Se connecterI offer a smile, all teeth, but none of them friendly. “If you’re worried, Arthur, I suggest you keep your seatbelt on. The next quarter’s going to be a hell of a ride.” He laughs, soft and practiced, and sits back. The contest has drawn blood, but neither animal is ready to yield. Above us, the l
He lets the word legend hang, and it lands with the weight of a threat. Hargrove’s jaw tightens, but he tries for neutral. “We were just reviewing the final deliverables. I assume you have something to add, Mr. Reynolds?” Arthur folds his hands, fingers interlaced, and leans forward just enough to
The room is made of glass and consequence. Every surface gleams, every line calculated for maximal intimidation, even the view—twenty-eight floors above the city’s rust-scabbed arteries, windows so clear you could imagine the building didn’t exist at all. Only the table is solid: ten feet of lacquer
But the wolf is not impressed. A twig snaps, sharp as a gunshot. I whip around, every muscle strung, ready to fight or flee. For a second, I think I see movement—a flash of pale, a blur of blue—but it could be the afterimage of the moon on my retinas, nothing more. My pulse stutters, then races. I
I grab for the briefing packet, the one I prepped last night, and my hand trembles as I hold it up to the screen. Lucas’s eyes track the movement. I see him make a mental note, the kind he’ll bring up later, in private, like it’s a kindness to pretend he doesn’t know I’m falling apart. There’s anot
Lila is in before seven, as promised. She’s got a triple-shot for me, heavy on the syrup, and she sets it at the edge of my desk like she’s leaving an offering at the foot of a dangerous idol. “Thank you,” I say, careful not to look up for too long. She’s a smart one; she’d see what’s wrong in a he
I gather the pieces of myself and leave the office. My own intentions are as fractured as his. I cannot think straight with the scent of him so fresh, so insistent, so much like a promise. The door swings shut behind me, cutting off the warmth and memory of Derek's presence with surgical precision
I stiffen, a snarl forming at the back of my throat, before I manage to smooth it into something more civil, more human. This is not what I expected, not what I am prepared for. I should have known. I should have known he'd come. "Mara," his voice drawls, easy and confident, but I hear the challeng
The lock clicks behind me as I slip into the office. I am the wolf, even in tailored business attire. Even with it all wrapped up so tight. The edge of my existence cuts deep. The aftertaste of the night clings to my senses, a raw, metallic tang that I cannot swallow away. My steps falter, then re
There is a freedom in it, a temptation that digs claws deep into my resolve and leaves it ragged and bleeding. I have spent a lifetime restraining the urge, tightening the leash until it bites into my own flesh. But the promise of release is a seductive whisper, its breath warm against my neck, its







