Dark obsession

The Board room trap

CHAPTER 14: "THE BOARDROOM TRAP"*

He saw me the second I walked in.

Red dress. Just like he ordered.

The entire boardroom went quiet.

18 men in tailored suits. Papers. Laptops. Coffee.

And Damian Cross at the head of the table, leaning back in his chair like he owned the air we breathed.

His eyes dragged over me. Slow. Deliberate. From my heels, up the slit in the dress, to my face.

When they met mine, his mouth twitched. Not a smile. Satisfaction.

"Miss Adele," he said. Voice smooth. Deadly. "You're late for the presentation."

I wasn't.

I was 4 minutes early.

But he wanted me here. In this dress. In front of everyone.

My heels clicked against the marble floor. Every step felt like walking into a trap.

"Apologies, Mr. Cross," I said. Professional. Cold. Like he taught me.

"Take the seat next to me."

Not a request.

A command.

The empty chair was right beside him. At the head of the table. Where his VP usually sat.

18 pairs of eyes watched me sit.

He leaned over the moment I did. Close enough that only I could hear him.

"Good girl," he murmured. "The red looks better on you than I imagined."

Heat crawled up my neck.

"Mr. Cross, should we begin the Q3 report?" the CFO asked, clearing his throat.

Damian didn't look away from me.

"In a minute." He tapped his pen once. Twice. "First, Miss Adele has something to present."

My stomach dropped.

"I... I don't have a presentation today sir."

"Don't you?" He finally turned to face the room, but his hand disappeared under the table.

His fingers brushed my knee.

I jerked.

He acted like nothing happened.

"Miss Adele has been working closely with me on the new Lagos expansion," he continued. "I thought it would be educational for all of you to

hear her perspective."

Educational. Right.

This was punishment.

This was him marking territory in front of 18 witnesses.

"Of course," I managed. My voice shook. "The Lagos expansion will increase revenue by 22% in the first year if we—"

His hand moved higher.

My words cut off.

"Continue," he said. Not to me. To the room. But his thumb was drawing slow circles on my thigh. Under the table. Where no one could see.

"As I was saying," I forced out. "The... the market analysis shows..."

I couldn't think.

Because Damian Cross was touching me. In a boardroom. During a meeting.

And his face was perfectly calm. Like he was discussing stock prices.

"Problem, Miss Adele?" he asked. Innocent.

"No sir."

"Good. Because I hate when my employees get distracted."

His hand stopped. For one second I could breathe.

Then his phone buzzed. He glanced at it. Smirked.

He pulled his hand away and stood.

"Meeting adjourned for 10 minutes. I need to take a call."

Everyone started packing up. Whispering.

Damian walked past me, bent down, and whispered in my ear:

"My office. Now. 5 minutes. If you’re not there, I’m coming to get you."

Then he left.

---

His office was 2 floors up. Glass walls. No privacy.

He was already there when I walked in, jacket off, sleeves rolled up.

"Close the door," he said.

I did.

"Lock it."

I did that too.

"Why the red dress, Maya?" He circled me like a predator.

"You told me to wear it."

"I told you to wear it to see if you’d obey." He stopped behind me. I could feel his body heat. "You did. In front of my entire board."

His hand came to my waist.

"Do you know what that does to me?"

"Damian, someone could—"

"See?" He finished for me. His lips were at my ear. "Exactly. The risk. The danger. That’s what makes it good."

He spun me around. Pinned me to his desk with his body. Not hard. Just enough.

"You sat next to me. In that dress. And every man in that room was looking at you." His jaw ticked. "Mine."

"I'm not—"

"Say it." His hand was in my hair now. "Say you’re mine."

"I can't."

"You will." His thumb brushed my cheek. "Because I don’t ask twice. And I don’t lose. Remember?"

My phone buzzed in my clutch.

`BROTHER: Mom wants to know if you’re coming for dinner.`

Damian saw it. His expression went dark.

"Family dinner?" he asked softly. Too softly.

"I have to go."

"No. You don’t."

He stepped back and pressed a button on his desk. The blinds came down. Covering the glass walls.

"Cancel it."

"I can't just—"

"You can." He was in front of me again. "Or I can cancel it for you. I can call your mother and tell her her daughter is busy. With me."

Arrogant. Possessive. Terrifying.

"Why are you doing this?" I whispered.

"Because I’ve wanted you for 6 months." His voice dropped. "And I’m tired of pretending I don’t."

He kissed me again.

Harder this time. Angrier. Like he was mad at me for making him feel this.

When he pulled back, my lipstick was gone. My hair was a mess.

"Go to dinner," he said finally. Voice rough. "But Monday, you’re flying to Abuja with me. Business trip. 3 days."

"That’s not—"

"Business." He smiled. Finally, a real smile. Cold. "And Maya? Pack the red dress again."

I ran out of his office.

My heart was hammering. My lips were swollen.

And somewhere in my chest, a small, stupid part of me was happy.

Arrogant boss.

Dark obsession.

And I was walking right into the trap.

*END OF CHAPTER 14*