The BOSS'S ASSISTANT

CHAPTER 3. POSSESSION

By the third day, Elena was becoming a problem Alessandro didn’t know how to ignore.

Not because she failed.

Because she didn’t.

And because she didn’t react to him the way everyone else did.

That alone irritated him more than it should have.

“Your 2 p.m. is here,” she said calmly from the doorway.

“Send them in.”

“It’s a man,” she added.

Alessandro finally looked up. “Name.”

“Adrian Keller.”

His jaw tightened slightly.

Of course it was.

Adrian walked in smiling like he owned oxygen.

And the first thing he noticed wasn’t Alessandro.

It was Elena.

“Didn’t know you came with upgrades,” Adrian said casually.

Alessandro’s voice cut in cold. “Focus.”

But Adrian didn’t.

“Adrian Keller,” he said, offering Elena a hand.

“Elena,” she replied briefly.

Professional. Detached.

But Alessandro still saw it.

The look Adrian gave her.

And it pissed him off instantly.

The meeting dragged.

Alessandro barely listened.

Because Adrian kept glancing at her.

Like she was the real interest.

Like she belonged in his space.

When it ended, Adrian smiled.

“Maybe I’ll see you again, Elena.”

Alessandro’s voice dropped instantly.

“No.”

Silence.

Adrian raised a brow. “Possessive much?”

Alessandro didn’t answer.

He didn’t need to.

When the door closed, the air shifted.

“Elena.”

“Yes?”

“Explain what that was.”

Her brows furrowed. “What exactly?”

“The way he looked at you.”

“I was working,” she said simply.

“Don’t play dumb.”

Her eyes sharpened. “I’m not.”

A beat.

Then Alessandro stepped closer.

“You’re my assistant. That’s all you need to be concerned about.”

Something in her expression changed.

“I’m not your property.”

That landed.

Hard.

His jaw tightened. “Didn’t say that.”

“You implied it.”

Silence stretched.

Heavy.

Then he gave a low, humorless laugh.

“You talk back too easily.”

“And you don’t like being challenged,” she shot back.

That made something dark flicker in his eyes.

He stepped closer again.

Too close.

“You think you’re untouchable,” he said quietly.

“I think I’m not intimidated by you.”

That did it.

His voice dropped. “You should be careful saying things like that.”

“Or what?”

A pause.

Then—

“Or I’ll start believing you want my attention.”

Her breath hitched—just slightly.

He noticed.

Of course he did.

But she didn’t step back.

So he did.

Abruptly.

“Get back to work,” he muttered. “Before you say something stupid again.”

Elena held his gaze one last second.

Then left.

Alessandro stood still long after she was gone.

Jaw clenched.

Annoyed.

Unsettled.

And far more interested than he should’ve been.

“f**k,” he muttered under his breath.

Because whatever this was—

It wasn’t staying professional for long.