, her heart beating far too fast for a simple lunch outing. Mark settled beside her, keeping a certain distance.

His scent enveloped her again.

Elena took a deep breath. She felt a shiver slowly slide down her arms, then her neck, as if something invisible were touching her. She clasped her hands in her lap, restless.

What is happening to me?

Mark remained silent, watching the city pass by through the tinted window. But all his senses were focused on her. On the rapid rhythm of her breathing and the slight trembling of her body.

“Are you comfortable?”

The simple question made Elena swallow hard.

“Yes… sir,” she replied, though she wasn’t sure that was the right word.

In the reflection of the dark glass, for a brief instant, his image did not appear. Only hers, sitting tense, lips slightly parted.

Then the reflection returned.

Mark adjusted his shirt cuff as if nothing had happened.

---

Elena had just taken the first bite of her meal when his phone rang. Mark answered, his voice deep and firm. Instantly, something inside her ignited. An intense heat rose through her chest, her arms, up to her neck. It was an uncomfortable and irresistible sensation she could not explain.

She swallowed hard, blushing, and asked for permission with a small hand gesture.

“Excuse me, sir,” she murmured.

She headed to the nearest restroom and, upon entering, closed the door quickly. She felt her hands tremble slightly as she turned on the faucet, letting cold water run over her wrists, trying to calm her body.

The light flickered briefly above her, and she blinked, startled.

In the restaurant, for an instant that lasted an eternity, Mark’s eyes changed color. A subtle red, imperceptible to anyone less attentive, disappeared as quickly as it appeared, and he regained his composure as if nothing had happened.

He took a deep breath, controlling his own arousal. Her scent intoxicated him, warm, alive, intense.

As Elena dried her wrists, trying to dispel the heat that refused to fade, a shiver ran down her spine. She couldn’t explain it, but something about that man had power over her body.

After lunch, the drive back was calm. Elena felt the intense heat and the shiver that had taken over her body moments earlier finally subside. She took a deep breath, trying to regain control of herself. Her heart slowed, her arms relaxed, and her mind returned to routine.

But not for Mark Darkmoor. For the rest of the day, he remained restless. And then, something caught his attention unexpectedly.

When Elena handed him some documents at his desk, Mark noticed the delicate ring on her finger. A simple band, but it looked like a commitment ring, possibly an engagement.

For a moment, his expression grew serious. Still, deep down, the ring would change nothing between them. But its presence made it clear that she belonged to someone else.