Lust & Love

Hazel stood in front of the bedroom mirror, quickly pinning her dark hair into a neat, professional bun. The morning light was just starting to filter through the blinds, casting a soft glow over the quiet apartment.

Before she could reach for her makeup bag, two familiar arms wrapped securely around her waist from behind. Liam pulled her back flush against his chest, pressing a warm, lingering kiss just below her ear. A soft smile broke across Hazel's face as she leaned into his touch.

"Morning," Liam mumbled against her skin, his voice still thick with sleep.

"Morning," Hazel laughed softly, resting her hands over his.

She looked at their reflection in the mirror. Liam’s hair was still a little messy from the pillows, his dress shirt unbuttoned. At twenty-seven, he was effortlessly handsome, but it was the quiet, steady adoration in his eyes that always got to her. Looking at him, Hazel felt that familiar, deep warmth swell in her chest. Two months ago, he had finally slipped the beautiful silver diamond onto her left hand, making her the happiest woman in the world.

Liam lifted his head, resting his chin on her shoulder. He turned her around in his arms, pulling her in for a proper kiss. It was sweet, familiar, and deep—the kind of kiss that made it very hard to leave the house.

"You need to finish getting ready," Hazel murmured against his lips, gently pushing his chest. "We’re going to hit rush hour."

"Five more minutes," Liam coaxed, kissing her jawline.

"No chance." Hazel laughed, stepping out of his grip and grabbing her purse from the bed. "I have a massive data file waiting for me, and you have that team meeting. Let's go."

Liam sighed dramatically, grabbing his keys from the dresser. "Fine. I’ll be waiting in the car. Don't take too long."

Thirty minutes later, Liam navigated his sedan through the heavy morning traffic. He finally pulled up to the curb right outside the towering glass structure of Vanguard Holdings.

"I'll be right here at six," Liam said, shifting the car into park. He leaned over, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Have a good day at work, Haze. I love you."

"Love you too. Drive safe," Hazel said, giving him a quick kiss before stepping out of the car.

She pulled her coat tight against the cold wind and hurried up the concrete steps into the massive lobby. She swiped her security badge at the turnstiles and caught the elevator up to the forty-second floor.

Hazel was a twenty-five-year-old data analyst. She crunched numbers, built projection models, and spent most of her day in a quiet cubicle. It was supposed to be a completely normal Tuesday.

The elevator doors slid open. Hazel stepped out and was immediately ambushed.

Her best friend and coworker, Chloe, grabbed her arm and practically dragged her into the empty breakroom. Chloe’s face was completely drained of color, and she was clutching a thick presentation binder to her chest.

"Thank God you're here," Chloe breathed, her voice shaking with pure panic. "Marcus is in an ambulance. He collapsed in the lobby five minutes ago."

Hazel’s eyes went wide. "Oh my god. Is he okay? Wait, the Q3 executive pitch is at nine. That’s in ten minutes."

"I know," Chloe said, shoving the heavy binder directly into Hazel’s hands. "Which is why you are doing it."

Hazel froze. Her heart immediately kicked into a frantic rhythm. "Chloe, no. I just ran the backend numbers. I’ve never presented to the board."

"There is literally nobody else in the building who understands this data," Chloe said, gripping Hazel’s shoulders firmly. "Sarah is out of town, and David is on leave. The Boss is already sitting in that boardroom, Hazel. The Devil himself."

Hazel’s stomach dropped straight into her shoes. The CEO. At thirty-six, he was a billionaire who ran the company with terrifying, ruthless precision. He was an absolute phantom to the lower-level employees, known for being completely devoid of empathy. He would fire an entire floor without blinking if they wasted his time.

"If nobody walks in there, he’s going to eat us alive and fire the entire department," Chloe pleaded, her eyes wide with desperation. "Just walk in, read the slides, and do not make small talk."

Hazel looked down at the black leather binder. Her hands were starting to tremble. She took a deep breath, smoothing down her navy pencil skirt. She needed this job.

"Okay," Hazel muttered, swallowing hard. "Give me the flash drive."

Hazel walked straight down the hallway to the executive wing, pushing through the heavy double doors of the boardroom.

The room was massive, intimidating, and freezing cold. Ten senior executives sat around a long mahogany table, tapping on tablets and murmuring in low voices. The moment Hazel stepped through the doors, the low chatter died instantly. All eyes in the room landed directly on her.

Hazel kept her head down, walking straight to the wooden podium at the front of the room. She plugged in the drive, pulled up the presentation on the screen, and gripped the edges of the podium to ground herself.

She lifted her head, and for the first time, she saw him.

Xavier sat at the very head of the table. He was tall, his broad, muscular shoulders filling out a flawless, custom-tailored dark suit. He was strikingly handsome, but his features were set in a terrifying, blank mask. There was absolutely no warmth in him. He radiated a cold, oppressive authority that made the air in the room feel instantly heavier.

Hazel forced her throat to open, keeping her voice as steady as possible to break the suffocating silence. "Good morning. I am Hazel, a junior analyst. Marcus had a severe medical emergency this morning, so I will be walking you through the Q3 projection data today."

Xavier didn't say a word. He didn't ask a single question. He simply gave a slow, curt nod, his expression completely unreadable.

Hazel clicked the remote to the first slide. She fell back on the numbers, projecting her voice as she explained the cost-benefit analysis and the profit margins. She made sure to look around the table, addressing the older board members.

But every single time her eyes swept past the head of the table, Xavier was sitting perfectly still, watching her.

He had the most piercing, striking blue eyes she had ever seen, and they were locked entirely on her. It was a heavy, calculating gaze that made Hazel feel intensely scrutinized, like she was under a microscope. She shifted uncomfortably on her feet, hyper-aware of her own posture under the weight of his stare.

He didn't look at the screen. He didn't look at the data packets in front of him. He just watched her.

The sheer intensity of his blue eyes made Hazel’s mouth go dry. She reached for her water glass, her fingers trembling just enough to make the ice rattle. She took a quick sip, her pulse hammering in her ears as the intimidating silence of the CEO pressed down on her shoulders. It was a terrifying presence, demanding absolute submission without him having to utter a single word.

"The overhead costs," Hazel forced out, desperate to keep her voice from shaking, "will be mitigated by the redundant assets."

She rushed the final slide, wanting nothing more than to escape the crushing weight of his attention. "The data supports a high-yield return. Thank you."

The room was dead quiet. Xavier finally moved his eyes to look at the screen for exactly two seconds before his cold blue gaze snapped right back to her.

"Bring the file here," he ordered. His voice was deep, rough, and sent a cold shiver straight down her spine.

Hazel’s stomach twisted into a hard knot. She gathered her binder, stepped away from the podium, and walked the length of the long table. She stopped a few feet away from his chair and set the binder down on the polished wood.

As she pulled her hand away, Xavier’s gaze dropped.

He stared directly at the silver engagement ring shining on her left hand. He looked at the diamond for a long, silent moment. Then, his striking blue eyes slowly dragged back up her arm, settling directly on her face. His expression remained a terrifying blank slate, offering absolutely no clue to what he was thinking.

Up close, the sheer intimidation rolling off his broad frame was suffocating. Hazel felt a massive urge to take a physical step backward, entirely overwhelmed by the cold power of the man sitting in front of her.

"Thank you, Hazel," one of the board members said quickly, breaking the brutal silence. "You can return to your desk."

Hazel nodded, explicitly avoiding Xavier’s sharp blue eyes. "Thank you."

She turned and walked out of the room, keeping her spine rigid and her steps measured. The entire way to the double doors, she felt the burning, heavy weight of Xavier’s eyes tracking her exit.

When the frosted glass doors finally shut behind her, Hazel let out a massive, shaky breath. She leaned back against the hallway wall, pressing a trembling hand to her racing heart, incredibly relieved to have survived the Devil himself.