BEHIND HER MASK

YOU MUST ALWAYS RIDE THE ELEVATOR WITH ME

~Alexander~

He yanked his tie loose and pressed his fingers against his throat, trying to ease the tightness there. His face burned red, every breath a struggle.

He slid open the desk drawer with trembling hands and pulled out a bottle of pills. The cap clicked off, and he tilted the container straight to his mouth, swallowing a handful before chasing them down with water.

“That was close.” His body slumped into the chair, chest rising and falling in shallow gasps.

It had been years since his asthma last hit him, he could run miles every morning without issue yet now, out of nowhere, his lungs betrayed him.

“Mackenzie… what are you doing to me?” he muttered, dragging a frustrated hand through his hair. His pulse thundered, loud enough he could feel it in his chest. Just a few minutes of her standing so close had nearly undone him. He almost thought it was a heart attack.

A sharp hiss escaped his lips as he forced himself to breathe slow and steady. Closing his eyes, he tried to calm the storm inside.

---------

BOARDROOM

----------

“After everything has been discussed, we’ve decided to increase weekly production by thirty percent. Hopefully, this will help raise the stock price. Do you have anything to add, Mr. Gracias?” Mr. Norman concluded his presentation with a firm tone, closing the last draft of his report.

The room went completely silent. Every pair of eyes turned to the CEO, waiting for his response. But Alexander seemed far away, lost in a different world. His gaze was fixed on nothing in particular, his pen spinning idly between his fingers as his foot tapped an unconscious rhythm beneath the table.

Mackenzie stole a glance at him, her heart racing in disbelief. He wasn’t even paying attention the whole time? She shifted her eyes to the executives; their expressions mirrored her own confusion, but none of them dared to break the silence.

“Mr. Gracias?” she called gently, clearing her throat to snap him back to reality.

His eyes lifted suddenly, locking onto hers. Those stormy grey eyes pierced straight through her, leaving her breathless. Heat spread across her body, her legs felt weak, and a strange tingling sensation bloomed inside her. She didn’t understand why he affected her like this.

“Gentlemen,” Alexander’s cool voice finally broke the tension, “we’ll reconvene tomorrow to continue this discussion.”

Before anyone could react, he was already walking out of the boardroom. The room erupted into murmurs of discontent.

“I can’t believe after everything I presented, he didn’t say a word,” Norman muttered bitterly, slamming his pen on the table.

“Are we sure he’s really as brilliant as everyone claims? A CEO can’t afford to be this distracted in meetings,” another executive added.

Mackenzie kept her silence. Gathering her tablet and report, she slipped out of the room quietly. She wasn’t in the mood to answer their questions. Relief washed over her when she saw Alexander wasn’t waiting in the hallway. The thought of sharing the same elevator with him unsettled her. his eyes carried something dark, something burning.

She reached the elevator and realized it was still at the top floor. Clutching her tablet tightly, she waited. Soon Hunter and a few other executives joined her.

“Mackenzie,” Hunter asked with a knowing look, “what’s going on with Mr. Gracias?”

“As far as I know, there’s nothing wrong, sir,” she replied politely, bowing her head.

“Then why is it one moment he seems focused, and the next he’s completely distracted?” Hunter pressed. The others nodded in agreement.

That, in fact, became the highlight of their discussion, the contrast between the serious Mr. Gracias and the distracted one.

“Will he even be able to lead properly like this?” someone whispered.

“I don’t think it will affect....” Mackenzie began, but a commanding voice cut through.

“Get in here, Ramona.”

She froze. The elevator doors had opened, revealing Alexander inside. His piercing gaze pinned her in place. The executives instantly looked away, their faces pale with the fear that he might have overheard their gossip. None of them seemed to notice the strange name he had called her by.

With no choice, Mackenzie stepped inside. She dared not refuse, nor did she want to risk the others following. The doors shut, trapping her with him.

She pressed the button for the top floor and instinctively stepped back, standing just behind him. His hands rested casually in his trouser pockets, his shirt sleeves stretched tight over strong, veined arms. Her mind betrayed her, pulling up images of those same hands trailing across her body the night before.

“Rule number one,” his voice sliced through the silence, laced with sarcasm and command, “you always ride the elevator with me.”

“What?” she scoffed, rolling her eyes. “With all due respect, sir.....”

“It must be amusing, deceiving people.” He cut her off, his voice low and dangerous.

“Mr. Gracias, I won’t let you disrespect me.....”

“Is it for the money?” He turned, stepping toward her. Each step forced her backward until her spine pressed against the cold wall. His body loomed close, heat radiating between them. “Or is it for the pleasure?” His words dripped with provocation, his face inches from hers.

Her pulse raced wildly as his hand reached for her hair. His fingers slid through the silky strands, down to her cheek, caressing it tenderly.

She clutched the hem of her blouse, shivering as his warm breath brushed against her skin.

His thumb brushed across her lips, lingering there. He leaned closer, almost closing the gap between them until the elevator chimed, breaking the moment.

Mackenzie seized the chance to shove him away. Thankfully, the doors opened to an empty hall, sparing them the embarrassment of being seen.

“Don’t you ever try that again, asshole.” Her voice was sharp, venomous. She slammed the tablet and report against his chest, eyes flashing with fury before storming out.

Alexander chuckled softly, his lips curling into a wicked smile. He brought the thumb that had touched her lips to his mouth, tasting it slowly.

“Peach,” he murmured.

The flavor lingered on his tongue.

When Alexander reached the office, he grabbed his suitcase. He already knew he’d have to clock out early. his focus on work was completely gone. Picking up the intercom, he instructed the driver to wait for him at the underground car park.

On his way to the secretary’s desk, he noticed Mackenzie wasn’t around. He left her a note, asking her to sort through some documents.

The ride was spent in silence, his gaze was fixed to the window but his thoughts still circling around the day’s unsettling events. One thing he was sure of Ramona or Mackenzie would somehow be the end of him. He wasn’t the kind of man to slack off at work, nor did he ever lose concentration. Yet now, both Romana and Mackenzie clouded his mind.

He knew he had to find a way to get Romana out of his head, and Mackenzie out of his office. But dismissing her without reason would only draw unwanted attention especially since her performance records were excellent. The only way forward was to apply for a secretary reassignment.

Pulling out his phone, he dialed Jerry. His friend picked up on the second ring.

“Hey, man. Free tonight?” Alexander asked.

“No, I’m stuck at a business summit in Chicago. But I already called the club and told them to expect you,” Jerry replied.

“Thanks, pal,” Alexander said before ending the call.

The thought of Ramona flickered through his mind again, irritating him. He hissed under his breath. He wasn’t going to the club to see her. tonight, he was going to drown out her image once and for all.

The car rolled into the hotel driveway. Before the driver could step out, Alexander had already opened the door himself. Inside his suite, he dropped his suitcase on a chair and headed straight to the walk-in closet. Within minutes, he was stripped bare, letting out a long sigh as the shower’s cool water cascaded over him. He stayed under the spray for a while, letting the chill calm his nerves and bring him back to reality.

Stepping out with a towel wrapped around his waist, he dried his hair with another. On his way to the closet to dress, a soft beep from his laptop caught his attention. A new email had arrived. Carrying it to the portable desk, he sat down, opened the message, and then browsed through other documents. Perhaps, with this, he could salvage some productivity from the day.