Lilly barely slept. Her mind replayed yesterday in endless loops. The contract, Mark's eyes watching her sign it, Luna's venomous warning, and her own reckless defiance. She could still feel the heat of her own words when she told Luna to watch who Mr. Bergen will choose. It should have scared her to say something so bold, but instead, it thrilled her.
Now, as she walked into Bergen Global the next morning, her heart thundered in her chest. The air in the lobby felt charged, heavier than usual, like she was stepping onto a stage where everyone already knew her lines but her.
Maria barely glanced at her when she entered the finance wing, "You're late," she said sharply, "Mr. Bergen already asked for you."
The words stopped Lilly cold. Already? At this hour?
She tried to swallow the lump forming in her throat, "Did he say why?"
Maria only gave her a pointed look, "He's your boss. Do you need him to explain?"
Lilly pressed her lips together, grabbed her notepad, and forced her legs to move.
Mark's office door was already ajar, his secretary nowhere in sight. Lilly knocked gently, but his voice cut through before she could even announce herself.
"Come in."
Her breath caught. That phrase. She would never forget the first time she heard it, but this time, when she stepped in, there was no scandalous scene waiting. Just Mark, seated behind his desk, a coffee untouched to his right, a document spread in front of him.
His eyes lifted immediately, locking onto hers. The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down her spine.
"Miss Levine," he said smoothly, his tone unreadable, "Close the door."
She obeyed, the soft click of it shutting behind her echoing louder than it should have.
Mark leaned back in his chair, studying her, "Do you remember what you signed yesterday?"
Lilly's throat went dry, "Yes."
"Good," He rose slowly, moving around the desk until he stood directly in front of her. He wasn't close enough to touch, but close enough that she could feel the weight of his presence pressing into her.
"You'll find I don't trust words," he continued, his voice low but firm, "Contracts mean something to me. I like to see how far people are willing to honor them."
Lilly's pulse hammered so hard she was sure he could hear it, "What do you mean?"
Mark tilted his head, his lips curving slightly, though it wasn't quite a smile, "Consider this your first test."
He stepped closer, closing the space between them, and reached for her wrist. His fingers wrapped around her, firm yet not painful, yet commanding. He guided her toward the small seating area by the window where a tray of pastries and fruit had been set.
"Sit," he ordered.
Lilly lowered herself onto the couch, her heart in her throat.
Mark sat beside her, close enough that his shoulder brushed hers. He reached for a strawberry, held it out, and his eyes locked onto hers.
"Feed me," he said simply.
Her breath caught. The echo of yesterday's lap-feeding flashed through her mind, and heat spread through her chest, "Here? Now?"
"Yes. Now." His voice left no room for negotiation.
Her hand trembled as she took the strawberry from him. She lifted it, hesitating just inches from his mouth. His gaze didn't waver, sharp and consuming, waiting. Testing.
She pressed the fruit to his lips.
Mark bit into it slowly with his eyes never leaving hers. Juice glistened at the corner of his mouth, and for a terrifying, dizzying second, Lilly wanted to reach up and wipe it away.
But then he caught her wrist again, this time lingering, his thumb brushing lightly over her pulse. Her breath hitched, trapped between panic and something far more dangerous.
"You signed more than paper yesterday, Miss Levine," he murmured, his voice a velvet thread that wound its way into her chest, "Now prove to me you understand what that means."
Lilly's lips parted, but no words came out. Her body was frozen, her heart pounding in her ears.
The door suddenly rattled with a knock.
Mark didn't flinch. He didn't let go of her wrist. His eyes burned into hers, waiting to see what she would do.
"Stay," he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear.
And then, louder, to the door, "Not now."
The knock stopped, silence settling back into the room.
Mark still hadn't released her. His hand lingered against her skin, his touch a brand. Lilly could barely breathe.
And in that moment, she knew, this was only the beginning.