“No, not bad at all,” I said, my tone casual, though I could feel the heat building between us. “Except you forget to mention one thing,”
She looked at me then, brow arched in a challenge. “And what’s that?”
I allowed a smirk to tug at my lips, savoring the tension that had thickened in the air. “You want someone who’ll make you lose control,” I said, letting the words settle. “Someone who knows exactly what you need even when you don’t.”
I could see the shiver run through her, the way her pulse quickened, the surprise flickering in her eyes. The silence stretched between us, thick and heavy, charged with something unspoken. I could almost feel her heart racing as she struggled to make sense of what I’d just said.
Before either of us could say another word, a voice cut through the moment, raspy yet annoyingly cheerful.
“Elise, hey.”
A familiar face with tousled brown hair appeared behind her, his easy smile directed solely at her.
Elise snapped out of our charged moment like it had never happened, quickly smoothing her expression into a polite smile before turning her head. “Hey, Warren.” She gestured toward me as if she’d suddenly remembered I was there. “Mr. Edge, I’m sure you know Warren. He’s one of the sound engineers at Edge Records.”
I gave a curt nod, my gaze steady on him. “Of course.”
Warren nodded politely before turning his full attention back to Elise, his tone casual but laced with intention. “I’m up next after Marissa, and I was wondering if you’d be up for a duetwith me. I’ve got a killer song I think we could absolutely crush together.”
He smiled at her like he had already won her over, and I couldn’t stop my jaw from tightening.
She laughed lightly, and the sound only fueled my irritation and made me want to fire him on the spot. “That sounds fun.”
“Shouldn’t you be finishing the lead vocals on the Carter project?” I asked, my tone cold and measured. “Or is embarrassing yourself singing off-key the new way to multitask around here?”
The grin vanished, replaced by a flush of embarrassment. “I was just—”
“Just wasting time,” I snapped, cutting him off. “I want the finished product on my desk by Monday morning.”
Warren glanced at Elise like he wanted her to save him, but she just looked as stunned as he did. Finally, he mumbled, “Of course, Mr. Edge,” and slunk out of the room.
For a second, the only sounds in the room were the off-key wails of a drunk Marissa and the occasional clink of glasses at the bar.Suddenly Elise stood, and I knew I’d crossed a line.
“Was that really necessary?” she asked, her voice cutting through the tension.
I met her gaze without flinching. “He was wasting time,” I said simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Elise folded her arms. “It’s almost eleven on a Friday night, Mr. Edge. And you’re mad that someone dared to havefunfor five minutes?”
“I’m mad that someone on payroll thinks this is a hobby,” I snapped. “Deadlines don’t care if it’s the weekend. The Carter album drops in ten days.”
“And you think humiliating him in front of half the staff was the best way to motivate him?”
I tilted my head. “I think reminding him who signs his checks was.”
Her lips parted in disbelief. “You’re unbelievable.”
I shrugged. “That’s why Edge Records runs like it does.”
“This is why people are afraid of you.”
“Good,” I said flatly. “Fear is efficient.”
Her eyes narrowed, but when she spoke, there was something else there too. Not anger. Something closer to pity.
“You didn’t have to tear him down to prove a point. You’re his boss, not a tyrant.”
“I don’t need advice on how to runmycompany.”
