Chapter 5: In his orbit

My hands shook as I stared at the tiny silver pendant sitting in that hidden slot. M.B. My mother’s initials.

Before Julian or Eleanor could notice what had popped open, I slammed the drawer shut. The little click echoed in my ears, heavy and terrifying. I packed my tools so fast my knuckles bruised against the metal latches, muttered a fake apology about needing more supplies, and practically ran out of the penthouse.

I spent the rest of the day in a complete fog, hiding in my workshop. I couldn't stop looking at the faded index card with my father's handwriting, then looking at my phone, waiting for nothing.

~~~~~

I was sitting at my messy desk, drinking lukewarm coffee and trying to focus on sanding an old chair, when the front door burst open. Mr. Henderson walked in. My cheap, greedy landlord was wearing a shiny suit that looked like it cost more than my entire inventory, and he had a sleazy grin spread across his face.

"Morning, Maya," he said, waving a thick white envelope in the air.

"If this is about the rent, Henderson, I told you I’d have it by Friday," I said, setting my sanding block down and wiping sawdust off my overalls. "I got a big contract. You’ll get your money.”

"Oh, I'm not here to collect rent, kid," Henderson sneered, tossing the envelope onto my workbench. "I'm here to tell you to pack your stuff. You've got until the end of the week to clear out."

My blood ran cold. I stepped around the bench, glaring at him. "What the hell are you talking about? My lease isn't up for another six months!"

"Well, the building was just sold," he said, rubbing his hands together. "A big investment group called Apex Holdings bought the whole block. Cash offer, way above market value. Clause twelve of your lease says if the property changes hands, the new owner can terminate the lease with a three-day notice. Apex wants the building cleared out immediately."

"Apex Holdings?" I repeated, my brain short-circuiting.

"Yeah. Some deep-pockets firm out of the financial district," Henderson shrugged, already turning back toward the door. "Nothing personal, Maya. Business is business. You got three days." He walked out, letting the glass door slam shut behind him.

I stood frozen in the middle of my shop. My heart was hammering a furious rhythm against my ribs. Apex Holdings. Financial district. Three-day notice.

It didn't take a genius to connect the dots.

I grabbed my phone, pulled up a quick business registry search, and typed in Apex Holdings. It took me less than two minutes to trace the shell company through three different layers of corporate BS straight back to its parent entity: Vance Financial Holdings.

Julian.

God… I groaned frustrated. He didn't just want to hire me. He wanted to corner me. He was tearing down the one safety net I had left so I’d have nowhere else to run except straight into his arms.

A hot, blinding fury roared through my veins. I didn't grab my tools. I didn't call a lawyer. I grabbed my jacket, slammed my workshop door shut, and marched straight to the subway.

Twenty minutes later, I was storming through the massive glass doors of Vance Financial Holdings' global headquarters. The building was a giant tower of steel and black glass that looked like it was designed to crush smaller buildings. The lobby was filled with men and women in ten-thousand-dollar suits, moving around like mechanical robots.

I stood out like a sore thumb—dressed in my work boots, faded jeans, and a black jacket dusted with white oak sawdust. I didn't care.

I bypassed the security line and marched right up to the front desk. A young receptionist in a crisp blazer looked up, her eyes widening in mild horror at my appearance.

"Can I help you?" she asked, her voice dripping with artificial politeness.

"I'm here to see Julian Vance," I said, my voice cutting through the quiet lobby like a knife.

"Do you have an appointment? Mr. Vance doesn't see anyone without—"

"Tell him Maya Blue is downstairs," I interrupted, leaning over her desk. "And tell him if he doesn't let me up in ten seconds, I'm going to start breaking the expensive art in his lobby."

The receptionist blinked, turning pale, and quickly picked up her desk phone. She whispered a few words, listened, and then slowly put the receiver down.

"Private elevator on the left," she said, pointing a shaky finger. "Top floor."

I didn't even thank her. I marched over to the sleek elevator, slapped my hand against the sensor, and rode it up to the eighty-fifth floor.

When the doors slid open, I stepped out into a massive, executive suite. Huge glass walls showed the entire city stretching out below. At the far end of the room, behind a massive dark walnut desk, sat Julian.

He was wearing a dark navy suit that fitted his broad shoulders perfectly. He had a fountain pen in his hand, signing a stack of documents. Standing beside him was Eleanor, holding a leather folder.

When the elevator doors closed, Julian looked up. He didn't look surprised nor did he look guilty. He just set his pen down slowly, his dark grey eyes locking onto me with that same heavy, suffocating intensity that made my skin burn.

"Leave us, Eleanor," Julian said smoothly, his deep voice carrying easily across the room.

Eleanor gave me a sharp, cold look, gathered her files, and walked past me into the elevator without saying a word. The doors shut, leaving the two of us alone in the vast, quiet office.

I marched across the polished floor until I was standing right in front of his desk. I slammed both of my hands down on the dark wood, leaning in close. "You low-down, arrogant bastard," I spat, my breathing ragged.

Julian didn't flinch. He leaned back in his leather chair, steepling his fingers together. "Good morning to you too, Maya."

"Don't 'good morning' me!" I yelled, my voice shaking with rage. "Apex Holdings? Really? You bought my entire building just to throw me out of my shop?!"

"I didn't throw you out," Julian said calmly, his voice smooth as ice. "I simply acquired the real estate. As the new landlord, I decided to repurpose the building."

"You bought it to force my hand!" I slammed my fist on the desk. "You knew I weren't so satisfied with my conditions followingyour stupid exclusivity contract, so you decided to destroy my business instead! Who the hell do you think you are?!"

Julian slowly stood up.

He was huge. Towering over me, he moved around the edge of his desk with slow, deliberate grace, like a predator closing in on its prey. The sheer physical presence of him filled up the room, pushing all the air out.

"I am a man who gets what he wants, Maya," he said softly, stopping just a foot away from me.

"I am not a corporate entity you can just buy out!" I yelled, stepping right up into his chest, refusing to back down even an inch. "I built that shop with my own hands! That place is my muse! It's my freedom! You think you can throw your billions around and make me bow down to you?"

"I don't want you to bow down to me," Julian growled, his voice dropping into a low, rough rumble.

"Then what the fuck do you want?!" I screamed, my chest heaving as I stared up into his fierce grey eyes. "Why are you doing this to me?!"

"Because I want you in my orbit!"

The words burst out of him, sharp and raw, shattering his cool corporate mask completely.

Julian stepped even closer, until the front of his expensive suit was brushing against my jacket. I could feel the intense, burning heat radiating off his body. The air between us suddenly grew so thick and charged it felt like lightning was about to strike the room.

"I want you here, Maya," Julian said, his eyes flashing with a wild, dangerous fire. "I want your eyes on me. I want your sharp tongue arguing with me every single day. Ever since you walked into my penthouse covered in sawdust, refusing to care about who I was when you spoke to me, I haven't been able to think about anything else. You've completely taken over my mind."

My heart did a violent, terrifying flip in my chest. I was furious at him. I wanted to punch him in his handsome face. I wanted to tear up his stupid contracts and burn his office to the ground. But as I looked up at him, smelling the dark cedarwood scent of his cologne, a sudden wave of dizzying tension rushed through my body.

It was a strange… a confusing feeling, a hot, electric pull that made my stomach twist into tight knots. I hated him for what he was doing, but standing this close to him, feeling his eyes burn into mine, made my whole body feel like it was on fire. It didn't make any sense. He was trying to ruin me, yet my pulse was racing like a wild animal trying to break free.

"You're crazy," I whispered, my voice betraying me by dropping into a raspy breath. "You think you can just trap me?"

"I'm not trapping you," Julian murmured, reaching out. His long fingers didn't grab me hard, instead, he gently touched the side of my neck, his thumb resting right over my fast-beating pulse. His touch was so hot it felt like a brand. "I'm offering you the world, Maya. I will build you a brand-new workshop. I will buy you every tool, every piece of rare wood in existence. I will give you anything you want. Just work for me. Stay near me."

"I don't want your gifts, Julian," I said, trying to pull away, but my legs felt weak. My body refused to move. I was stuck in his trap, pinned down by the terrifying chemistry cracking between us. "I want my shop back. On my terms." I managed to say.

Julian leaned down, his face inches from mine. His eyes dropped to my lips, his breathing heavy and uneven. "Then fight me for it," he whispered against my skin. "Renegotiate. Argue with me. Do whatever you have to do, Maya. But you are not walking away from me. Not today. Not ever."

The wild, possessive edge in his voice sent a shiver straight down my spine. We stood there, inches apart, breathing in each other's air, trapped in a silent war of wills that neither of us was winning. I hated him, and God help me, I wanted him.

"You're going to regret this, Julian," I breathed, glaring straight into his eyes, refusing to surrender.

A dark, dangerous smile slowly spread across his face. "I certainly hope so," he rumbled.