Chapter 14
1059 Words
The night air was crisp, tinged with the scent of rain that had yet to fall. I stepped outside the bar, the cool air a relief against my flushed skin, my head still buzzing from the drinks. Lucas followed closely, his presence a comforting warmth beside me. Just as I was about to tease him about his ridiculous talent for getting free drinks, the door swung open, and out stepped Cassian Moreau.
“Leaving so soon?” Cassian’s smooth voice cut through the hum of the city. He tilted his head slightly, his golden eyes reflecting the glow of the streetlights, looking every bit like he had just walked off the cover of a high-end fashion magazine.
I swallowed, suddenly hyper-aware of how informal the night had become. At work, Cassian was the untouchable CEO – commanding, distant, terrifyingly composed. Here, outside a bar, he was still commanding – but now he was also dangerously charismatic, like a trap you knew you shouldn’t step into but kind of wanted to anyway.
Lucas scoffed, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Some of us have work in the morning, boss.”
Cassian chuckled, a deep, velvety sound that sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. “And here I was under the impression that you worked for me, not the other way around.”
Lucas rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. Instead, his gaze flickered toward me, assessing. I felt caught between them in more ways than one.
“It’s late,” I said, clearing my throat, trying to maintain some sense of normalcy. “I should probably head home.”
Cassian stepped closer, and despite wearing heels, I had to tilt my head to meet his gaze. “I could have my driver take you.”
The offer, so effortlessly smooth, nearly made me forget how to breathe. Lucas tensed beside me, the shift in the air between them so thick I could practically taste it.
“That’s not necessary,” I replied quickly, my voice higher than I intended. “I don’t live far.”
Cassian’s lips twitched, as if he knew exactly the effect he had on me. “As you wish, Eloise. But I do hope you don’t overexert yourself. I’d hate to see you worn out.”
Lucas let out an exaggerated scoff, stepping slightly in front of me. “Oh please, Eloise is tougher than she looks.”
Cassian’s gaze flickered to where Lucas was now practically shielding me, then back up to meet his eyes. “I don’t doubt that.”
The tension between them was so palpable I was sure if I reached out, I’d feel actual sparks. Was this some sort of CEO versus employee power struggle? Or were they fighting over me? No, that would be ridiculous. Right?
Realizing I was, in fact, the only sober-minded adult in this weird, testosterone-fueled staring contest, I took a step back. “Well, this has been… mildly concerning. But I really need to go.”
Lucas immediately nodded. “I’ll walk you.”
Cassian remained still, watching us with an unreadable expression. He wasn’t just looking at me – he was studying me. The weight of his stare was almost unbearable, but at the same time… thrilling. “Goodnight, Eloise.”
I barely managed a response before Lucas and I started down the sidewalk, leaving Cassian standing under the streetlight like some brooding character out of a gothic novel. Not that I was complaining.
The further we walked, the more I felt the tension unravel, though it still clung to me like an invisible thread.
“That was… something,” I muttered.
Lucas huffed a laugh. “Yeah, you could say that.”
I glanced up at him, studying his expression. There was something on his mind, but he wasn’t saying it. “You don’t like him, do you?”
Lucas was quiet for a moment before he exhaled. “I just don’t trust him.”
I frowned. “But he’s your boss.”
Lucas smirked, though there was little humor in it. “Exactly.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh, so you have a thing against all CEOs, or just this one in particular?”
Lucas grinned. “Just the ones who show up out of nowhere looking like they walked straight out of another dimension.”
I snorted. “So, all of them. Got it.”
Lucas chuckled but didn’t push the topic further. Which, honestly, made me even more suspicious. I glanced over my shoulder, half-expecting to see Cassian standing ominously in the distance like some kind of dark prince, but the sidewalk behind us was empty.
“I think he likes you,” Lucas said suddenly, voice low.
I nearly tripped over my own feet. “What?”
Lucas shrugged, completely unbothered. “Cassian. He wouldn’t have stuck around so long if he wasn’t interested.”
I scoffed, but my face felt unnaturally warm. “That’s ridiculous. He was just being polite. Professional. He’s my boss.”
Lucas gave me a look. “Eloise. He offered to have his driver take you home like he was some mafia boss trying to woo you. That wasn’t just professional.”
I groaned. “You’re reading too much into it.”
“Am I?” Lucas smirked. “Because I saw the way he was looking at you. Hell, I saw the way you were looking at him.”
I opened my mouth to argue, then promptly closed it because, well… he wasn’t entirely wrong.
“Okay, well, let’s say, hypothetically, you were right,” I said, feigning indifference. “What would it matter?”
Lucas’s smirk faltered slightly. “Just… be careful.”
Something in his voice made my teasing mood fizzle out. I studied him for a moment, debating whether to push for more, but before I could, we reached my apartment building.
Lucas rocked back on his heels, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Get some sleep, yeah?”
I nodded. “You too.”
As I stepped inside and shut the door behind me, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The night had been… unexpected. And despite the lingering tension, a part of me was already anticipating what would happen next.
Something told me Cassian Moreau wasn’t done surprising me yet.
- Writer
