A few executives shifted in their seats at the firmness of her tone, subtle movements that betrayed attention they were trying to suppress. Cassian noticed it anyway.
His expression tightened.
The faint restraint in his face hardened, and for a moment his patience—something rarely seen faltering in him—thinned enough to be felt. He straightened slightly, shoulders pulling back with controlled precision.
But Juliet still wasn’t done.
"If you won't say it, I'll ask Vincent."
Juliet's expression remained firm, clearly refusing to back down.
"I'll call him right now and make him say it instead. Then you can't blame me for going to another man when I want to hear something nice."
The reaction was instant.
Cassian’s expression darkened.
“What the hell did you just say?” His voice was loud and sharp, slicing through the silence.
A few executives actually flinched, shoulders tightening as their attention snapped fully back to him. Even the air seemed to stiffen, the kind of silence that pressed down rather than spread out.
Cassian pushed back slightly from the table, not standing, but shifting enough that the authority in his posture sharpened. His gaze flicked briefly across the room before he deliberately looked away again.
On the call, Juliet remained completely unmoved.
"I'm serious," she said stubbornly. "If you don't want me to do that, then just say you miss me. It's not that hard."
There wasn't the slightest hint of embarrassment in her voice. If anything, she sounded more determined with every word.
"We're dating, Cassian. This shouldn't be difficult."
Before Cassian could respond, she continued relentlessly.
"How am I supposed to know you miss me if you never say it? Am I supposed to read your mind?"
Cassian's voice dropped slightly, the deep timbre turning softer and warmer than usual. Something shifted in his expression as well, the cold restraint that normally surrounded him easing just enough for a rare tenderness to appear in his eyes.
When he finally spoke, his voice was low and affectionate, rough around the edges yet impossibly gentle, carrying through the phone so clearly that Juliet could almost feel it brushing against her ear.
"I miss you, Juliet."
The words had barely left his mouth when a loud squeal burst from the other end of the line.
"Oh my God! Your voice is so sexy I could die!"
Juliet's delighted cry echoed through the phone, and for a moment Cassian simply sat there, stunned by her reaction. Then a helpless smile tugged at the corner of his lips. His heartbeat suddenly felt much louder than it should have, thudding steadily against his chest as warmth spread through him. Hearing her sound so excited over something as simple as a few words made it impossible for him to hide his amusement.
Shaking his head, he leaned back in his chair and dragged a hand down his face, trying to compose himself.
"Alright," he said, his voice carrying the faintest hint of laughter. "I'm going to hang up now."
"No."
Cassian paused, one eyebrow lifting as he adjusted the phone against his ear.
"Say that you love me first."
His hand stopped moving.
