All Chapters of Bound By The Desk : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Zephyr’s POV The office is still lively from the press conference, land phones buzzing off the wall, emails filling inboxes. I am at my desk in the open plan area, fielding follow-up media requests; quotes for TechCrunch, interview slots for a local station, and clarifications for bloggers. The PR team is huddled in a corner, laptops glowing, drafting press releases to keep Vorian’s strong performance in the headlines. He owned Apex Hall, that pink tie stealing half the attention, and I am riding the wave, coordinating like a machine. My clipboard is full of checkmarks; TechCrunch confirmed, local TV slots booked, bloggers’ follow-ups answered. Every outlet covered, every detail locked, no loose ends, all set for the next wave of stories.I am entering a reply to a stubborn reporter when my phone vibrates on the desk; a note from Vorian: - Office. Now. Debrief.My heart races, a smile pulling my lips. I move away from my table, threading through the mess, my heart already pound

Vorian’s POV Silas’s grin is wide and full of mischief. His eyes sparkle with fun. His finger points straight at Zephyr. He wiggles it like he caught a big secret. The room feels hot from his tease. Everyone waits for words. Silas loves the game. He holds the point longer. It makes Zephyr shift on his feet. Silas’s laugh is ready to burst.“Him on your lap, Vorian. Start explaining.”I lean back against my desk. My arms cross over my chest. My voice stays cool, like a boss. “Mind your business, Silas.”He snorts. He steps closer. His tablet hangs at his side. “Do not pull that crap with me,” he says. His voice drops low. It is serious but still playful. “I am asking as your best friend. Not your COO.”That shuts me up. My jaw gets tight. The air in the office feels thick. It cracks with heat. Zephyr’s face turns red. His eyes jump to the door. I see he is ready to run. Silas sees it too. His grin gets bigger. He teases. “Look at that blush, Zephyr. What did I walk in on, huh?

Vorian’s POV I stare at the keycard in my hand. Claire’s name is printed clearly. My project team lead. I cannot believe what I see. My mind spins.“Claire?” I say. My voice is low. Quiet. “What is going on?”“Claire never reported this missing,” I say. My eyes stay on the card. The plastic is cold. It feels hard. Smooth. A little sharp on the edges. My fingers grip it tight. The chill runs up my hand.Zephyr looks at it. His face is confused. His brow is tight. “Why her card?” he asks. “Why a black envelope?”I turn to the security guard. He stands tall, shoulders straight. His uniform is black, crisp, with a silver badge on the chest.“Lock down Claire’s access,” I say. “Right now. All systems. Do it.”The guard nods. He talks into his radio. His voice is fast. I grab my phone from the desk. My fingers shake a little. I find Silas’s name. I press call. The ring is loud. One ring. Two. He picks up. His voice comes fast. “Vorian?”“Claire’s keycard just showed up,” I say. “P

Vorian’s POV The couch is warm beneath us. Zephyr’s head rests on my chest. His breath is slow. My fingers trace his back. Soft circles. The ocean waves crash outside. Steady. Calm. The house is quiet. Dark. Perfect. Salt air drifts in. The windows are open wide. Stars shine bright.I kiss his hair. Soft. “Shower,” I say. My voice is low. Tired.He smiles. His eyes sparkle. “With you?” he asks. His voice is playful.“Always,” I say. I grin. “Unless you want cold water alone.”He laughs. “No way,” he says. “Lead the way, boss.”I stand. I pull him up. His hand fits in mine. Warm. We walk to the master bath. Bare feet on wood floor. Cool. The bathroom is big. Glass walls. Huge shower. Ocean view. I turn the water. Hot. Steam fills the room fast. White clouds. We step in. Water falls. Hot. Good. It runs down our skin.I grab soap. White. Foamy. I wash his back. Slow. My hands slide. “You missed a spot,” he says. He turns. I wash his chest. Slow circles. He takes the so

Vorian’s POV I wake early. The sun is just up. Pink light fills the room. Soft. Warm. Zephyr sleeps beside me. His face is soft. Lips parted. Hair messy on the pillow. One arm over my chest. Heavy. Comfortable. The sheets are white. Tangled. The house is quiet. No sound from Cassian. Elena snores soft somewhere down the hall. Lila is still. I slide out of bed. Careful. Slow. I pull on black shorts. They are soft. Cotton. Loose. I tie the drawstring tight. Bare feet on a wood floor. Cool. Smooth. Polished. No dust. The planks are dark. Warm from yesterday sun. I step slow. Feel every grain.I walk to the kitchen. Big. Open. White counters shine. I make coffee. Dark roast. Strong. The machine hums low. Smell fills the air. Rich. Good. I take a mug. Black. Hot. Steam rises. I step to the deck. Glass doors open. Ocean view. Waves crash soft. Steady. Sand white. Clean. Sky orange. Pink. Blue. Sunrise. Beautiful. Calm. I sip. Quiet. Peace. My mind is clear for once. No emails