Master of the Dark

Chapter4

Sarah

All my years floating around these offices, and never—not once—have I been this close to the top.

My dad is fairly important around here, but he has always made sure I stayed in my place. Quiet. Observant. Never too visible. He believes survival comes from staying unnoticed, from not drawing attention to yourself when power is involved. So I learned early to blend into walls, to walk softly, to listen more than I speak.

Now, though, walking in step with Jack behind Duke feels like stepping into forbidden territory. It feels bold. Reckless. Almost arrogant. And that alone makes my heart race.

Unlike me, Jack doesn’t bother waiting until we reach the office before he speaks.

“Dude, what’s with the ambush?” he asks, amusement clear in his voice. “What’s this about a team?”

Duke doesn’t respond. He just keeps walking, his strides calm and purposeful, as if he’s deaf to Jack’s chatter—or deliberately ignoring it.

We pass Betty’s desk, and I feel her eyes follow us. Her lips part slightly, curiosity written all over her face. It dawns on me then how this must look from the outside: Duke Julian walking with Jack and me like we belong together.

We step into his office, and the door shuts behind us with a soft but final click.

The room is intimidating—dark wood, polished surfaces, authority carved into every detail. I’ve been in here before, but never like this. Never invited. Never summoned.

Jack drops into one of the seats like he owns the place.

“Man, if you needed me to hook you up, you could’ve just said so,” he adds with a grin. “You didn’t have to let the oldies know.”

Duke moves behind the large oak table and sits, unbothered, composed, like everything is unfolding exactly the way he planned.

I remain standing.

Suddenly, I feel painfully aware of myself—my posture, my breathing, my hands. My palms are damp, my throat tight. I fear that if I speak too quickly, my voice will shake and expose how nervous I am.

Duke ignores Jack completely and turns his attention to me.

“I heard you just got admitted into the university across town,” he says. “How is that going?”

His gaze settles on me—steady, unreadable. I feel like he’s seeing more than I want him to.

I open my mouth, but no words come out. Heat floods my cheeks, and I look down, embarrassed by my own hesitation.

Get it together, Sarah.

I lift my head briefly. “Yes, sir—”

He cuts me off with a small wave of his hand.

“Please,” he says, his voice softer than I expect. “We’ve known each other a long time. Call me Duke.”

Something about that eases the tightness in my chest. I nod, grounding myself.

“Yes… Duke. I’m majoring in business development. It’s been going well.”

He waits, as though expecting me to elaborate, then smiles slightly when it’s clear I won’t.

“Good,” he says. His tone shifts then—firmer, deliberate. “Can you find time to help us here as we move forward? Nothing too serious. A liaison role. There will be commensurate compensation.”

The seriousness of his words catches me off guard. This isn’t casual. This isn’t polite curiosity.

I straighten instinctively.

“No, sir—”

His eyes sharpen. A silent warning.

I swallow. “No, Duke. I can find time. Besides, my schedule is quite open.”

Jack yawns loudly, clearly bored now.

“Alright,” Duke says. “Betty will send you a brief outlining what we need. In the meantime, we’ll be attending dinner at Nona’s.”

He stands, signaling the end of the conversation.

“That will be all. Thank you.”

I walk out of the office feeling unsettled, my thoughts tangled.

One moment, I’m a quiet observer in the Julian Towers.

The next, I’m being pulled into the heart of their world—offered a role, invited to dinner, and placed far closer to power than I ever planned to be.

Nothing about today feels ordinary anymore.