MasukI stared at the envelope, the faint scent of her perfume clinging stubbornly to my fingers. The paper was crisp, elegant—everything Elaine ever touched carried that illusion of refinement. I had learned long ago that elegance was often a mask for manipulation. But still, my pulse betrayed me.I tore the envelope open, careful, methodical. My eyes skimmed the words, each line igniting something I had buried deep.“Luther,”Simple. Direct.“It has been far too long since I felt your presence, your mind beside mine in that… exquisite chaos we created together. I wonder if you think of me as I think of you, or if the years have dulled your memory. I miss you, Luther. I miss the way you were mine, even if only for fleeting moments.”I froze, the hum of the office air conditioning fading into the background. Her words weren’t just words—they were keys, unlocking memories I had spent years locking away.The memory came unbidden, like a film flickering to life. A high-profile party, crystal c
LUTHER POV The car hummed quietly beneath me, the leather under my hands familiar and grounding. I didn’t glance at Sienna. I didn’t need to. Her presence was a weight I could feel, light but persistent, pressing at my chest in a way I refused to name. I kept my jaw set, eyes on the road ahead, though every instinct I had screamed to look at her, measure the way she sat, the tension coiled in her shoulders.She wasn’t mine. Not fully. Not yet. And that thought alone made every careful step I had taken today feel simultaneously necessary and wrong. Every plan I had meticulously arranged, every strategy I thought would keep us both safe, suddenly seemed fragile, like it could be shredded with one careless move.I parked the car in the underground lot, the space gleaming in sterile perfection. Every polished surface, every reflection, reminded me that I operated in a world where appearances mattered—where even a mistake could cost more than I was willing to pay. The lights above cast th
Sienna POVThe slap didn’t just sting—it rang.My cheek burned, hot and pulsing, like Piper’s palm had left a whole handprint carved into my skin. I stumbled back a step, breathing hard, fingers reaching instinctively for my face as my ears filled with the sharp inhale of everyone in the lobby.The receptionist gasped first.Her eyes widened, her hand flying over her mouth like she had just witnessed a murder instead of workplace drama.Piper’s reaction was slower. She tilted her head, blinked once, and then gave this sickening little pout.“Awwn,” she cooed, dragging out the fake sympathy like it tasted sweet to her. “I’m so sorry, did my claws scratch you?”The word claws should’ve been a joke, but it wasn’t. Not from her. Piper’s claws were freshly done—long, shiny, sharp. She knew exactly what she did.Something warm slid down my chin.I touched it with trembling fingers, expecting maybe sweat or tears.But when I pulled my hand back…Red.Blood.My blood.On my fingers.Right in
Sienna POV“It is so desperate of you to come to work to see Nigel,” Piper said.Her tone was sugary-sweet and venom-laced, like someone who has been rehearsing that line in the bathroom mirror for weeks. She wanted attention. She wanted reaction. She wanted a scene.My spine stiffened.Work.Wait.Work?I blinked once, letting the word settle.So Nigel… worked here?In this building?In Luther Lavigne’s building?The receptionist’s eyes flicked between us—her face neutral but alert.This wasn’t just gossip anymore.It was spectacle.Piper leaned closer to Nigel, like she needed to stake claim. Like I was a threat. Which was funny, because I wasn’t even trying to be anything. Not to him. Not anymore.My chest rose slowly as I inhaled.And then I exhaled just as slowly.I wasn’t about to fold.“I’m not here to see Nigel,” I said, making sure my voice was steady, clean, not shaking. “I’m here to see Luther Lavigne.”The name came out unbothered.Simple.Direct.Piper laughed.Not just l
Sienna POVI turned.The voice belonged to a woman behind the reception desk.She was maybe in her early thirties, pretty in that quiet, expensive way. Her hair was pulled back into one of those sleek buns that never have flyaways, like gravity itself respected her. A thin gold chain sat at her collarbone, subtle but clearly real. Her blouse was pressed to perfection—white, soft, not the cheap stiff kind. And her perfume… light, clean, citrus with something floral. Controlled. Everything about her was controlled.She didn’t smile, not really. Just that polite work expression people wear when they’re paid to be approachable but not accessible.Her eyes skimmed me—taking me in, assessing. Not judging. Just… observing. The way a gatekeeper looks at someone who hasn’t yet proven they’re allowed past the door.“Yes?” she prompted softly.I swallowed, keeping my voice steady.“No, I’m with Mr. Lavigne. I’m Sienna… Sienna Monroe.”The name slipped out awkwardly. Like I wasn’t sure I was supp
Sienna POVThe way he looked at me made warmth crawl up under my skin. Not in a romantic way—no. It was the kind of look people use when they’re trying to understand you without you having to speak. A knowing kind of quiet. And it made me feel… exposed.His jaw tightened just slightly, like he was sorting through something in his head. Then his voice came, calm and firm:“I think, based on the day you’ve had, you should come with me.”It wasn’t a suggestion. It wasn’t even close. His tone didn’t leave space for me to choose something else, and yet… it wasn’t forceful either. Just steady. Certain. Like he had already made the decision for both of us before I even realized I needed someone to make it.My mouth opened, probably to give some useless protest, but no sound came. I just nodded. Pathetic, I know. But everything in my chest felt heavy, and I was tired of pretending like I could hold myself together with my bare hands.He led me to the car, opened the door. Not gentlemanly. Not







