LOGINSalome’s POV
“Don’t you dare reach out to her again,” Jeremiah said, his voice dropping into a low, dangerous rumble.
He pulled me against him, his arm heavy and solid across my shoulders. I didn’t pull away. Instead, I let my weight settle against his side, finding a strange sense of peace in his shadow. He wasn’t done, though. He turned his gaze toward Portia, his eyes narrowing into cold slits.
“If I find out you’ve laid
Salome’s POV“I promise I will never cause you unnecessary stress again,” Jeremiah said.His voice sounded rough and low in the quiet office. He stood close enough that I could feel the heat coming off his body.“I know your life is hard enough without me making it worse,” he continued.He swallowed hard. I watched the movement of his throat. It was such a small, human thing, but I couldn’t look away. I felt a strange pulse of energy between us.“I don’t want to be the reason you worry, Salome. I want to bring you peace.”I let out a soft breath I didn’t know I was holding. My legs felt weak, like they might give out if I moved too fast. My skin prickled with a sudden chill. This didn’t sound like a boss talking to an assistant. It sounded like a confession, or maybe a warning.Jeremiah exhaled slowly and looked up at the ceiling. He broke the eye contact that had been
Salome’s POV“Eat your rice, Salome, you look pale,” my mother said, her voice cutting through the quiet hum of the dining room.I looked down at the bowl. The steam rising from the white grains made my throat tighten. Every bite I had forced down felt like a lead weight in my gut. I wasn't hungry. I was exhausted, and the pressure of pretending everything was fine felt like a physical sickness. I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to be the daughter who just nodded and smiled while my insides churned.I set my chopsticks down against the ceramic edge with a sharp click. The sound was louder than I intended, but I didn't care. I pushed the bowl away, the wood of the table scraping under the pressure.“I am finished,” I said. My voice was flat, lacking the polite warmth they expected. “I have work to finish back at the office.”I didn't wait for a reply. I stood up and walked out, my hand instinctively pr
Salome’s POV“Why do you think that’s interesting?” I asked.I kept my voice flat and raised one eyebrow. Naomi didn’t answer right away. She just smirked at me and tightened her grip on her coffee cup. She stepped around me and headed for the door without a second glance.“No reason,” she said.She walked out of the break room and left me standing there alone. The air still smelled like her strawberry perfume. It was sweet and heavy and made my head ache. I stared at the empty doorway and wondered what she was hiding. She always seemed to know something I didn't.I didn't have much time to think about it. The day went by in a blur of filing and emails. Just as the sun started to dip behind the city buildings, Jeremiah called Benedict and me into his office. My stomach did a
Salome’s POV“Is that the new girl? The one who wears those tiny skirts just to get his attention?”I froze in the hallway, my fingers digging into the stack of reports I was carrying. The break room door was cracked just enough for the sharp, biting tone of the voices inside to carry clearly into the corridor.“I heard they’re already sleeping in the same bed,” another voice chimed in, followed by a cruel, rhythmic clicking of a pen. “Most of her job description involves being on her back. You don’t get an assistant role like that without some... extra effort.”A wave of heat crashed over my face. It wasn’t just embarrassment; it was a physical sting, like a slap. I leaned closer to the wall, my heart hammering against my ribs.“What’s her name again? Is it Ophelia?”“Something like that. Does it even matter? She’s just the flavor of the month.”
Salome’s POV“You didn’t even ask who I was,” I muttered, staring at the darkened screen of my phone.Margot Richardson hadn't bothered with introductions. She didn't need to. Her reputation for being a shark preceded her, and right now, she only had one target in her sights: Portia. Once Margot locked onto a goal, she didn't stop until she crushed it. That singular focus was exactly why I needed her. If anyone could track down where Portia and her family had hidden Russell Lewis’s remains, it was a woman who viewed obstacles as personal insults.I slid my phone into my bag and smoothed out my skirt. I couldn't afford to be late, especially with the energy in the office lately.The morning was a blur of rapid-fire emails and logistics. By the time the clock hit ten, I headed toward Benedict’s desk with my tablet tucked under my arm to finalize Jeremiah’s schedule for the following week.“Benedict, I w
Salome’s POV“You need to find the phone number on that package right now,” Margot said, her voice sharp enough to cut.She didn’t look at the mess of papers on the floor. She just stared at the wall while Mary, her longest-serving maid, knelt to gather the scattered documents. Margot’s fingers stayed curled into tight fists at her sides. Every second Portia Vane spent near her son was a second the Richardson legacy moved closer to a cliff. Portia was a loose cannon, a girl who didn't care about rules or reputations. Margot had spent decades building this name, protecting it like a fortress, and she wasn't about to let some unstable girl burn it down.“I have it, Ma’am,” Mary whispered, holding a small scrap of paper.“Good. Give it to me and leave the room.”Margot took the paper. She needed to know who sent this. She needed an ally. If someone else wanted Portia gone, she was more than h
Salome’s POV“Come on, just one more,” Portia said, though her voice lacked its usual sweetness. “I’m only starting to find my rhythm.”I looked at her, then shifted my gaze to Barnabas. He remained a statue, refusing to meet my eyes. Margot stood off to the side, her arms crossed and her mouth set
Salome’s POV"You aren't letting me win on purpose, are you, Barnabas?"The voice was high, sugary, and carried a flirtatious lilt that made my skin crawl. It drifted through the cracked window of Richardson Manor as I stepped onto the porch at eleven in the morning. I froze, my hand hovering just i
Salome’s POVThe heavy, metallic scent of cedar and cold rain hit me before I even turned around. I knew that smell. It belonged to the man who was currently ruining my life."You really don't know when to stay away, do you?" Barnabas’s voice was a low growl behind me.I didn't give him the satisfac
Salome’s POV“Is that the Vane girl, the one sitting so close to Barnabas?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.Portia Vane didn’t try to hide. She was the daughter of a powerful Alpha, and she carried herself like she owned the pavement beneath her designer boots. Across the parking lot, her







