Semua Bab Touched by the Billionaire, Owned by the Devil: Bab 61 - Bab 70

The front door clicked shut, sealing out the cool night air while my hand lingered on the deadbolt. The metal was still cold from the outside, a sharp contrast to the warmth lingering in my chest. The coastal trip had finally arrived. Just hours ago, the salt breeze had tangled my hair while I stood on a cliffside overlooking the ocean, watching Gideon review the coastal property blueprints with the project manager. Harold had offered me a peppermint from his glovebox on the drive back, and Gideon had quietly insisted I take the larger portion of my lunch, his eyes soft and entirely focused on my comfort. He had even taken off his jacket to drape over my shoulders when the wind picked up, his touch brief but grounding. It had been a good day. A safe day. I had not told Shane I was with Gideon. I had simply texted that a site review was running late. The living room was pitch black, the only light spilling from the streetlamp outside. Shane sat in the armchair, a dark silhouette a

The words "we will buy you new things" hung in the quiet office, settling over my shaking shoulders like a heavy, warm blanket. The sheer weight of his protection crashed through the last of my defenses, leaving me entirely exposed and desperately grateful. I looked up at his face, taking in the sharp angles of his jaw, the dark, unwavering focus in his eyes, and the slight part of his lips. The physical distance between us was practically nothing, the heat radiating from his chest warming the cold, tear-streaked skin of my face. A sudden, overwhelming urge to just feel something good, something that wasn't pain or fear, surged through my veins. I wanted to anchor myself to the only safe thing in my entire world. My hands lifted, my fingers curling into the lapels of his crisp cotton shirt, pulling him just a fraction closer. I closed my eyes, tilting my head up to press my lips to his, offering the only thing I felt I had left to give. His hand came up, moving with a speed that

The server logs glowed on the monitor, the timestamps clearly visible while Sarah leaned against the edge of my cubicle. "I just think it is suspicious that you finished the coastal addendums before I even got the email," Sarah said, her voice carrying across the quiet bullpen while she crossed her arms. "It makes me wonder if you are actually doing the work, or if you are just having Gideon do it for you." My fingers stopped typing, and I turned my chair to face her completely. The entire floor went quiet, the usual hum of keyboards fading into the background while everyone waited to see if I would break. "The server logs show I uploaded the final file at four in the afternoon, Sarah," I said, keeping my voice perfectly level and entirely professional. "If you want to claim you formatted them, you need to explain why your login was completely inactive all day, and why your digital signature is missing from the final draft." Sarah's mouth opened, then closed, her eyes dartin

The coffee machine sputtered and stopped halfway through filling the cup, leaving a thin stream of dark liquid dripping onto the counter. My fingers tapped the side of the machine, but the red light just blinked stubbornly. The breakroom was empty, the morning rush not yet in full swing, and the quiet hum of the refrigerator felt entirely too loud. "Kick it," Michael said from the doorway, adjusting his glasses. "That is the only thing that works." "I am not kicking the machine, Michael." "Then you are not getting coffee," he replied, walking over and delivering a sharp tap to the side of the unit with his knuckles. The machine roared back to life, the dark liquid resuming its steady flow. "You are welcome." Taking the warm cup, I leaned against the counter and stared out the breakroom window. The street below was busy with morning traffic, taxis weaving between delivery trucks and pedestrians crowding the crosswalks. Weeks has passed with all the chaos that described my life.

The intercom buzzed loudly, cutting through the thick silence of the office. "Mr. Vale," Carla’s voice crackled through the speaker, tight with panic. "There is a man in the lobby. Elias Blackstone, and he is demanding to speak with you and Ms. Bennett immediately." Gideon’s jaw ticked, a muscle jumping under the skin as he stared at the black envelope on the desk. The color drained from his face, replaced by a cold, lethal focus that made the air in the room feel suddenly thin. "Stay in here," he ordered, his voice dropping to a rough, absolute command. "Lock the door behind me. Do not open it for anyone but me." He turned and walked out, the heavy glass door clicking shut behind him. I stood in the quiet room, my chest heaving while the silence pressed against my ears. The black envelope sat on the mahogany desk like a threat. I walked to the window and peeked through the slats of the blinds, watching Gideon stride toward the elevator bank. His posture was rigid, his hands