‼Attention! Do not read in public🔞

Chapter One

Valencia

“What will you do when Alec arrives today?” My mother asked, pacing through the room.

“Say hello, smile politely, and invite him in.” I chirped like an excited parrot. I was wearing a nice yellow dress with little butterflies on the collar, and my shoes matching the set of blocks mama had set out for me to play with.

“Good. And you know what you will not talk about, right?” Mother asked, her eyes narrowing.

I sighed. “Dinosaurs. Because nobody wants to talk about them.”

My mother smiled at me. “Correct. You can talk about werewolves, though. Of how you want to grow up and be the perfect luna. Like your aunt Cynthia, and like me.”

I tried not to frown.

I didn’t understand what being a Luna was. I didn’t know why talking about dinosaurs had made the last two boys walk out with a frown on their faces.

But with every such ‘playdate’, my mother kept adding more rules to follow. More dont's than do's because no matter how much I tried, somehow I always managed to mess things up.

“But why do I need to be a perfect Luna?” I asked in my little voice and looked up to see my elder brother Andrew leaning by the doorframe. Arms crossed. Eyes on me.

“Because that is what little princesses become after growing old. You see me and your papa, right? Don’t you want to be happy like us when you grow up?” Mom answered, tidying my hair for the hundredth time.

“Honey, is Valencia ready?” Dad’s voice reached us and mom immediately turned around to look at him. And both of them gave each other big, wide smiles.

I loved my parents and knew that they loved me. Dad loved mom a lot, and she was always smiling when he was around.

“Just some last minute pep talk, love,” Mom answered, kissed my cheek and got up.

“All the best for today,” she said, though I had no idea why I needed luck. It felt like some kind of test which I always kept failing at.

Andrew let mom walk away before coming towards me and sat beside me. “You know you can tell me if he tries to pull your braid. I am the future beta after all. I will bite him.”

I giggled at that line. Andrew always knew how to make me laugh.

“You can’t bite people, Andy. Beta or not. It is rude.”

“I can hurt back those who hurt my little princess, beta or not.” He said, flicking my nose.

“Alpha Richard is looking to get Alec betrothed to a suitable girl soon. I hope his son and Valencia get along. Pack wars are rising in the north.”

I heard my father tell my mother worriedly in the adjacent room, his eyes staring out the window.

She patted his shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry. Valencia is learning fast. She will become best friends with Alec before he walks out of this room.”

Dad shook his head. “You said that about the last five boys, too. Or was it ten? I’m starting to lose count. We need an alliance, Rose, and we need that soon.”

My face fell upon hearing that, though my parents had been talking in hushed whispers. I couldn’t understand what they meant. Not completely. I just knew that they were sad. Because of me.

“Hey, where are you lost?” Andrew snapped his fingers, making me look at him.

“What does betrothed mean?” I asked him and he shrugged.

“It is when two families promise to make their kids marry when they’ve grown up. In simple words, you need someone like papa to be a perfect luna for your future pack who would also protect you when you grow up.”

Why did everybody keep saying that? Why did I need to be protected? And from whom?

At ten, Andrew was five years older than me, but he talked like he was my father’s age. All mature and wise.

“You can protect me. You promise to bite people who hurt me. Or you can teach me to fight.” I frowned, my fingers looping in through the lace of the dress nervously.

“Dad won’t like it, princess. And you know I can’t go against his wishes. But you also know that you have nothing to fear. I will play with you after it's over, like always.”

My brother cheered me up and I nodded.

A knock sounded on the door and I rushed to greet our guests, all graceful and poised with mom standing behind me.

A woman and a boy who looked my age were at the door. The boy was sipping on a juice box as I greeted him politely, giving a little curtsy.

“Hello, my name is Valencia and I welcome you to the Blackwood pack.”

The boy didn’t bother replying, but only pulled out a slightly crumpled box from his pockets and thrust it in my hands.

“That is the costliest of all. And fancy.” He said proudly, handing me the strawberry banana juice.

I hated it. But I still drank it.

For the entirety of the half an hour that Alec was around, he looked bored, and utterly displeased, no matter how hard I tried to befriend him.

He left with his mother shortly after and I knew I had failed again.

That was my life for as long as I could remember.

What I didn’t remember was their names or faces after a while. They all were the same anyway- bratty, snobbish and cold.

I used to love getting dressed up in the fancy dresses mom bought for me, the cute toys and accessories, but as I grew up they lost their charm.

Everything did.

I was not sure what I did wrong, but all the boys kept leaving. Again and again and again. Mom kept striking the names of the boys off her list, and the look of concern always made me feel hopeless.

Only one boy was ever sweet and nice to me. My brother.

But even he couldn’t safeguard me from the slow, quiet heartbreak I went through with every such playdate.

The constant rejection was beginning to eat me slowly. Mom would hastily try to enroll me in some new music or cooking class, buy pretty dresses, but nothing worked.

Every week I went through the same ordeal.

“He’s got alpha potential, don’t say anything mean.”

I tried to protest but my parents kept saying, “You are getting older, princess. We just want you and our home to be safe.”

Because princesses were supposed to be polite and sweet.

Because girls were supposed to be delicate.

Because acting rash or smug was unladylike.

Being a princess was not all that lovely, as one might think. And if anybody ever told me again how lucky I was to have a caring family or a roof over my head, I was going to scream. Or elope.

Three days after my seventeenth birthday was the day that happened.

“Three alpha heirs? In a single day?” I asked, staring at my mother in shock as the maids were busy styling my hair and painting my nails.

“Yes dear, time is running out,” Mom said pensively.

I only stared at the list and back at her in shock.

“One of the guys is fifteen. Fifteen, mom!” I repeated, unsure if she could not see how absurd this was.

“Consider it as a formal meeting, dear. We are only trying to see if they would also want to meet you in the future. We are just trying to reserve a spot for you.” She said in an encouraging voice.

It was a ridiculous idea of some elder who thought kids who got along in childhood would be more likely to turn out to be mates after growing up. That's when all the playdates disguised as interviews began.

Of course, it largely favored the alpha heir, and the girls would clamor to be in their good books. However, I was growing tired of it.

I snorted, “Not the interview where they all judge me for wearing pink shoes or curling my hair?”

“A princess is not supposed to….” Mom began, and I filled in “...snort or laugh loudly. Or have a life in general. I get it.”

I said and then hated myself when I saw a hurt flash in her eyes. She was not at fault for this. I knew she was doing her best trying to find a guy who would be nice to me.

The world was fucked up and filled with power hungry alphas who killed for fun. And being their mate or perfect luna made my skin crawl.

And the urge only intensified when I found myself seated against the future alpha heir, the fifteen year old kid, acne concealed behind his fluffy hair.

I thought he was cute. Like a cat. Maybe I would just convince him to say yes and then go ahead and strike off my name from his list once he was of age.

“Look,” I began, but he cut me off and said, “You are a legend, you know?”

I blinked.

“I am?”

“My brothers told me all about you. And some of my friends. There’s a rumor going around that if you want to meet your mate on your 18th birthday, you have to reject Valencia.”

I stared at him blankly, letting that line sink in.

I didn’t react, didn’t say a word to anyone.

I might have failed my parents, but I still hadn’t failed myself.

So I left my home before that happened.

That night, I only packed my bags, left a note at my mom’s bedside table, and ran away from this miserable life to start over.

I was going to give myself another chance and write a new chapter of my life. All on my own.

Chapter Two

(Five years later)

Valencia

The silence in my office was deafening. I could even hear the occasional owl hooting outside.

So, I turned on the laptop and put on some random video to serve as white noise.

It was 2.45 am after all. On a Friday night.

Of course, everybody was busy partying and having fun.

I, on the other hand, was content burying my head in the files and papers littered all over my desk.

My phone rang, and it brought a smile to my face to see Sophia’s name flash on the screen.

At least she cared about me.

“Are you really going to spend yet another Friday night buried in legal work?” She asked.

“I thought you were going on a blind date,” I argued and she chirped back, “Just wanted to see if you would cave in tonight.”

“I have to finish these files, Soph,” I said with a heavy sigh and she replied, “I know. But I think I found just the place you might want to shop around. No pressure.”

She sent me something right away. But I shook my head and ignored the buzzing of my phone.

I was that infamous first-year law associate who somehow managed to avoid crying or passing out under the pressure of working at the Agency of Non-Human Affairs.

Yeah, that place—the one handling all the chaos between non-human beings and humans. Our law department? Pretty solid, if I do say so myself.

Sure, werewolves and vampires get all the attention, but trust me, there are way more strange and mysterious types out there that humans have no clue about.

And as for werewolf-related issues with humans? Well, let's just say those problems are usually too messy or, frankly, beneath most of the higher-ups to bother with.

I couldn't care less.

Not that I could complain. People were more than happy to dump their files on my desk. After all, I was the dedicated, star associate who practically lived in the office, had aced the only job interview that mattered and earned decent.

Past me would definitely be proud of the future me. I had managed to build a life for myself in an unknown city, far away from home.

I owned a small apartment, knew what restaurant served what type of food in the entire city, and no pressure of wanting to please a future alpha heir.

My phone buzzed again.

-Just check it-

I opened the earlier messages and found the name and address of a place.

Wolves & Whiskey

What was that? A hookah joint? A call for seance? What did she want me to buy?

Half an hour later, curiosity got the better of me and I found myself standing outside the huge neon sign.

The music was not loud and trashy. The place looked like anything but a bar or pub on the outside.

And truth be told, occasionally, I did feel like I needed some company. While reading through the files, I would accidentally come across something that would remind me of my family, of the laughs, of the carefree living, and I would feel a pang in the chest.

At least, I would have tried something new tonight.

The moment I entered the place, it felt like an alien world. People were not dancing in a frenzy and neither was the DJ blasting loud music.

Instead, there were tables arranged in neat rows, some enclosed in glass walls partially covered with curtains.

I ignored the swift glances and wondered if my friend had really sent me to a sketchy place where they sold illegal drugs.

But then I let my gaze wander. Women were seated mostly, and they were observing the men passing by, serving drinks, and minding their own business.

A woman rang a bell, and the man passing by her table stopped. She invited him to sit on the chair opposite her and they began chatting.

Weird.

What was going on?

Until I saw the girls' tuck several bucks into their shirts, and start to lick their apples. Boom, I finally knew what this place was for!

It was 'that place' —'The Pleasure house' but only for females’ pleasure

I spun on my heel, ready to run.

This wasn’t a place for good girls.

It wasn’t a place for me.

But I stopped.

No! I wasn’t that little princess anymore.

The one who sat around, waiting to be chosen.

So I spotted an empty table and sat by myself as well. I kept my hair pulled up in a bun and immediately put on a bright red shade of lipstick.

Bold. Sassy. Intimidating.

That was the look I was going for.

Sarah had sent me to shop, so I was going to be a picky buyer.

Holding my chin up and accepting the tall glass of drink one of the servers offered me, I sat back and let my gaze roam around the place.

And then my eyes fell on him. The man was tall, had a broad frame and a jawline that could rival blades. He was as intimidating as he was alluring.

A sea of beautiful faces was around me, but he stood out in the crowd. He was not even looking at me but standing beside a trembling woman while he stared down at a blonde guy.

Blondie had probably done something to annoy the woman. And the stranger said just one word.

“Leave”

Blondie didn’t do as asked, so the stranger plucked him off the chair and dragged him away like a rag doll.

I watched that altercation with mild interest.

Everybody returned to their business, but my eyes were locked on the door the stranger had walked through.

Was he the staff manager here? He did walk around with authority, but I noticed he was not wearing the staff uniform like the others.

I took a sip of the drink and then noticed him step out of the door, and our eyes met.

And he didn’t look away.

Not when he crossed the row of tables to order a drink, and neither when the bartender offered him one.

He cocked his head to the side just a little and raised the glass he was holding. I did the same, and we both took a sip of our drinks.

Suddenly, I couldn’t look at anything else.

The sounds around me muted. People around me faded into the background.

But he stood at the center of my attention. So effortlessly graceful.

We didn’t take our eyes off each other. Then I saw a hint of a smirk.

Was this going to be a staring match?

I had nowhere else to be.

So, we took one sip after another, slow and deliberate.

A few other women seemed to have noticed him suddenly because 2 of them walked up to him, instead of staying seated by their tables.

Those ladies were both beautiful and had already advanced ahead to strike a conversation with him.

However, he ignored them, ordered two drinks and began walking right towards me.

My breath hitched.

My gaze trailed to the other women, who seemed clearly offended by his move.

Lacing my fingers together, I muttered, “Not very gentlemanly of you to walk away from them.”

The stranger didn’t bother looking back at them as he offered the glass to me and replied, “You saw me first. They can’t skip the line.”

I got straight to the point before I would chicken out.

“Do you work here?”

He took a brief pause and then answered, “Kind of”

“What services do you offer?” I asked bluntly, and he was taken aback by the question.

“I serve the entire kingdom,” He answered and my gaze narrowed.

What did that even mean?

“Excuse me!” I blurted out, and he studied me as if I was not the one who was supposed to ask questions but him.

No, I was not going to let this turn into another one of those playdates.

“I apologize for not answering that correctly. Perhaps you could tell me what services you are looking for, exactly?”

He said, his voice deep and husky.

I wanted company. I wanted… not to return to my empty home.

But instead of saying that, I heard myself saying, “Sex”

Chapter Three

Valencia

That had not been the first thing I planned to say to him.

A part of me mentally scolded myself for being so bold. Old habits die hard.

Mom would have fainted upon hearing such a crass word leave my mouth.

But I held his gaze.

And then he started to laugh!

A deep, rumbling sound that made my stomach do a weird flip.

I hated the way he laughed so easily, so carefree. It felt like a light caress against my skin.

Warm. Inviting.

Damn it.

“Why are you laughing? I mean, if you can serve all the women in the kingdom, surely you can serve me, right?” I raised an eyebrow.

The corner of his eyes crinkled with amusement as I drank up the sight in front of me.

His laughter gradually died down, and he shrugged. “Yeah, I did. And I'm experienced.”

I did not let him see the way my cheeks flushed by quickly looking at my glass to take a sip.

My heart was hammering loudly.

He did not just say that.

How many women had he been with? And why did it make me feel a slight pang of jealousy?

I barely finished taking a sip when he added in a whisper.

You want to try? I can do more than that.”

I wasn’t sure if my eyebrows could go any higher.

Was he teasing me?

“More? Like what? Changing light bulbs or doing my laundry?” I asked in a humorless voice, trying to imply that I was serious.

But it didn't have the effect I was hoping for.

He burst into laughter again, even coughing a bit. “Are you looking for a boyfriend or a maid?”

Something about that lazy confidence made me want to slap him and kiss him both.

He had not walked away yet, so he was interested in what I had to offer.

So, I placed my glass on the table, my forefinger lazily brushing over the rim.

“I’m looking for someone who wouldn’t mind being owned for a while.”

I was so done with the whole ‘mate,’ ‘dating,’ ‘claiming’ routine.

Honestly, I was tired of all that crap.

And why only alphas got to choose the perfect girl for themselves?

What if we flipped the table?

Why not just make it simpler?

I wanted a boy toy. Something like when I was a kid and wanted a Barbie doll—simple, easy, no fuss over all the mate drama.

My body language must have conveyed how serious I was because then his laughter stopped.

“You are serious about it, aren’t you?” He asked and looked at me like he was trying to figure out if I was bluffing. But I held his gaze and replied,

“Yes or no?”

“When you put it that way…”

I wasn’t wasting any time. I was already sitting on the edge of my seat, calculating how much cash was sitting in my salary account untouched.

He flashed me a grin, and, oh my Goddess, I swear my heart skipped a beat.

This was probably the most expensive doll I’d ever bought.

“I’ll take good care of you,” I added, “How does ten grand sound? But you’ll need to show me your health certificate, you know, just in case we’re gonna…”

He cut me off before I could finish, “Sure, I’m in.” He finished his drink without missing a beat.

He said it like it was a done deal. Like he’d just agreed to dinner instead of becoming mine.

He agreed?

Just like that?

I blinked and opened my mouth to say something.

But then someone came running towards my boy toy. And whispered something in his ear.

The change in him was instant.

Gone was the twinkle of amusement in his eyes or the relaxed posture. He went rigid, eyes sharp and alert.

His hands landed on the table with a thud, startling me.

He only gave the man a brief nod, and the man left immediately. My boy toy rose up from his seat.

No, we were not done. He had just agreed to be mine.

How could he just get up and leave?

My hand reached for his, but he had already taken a step forward.

I hated the way he was all amused and filled with laughter and the next second so detached and emotionless.

I hated that I was already feeling like he belonged to me.

Mine.

“Where are you going?” I asked, not liking the way I sounded flustered.

His gaze landed back on me. And softened.

Just a little.

“Give me your number,” He said flatly.

I nodded, grabbed a tissue, and hastily scribbled my number. He didn’t bother reading through it but pocketed it, nonetheless.

The ink had not even gotten time to dry. What if my writing got smudged?

How would I get in touch with him again?

I looked up at him, but he didn’t even bother sparing me a glance.

Only muttered, “See you later” and then disappeared into the crowd.

Gone. In an instant.

My shoulders slumped and I let my back hit the chair.

He didn’t linger. Didn’t ask me my name. Or give me his. I only watched him walk towards the exit and leave without a backward glance.

His abrupt exit stung.

I felt incredibly stupid for not even asking him his name. It looked like my wild night of fun had come to an end.

All the excitement of meeting him had just been a wild dream.

That's what I would tell myself when I woke up tomorrow and headed for office.

Grabbing my stuff, I hailed a taxi and then went back to my apartment. After changing into my pajamas, I got in the bed and kept staring at the ceiling, replaying my meeting with this enigmatic stranger again and again.

Would I ever see him again?

But before disappointment could completely engulf me, my phone buzzed.

There was a message from an unknown number.

I sat up so fast I nearly fell off the bed. Snatching it off the nightstand, I swiped to check the message.

Unknown Number: Consider this an apology for earlier today.

My heart jumped. I blinked.

Was it…?

Before I could process it, another message came in.

An image.

I gasped.

A very nearly naked picture of him filled my screen—damp hair, smirking lips, water beading on sharp abs that made me want to throw my phone across the room and fan myself at the same time.

His lower half was covered by nothing but a towel riding dangerously low. Too low. My mouth went dry.

I stared at the screen, heat crawling up my neck.

Those abs…I wanted to bite them already.

And stupidly, I typed that and sent it to him.

Goodness, what had I done?

I stared at the screen, wondering how he would react to seeing that message. I bit on my lower lip nervously and then, after a few excruciating moments of waiting, a message popped up on my screen.

Unknown Number: Be a good girl and you might have your wishes fulfilled soon.

Chapter Four

Valencia

My heart stopped beating for a second.

Almost.

Then it wanted to jump out of my mouth and onto the floor.

I had never spoken to anyone like that. Never flirted like this.

I barely got any sleep last night.

And I was ashamed of how many times I had zoomed in on the picture to get a good look at those abs.

He was well built, no doubts about that, but damn, how could someone be so perfect? I had not really gotten to the point of imagining him shirtless because I had been too busy staring at his face.

But the surprise image left me feeling utterly stunned.

That body…that man…was he really mine?

Technically, I owned him, so why did my heart palpitate wildly upon seeing him call me a good girl?

I was melting already, and he had not even touched me yet.

There had been no further messages from him, but boy was I already looking forward to our next meeting.

My alarm went off at that exact moment, bringing me back to the present.

I had an office to go to, files to read.

Suddenly, the only thing filling me with excitement in the morning seemed dull.

‘Get a grip on yourself, Val’ I reminded myself sternly and got up from the bed.

After brushing my teeth and showering, I was in my office at 9.30 am.

And the moment I pushed the glass door aside to let the cool air of the AC blast upon me, I heard a voice.

“You are late”

I directed my attention to the owner of the voice. It was a woman, in her early thirties with bushy hair, and was wearing a pale pink dress.

A hideous pink colored brooch sat on her chest.

I glanced at the wall clock on the wall opposite me and replied,

“Only by thirty minutes”

The woman wasn’t impressed.

“Is that what you tell to your client who lost a case because you were late to file the case papers? Will that be your justification for a client being deported because you were too busy painting your nails?”

Was this woman mental?

“I am the new head of this office and I want everybody to respect time and work hard.”

“But, I have never been late in my life…” I began.

“Silence!!” She thundered and narrowed her eyes at me.

“You not only have to learn to respect time, but also your seniors. And I will be the one to teach you manners.”

She glowered and snapped at me when I tried to open my mouth again.

“Filing section. Now!! There are hundreds of files in disarray. Sort, tag and declutter it.”

What?

The filing section was in the basement, and it was overflowing with files. It would take me ages to get that done.

“But, we have started digitizing most of—”

“If you dare go against my orders one more time, you will be liable for disciplinary action. So tread carefully.”

The hell?

Who was this woman to show up out of nowhere and bully me? I was annoyed and frustrated, but when I saw other employees gathering, I only nodded and began walking towards the basement.

The woman grabbed me by the elbow and added, “You are going to address me as Ms Briggs or mam, understood?”

I tried not to punch her face and kept my calm before answering, “Sure, mam”

She was the fifth head of the office in the past two months. I wondered why they could not keep a person at the job even with such lucrative pay and perks.

I hoped she would be fired soon too.

Stomping my feet on my way down the stairs, I looked at the space gloomily.

I was the best goddamn associate in the bureau, and nobody had ever had a reason to point fingers at me.

I was late for the first time in my life after sitting for several nights in a row, helping my seniors get the papers sorted or researching to find some legal loophole.

And this is how I get rewarded for my hard work and dedication?

I placed my bag on the side, tied my hair in a bun, and rolled up my sleeves.

This was going to take forever.

I spent all of my work hours doing the highly boring and sleep inducing task of sorting out files. There were too many of them.

It would take me weeks to get everything done.

And there was nobody downstairs to even talk to. My back hurt from lifting the boxes and placing them in their assigned sections.

It was getting claustrophobic here, so I looked around to find the AC remote when I knocked off a box of files.

They were old, some had caught mold and their pages had yellowed.

I groaned at the thought of having to xerox them all and file them neatly again.

Cursing my fate, I flipped open the files and began to carefully print the xerox copies.

A paper fluttered down, and I bent down to grab it.

It was then that the writing caught my attention.

It was an old, classified paper. Its edges had crumpled, and the writing had grown very faint, too.

But there was a black and white grainy photo on it.

The blurred image was the side profile of a tall man. I couldn’t really make out anything else about him. There was also something scribbled in an ancient language I could not decipher completely.

But even through the smudged words, I read two words. Exiled Heir.

Heir to what? And why was he exiled?

Before I could read any further, I heard an angry hiss from behind me.

“How dare you look at classified files?” Ms Briggs shouted, her nostrils flaring.

My throat dried up. “It—it fell out of a box. I was just sorting—”

She walked over, snatched the file from my hands, and tucked it beneath her arm.

“This file doesn’t exist,” she said quietly. “If anyone asks, you didn’t see it.”

She turned and walked away like nothing had happened.

Leaving me there, stunned.

She had barely climbed back to the first floor when my phone buzzed.

There was a text message from my purchased doll.

I had still not saved his number. But I knew it was him.

Unknown number: Good morning, owner. What would you like me to do today?

Owner?

My cheeks flushed at that word, and I was glad he was not around to see it.

Me: Not disappearing in the middle of the conversation would be nice for starters.

I typed with a frown.

I saw the three dots appear on my screen. He was typing already.

Unknown number: I thought I apologized for that last night.

Yeah, by sending me a raunchy pic?

Me: If you think sending me an almost nude pic of yourself is all it takes to please me, you are wrong.

A pause.

My eyes were glued to the screen, and I thought he wouldn’t reply. But after several seconds, he shot me a reply.

Unknown number: I apologize for leaving without a word, my lady. Let me know how I should make up for the grave error.

I almost chuckled at the way he was talking to me. Like I was some princess, and he was my servant.

I had not paid him a dime yet, and I still didn’t know his name.

Me: I think I was too hasty in my decision. Now, you are on probation. And only if you perform well in your duties will you have truly passed the test.

I typed with a frown. And the reply was instant.

Unknown number: My lady is angry with me and she has every right to feel so. With your permission, I would like to allow a chance to perform my duties well.

No hesitation, no tantrums, no alpha shit.

He just accepted his fate readily.

I had expected him to just call quits and block me, but here he was still trying to appease me.

Me: That’s much better. I expect you at my doorstep when I’m home.

Giggling to myself, I saved his number as ‘The intern’ and received his reply shortly.

The Intern: I’ll be there, my lady.

Chapter 5

Valencia

When I opened the door that evening, I wasn’t expecting to find him already inside.

But there he was.

Barefoot. Walking around like he knew the place.

And humming softly to himself as he folded the last of my laundry.

I blinked, stunned. “How—how did you even get in?”

He looked over his shoulder with a soft smirk, the golden light from my living room lamp casting a warm glow on his back. His voice was low and effortless. “You gave me a spare key, remember?”

I hadn’t.

Had I?

No. I would remember doing something so reckless. Or maybe he could pick locks.

But instead of asking, I stood frozen in the doorway, watching as he placed the folded clothes in my drawer like he belonged here. Like he’d done it a thousand times.

The scent of lemon and lavender floated around the room—my favorite cleaning spray.

“You cleaned?” I asked, dumbfounded.

“Scrubbed the bathroom tiles, organized your spice cabinet, deep-cleaned under your sofa—you’re welcome.”

My jaw dropped a little. “I didn’t ask you to do any of that.”

“I know.” He straightened and turned to face me, not even breaking a sweat. “But I believe in earning my keep. And my probation, as you so generously declared.”

Damn it. Why did he have to look that good while saying something that simple?

His hair was damp from a recent shower, and he’d changed into a simple white T-shirt that clung to his chest like a second skin.

I tore my gaze away and huffed, trying to mask the fluttering in my chest. “Well… thanks, I guess. I was planning to do all that this weekend.”

“Now you can rest.” He stepped closer, brushing a stray hair from my forehead like it was the most natural thing in the world. “You look tired.”

I swallowed. “I had a long day.”

“Want to talk about it?”

Yes.

No.

Yes.

But I didn’t want to sound weak, so I shrugged and tossed my bag onto the couch. “There’s this new woman at work. Total tyrant. Thinks she owns the place.”

His brow arched. “Bosses often do.”

“She sent me to the basement. Filing room duty. Like I was some incompetent child. I’m not—I’m actually one of the best associates they’ve got.”

“I don’t doubt that,” he said softly, eyes steady.

I knit my brows and looked at him.

“Are you stalking me or something?”

He lowered his head so that his breath fanned against my skin, making it tickle.

“Do stalkers do your laundry?”

I should have pushed him away. Asked him to get the hell out of my house.

But instead, I laughed.

And that made the tightly knit tension uncoil just a little in my stomach.

“Who are you, exactly?” I asked and he gave me a low bow.

“Your intern, my lady. And I am here to ensure that my internship doesn’t last long.”

I stared. “You do realize normal people text before showing up, right?”

He didn’t look up. “I don’t recall you asking for normal.”

I sighed, tossing my bag onto the couch and rubbing the back of my neck. “You’re lucky I’ve had a long day. And just so you know, there is nothing valuable in the home for you to steal. Plus, if you try acting smart, I can get you jailed in the blink of an eye.”

“Duly noted,” He said and observed the way I rubbed my neck.

“You look tired and stiff. Do you want me to help you relax?”

I wanted to say no, but something told me he was not here to harm me. That this might have started as a joke, but he seemed pretty serious about it.

I just didn’t know why.

But I could wonder about it later.

I barely gave a nod, and then he was already crouched down on his knees, pulling the coffee table in front of me

His thumbs pressed into the arch of my foot, and I forgot what words were.

My head lolled back, a sigh escaping before I could catch it.

He smiled without looking up. “There it is.”

“There what is?” I asked, using air quotes.

“The sound of your walls cracking.” He mused.

I scoffed, though it came out breathless. “You’re full of yourself.”

Instead, he lifted my other foot onto his thigh and ran his palms slowly along my calf. “Your muscles are tight. Do you stretch after work?”

I blinked at the sudden shift. “What?”

“Stretching. After hours, hunched over desks or locked in filing rooms?” He worked his thumbs in slow circles. “Or do you just collapse into bed?”

“That one,” I admitted, watching him closely.

“Thought so.”

“You really don’t have to—”

“My Lady.” His voice dropped, soft and commanding. “Let me take care of you.”

I did.

His hands settled on my shoulders, large and firm, working through the tension like he’d mapped every knot and pressure point in advance. I didn’t even realize how much stress I was holding until he started unraveling it.

“I could get used to this,” I muttered.

“You should.”

“Do you do this for all your clients?” I asked, mostly to cover the breathlessness.

“No.”

“Lucky me.”

He chuckled under his breath and rose, stepping behind me without warning. “May I?”

I nodded without even realizing what exactly I was saying yes to.

And then he plucked me off the floor like I weighed nothing and carried me to the bed to lay me on it, face down.

“A little massage would help with your stiff back.”

He murmured and then began kneading his fingers onto my skin, pressing on just the perfect pressure points that made my bones pop.

Ahh, it felt so damn good.

His presence and touch made me forget everything.

The office. The annoying new boss. And my loneliness.

When he finally pulled back, my hand shot out to grab his wrist, like it didn’t want to let go.

He turned around to look at me, eyes shining with mischief.

I gulped as we held our gazes. Then very slowly, he turned and bent a little, bringing his face closer to mine.

“Careful, my lady. Keep looking at me like that, and I’ll never leave.”

“Then don’t.”

I surprised myself with the words. His hand gently cupped my face, and his thumb traced my lower lip.

I felt my body shiver with pleasure.

His smile turned bittersweet. “Not tonight.”

“Why not?” I asked, feeling bold.

I didn’t want him to leave. I was beginning to like whatever this was already.

He didn’t answer me, so I grabbed him by his collar and pulled closer, inhaling his scent.

“I…” He began, but I didn’t want to hear anything. So instead, I closed the hair’s breadth of space between us and brushed my lips over his.

And I felt as if I had just been lit up by a live wire.

He didn’t move at first, probably shocked that I would do something like this so soon.

But then he brushed his lips against mine as well, soft and warm.

I could feel his hesitation to pull away. But I also knew he wanted to lean forward.

So, I coaxed him.

“Please”

And then his hands wrapped around my waist, and he obeyed. He kissed me within an inch of my life.

The complete opposite of slow and soft. Hungry and wild.

It was ravenous, it was consuming, and it was all too much at once. My mouth opened up to him easily, my fingers digging into his shoulder blades to pull him closer.

He was all muscle under that shirt and moved with liquid grace.