Chapter 6

Clara Bennett

Ryder stopped right in front of me, his tall, powerful frame blocking out everything else in the room.

His dark eyes moved slowly from my face to Amelia, who was still clinging to his arm like she owned him.

“Mr. West, please!” Amelia whined in that annoying high-pitched voice, pressing her fake breasts against his side. “She was snooping through your desk like a thief! She even called me a bitch! You can’t trust this cheap little nobody!”

I kept my chin up, even though my heart was pounding so hard I thought it would explode.

*This is it. I’m done. Victor is going to kill me and my mom.*

Ryder’s jaw tightened, then he looked at me with that cold, intense stare that made my knees feel weak. “Clara. Is what she’s saying true?”

Before I could even open my mouth, Amelia cut in again, her voice dripping with tears. “Of course it’s true! I saw everything! She was digging through your drawers like some desperate spy. She’s obviously jealous because I’m close to you and she’s not!”

Ryder slowly pulled Amelia’s hand off his shirt, his movements calm but firm. “Amelia. Stop.”

“But baby.... I mean, Mr. West!” she cried, her eyes going wide. “She’s lying! She hates me, Ryder ...Can't you see...She’s pathetic!”

I couldn’t stay quiet anymore. “Pathetic? You’re the one who came in here screaming and grabbing me like a crazy woman. I was just doing my job.”

Amelia’s face turned bright red with anger. “Your job? You’re nothing but a low-class assistant! Victor told me how easy you were. How you used to beg him for attention every night. He never loved you. He was just bored!”

The words hit hard, but I forced a cold laugh. “Keep telling yourself that, Amelia. Victor is all yours. I don’t want your sloppy seconds.”

“Sloppy seconds?!” Amelia shrieked. She stepped forward like she wanted to slap me. “You little...”

“Enough!” Ryder’s voice cut through the room like a whip.

The temperature seemed to drop ten degrees, and both of us froze.

He turned to Amelia with a look so icy it could freeze hell. “I said that’s enough. I don’t need you causing scenes in my office... Leave. Now.”

Amelia’s mouth fell open in shock. “But… but Mr. West, she...”

“I won’t repeat myself,” Ryder said, his voice dangerously low. “Get out.”

Tears welled up in Amelia’s eyes. She looked between us, her face twisting with jealousy and humiliation. “You’re really choosing *her* over me? After everything?”

Ryder didn’t even blink. “There was never anything to choose.”

Amelia let out a dramatic sob, then stormed out of the office, slamming the door so hard the walls shook...and the silence that followed was heavy.

I let out a shaky breath. “Thank you… I think.”

Ryder turned back to me. His eyes were still dark and unreadable.

He stepped closer until I could smell his expensive cologne mixed with something wild and masculine. My stupid heart started racing again.

“You were going through my desk,” he said flatly. It wasn’t a question.

I swallowed hard. “I… I was looking for the files you mentioned earlier for the meeting. That’s all.”

He stared at me for a long moment, then reached into his pocket and pulled out the shiny silver emblem I had touched earlier. He held it up between us, the strange engravings catching the light.

“You mean this?” His voice was quiet but sharp. “Curious little thing, aren’t you, Clara Bennett?”

My stomach dropped. *How the hell does he make me feel this way..Shit..I need to focus.*

“I wasn’t...” I started, but he cut me off.

“Don’t lie to me.” He leaned in closer, his breath brushing against my ear. “I don’t like liars. And I especially don’t like people who dig where they shouldn’t.”

A shiver ran down my spine. Half of it was fear. The other half was something I refused to name.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, looking up at him. God, he was so tall. So intimidating. So unfairly handsome. “It won’t happen again.”

Ryder’s eyes dropped to the red marks on my arm where Amelia had grabbed me. His expression darkened. He gently took my wrist, his big warm hand sending sparks through my skin.

“She hurt you,” he said, almost to himself. His thumb brushed over the marks. “No one touches what’s mine.”

My eyes widened. *What’s mine?*

“I’m not yours,” I said quickly, pulling my arm back even though my body didn’t want me to.

A small, dangerous smile curved his lips. “Not yet.”

The air between us felt electric. I couldn’t breathe properly.

This man felt dangerous...The kind of danger that would make me melt...

He didn't a monster, as Victor described him..... But right now, all I could think about was how good he smelled and how safe I felt standing this close to him.

Ryder straightened up, suddenly all business again. “We’re working late tonight. We will go to my private suite on the top floor. Be there at 8 PM sharp. Don’t make me wait.”

I blinked. “The… private suite?”

He walked back behind his desk like nothing had happened. “You have a problem with that, Miss Bennett?”

“No,” I said quickly, my mind racing. This was my chance to get closer. To find real secrets. But something deep inside me was screaming that this was a very bad idea.

“Good.” He sat down and picked up some papers. “And Clara?”

“Yes?”

His eyes locked onto mine with that intense stare again. “Next time you want to search my things… just ask. I might even let you.”

My face burned as I hurried back to my desk.

*Oh God… what have I gotten myself into?*

This mission was getting more dangerous by the minute. And the worst part? A tiny, stupid part of me was actually excited about working alone with him tonight.