Behind The Dynasty

MAYA POV I should have gone home. That was the first thought that crossed my mind when I stepped out of the elevator and into the hotel lobby. It was nearly midnight, and the city outside was alive with headlights, music, and people who seemed to have nowhere else they needed to be. I had spent the entire evening working at an event I didn't even want to attend. The client had insisted on a last-minute redesign, the florist had arrived two hours late, and my boss had called me three times just to ask whether the centerpieces were "luxurious enough." Apparently, everything had to look expensive when rich people were involved. I was exhausted. All I wanted was my small apartment, a shower, and my bed. Then I saw him. He stood near the glass entrance, dressed completely in black. Black shirt. Black trousers. Black watch. No tie. No smile. He wasn't doing anything unusual. He wasn't talking loudly or surrounded by people. Yet somehow, everyone in the lobby seemed aware of him. I slowed down. There was something about the way he stood there—completely still while everyone else moved around him. A man in a dark suit approached him and whispered something. He gave a small nod. That was it. The man immediately walked away. I frowned. Who was this guy? "You're staring." I nearly jumped. I turned and found my coworker, Sophia, standing beside me with an amused expression. "I'm not." "You definitely are." "I'm just tired." Sophia looked past me. "That's Adrian Kingsley." I looked at her. "And I'm supposed to know who that is?" Her eyes widened. "Are you serious?" "Yes." She lowered her voice. "Adrian Kingsley. Kingsley International. Hotels. Real estate. Energy. Investments. Basically half the city." I glanced back at him. He was still standing there. "Half the city?" "That's what people say." "People exaggerate." "Not about him." I shrugged. "Well, he looks miserable." Sophia laughed. "Keep your voice down." "Why?" "Because that's Adrian Kingsley." I looked at him again. This time, his eyes met mine. My stomach tightened. It was strange. He didn't look surprised to see me staring. He looked like he had been watching me first. I immediately looked away. "Let's go," I said. Sophia grabbed her purse. We walked toward the exit. I could feel his eyes on me. I told myself it was my imagination. Then someone spoke behind me. "Miss Bennett." I stopped. Sophia stopped too. I slowly turned. Adrian Kingsley was walking toward us. Up close, he was even more intimidating. He was younger than I had expected. Maybe early thirties. Tall, broad-shouldered, perfectly composed. His face was handsome in a way that felt almost unfair. But his eyes were cold. Not angry. Just cold. He stopped in front of me. "You left something." I looked down at my hands. "I don't think so." He held out a small black notebook. My notebook. I hadn't even realized I'd dropped it. "Oh." I reached for it. Our fingers touched. It lasted less than a second. Still, I felt it. I pulled my hand away. "Thank you." His gaze remained on me. "You're welcome." I opened my mouth, then closed it. Sophia was practically vibrating beside me. I turned to leave. "Maya." I froze. I hadn't told him my name. I looked over my shoulder. He was holding my business card between two fingers. The realization hit me. My business card had been inside the notebook. Right. Of course. "You're an interior designer," he said. "Yes." "I need one." I blinked. "An interior designer?" "That's what I said." There was something almost irritating about the way he spoke. Calm. Certain. As if every conversation had already been decided before it started. "For your home?" "One of my properties." "I see." He handed me the card. "Call my office tomorrow." I stared at him. "You could just hire my company." "I could." "Then why are you asking me?" His expression barely changed. "Because I want you." Silence. Sophia's eyes widened. My face warmed. He noticed. Of course he noticed. I cleared my throat. "I think you mean you want to hire me." A faint change crossed his face. Not quite a smile. Almost. "Do I?" I didn't know what to say to that. So I took my notebook and walked away. Sophia followed me outside. The moment the doors closed behind us, she grabbed my arm. "What the hell was that?" "I have no idea." "Adrian Kingsley just asked you to work for him." "Apparently." "And you walked away." "I said I'd call his office." She stared at me. "You know most women would have fainted." "Most women have better survival instincts than me?" Sophia laughed. We reached the parking area. I unlocked my car. Before I could get inside, my phone rang. Unknown number. I stared at it. Sophia raised an eyebrow. "Answer it." I hesitated. Then I did. "Hello?" Silence. "Hello?" A man's voice finally came through. "You're difficult to impress." My heart skipped. Adrian. I looked back toward the hotel. Through the glass doors, I could see him standing exactly where I'd left him. Watching me. "You called me." "I wanted to hear your voice." I frowned. "We just met." "I know." "Then why are you calling me?" Another pause. "I'll see you tomorrow." The line went dead. I stared at my phone. Sophia looked at me. "Who was that?" I slowly lowered the phone. "Adrian." She groaned. "You're in trouble." I laughed. "He's just a client." But as I drove home that night, I couldn't stop thinking about his eyes. Cold. Focused. Possessive in a way I couldn't explain. And somewhere in the back of my mind, a quiet voice warned me that Adrian Kingsley wasn't the kind of man people simply walked away from. I ignored it. I would later wish I hadn't.