Chapter Eleven
Alicia's POV
I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring. For a moment, I forgot what day it was. Then it hit me like cold water.
Work. With Malachi.
My stomach twisted into knots as I dragged myself out of bed. I stood in front of my closet for ten minutes, pulling out different outfits and tossing them onto the bed. Nothing felt right. Everything was either too tight, too loose, too formal, or too casual.
"It's just work," I muttered to myself, finally settling on a navy blue blouse and black pencil skirt. Professional. Safe. Nothing that would give him ideas.
But who was I kidding? Malachi didn't need any encouragement. He took what he wanted with just a look.
I applied minimal makeup and pulled my hair into a low ponytail. The less effort, the better. I wasn't trying to impress anyone. Especially not him.
When I walked into the dining room, he was already there.
Malachi sat at the head of the table, dressed in a crisp black suit that fit him perfectly. His hair was styled back, and he looked every bit the powerful CEO he was about to become. He glanced up from his phone when I entered, and that familiar smirk appeared on his lips.
"Good morning, Alicia."
"Morning," I replied, keeping my voice neutral as I took a seat far enough away from him. Not too far to seem rude, but far enough to breathe.
The maids brought out breakfast. Toast, eggs, bacon, fresh fruit, and coffee. I picked up my fork and focused on my plate, pretending he wasn't watching me.
"Sleep well?" he asked, his voice casual.
"Fine."
"Dreams?"
I paused mid-bite. Was he seriously asking me that? I looked up and found him staring at me with those dark eyes that saw too much.
"No dreams," I lied.
His smile widened like he knew the truth. "Shame. I had the most interesting one."
I didn't ask. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
We ate in silence after that, but I felt his gaze on me the entire time. Every sip of coffee, every bite of toast. It was like he was studying me, memorizing me.
When breakfast ended, we left together. Maurice was waiting by the car, and he opened the door for us. I slid into the back seat, and Malachi followed, sitting close enough that I could smell his cologne again. That same scent that made my head spin.
The drive to the company building took twenty minutes. I spent the entire time staring out the window, watching the city pass by in a blur. Malachi didn't say a word, but I could feel the weight of his presence beside me.
When we arrived, I noticed the building was massive. Glass and steel stretched up into the sky, the Blackwood Enterprises logo gleaming at the top. Employees were already flooding in through the main entrance.
We walked inside together, and I immediately felt eyes on us. Whispers started the moment we passed through the lobby.
"Is that him?"
"Oh my God, he's gorgeous."
"I heard he's taking over for Travis."
"He's so tall. And that suit? I'd let him ruin my life."
I clenched my jaw and kept walking. It shouldn't bother me. They were just talking. Just admiring. It didn't mean anything.
But it did bother me. More than I wanted to admit.
Malachi seemed completely unbothered. He walked with confidence, his hands in his pockets, like he owned the place. Which, technically, he kind of did.
We reached the private elevator, and he scanned his card. The doors slid open, and we stepped inside. It was just the two of us now, the noise from the lobby fading as the doors closed.
The elevator began to rise, and I stared at the numbers lighting up one by one. Anything to avoid looking at him.
"Jealous?" he asked suddenly.
My head snapped toward him. "What?"
"You heard them. Talking about how handsome I am." He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, that infuriating smirk back on his face. "It bothered you."
"It didn't."
"Liar."
I glared at him. "You're ridiculous."
"And you're adorable when you're jealous."
My face heated, and I looked away. "I'm not jealous."
"Sure you're not."
The elevator doors opened before I could snap back at him. We stepped out onto the top floor, and I was immediately struck by how different it looked. The entire space had been renovated. Everything was sleek and modern, decorated in shades of black, grey, and white. It looked expensive. Cold. Powerful.
"Maurice had it redone overnight," Malachi said, noticing my reaction. "I don't like clutter or bright colors. This suits me better."
I followed him into the main office. It was huge. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city, and in the center of the room sat a large black desk with a leather chair behind it. Across from it, on the other side of the room, was a smaller desk. Mine.
"That's your space," Malachi said, nodding toward it. "You'll be working from here so I can keep an eye on you."
"Keep an eye on me?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"You're my secretary, Alicia. I need you close."
There was something in the way he said it that made my heart race. I walked over to my desk and set my bag down, trying to ignore the way his gaze followed me.
"Comfortable?" he asked, settling into his chair.
"It's fine."
"Good. We have a lot of work to do."
I sat down and opened my laptop, ready to dive into emails and reports. Anything to distract myself from the fact that I'd be spending the entire day in the same room as him.
"Alicia," he said after a moment.
I looked up. "Yes?"
He leaned back in his chair, his eyes locked on mine. "This is going to be fun."
I didn't respond. I just turned back to my screen and started typing.
By the time lunch rolled around, I was starving. Malachi had been in and out of meetings all morning, which gave me some space to breathe and focus. But every time he came back into the office, the air felt heavier.
I grabbed my wallet and headed down to the cafeteria on the fifth floor. The space was crowded with employees on their lunch break, and I grabbed a tray and joined the line.
That's when I heard them again.
"Did you see him this morning?"
"Yes! He's even better-looking in person."
"I wonder if he's single."
"Doesn't matter. A man like that probably has women throwing themselves at him."
I gripped my tray tighter, my jaw clenching. Why did it bother me so much? He wasn't mine. I had no claim to him. I was married. Technically.
But the thought of other women looking at him, wanting him, made something dark twist in my chest.
I paid for my food and found an empty table in the corner, hoping to eat in peace. But the two women from earlier sat down at the table next to mine, still talking.
"I'd do anything to get his attention," one of them said, giggling.
That was it. I stood up abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor. Both women looked up at me, startled.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," one of them said quickly. "We didn't mean to disturb you."
"It's fine," I said, forcing a smile. "Enjoy your lunch."
They nodded and quickly moved to another table, leaving me alone.
I sat back down and stabbed at my salad with more force than necessary. This was going to be a long day.