Chapter 8: Secrets in the Dark

Sleep had abandoned Lena that night. Every time she closed her eyes, Alexander Knight appeared—sharp suit, intense grey eyes, that dangerous air of command that both thrilled and terrified her. Her normally predictable world, one she had carefully arranged for stability and control, had been flipped upside down. He had ignited something inside her she couldn’t name, a mixture of desire, fear, and fascination that left her restless.

The night after their heated lunch together, he hadn’t called. He hadn’t texted. But she felt his presence everywhere, like an invisible weight pressing against her chest. In the scent of her perfume, she imagined traces of him lingering. In the echo of his voice in her memory, she could feel the dangerous pull of his attention. She tried to tell herself it was just desire, a fleeting office crush—but deep down, she knew it was far more than that.

By morning, she resolved to bury herself in work, hoping the endless reports and emails would distract her from the way her body ached for his proximity. She arrived early, determined to focus, to regain a sense of control over her thoughts. Yet fate, it seemed, had other plans.

As she stepped into the office, she froze. Alexander was already there, in the conference room, speaking with a tall, elegant woman dressed in a fitted black dress. They moved together with an ease that made her chest tighten. There was familiarity in their gestures, an intimacy in the way they leaned toward each other, and it stirred something deep inside Lena—a gnawing, burning jealousy she couldn’t suppress.

“Lena,” Alexander said, turning his gaze to her. His expression was carefully neutral, practiced. “This is Victoria Hale, our legal consultant.”

Victoria’s smile was warm, confident—the kind that made Lena’s stomach twist with unease. “I’ve heard so much about you,” she said, her voice smooth, almost teasing.

Lena forced a polite nod. “Nice to meet you,” she said, her voice steady despite the storm inside her.

The meeting began, but Lena could barely focus on the conversation. Every time Victoria brushed his arm, leaned close to whisper something, or laughed at a remark, Lena’s heart constricted. She told herself it was unprofessional to feel this way, that she was overreacting. But the ache in her chest said otherwise.

When the meeting finally ended, Lena gathered her papers quickly, eager to escape the heavy tension of the room. Yet before she could reach the door, Alexander’s voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Lena, wait.”

She froze, then turned slowly. “Yes, Mr. Knight?”

His tone softened, almost gentle—a stark contrast to the commanding presence he always carried. “You’re angry.”

“I’m not,” she lied, though she knew her flushed cheeks betrayed her.

He stepped closer, the air between them charged, and sighed. “Victoria and I—it’s not what you think.”

“I didn’t think anything,” Lena admitted, her voice trembling slightly.

His hand brushed hers lightly, and the simple touch sent a shiver through her. “You did. And you’re wrong,” he murmured, his grey eyes locking with hers.

Her breath caught. She looked up, searching his face for the truth. “Then tell me what it is, Alex. Because right now, it feels like I’m just another employee to you.”

His jaw tightened, a shadow of frustration crossing his features. “You’re not.”

“Then what am I?” Her voice barely rose above a whisper, but the question carried every ounce of vulnerability she felt.

He hesitated, long enough for her to catch the raw honesty in his eyes. “You’re the only thing I can’t control,” he admitted, his voice dropping to a barely audible whisper.

Her chest tightened, and she could hardly breathe. He leaned closer, close enough for her to feel the warmth radiating from him, his words brushing against her skin like a secret caress.

“And that scares me more than anything.”

Before she could respond, he turned, walking away with a controlled elegance, leaving her standing there—heart pounding, chest tight, mind spinning.

Lena’s fingers tightened around her papers, and she realized something with unshakable certainty: whatever was happening between them, whatever dangerous pull bound them together… it was far from over.

And she didn’t want it to be.