Ambush
1420 Words
Malik POV
He watched her walk out that conference room like she couldn’t get away fast enough.
Like being near him burned now.
And maybe it did.
Her heels echoed down the hall, steady and sharp. Head high. Shoulders back. She always walked like she had somewhere better to be. And these days, she probably did.
Malik stayed frozen in the doorway for a second, jaw tight, watching the sway of her hips under those slacks — the ones she always wore when she meant business.
Talia.
Damn, she used to look at him different. Like he was it. Like she saw past the bullshit — saw him.
Before Kelly.
He ran a hand down his face, hating the memory that came up next.
Kelly — his ex, the one who used to sit at that front desk smiling like she was so sweet. Until the night she blew it all up.
That damn company event.
Champagne flowing, music up, everybody laughing — and Talia walking in on Kelly’s thirsty ass all over him, grabbing him, kissing him like she didn’t know what “keep it low” meant.
Talia had stood there, frozen, those big brown eyes going from shocked to cold in about three seconds.
He’d tried to explain, tried to pull away, but it was too late.
What killed him most?
The night before that? He’d had Talia.
All of her.
The way she whispered his name, the way she held him like maybe, just maybe, she was ready to trust him again.
And he threw it all away.
The Chicago problem?
He could’ve handled it on his own. Hell, he should’ve.
But he needed to see her.
Needed her attention. Needed that fire she always gave him — even if it came with her cursing him out.
He couldn’t stand how she barely looked at him now. How she talked like they were just partners, like he hadn’t had her body trembling under his the last time they were alone.
Malik pushed off the doorframe, heart pounding.
He wasn’t done.
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He moved down the hall, slow but sure, watching as she disappeared into her office.
Talia closed the door, but that never stopped him before.
A second later, he was there, knocking once — not waiting for an answer. He stepped in, closing the door behind him.The click of the lock was loud in the quiet office.
Talia’s head snapped up from the folder she was trying to focus on. Her voice was sharp. “What the hell are you doing?”
He didn’t answer. Not yet. He moved to the windows, pulling the blinds closed, one by one, like he was sealing them in.
“Malik. Don’t play with me right now.”
His eyes finally met hers, and for once, there was no smirk, no front. Just that raw look that always got her caught up before.
“I miss you, Tee,” he said, voice low, almost like he didn’t want to admit it even as he said it.
She stood, slamming the folder shut. “You miss me? Really? Now you wanna say that? After you dragged me into this building on my day off? After you blew us up for some weak-ass office fling you didn’t even have the decency to tell me about? You miss me?”
He took a step closer, his hands flexing at his sides. “You act like I meant for that s**t to happen like that. Like I meant to hurt you.”
“No. You just didn’t care if you did.”
Malik’s jaw clenched, and he moved again, circling the desk like a lion stalking prey. “Talia, stop. Stop acting like you don’t feel it right now. Like you ain’t think about me since that night.”
Her voice rose. “I do think about you — when I’m trying to remind myself why I’m better off!”
But he didn’t stop. He came closer, close enough for her to smell the cologne she used to bury her face in. His voice softened, dangerous in that way it always was.
“Remember how it felt? That night before everything went left? How you sounded? How you held me like you didn’t wanna let go?”
“Malik…” Her voice cracked, but her eyes stayed hard.
“Say you don’t miss me.” He was inches from her now, heart beating like he was back on the block chasing something that made him feel alive. “Say it and I’ll stop.”
Talia swallowed hard, her body betraying her. Her heart raced, her breath hitched, but her mouth moved anyway.
“I don’t miss you. I miss who I thought you were.”
That hit him. She saw it.
But he didn’t back up. His hands rested on the desk beside her, caging her in without touching her.
“You think I’m that different now?” he said, his voice rough with regret. “You think I don’t lay up at night wishing I could take that s**t back? You think I don’t see you in every room I’m in, whether you’re there or not?”
Talia shut her eyes for half a second — enough for him to see the crack.
Enough for him to lean in, voice a whisper.
“Let me remind you.”
Her eyes flew open, and she pushed against his chest, firm. “No. Malik, stop. You had your shot. And you blew it. Don’t come in here locking doors, closing blinds, and thinking you can just… have me like that again. We have a problem to fix — Chicago. Focus on that. Not me.”
He didn’t move right away. Just stared, breathing hard, fists curling against the desk.
Then, finally, he backed up — just enough to let her breathe.
“I’m trying, Tee,” he muttered. “I swear I’m trying. But you make it so damn hard.”
She straightened, smoothing her blouse like it could calm her heartbeat.
“Try harder.”
Malik ran a hand over his head, pacing once like he was trying to shake the truth out of himself. His voice dropped, rough with confession.
“Truth is… I could’ve handled Chicago without you.”
Talia froze, her heart slamming against her ribs.
“What?”
He met her eyes, no more games, no more fronts. “I just needed to see you. That’s it. I needed you to look at me like you used to. Even if it’s just to cuss me out.”
Talia stared at him, her pulse racing for all the wrong reasons. For all the reasons she swore she was done with.
“You really pulled me in here for this?” she said, voice tight, fury mixing with something deeper she didn’t want to name.
She grabbed the folder, straightened her shoulders, and turned to leave.
But she didn’t make it three steps.
Malik was there — faster than he should’ve been — his hands sliding to her hips, firm, familiar, like he’d been waiting for this exact second.
“Talia…”
She should’ve shoved him off. She meant to. But the second his hands touched her, the fight drained out of her like air from a balloon.
Her body went soft against his, breath catching, heart thudding so loud she swore he could hear it.
“Stop,” she whispered, but it came out weak.
His grip tightened, pulling her back just enough so his mouth brushed her ear. “You don’t want me to.”
A shiver ran through her, betrayal by her own skin.
“Malik…”
“You don’t want me to.” His voice was a plea now. A prayer. A curse.
And for one reckless, breathless second, she didn’t.
Her head fell back against his shoulder, eyes closing, breath mingling with his.
But then reality cracked through the haze.
She pushed at his hands, hard this time, stepping forward like the distance could save her.
“Don’t,” she said, breath shaking. “Don’t do this to me. Not again.”
Malik stood there, hands falling to his sides, watching her like she was already gone.
“Tee…”
But she was done listening. She grabbed her bag and left, heels loud in the silence.
And Malik?
He stayed frozen there, heart pounding, wanting nothing more than to go after her — and knowing if he did, he’d just ruin her all over again.
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- Writer
