Chapter 9
963 Words
The meeting had been over barely ten minutes, and I was still trying to compose myself. Cassian had spent the entire time tormenting me with subtle glances, his gaze burning into my skin whenever no one was looking. And Lucas – he wasn’t any better. Every time Cassian’s eyes lingered, Lucas’s jaw would tick, and he’d shift in his seat like he was barely keeping himself from reacting.
The tension had been unbearable.
I stepped into the break room, hoping to clear my head before diving back into my work. The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as I reached for a mug. I tried to focus on the simple task of pouring the dark liquid, but my hands weren’t as steady as I wanted them to be. My thoughts kept circling back to those golden eyes that had pinned me in place, the deep timbre of Cassian’s voice, the way he toyed with me like he knew exactly what I was thinking.
The door swung open behind me, and I knew who it was before I even turned.
Lucas.
I didn’t have to look to feel the shift in the air, the quiet hum of something electric crackling between us. He always had that effect on me – an easy, confident presence that sent my senses into overdrive.
“Needed a break?” His voice was smooth, but there was something else there, something darker curling at the edges.
I forced a breath and turned to face him, mug in hand. “Just needed coffee.”
He stepped closer, his sharp gray eyes raking over me in a way that made my stomach tighten. “Sure about that?”
I swallowed. Lucas had always been effortlessly charming, but this… this was definitely different. There was an intensity in his gaze, a hunger that hadn’t been there before – or maybe it had, and I was only just now allowing myself to see it.
He reached past me, his body brushing against mine as he grabbed a mug of his own. The heat of him seeped into me, and I held my breath as he lingered, entirely too close.
“Didn’t miss the way you looked at him,” Lucas murmured, voice low. “Cassian.”
I stiffened slightly, but he didn’t move away. He turned his head just enough that his lips nearly grazed my ear. “But I also didn’t miss the way you looked at me.”
A shiver raced down my spine. He was too damn perceptive, too damn good at reading me.
I swallowed hard. “You’re imagining things.”
Lucas chuckled, the sound dark and amused. “Am I?”
His hand brushed mine as he reached for the sugar, the fleeting touch sending a spark straight to my core. My fingers clenched around my cup as I exhaled shakily. He was enjoying this, knowing exactly what he was doing to me.
Before I could respond, the door opened again.
Cassian.
The sheer force of his energy settling over me like a weighted silk cloak. Slowly, I glanced over my shoulder, meeting those golden eyes that had haunted me all day.
He leaned against the doorframe, suit immaculate, tie slightly loosened, exuding effortless dominance. “Am I interrupting something?” he asked smoothly, though there was a sharp edge to his tone.
Lucas smirked, turning around to face him. “Just having a chat.”
Cassian’s gaze flicked to me, his lips curving into something dangerously close to a smirk. “Is that so? Miss Delacroix, I imagine you have quite a bit on your mind after our meeting. I hope it wasn’t… overwhelming.”
The way he said it, slow and deliberate, made my stomach tighten. I cleared my throat, gripping my mug a little too tightly. “I can handle myself just fine, Sir.”
Cassian hummed, stepping fully into the room, his presence closing the space between us. “I don’t doubt that.” His eyes flicked briefly to Lucas, a silent challenge passing between them, before returning to me. “But I do wonder… how do you plan to handle the rest of the day with such distractions?”
Lucas chuckled, clearly amused. “Careful, Cassian. You might give her the wrong idea.”
Cassian tilted his head, his expression unreadable. “And what idea would that be, Belmont?”
Lucas’s smirk deepened. “That you’re just as intrigued by her as the rest of us.”
My heart slammed against my ribs at the implication, heat pooling low in my stomach. The tension in the room was thick, the air charged with something heady and undeniable. I was trapped between them, caught in a dance I wasn’t sure how to navigate – but one I wasn’t sure I wanted to escape from either.
Cassian’s gaze lingered on me for a moment longer before he straightened, adjusting his cuffs. “Enjoy your coffee, Miss Delacroix. I’ll be seeing you soon.”
With that, he turned and walked out, leaving behind an air of lingering dominance that made it difficult to breathe. Lucas let out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Well, well… you really do have his attention.”
I exhaled sharply, my grip tightening around my mug furthermore. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Lucas chuckled, his voice dipping lower, more intimate. “Oh, sweetheart. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
He reached out, trailing a single finger down the side of my arm, barely there, but enough to make me shiver. Then, with a knowing smirk, he stepped back, leaving me standing there, pulse racing, caught between two men who were far more dangerous than I had ever realized.
I was in trouble.
- Writer
