I stepped onto the elevator and pressed the button for my floor, but before the doors could slide shut, someone else stepped inside.
My boss.
In an instant, all thoughts of someone in my bed and single releases vanished from my mind.
Nathan Edge, also known as theMercenary of Music,wasthe enigmatic CEO of Edge Records Entertainment. Nathan Edge wasn’t just a name in the music industry, hewasthe music industry. The man behind the meteoric rise of the biggest stars today. Nathan Edge was the elusive billionaire every woman wanted and none could have.
With his thick black hair, warm tan skin, and piercing steel-blue eyes that could freeze or burn depending on his mood, he exuded power and precision. Every detail, from the sharp cut of his designer suit to the effortless command in his stance, was meticulously curated.
Nathan Edge was heartbreak wrapped in perfection.
But unlike my colleagues who shrank beneath the weight of his scowl, I didn’t even flinch.
“Coffee.” Nathan’s voice cut through the air like a command.
No greeting.
No acknowledgement.
“Good morning to you too, Mr. Edge. I had a great night, thanks for asking,” I replied, my tone thick with sarcasm.
Nathan didn’t correct my tone. I’d learned early on that he cared more about results than attitude and I always delivered. I also never called him ‘Nathan’ to his face. He never granted me that familiarity.
Nathan’s eyes flickered, his face twisting into an even deeper scowl.
I bit my lower lip to keep from laughing as I handed him his coffee.
“How are we looking with those contracts and Rhodium’s single release tomorrow?” He didn’t bother with eye contact, his attention now on his phone.
“Everything looks good, but I’ll know more once I have a chance to go over them again.”
“Oncewego over them,” Nathan corrected. “I can’t afford any mistakes. I hope you didn’t have any plans tonight.”
“Nope. I’m all yours.” My eyes widened at the implication of my words and Nathan’s raised eyebrow. “Not like that! I meant yours for the night. Wait, that sounded worse.” I scrambled to get my brain in alignment with my mouth. “I meant no. I don’t have any plans tonight.”
“Good.” Nathan looked back down at his phone. I thought I saw the corners of his lips curve up, but that had to be my imagination.
I scrambled further back into the elevator, pressing my back against the wall like it might absorb me out of sheer secondhand humiliation. A quick glance at the floor numbers told me we’d only made it to the fifth floor.
As the elevator gradually ascended, I decided to sneak another look at my boss.
Nathan and I couldn’t be more different if we tried. While Nathan charmed potential artists with his sharp wit and commanding presence, I still tripped over my words when ordering takeout. He was all dark clouds and thunderstorms in his signature black suit. I, on the other hand, was sunshine and a gentle breeze in a bright orange dress. Yet somehow, we worked perfectly together.
I took a long sip of my coffee, hoping the creamy sugar bomb would dull the sting of my awkward word vomit from earlier. It didn’t. I still wanted to crawl into a vent and live there.
Instead of dwelling on my humiliation, I focused on more manageable chaos: pick up Kelsey’s birthday gift, confirm the Titan audition, fix the mic cues in Rhodium’s new routine—
Screech. Boom. Halt.
I cast a look at Nathan, hoping he’d pressed the red button on the elevator for some reason. Nope, he looked just as shocked as I was that the elevator had stopped moving.
“You gotta be fucking kidding me,” Nathan growled before he furiously punched a number on his phone. “I’m stuck,” he snapped. “Yes. In the elevator. No, I don’t give a shit what’s wrong. Five minutes, or you’re clearing out your desk.”
I tuned him out as he continued barking orders. I felt bad for the poor sap on the other end of the line because I would hate to be dealing with a pissed-off Nathan Edge. Being trapped in an elevator with one wasn’t much better, but I was confident he’d get us out of here in no time.
It’s a good thing you’re not claustrophobic, Elise.
“How long did they say we’d be stuck?” I asked when he ended the call.
