008

8. 

SERAPHINA. 

The morning sun felt harsh against my tired eyes as I walked through the double glass doors of the office. My skin still burned with the memory of yesterday's humiliation. 

I had spent the entire night hiding those three luxury boxes in the deep spaces of my closet, away from Victor’s mocking eyes. 

I was so angry that my chest felt tight, and my hands trembled slightly as I gripped the strap of my handbag.

Adrian, Julian, and Sebastian had crossed a massive line. Sending those highly inappropriate, explicit items directly to my home was a dangerous game. They wanted to mess with my mind. They wanted to make me horny, to make me desperate, and to completely break down my defenses. 

But as I walked past the rows of cubicles, I threw my shoulders back. I needed to be strong. I was determined to play hard to get, no matter how much my body traitorously throbbed at the memory of their words.

I dropped my bag onto my desk chair, unable to even look toward the grand mahogany doors of the CEO office. The heat between my thighs from the previous day had turned into a low, buzzing ache. 

Every step I took made my underwear rub against my sensitive clit, a sharp reminder of how starved for affection I truly was. 

I needed a distraction. I needed a moment to breathe before I had to face those three giant billionaire gods again.

I grabbed my plastic cup and marched over to the water cooler at the back of the floor. It was a quiet corner, shielded by a large potted plant.

Tracy was already there, slowly sipping her morning tea. The moment she saw my face, her eyebrows shot up. 

"Good morning, stranger. You look like you are ready to murder someone. Is the fever from yesterday still bugging you?"

"I don't have a fever, Tracy," I muttered, pressing the button on the cooler and watching the cold water fill my cup. My voice carried a sharp, angry edge that I couldn't hide. 

"I am just incredibly furious. I am sick and tired of arrogant men who do not understand basic boundaries. Men who think that just because they have power and wealth, they can send whatever they want to a woman's house to play with her mind."

Tracy’s eyes went wide with instant curiosity. She leaned closer, her high-pitched voice dropping to an eager whisper. "Wait, what? Someone sent something to your house? Don't tell me your husband is in trouble. Who are we talking about, Seraphina? Who is messing with you?"

"Just... some shameless bastards," I growled, my teeth grinding together as I thought about the red lace bodysuit, the pink silicone toy, and the heavy diamond necklace. 

"They think they can buy my attention. They think I am some easy toy they can play with whenever they are bored."

"Well, whoever they are, they sound dangerously persistent," a deep, rumbly voice suddenly smooth-talked from right behind us.

I froze instantly. The plastic water cup slipped from my fingers, spilling cold water all over my sensible flat shoes. The air in the quiet corner immediately shifted, tightening until it felt completely suffocating. 

The rich, expensive scent of woodsy cologne and high-end leather filled my nose, telling me exactly who had arrived before I even turned around.

I slowly spun on my heel, my heart hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs.

Adrian, Julian, and Sebastian were standing there, completely blocking our escape. They looked breathtaking, like men stepped straight out of a luxury magazine. 

Adrian wore a flawless navy suit that highlighted his massive, broad shoulders. Julian was leaning against the wall, a wicked, devastating smirk playing on his handsome face, the star tattoo beneath his left eye catching the bright office lights. Sebastian stood right between them, his hands tucked casually into his trouser pockets, his dark eyes locked onto mine with a raw, hungry intensity.

They looked completely untouchable, and completely shameless.

"Mr. Knox," Tracy gasped, her jaw dropping slightly as she quickly straightened her posture, trying to look professional.

None of them looked at Tracy. All six of their gorgeous, predatory eyes were fixed directly on me. 

They scanned my flushed face, my trembling lips, and my tight posture. They could clearly see how angry I was, and it only seemed to feed their amusement.

Julian took a slow step forward, breaking all corporate boundaries. He leaned down slightly, his voice dripping with playful, wicked temptation.

"We were just passing by and couldn't help but overhear," Julian purred, his dark eyes twinkling with mischief. 

"So, tell us, Seraphina... did you like our gifts? Did they fit you well? We spent a lot of time selecting the perfect items to help you relax after a long, lonely night."

My face burned with a sudden, raging heat. My cheeks turned a deep crimson, and my breath hitched in my throat. I could feel my nipples instantly hardening against the fabric of my bra, throbbing violently. 

The memory of Victor holding those explicit items up, mocking my sexual starvation, rushed back into my head. And here they were, asking about it in the middle of the workplace, completely unbothered by the fact that my coworker was standing right next to me.

"I... I have no idea what you are talking about, sir," I managed to choke out, forcing my voice to remain steady even though my knees felt incredibly weak. The moisture between my legs grew heavy, a warm, slick pool of arousal soaking into my panties just from their close proximity.

Adrian let out a low, deep chuckle that vibrated right through my chest. He flashed his silver teeth in a dark smile. 

"Don't play shy with us, secretary. Red is definitely a color we want to see more of. Make sure you don't keep those beautiful things locked away in the dark for too long. We like it when our staff shows appreciation for our corporate generosity."

Sebastian didn't say a word, but his gaze dropped significantly, tracking the heavy rise and fall of my chest. The primitive hunger in his eyes told me everything I needed to know. They knew exactly what those gifts had done to me. They knew they were driving me crazy.

"We will be waiting for your daily marketing report in our office, Seraphina," Sebastian said smoothly, his voice calm and authoritative compared to his brothers' wild teasing.

 "Don't keep us waiting."

With identical, devastating smirks, the three billionaire brothers turned around and walked away, their heavy leather boots echoing against the marble floor as they headed back to the executive suite. 

The entire office seemed to watch them go, a collective sigh rippling through the room.

The moment the mahogany doors shut behind them, Tracy grabbed my arm with a force that almost made me yelp. 

Her jaw had literally hit the floor, her eyes completely wide with utter shock.

She began to shake me violently, her voice rising in a panicked whisper. "Oh my god! Oh my god, Seraphina! Don't tell me... don't tell me the Knox brothers want you! The three new billionaire bosses are sending gifts to your house?! What kind of gifts?! Red?! What did Adrian mean by red?!"

"Tracy, please, keep your voice down," I hissed, looking around frantically to see if anyone else had noticed the interaction. My heart was pounding so fast I thought it would burst.

"Keep my voice down?!" Tracy gasped, gripping my shoulders tightly. "They were practically eating you with their eyes! They looked like giants ready to completely devour you right here by the water cooler! Did you... did you tell them you are married? Do they know about Victor?!"

A sudden, sharp wave of panic hit my stomach.

If Tracy found out about the gifts, she would start asking questions. She would wonder why my husband allowed three men to send lingerie and sex toys to our house. She would discover the truth about Victor and Gideon. 

She would find out that my marriage was a complete sham, that I was trapped by millions in debt, and that my husband had given me permission to fuck whoever I wanted just to protect his public image. 

The humiliation would ruin me. I couldn't let anyone at work know about the toxic mess of my personal life.

In a desperate rush to protect my privacy and bury the truth, my mind scrambled for an excuse. I needed to cut off her questions instantly.

I looked Tracy straight in the eyes, swallowed the lump in my throat, and blunted out a massive lie.

"No," I whispered quickly, my hands clenching into fists. "I didn't tell them I am married... because I'm not. Victor and I... we broke up a long time ago. I am single, Tracy. I am completely single."

Tracy’s hands dropped from my shoulders, her expression shifting from shock to absolute bewilderment. 

"You... you're single? But you just got married two years ago! You always talk about your home!"

"It is over, okay? We are separated," I lied again, the words tasting like ash in my mouth, but it was the only way to shield myself. 

"Please, just don't mention Victor to anyone. And don't mention the Knox brothers either. I just want to do my job." I hissed. 

Thinking about it now, the Knox brothers already knew I was married yet they threw themselves at me shamelessly. I just want to make sure Tracy doesn't mention my marriage around them so they don't start digging through. I did not want them to know about my marriage situation. 

Tracy stared at me for a long moment, then slowly nodded, a strange look in her eyes. I turned away, pretending to clean up the spilled water on the floor, but inside, my mind was screaming. 

I had just lied to my best work friend, and I had just declared myself single in an office owned by three dangerous, seductive men who wanted nothing more than to claim my body. I was sliding deeper into their trap, and playing hard to get was about to get a whole lot harder.