Chapter eight

# Matthew

Fuck! She tasted as heavenly as I remembered. It hadn't been my intention to kiss her, but damn… I wasn't even sure what my intentions were the moment she walked into my office dressed like that.

A crisp white blouse tucked into a high-waisted pencil skirt that hugged her in all the right places, paired with sharp black heels that announced her presence with every step. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek low bun — no-nonsense, efficient, the kind of style that screamed control — yet it only made the delicate line of her neck stand out all the more. And then there were her eyes… those ocean eyes. She wore a composed expression, but her gaze betrayed her: flickering between devouring me whole and throwing daggers in my direction. Gods, I loved it.

But her enchantment aside, she was right. The incoming shipment was going to be a problem, a bigger one than I had accounted for. It was too large to simply ignore, yet too entangled in old agreements to deal with cleanly. And if I didn't handle it correctly, it could disrupt everything I'd just taken control of.

It wasn't even mine. It had nothing to do with my line of business. Renson Corporation was knee-deep in imports I had no interest in, commodities that didn't match the empire I had. I didn't take over this company to babysit shipments of goods I'd never touch. I wanted Renson for its distribution channels, its fleet, and its chokehold on certain trade routes. That was all.

And yet here I was, day one, and already neck-deep in someone else's mess. If I ignored the shipment, clients would panic, contracts would collapse, and the company's credibility would tank before I could even leverage it.

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On the bright side, I'd be working with Mia. Which meant more time to worm my way past her walls and into her heart. She could scoff and spit all she wanted about men being scum — maybe the men she knew were — but she wasn't fooling me. She was attracted to me. And I wasn't going to stop until she admitted it.

I closed my eyes, allowing myself a moment to imagine her finally confessing how much she wanted me. The sound of her voice, breathless, surrendering. The look on her face when she realized there was no point denying it anymore. I smiled to myself, already savoring what I'd do with that admission.

A sharp cough dragged me out of the daydream. My eyes snapped open, and there was Carlos, leaning casually against the edge of my desk, a broad grin plastered across his face.

"You crazy bastard," he said, dropping into the chair opposite me without invitation. "How the hell did you pull it off?"

I arched a brow, masking my irritation at being caught off guard. "Pull what off, exactly?"

Carlos laughed, shaking his head. "Don't play dumb with me, Matthew. One minute Renson's Corporation is untouchable, the next you've got the whole damn board eating out of your palm. I thought you were walking into a suicide mission, but here you are." He leaned back, studying me like I was some unsolvable puzzle. "So, tell me, what's the trick?"

"We were looking in the wrong direction from the beginning. The moment I realized that, it all made sense."

Carlos nodded with a grin. "You're the man, Matthew. This calls for a celebration."

"Oh, it does," I said smoothly. "But not yet. There's a problem I need to iron out first. Nothing major… but it could turn into one if left unchecked."

Carlos raised a brow. "What kind of problem?"

"The shipment," I replied. "It belongs to Renson, not me. But it's coming under my watch, which means if it fails, my name's on the line. I'll need someone with deep knowledge of the system to manage it."

Carlos groaned. "Don't tell me you're going to say…"

"Mia," I cut in, letting her name hang in the air like a challenge.

He sat back, exhaling sharply. "Matthew, no. Absolutely not. She's dangerous for you. Not in the obvious way — she's competent, loyal, and smart. But in the other way. The way that clouds your judgment. Don't do this."

I leaned forward, smirking. "It's too late for that. I already announced it."

Carlos blinked. "Announced what?"

"That I intend to court her," I said plainly. "Publicly. Everyone in this building knows it. And I don't intend to back down."

For a moment, Carlos was too stunned to speak. Then his eyes hardened. "You've lost your mind. You made it public? Do you even understand what that means? Every rival, every board member, every whisper in this city — now they'll all be watching. If she rejects you, you look weak. If she accepts you, she becomes leverage. Either way, you've just painted a target on both your backs."

I chuckled under my breath. "Let them watch. I don't care. She's worth the risk."

Carlos rubbed his temples like I'd just given him a headache. "You're not thinking like a businessman, Matthew. You're thinking like a man already in too deep."

"Look, man, I'm not going to let the public decide who I can or cannot want. I do what I want, so let's leave it at that," I said, already irritated by the direction of the conversation.

"I'm only looking out for you," Carlos countered, his tone firm. "What happens when you've had your fun? Will you keep her here, or will you let a damn good employee go?"

*When I've had my fun?* The words sliced through me like a blade. My jaw clenched. "My intentions with Mia are none of your damned business, Carlos. So drop it."

"I'll drop it," Carlos said seriously. Then he leaned forward, his voice lower, heavier. "After this last question… What about Hazel?"

My blood went cold. The name hit me like a gunshot. Rage surged, sharper than before. "Get the fuck out, Carlos. Now. Before I forget you're my blood."

I took deep shuddering breaths until I finally calmed down. By then, Carlos was long gone.