Chapter 5: My one night stand are my new bosses?

Monday morning arrived with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

Aria stood in front of her bathroom mirror, concealer in hand, trying for the third time to cover the marks on her neck. No matter how much makeup she layered on, the hickeys—or whatever they were, remained stubbornly visible.

"Fantastic," she muttered, finally giving up and wrapping a silk scarf around her neck. It was unprofessional for the office, but it was either that or face questions she couldn't answer.

Her phone buzzed for the hundredth time. Another message from Marcus, begging to talk. She deleted it and grabbed her bag.

The weekend had passed in a blur of restless sleep and Maya's concerned hovering. The marks hadn't faded. If anything, they seemed darker, and that strange warmth still pulsed beneath her skin.

She'd almost convinced herself it had been a vivid hallucination. Stress-induced psychosis. Anything but the truth.

Then she'd wake from dreams of amber eyes and long dark hair, her body aching with need, and she'd know it had been real.

All of it.

The cab ride to Pierce Industries felt too short. Her company's biggest client had recently bought out the entire top floor, and there were rumors of new management coming in. As the executive secretary to the CEO, Aria would be working directly with whoever took over.

She just wanted to get through the day without thinking about werewolves or mate bonds or the three men who'd turned her world inside out.

The elevator ride to the executive floor felt eternal. When the doors opened, she stepped into chaos.

Employees clustered in groups, whispering frantically. Her assistant, Jennifer, rushed over, eyes wide.

"There you are! I've been calling you all morning!"

"My phone died," Aria lied. "What's going on?"

"The new owners are here. The Kingston triplets, they're taking over effective immediately. Everyone's freaking out because apparently they're…"

Aria's blood turned to ice. "Triplets?"

"Yeah, identical triplets. Billionaire tech moguls who just bought out half the company. They're in the main conference room right now with…"

But Aria wasn't listening anymore. She was already moving, her heels clicking against marble as she walked toward the conference room like a woman heading to her execution.

It couldn't be them. It couldn't.

The universe wasn't that cruel.

She reached the glass-walled conference room and her worst nightmare confirmed itself.

There, standing at the head of the table in tailored suits that probably cost more than her yearly salary, were Dante, Damien, and Dominic Kingston.

Their long dark hair was pulled back into neat buns. They looked every inch the powerful businessmen—professional, polished, and completely in control.

And all three of them were staring directly at her.

Dominic's lips curved into a slow, predatory smile.

Aria's hand went to the door handle before her brain could catch up. She had to get out. Had to run. Had to….

The door opened from the inside, and her CEO, Richard Morrison, appeared. "Ah, Aria! Perfect timing. Come meet our new partners."

"I….I need to…"

"Nonsense, this will just take a moment." Richard's hand settled on her lower back, guiding her into the room. She felt the triplets' eyes track the movement, felt the temperature drop several degrees.

"Gentlemen, this is Aria Chen, my executive secretary. She'll be your primary point of contact for anything you need." Richard beamed, oblivious to the tension. "Aria, meet Dominic, Dante, and Damien Kingston."

"We've met," Dominic said smoothly, extending his hand.

Aria stared at it like it was a snake. She couldn't do this. Couldn't touch him. The moment their skin made contact, she'd…

"Ms. Chen?" Richard prompted, confusion creeping into his voice.

She had no choice. She placed her hand in Dominic's, and electricity shot up her arm. The mark on her neck flared with heat, and from the slight widening of his eyes, he felt it too.

"Pleasure to see you again," he murmured, his thumb stroking across her knuckles before releasing her.

Dante stepped forward next, and she was forced to endure the same torture. Then Damien, whose grip lingered just a fraction too long.

"I trust you had a restful weekend," Damien said, his eyes glinting with dark amusement.

"Very restful," she said through gritted teeth.

"Excellent!" Richard clapped his hands together. "Well, I'll leave you four to get acquainted. Aria, please show our new partners to their offices and get them settled."

No. No, no, no.

"Actually, Richard, I think Jennifer might be better suited.."

"Jennifer doesn't have your experience," Richard said, already heading for the door. "I trust you'll take good care of them."

The door closed behind him with a final-sounding click.

Silence descended, broken only by the sound of her racing heartbeat.

"Small world," Dante said finally, leaning against the conference table with casual elegance.

"You knew," Aria accused, her voice shaking. "You knew I worked here."

"Of course we knew," Dominic said, moving to block the door. "We know everything about you, sweetheart. Your job, your apartment, your favorite coffee shop, your roommate Maya who thinks we're kinky roleplay enthusiasts."

Her stomach dropped. "You've been watching me?"

"Protecting you," Damien corrected, circling around behind her. "Our mate needs to be kept safe."

She spun to face him. "I'm not your mate. I'm not your anything. Friday night was a mistake."

"Was it?" Dante pushed off from the table, and suddenly all three of them were closing in, surrounding her like wolves circling prey. "Because your body doesn't seem to think so."

He was right. Damn him, he was right. Her skin felt too tight, too hot. The marks on her neck throbbed, and that pull in her chest was getting stronger with every second she spent near them.

"This is workplace harassment," she said desperately. "I could sue."

"You could," Dominic agreed, stopping just inches away. "But you won't. Because then you'd have to explain why you left our bed at dawn and why you're wearing a scarf to hide our marks."

His hand came up to touch the silk, and she flinched back.

"Don't."

"Don't what?" Damien asked from behind her, his breath warm against her ear. "Don't touch what's ours? Don't claim what belongs to us?"

"I don't belong to you!"

"Your body says otherwise," Dante murmured, his hand settling on her hip. "I can hear your heart racing. Smell the way your scent changes when we're near. You can deny it all you want, Aria, but the bond doesn't lie."

"I want a transfer," she said, hating how breathless she sounded. "To a different department. Different floor. Hell, different city."

"Denied," all three said simultaneously.

"You can't…"

"We own this company," Dominic reminded her, his hand coming up to cup her jaw, forcing her to meet his eyes. "We can do whatever we want. And what we want is you. Here. Where we can see you. Protect you. Take care of you."

"I don't need you to take care of me."

"Yes, you do," Damien said, and there was something almost gentle in his tone. "The bond is new and unstable. You need to be near us, whether you want to admit it or not."

As if to prove his point, a wave of dizziness washed over her. She stumbled, and six hands reached out to steady her.

"What's happening to me?" she whispered.

"The bond needs to be reinforced," Dante explained, his arm around her waist. "You've been away from us too long. It's making you weak."

"That's impossible."

"So are werewolves," Dominic said pointedly. "Yet here we are."