MasukSalome’s POV
"Do you have a personal vendetta against my wardrobe, or is that shirt just unlucky?"
The voice made me jump. I nearly dropped the expensive fabric in my hands. I spun around to find Jeremiah leaning against the doorframe. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his eyes were locked onto the white cotton I was currently mangling.
I looked down at my hands. I hadn't even realized I was doing it. My fingers had clamped down on the collar, bunching the m
Salome’s POV“Salome,” he whispered.The way he said my name felt like a physical weight. I didn't move. I kept my eyes locked on the horizon, watching the sun dip lower until the sky looked like it was bleeding into the trees. Part of me wanted to turn. I wanted to see if his face matched the soft, heavy tone of his voice. But I knew better. Jeremiah was a man who played to win, and right now, we were playing the game he had just described. The legend said the first person to speak or move lost the challenge.I wasn't going to lose. I pressed my lips together and forced my breathing to stay slow and shallow. I could feel him watching me. The heat from his body was closer than it had been a moment ago. He was shifting on the wooden bench, closing the gap between us until I could feel the fabric of his suit jacket brush against my arm.“Salome,” he said again. This time, his voice was deeper. It was a low vibration that seemed
Salome’s POV“Jeremiah? I really need to talk to you about Ben Wilde. It’s urgent.”I stood outside his door, my heart hammering a quick rhythm against my ribs. I waited, wondering if he would ignore me again.“Come in,” his voice drifted through the wood, sounding calmer than I expected.I took a breath and pushed the door open. The sight inside made me pause. Jeremiah wasn't wearing his usual stiff suit. He had changed into a dark pair of jeans and a casual button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He looked less like a cold CEO and more like a normal man, but that only made me more nervous. I didn't know how to handle this version of him.“I’m sorry to bother you,” I said, keeping my distance. “I got two messages from Steven about Ben. He wants to push all our scheduled meetings to tomorrow. Instead, he invited you to a wine tasting at his private villa tonight at seven.”
Salome’s POV"Do you have a personal vendetta against my wardrobe, or is that shirt just unlucky?"The voice made me jump. I nearly dropped the expensive fabric in my hands. I spun around to find Jeremiah leaning against the doorframe. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his eyes were locked onto the white cotton I was currently mangling.I looked down at my hands. I hadn't even realized I was doing it. My fingers had clamped down on the collar, bunching the material into a mess of deep wrinkles. I tried to smooth the fabric with my palms, but the damage was done. The crisp, professional lines were gone, replaced by a map of my own anxiety."I’m sorry," I muttered. My face felt like it was on fire. "I just got distracted.""Clearly," he said. He didn't move from the door. He just stayed there, watching me with an unreadable expression.I couldn't look at him. I focused entirely on the task at hand, folding the ruined shirt
Salome’s POV“Just handle the details, Steven,” Jeremiah said, his voice flat as he cut the other man off with a sharp flick of his wrist. “You live here. I don’t. Use your own judgment.”Steven didn't seem bothered by the dismissal. If anything, he looked more eager than before. He had spent the last twenty minutes rattling off schedules and event ideas while Jeremiah stared at nothing. To Steven, pleasing the Alpha was clearly a competitive sport. He straightened his posture, looking like he was about to burst with pride, and then he turned his focus toward me.The bus had finally stopped moving. I took a deep breath, still a little dizzy from the winding roads we had just climbed. The resort was massive, a sprawling collection of stone and glass nestled against the hills.“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Salome,” Steven said, stepping closer to me as we climbed out into the mountain air. “I was t
Salome’s POV“You don’t have to act like it’s some big secret, Salome. It was pretty obvious you were dying to use my shoulder as a bed. You even talked in your sleep. I think your exact words were something about needing a better pillow.”I bolted upright, my heart hammering against my ribs. My face felt like it was on fire as I looked at Jeremiah, then darted my eyes toward the driver, hoping for some kind of denial. “That is not true! I did not say that!”The driver caught my gaze in the rearview mirror. He gave me a small, apologetic nod that made my stomach drop. “Actually, miss, you did mention something about being comfortable. It was right when the boss tried to move you into a better position earlier.”I wanted the floor of the car to open up and swallow me whole. My skin burned, the heat crawling up my neck and staining my cheeks. I turned on Jeremiah, pointing a finger at his chest to hide h
Salome’s POV“You’re late,” Jeremiah said, his voice as smooth as the coffee he was currently sipping.I froze in the doorway of the massive dining room. My lungs burned from the sprint I had just made from the front door, and the handle of my suitcase was still digging into my palm. I looked at the clock on the wall and winced. Eight-forty. I was ten minutes behind schedule, which felt like ten hours when dealing with a man like Jeremiah.“I am so incredibly sorry,” I managed to puff out, trying to smooth down my cream top. I had rushed so fast that I forgot to check if my black slacks were even lint-free. “I didn’t mean to oversleep. It won't happen again.”Jeremiah didn't look angry. Instead, he just tilted his head toward the empty chair across from him. His eyes traveled over my messy hair before settling on the plate in front of him. It was a spread that belonged in a food magazine. The eggs were
Jeremiah’s POV“Get your hands off me, Rita,” I said, my voice dropping to a low, dangerous level.I didn’t wait for her to comply. I grabbed her wrists and peeled her arms away from my neck. She was heavy with the scent of expensive gin and desperation. My w
Salome’s POV"That's her," Callum whispered, his gaze snagging on a woman across the deck.She was striking in a way that felt like a war
Salome’s POV“There is only one event on the schedule for tonight,” I said. I kept my voice steady, professional, and clear. “Alpha Sovereign from Fernard Technologies sent over an invite for a yacht reception. It is a welcome party being held in yo
Salome’s POV"Liv, you need to listen to me right now," Clementine’s voice exploded through the phone speakers, sharp and panicked.I gripped the device tighter, my knuckles turning white. We were still miles from the airport, the car humming smoothly along the highway.







