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“Shut the fuck up,” I growled, my patience wearing thin.
Kent just smirked and stabbed the elevator button, the two of us waiting in tense silence for it to arrive.
My fists clenched at my sides as we rode up, the unsettling mix of anger and desire for Darius consuming me. My chest tightened, frustration mounting with every unanswered question. But I knew, soon enough, I’d find the truth. And when I did, I wouldn’t let Darius slip through my fingers again.
The elevator’s dim lighting did little to ease the tension coiled in my chest as I watched Kent furiously typing on his phone. I mirrored his posture, eyes glued to my screen, scanning through my text messages. Twenty minutes had passed since I sent Darius a message, and silence was all I got in return.
“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath, feeling the frustration building with every unanswered question.
As the elevator dinged at our floor, Kent raised his hand, barely looking up from his phone. “Oh, you’re babysitting another asshole. A favor for Cole.”
I stepped out of the elevator, hot on his heels, my annoyance growing. “What? Who? And where the fuck is Cole?”
Kent shrugged, still engrossed in his phone. “I don’t know. But it’s only for a week. Cole said you’ll be cool with it.”
“Of course he did,” I scoffed, rolling my eyes as we walked down the hallway. My mind raced, consumed by thoughts of Darius and the unexpected mystery surrounding him.
Entering my office, I checked my watch. Ten minutes until my last meeting of the day, a divorce case that seemed so trivial compared to my desire to uncover more about Darius. I couldn’t wait for it to be over, to finally focus on what really mattered.Get your shit together, Weston,I whispered to myself, steeling my resolve. Little did I know, Darius was about to become an even bigger part of my life than I ever could have imagined.
The cold metal of the tablet in my hand was a stark contrast to the fire raging inside me as I stepped out of my office. My steps were quick and determined, carrying me down the hall towards the conference room where my client awaited. The anticipation of seeing Darius again gnawed at my insides like some ravenous beast, but I couldn’t let it show.
Pushing open the door, I entered the room and locked eyes with Darius. He sat next to the other asshole I had to babysit, a smirk on his lips as they chatted away. His hazel eyes flicked up to meet mine for a moment before he returned to the conversation, completely disinterested in my presence. My blood boiled beneath my skin. Nothing—no one—had ever bothered me more than him.
“Ahem,” I cleared my throat loudly, interrupting their small talk. I didn’t even know the other guy’s name, and I didn’t fucking care what it was. All I cared about was the infuriating man sitting next to him.
“Ready to let the adults talk now?” I asked, my voice laced with venom.
Darius glared at me, leaned over, and whispered something into the ear of the guy sitting next to him. The other man chuckled as I clenched my fists, trying to maintain some semblance of control over my emotions.
Darius looked back at me, his eyes daring me to react. But I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. This meeting had to go smoothly, despite the chaos that his mere presence unleashed within me. I focused on the task at hand, pushing aside the thoughts of Darius that threatened to consume me.
“Let’s get started,” I said, forcing myself to sound professional. But even as the words left my mouth, I knew that this was just the beginning of an intense, erotic game between us, a game that would change everything I thought I knew about myself and the world around me. And Darius was in control, whether or not I liked it.
I dove straight into the topic of divorce, explaining to my client the legal loopholes we had found. “With these strategies,” I said confidently, “you won’t have to worry about your Vegas bride taking every dime you’ve got.”
The client seemed relieved, and I continued discussing the details of the case. But just as I was getting into the nitty-gritty, Darius interrupted.
“Hey, man,” he said casually, addressing the client. “You checked your wife’s social media profiles?”
My blood boiled at his audacity. “What does social media have to do with anything?” I snapped.
Darius ignored me, leaning across the table to lock eyes with the client. “Check her social media. Who is she following? Who’s commenting on her most recent photos? If there’s a pattern, you’ll see it.” Darius leaned back in his chair, sipping water from the glass in front of him, smug as fuck.
The client considered this, then nodded. “Actually, I had a buddy who did that during his divorce two years ago. Worked in his favor once shit was uncovered.”
“Yup.” Darius popped thepwith his stupid fucking lips, grinning like he’d just won some sort of prize.
My chest tightened with rage, but I swallowed it down. This was my meeting, not his. My expertise mattered, not his obnoxious input. I forced myself to focus on the task at hand, even as Darius’s presence loomed over me like a dark cloud, threatening to consume my thoughts and throw me off balance. I rolled my eyes, the anger simmering just beneath the surface as I stood and buttoned my jacket. “Well, as your lawyer,” I said, forcing a smile onto my face while locking eyes with Darius for a split second, “I am certain you have nothing to worry about. Social media stalking or not.”
“Thank you, Mr. Ashbourne.” My client shook my hand, his grip firm and appreciative.
“Of course.” Keeping my voice steady took every ounce of self-control I had left as Darius and that other fucker got up from their seats. The two of them walked out of the conference room as if they owned the place, and it took all my willpower not to throw something at the back of Darius’s smug head.
As soon as the door closed behind them, I let out an exasperated breath, my hands shaking with pent-up frustration. My mind raced with thoughts of what had just transpired, the way Darius had so easily commandeered the conversation, and made me feel like an absolute idiot in front of my client. It was infuriating, and yet, there was something undeniably arousing about his confidence—the power he held over me, both emotionally and physically. But I couldn’t dwell on those thoughts, not now. Not when I had a job to do, a reputation to uphold. I couldn’t let Darius get under my skin, no matter how badly I wanted him there.
“Mr. Ashbourne?” My paralegal’s voice cut through my thoughts, bringing me back to reality. “Is everything all right?”
“Of course,” I replied, plastering on another forced smile. “Let’s continue discussing the case.”
