Pregnant for my arrogant boss

The music was deafening. Heavy bass rattled the glasses behind the bar, lights flashed in dizzying colors, and bodies pressed close together on the dance floor, swaying like they belonged to the rhythm. Sophia Reed gripped the rim of her glass with trembling fingers, forcing herself to take another sip even though the taste of alcohol burned her throat. She wasn’t supposed to be here. Clubs weren’t her thing. Crowds weren’t her thing. But tonight, she needed to forget. The email had come that morning—cold, impersonal, final. “Due to company downsizing, your position has been terminated effective immediately. We wish you the best in your future endeavors.” Just like that, months of long hours, skipped meals, and sacrifices had evaporated into nothing. She’d walked out of the office with a cardboard box of her belongings and a hollow ache in her chest. Now she sat at a bar she never would have chosen, three drinks in, with nothing but her own thoughts clawing at her. Rent was due. Her bank account was nearly empty. And her dream of starting fresh in the city felt like it was slipping further and further away. Her reflection in the mirror behind the bar almost startled her. Dark brown hair framed her pale face, her hazel eyes carrying shadows of exhaustion she couldn’t hide. She had dressed simply—jeans and a fitted top—but somehow she still felt out of place among the glittering dresses and bold laughter of women who looked like they belonged here. She told herself she was just passing time. That she’d leave after finishing this drink. That maybe she’d laugh about this night someday. But as the minutes stretched on, the ache in her chest only deepened. And then she felt it. A stare. Her eyes lifted, almost against her will. That was when she saw him. He was sitting in the VIP section, elevated just slightly above the rest of the crowd, but it might as well have been a throne. A man who didn’t blend in, who didn’t need to try—because the room seemed to bend around him. Dark hair, perfectly styled. A jawline cut sharp enough to wound. Broad shoulders filling out a black suit that probably cost more than her monthly rent. Even from across the distance, she could feel the weight of his presence. Women at nearby tables whispered behind their hands, casting him lingering glances, but his attention was elsewhere. On her. Sophia froze. Her fingers tightened around her glass as heat rushed up her neck. She should look away, pretend she hadn’t noticed, but her eyes refused to obey. His gaze was steady. Unwavering. Intense. A shiver skated down her spine, but it wasn’t fear. It was something far more dangerous. He stood. The crowd seemed to part for him without a word. Each step he took toward her was unhurried, confident, commanding. It was as if he already knew she wouldn’t run. As if the decision had been made the moment their eyes met. And then he was there. Up close, he was even more devastating. His eyes were a stormy gray, sharp and unreadable, and when they locked on hers, Sophia felt the air leave her lungs. His scent was subtle—clean, expensive, masculine—and it wrapped around her in a way that made her pulse race. “Running away from something, sweetheart?” His voice was deep, low, like velvet laced with danger. Sophia’s lips parted, but no words came. Her mind screamed at her to leave, to break his gaze, to remember she was a sensible woman who didn’t get involved with strangers. But the alcohol in her blood and the ache in her chest made her reckless. “Maybe,” she whispered, surprising herself. “Do you… want to help me forget?” For the first time, something flickered in his eyes. Not warmth. Not kindness. But hunger. The corner of his mouth curved, though it wasn’t quite a smile. It was darker, sharper, the expression of a man who was used to getting what he wanted. He extended his hand. “Come with me.” Her heart pounded so hard she thought the whole club could hear it. This was insane. She didn’t even know his name. He could be dangerous. He was dangerous—that much was obvious. And yet, her hand moved before her mind could stop it. The moment their palms touched, a spark shot through her, hot and consuming. His grip was firm, certain, like he’d known all along she would choose him. The rest blurred. The crowd, the music, the lights—all of it faded as he led her through the exit, his hand steady at her back. Outside, a sleek black car waited at the curb. The driver opened the door without a word, and Sophia slid inside, her nerves tangling into knots. The ride was silent, but the air between them was thick, charged with something she couldn’t name. Every few seconds, she risked a glance at him. His profile was perfect, his jaw hard, his expression unreadable as the city lights flashed across his face. She twisted her fingers together in her lap, her pulse racing. Why wasn’t she saying anything? Why wasn’t he? By the time the elevator doors slid open to reveal his penthouse, her chest was tight with nerves. The apartment was breathtaking. Floor-to-ceiling windows revealed the skyline in glittering gold and silver, the city sprawling endlessly below. The space was sleek, modern, expensive. Everything about it screamed wealth and power. She turned, ready to make some excuse, to break the spell before it was too late. But he was already there, close enough that the air seemed to thin between them. His hand brushed her cheek, tilting her face up. His eyes bored into hers, and her knees nearly buckled under the weight of that gaze. “No names,” he murmured, his voice low, his breath brushing her lips. “No strings.” Her heart thundered. This was wrong. Dangerous. Reckless. She should walk away. She should run. But instead, she whispered back, “No strings.” And then his mouth claimed hers. The kiss was fire. Fierce, consuming, shattering. Logic vanished in an instant, replaced by heat that burned through every inch of her body. Her hands fisted in his shirt as he pulled her closer, and for the first time in months—maybe years—she didn’t feel like the world was crushing her. She felt alive. Desired. Wanted. Clothes hit the floor, the city lights bearing witness to her recklessness. And as his arms wrapped around her, as he whispered promises that meant nothing and everything against her skin, Sophia let herself drown in him. Just for one night. What she didn’t know was that the man who held her wasn’t just anyone. He was Ethan Cole—the ruthless, untouchable CEO everyone in the city feared. And tomorrow, Sophia would walk int o her new job… and find herself staring into the eyes of the man who now owned her future.