The lights in the office are dimmed, casting a shadow on the floor-to-ceiling windows. Lia had just finished a whirlwind meeting when she returned to the office. She had been on edge about deadlines and corporate espionage when she thought she had time to catch a breath. But then she saw the figure leaning on her desk. It was Leo.
"Busy?" he asked, his tone low and playful—but with a menacing edge that made her stomach twist.
"I… manage," Lia stuttered, trying to maintain her composure. Her thoughts were racing from the amount of work she was getting behind on and from his presence. Each look from him was an invitation, with the undercurrent of being challenged.
Leo's smirk widened. "You've got spit and fire in you, Lia. I like that. Most people melt under pressure. You spark."
Her face turned red with embarrassment and pleasure at the compliments. "I just do what I have to," she added nervously, twisting a pen around in her hands.
"Indispensable, yes," he said, coming a step closer, the warmth of his presence radiating against her skin. "But I have to wonder how much of that fire is business-related and how much." He trailed off, his dark eyes locked on hers.
Lia's heart was racing. "How much what?" she whispered, her voice almost imperceptible.
"How much of that spark is for me?" His voice was gentle and seductive but also bold, and he could see the shiver run down her spine.
Before Lia could answer, a disturbing sound erupted from the other office. Papers were scattered everywhere, chairs went crashing, and an embarrassed intern burst in, mumbling apologies for a mishap. Lia's nerves went on alert, a private moment rudely broken.
Leo's expression turned grim, a flash of anger replacing his playful charm. He gave the intern a look of icy fury and turned back to Lia. "You see what I have to put up with?" he whispered in exasperation.
"I—" Lia began, but her voice trailed off against the intensity of his stare.
He let out a harsh breath, running a hand through his tangled brown locks. "This office, this work. Complete chaos everywhere. Yet. You somehow are the center of calm amidst it. The spark. Even when all is unraveling."
Lia's heart swelled in a mixture of admiration, lust, and fear. Each word he spoke wound around her, drawing her nearer, but beneath the warmth was a reminder of the dangers that lurked beyond the safety of these walls.
Cliff Just then, Leo's phone erupted with vibrating alerts. He read the text message, his eyes narrowing. Lia tried to peer at it too, but all she heard was the chilling phrase, "They're coming tonight. Be ready—or lose everything."