𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝟐𝟗 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐥𝐝

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𝟐𝟒 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐥𝐝

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1│𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝

“C’mon, girls! Another shot down our throats. We need to finish the whole bottle, and I do not take a no for an answer tonight.” Cara held her drink in the air and waited for Grace and Zoe to do the same.

That was Grace’s night every single Friday. Partying until the morning and being totally wasted. To not be able to walk on her own, just feeling free. She loved this carefree lifestyle until they kicked her out of the job that she worked at for three years. Tonight was her last night partying until she’d find another long-term job. They drank the whole shot at once and decided to go on the dancefloor.

“Grace, don’t worry, baby, I know you will find another job soon. Opportunities will come and go; just pick it somewhere where you will feel comfortable. And don’t make the same mistake you did the last time.” Her other friend Zoe assured Grace with her encouraging words.

She has been working at the office for quite some time; she never had problems with her boss or coworkers. Until one day, Grace cursed at her boss, but for a very good reason.

Her boss was strangely nice to her, and every time they had met outside the work to discuss some work stuff, he sat awfully close to her. One evening, he asked her out for a coffee, and she agreed because what could’ve happened? Just a stupid invitation for a coffee. But she was wrong, though.

When they met outside the coffee shop, she smelled alcohol miles away from his mouth. At that moment, she knew she had made a mistake. He practically threw himself at her and started to touch her inappropriately, so she named him everything under the sun so he would leave her be.

The next week at work, her boss called her into his office, and she knew she was screwed. That bastard told everyone she invited him for coffee, even though he was her boss, and said she tried to seduce him. When he rejected her, she cursed him out the whole time because she couldn’t handle a rejection. And then he added, he was married with kids.

Grace never felt more ashamed in her life. So, her boss fired her in front of everyone in the office. She instantly left afterward and came home with tears in her eyes. That is the story of it.

“I know Zoe; it’s just what if no one will hire me and somehow they will find out what happened in my old work? Ugh, let’s not talk about it now.” Grace said, and her favorite song started to play. She smiled at the girls, and they started to move their hips to the melody. Hands in the air, feeling themselves more and more.

Grace’s eyes suddenly stopped at the man in the suit sitting on the couch. Two beautiful women surrounded him, but his eyes were fixed on the floor. Whiskey, she assumed, was in his hand, looking extremely bored to even be here.

When his head lifted up, their eyes aligned . As if he could feel her wondering eyes. Grace was a bit drunk and reckless, so she beckoned him to come to her.

He studied her for some seconds and suddenly got up and slowly started to walk toward her through the crowd of people who were dancing. His eyes were piercing into hers and she lost all the confidence she had. He was only some meters away from her when he stopped walking.

He was pretty tall compared to the other men on the dancefloor. Long brown hair slicked back into a low bun. His trimmed beard looked so symmetrical and perfectly shaved. The most beautiful thing about him was his emerald eyes.

When she took a step forward to go up to him, he quickly turned around and left in a rush. Grace was looking around for him, but he was nowhere to be found.

“Found someone you like, Grace?” Cara sassed as she wrapped herself around her shoulders. Grace rolled her eyes and went back to dancing. Meeting someone in the club is not always the best choice. After some minutes, she totally forgot about him and drank even more than she promised herself to.

Around two in the morning, they decided to finally go home. Her feet were hurting from the high heels, and she needed to take them off on her way to the cab that waited for her outside the club. Cara and Zoe went home with another cab since they lived on the other side of town.

When Grace got home, she took a long bubble bath to get all the sweat off her. Made something small to eat because she honestly forgot to, and then went to her comfy king-sized bed.

“Maybe I’ll be more lucky at this hour.” She mumbled to herself and started to look for a job online. She was jobless for two weeks now, and during the day, she couldn’t find anything.

Maybe at the magical three in the morning, I will get lucky, she thought.

Of course, she fell asleep the next minute. At ten in the morning, she woke up with an extreme headache and a weird feeling in her stomach. The vodka was not a good choice. As she was ready to get more sleep, her phone started to ring and buzz.

“Where the fuck did I put it?” She sighed, her hand moving on the bed sheets, trying to find the ringing phone.

“Who?” She asked when she picked up the phone under the pillow.

“Me.”

“Who is me?” She asked again.

“Are you stupid, Grace? It’s me, Zoe.” She said in a sarcastic tone and sighed.

“Oh, I have a headache from the stupid vodka that Cara badly needed to drink. But why are you calling me this early?”

“Because I have excellent news for you!” She exclaimed. Grace put her on speaker and got up from the bed.

“Then tell me! Don’t tease me.” She rolled her eyes.

“Stop rolling your eyes when I’m not with you.” Zoe said and then continued, “I received a secretary job offer from my good old friend, he’s a

hiring manager

, and since I’m in no need of a job, I told him about you, and he agreed on an interview!“

“WHAT???” She yelled at her, putting her back to her ear. “Zoe, you’re the best. I love you so much!” Grace smiled and danced around her room in excitement.

“Of course, girl, anything for you.” She said, making a kiss sound. “I’ll send you a text of the location. Just be there on time, please.” Zoe added, and then their conversation ended. She received a text from her right after, and Grace Googled the company to which she’d go tomorrow.

.

The alarm woke her up to a sunny morning at seven thirty-four. She looked in her closet and picked the best option, which was a classic, elegant, sleek black dress. Grace put it on and then straightened her short black hair, and did her makeup. While she was in the cab, she read some reviews about the company, and she must’ve admitted to herself that she never read more positive reviews before.

“We are here, Miss.” The driver announced, and the nerves started to kick in. She paid him and added a small tip. He thanked her, and she got out, heading to the front door. She asked the receptionist for directions, and she informed her to go on the eleventh floor. Grace got into the elevator, all sweaty.

It seemed like an hour went by till the time she got there. The elevator door opened, and ahead of her was a long hall with many huge black doors, with a secretary desk in front of them and an older woman sitting behind it. Her hair was auburn and wavy, reaching her collarbone. She had black-framed glasses resting on the bridge of her nose.

She slowly started to walk towards her, breathing slowly to calm herself down. “Good morning; I’m here for the job interview,” Grace said.

The woman slowly raised her gaze to her, and a faint smile appeared on her face. “Yes, of course, Ms. Ellington. Please, go in.” She pointed to the last door.

She nodded and took a few steps towards the black door. She knocked twice. “Come in.” A deep voice spoke from the inside. She opened the door and closed it behind her.

“Good morning. I am Grace Ellington. I’m here for the job interview.” She announced, straightening her posture to look more confident.

“Hello.” He finally said after he was lost in his thoughts. “The person who should interview you had some emergency, so someone else will take their place. I will call him; just give me a minute. Take a seat meanwhile.” He said. She sat down on the couch that he had there and patiently waited, looking around.

The walls were painted a neutral shade of grey, and the floors were covered with a plush carpet. There was a large mahogany desk in one corner, stacked with papers and documents, and a few pieces of art hung on the walls.

Thank God he is not the one who will interview me , she thought to herself.

He hung up the phone after he quietly said something and looked at her. “The door next to me is where you should go.” Grace nodded with a smile, said a small thank you, and quickly left. She got goosebumps from this man. She thanked God; he wasn’t her boss.

Grace entered the next office to find a man sitting behind a leather chair. “Sit down, please,”

That was all that he said.

Not another arrogant man , she thought.

She sat in the chair opposite him, taking out the resume from her purse. She exhaled loudly as she was getting annoyed. This day was supposed to go differently. And she was glad she even brought the physical form of her resume since she only sent the digital form to the person who was supposed to interview her.

“Hard day?” He wondered.

Her eyebrows furrowed. “Could you please turn around? It’s kind of disrespectful to talk to me like this, don’t you think?” She let her anger win again and used her sharp tongue.

Grace slapped her forehead to what just came out of her mouth. “Uhm, I’m very sorry. Please, forget what I said.” She quickly said, hoping he would not make a big deal out of it.

“No, I apologize, Miss. I-”

Those emerald eyes she thought she would never see again were now right in front of her. Both of them had a shock on their faces and awkwardness creeping over them. She tried to hide her surprise, so she gave him the resume on the desk and folded her arms. He cleared his throat and immediately stopped looking at Grace. His eyes moved on the resume.

She couldn’t stop looking, though. The suit perfectly hugged his arm muscles. His long hair was once again in a lower bun, and it was difficult for her to look elsewhere. The musky smell of his cologne hit her nostrils, making her take another inhale of the aroma. He must have used an expensive cologne.

“You have already worked in an office before. That’s great, Ms. Ellington.” He said.

Why is his gaze not focused on me when he speaks? 

“I have no further questions for you. You’re accepted.” He added. He didn’t even ask her one. She didn’t understand him at all. And he just accepted her right away? Don’t they have any credentials?

“Do you have any questions?” He asked, but his eyes were still stuck in her papers.

“When can I start working?” She asked, staring at him. He suddenly let go of the papers and turned around again. Grace was in complete shock. This man has the biggest audacity to do this while they’re having a conversation about her work position.

“Tomorrow. You will get all the instructions from your coworker. Have a nice day.” Those were his last words to her. He kicked her out simply with words.

Grace grabbed her resume with anger and left without saying anything back to him, shutting the door the loudest she could. She didn’t want to work there at all.

“Hey, Miss!” A voice behind her called her while she was storming down the hall.

She stopped and looked behind her. A man with a sweet smile was holding one of the papers that probably flew out of her purse. His blond short hair was slicked back, and a simple white shirt was tucked into blue slacks.

He ran up to her and waited for her to take it. “Oh, thank you; I didn’t see it,” she sighed.

He studied her face for some seconds and said, “Our boss isn’t a bad guy. He’s a little bit weird if you ask me. You just need to get used to him. I hope we will see each other again.” He said with a small smile and headed back into his office.

By our boss, he meant the guy I met in the club. Does that mean he is my boss

, and I’m his secretary?

Life couldn’t get any worse.

⸻⸻

My lovely readers, I’m back. It’s my first time writing a story in a third person point of view.

I thought that a bit of challenge wouldn’t do any harm to my work.

Thank you for reading, and let me know how you like it! <3

2│𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲

It was six in the morning when Grace woke up because of her alarm. She styled her hair to the side and applied soft make-up over her features. Then she stood staring into her messy closet.

Be safe and elegant, or be sexy as hell? Of course, the second option .

After a lot of contemplation, she decided to grab a burgundy pencil skirt and a black blouse. Her black high heels matched perfectly with her purse.

She then hurried to the nearest bakery to buy something small for breakfast and a large Americano. After that, she caught the cab that drove to her new job. It’s not like she had a choice in the first place. She needed a job, and this one, it seems, would be highly paid.

She has only been secretary once, but she knows how difficult the job is. If you make even the smallest mistake, everything will collapse, and you can pack your things and leave.

In twenty minutes, she arrived in front of the building. Grace quickly rearranged her hair, and with confidence, she walked inside. As she got closer to the elevator, the door almost closed in front of her nose.

“Wait!” She shouted.

The door opened again, and the man who she had met yesterday stood there. He smiled at her with such a big smile that his good mood immediately shifted onto her.

“Thank you.” She said to him.

“No problem. I’m Lewis, by the way.” He extended his arm to shake her hand.

“I’m Grace. Nice to meet you.” She shook his hand. The elevator stopped at their floor, and together they walked into the office.

“This will be your desk. I’m right next to you if you need anything. Oh, and the last secretary should’ve left you all Mr. Russell’s appointments in the calendar.” Lewis said, and Grace was shocked by how close she was sitting next to the door to his office. She was his secretary, but still it felt weird.

“Thank you.” She placed her purse down and turned on the computer. It was as Lewis said. All his appointments were here, and his schedule was crazy. That man definitely doesn’t get a lunch break.

The phone, which is connected to Mr. Russell’s office, started to ring. She instantly picked it up. “Good morning.” She greeted.

After a few seconds, he replied, “My office. Now.” and hung up.

Who does he think he is? I just came, and he right away wants me to do as he says, she thought, and got up from the chair, walking into his office. Grace could feel everyone’s eyes on her.

As she stood in front of his desk, she felt she’d get scolded. But before he said anything, his eyes quickly went up and down her body. Chill spread through her spine, and she had to urge herself to cover herself.

Elijah’s thoughts were running wild, and if he didn’t control himself, Grace would end up on his desk.

His eyes quickly shifted to his hands, which were placed on top of the modern black desk. She silently exhaled and crossed her arms under her chest. His eyes kept on moving from one side to the other, and Grace started to become nervous. She hasn’t made any mistakes yet. At least she wasn’t aware of any.

“Why have you called me?” She spoke first to break the silence.

The reason behind it was simply. Elijah wanted to see Grace in front of him. He couldn’t take his eyes away from her. That’s why he called her into his office rather than eye-piercing her where she had her desk. Anyone would notice it.

“Have you found my upcoming appointments?” Elijah asked her.

Grace cleared her throat before answering. “Yes, I did.”

“Good. You can go.” He said, and looked at his laptop screen.

Grace peered at him for some seconds before she turned her heel back to her desk. She couldn’t believe how arrogant that man is. He never spares her eyes a glance. It was like he was scared of meeting her gaze, and she had no idea why.

She sat down behind her desk and started to work. Mr. Russell had a busy schedule with so many meetings and traveling to other cities. He never had any breaks, and Grace couldn’t stop wondering why. Of course, part of it was for money. He had an important position, but why keep yourself so busy? Humans need to have a break from time to time.

Since she was his new secretary, she decided to fix his schedule, so he’d have time for the lunch break. Grace worked for hours to make the schedule work; she totally forgot to drink.

She turned to where Lewis had his desk and saw him exhausted, working on something. “Hey, Lewis.”

He looked at her, and a faint smile appeared on his face. “Yes? Do you need help with something?” He asked her.

She chuckled and shook her head. “I was wondering, where I could get some water.” She said.

“Let me show you,” Lewis said, and got up from the chair, walking out of the office. Grace followed him into the cafeteria, which was at the end of the hall. They had all kinds of drinks there and many snacks. Candies from different countries, which brought her attention the most.

Lewis strolled to the coffee machine, and she decided to take one cup as well. Water is overrated anyway.

When she sipped the hot coffee, the nicest aroma lingered in the air. There’s nothing better than fresh coffee for Grace. Lewis suddenly laughed, and Grace’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Is there something funny?” She wondered.

He stopped laughing and took a sip of his coffee. “You seem to enjoy the coffee way more than me, but believe me, after some time, you will hate it, and you will take a break from it,” Lewis said.

Grace rolled her eyes and searched the aisle for a small candy. When she found one, she hid it in her fist and exited the cafeteria. Lewis quickly caught up to her, and a small grin formed on her face. She knew her, and Lewis would have a good relationship with each other. Unlike with Mr. Russell.

“Can I ask you something?” She spoke as they were unhurriedly walking back into their office.

“Sure,” Lewis replied.

“How awful is Mr. Russell? I mean, how bad can he get?” She wondered.

“Well-”

As he was about to answer her question, in front of them appeared Elijah with anger written all over his face. Grace stopped in her steps and swallowed hard. She knew he was angry at her just by looking at him.

He pointed to his office, and Grace quietly followed him with her head ducked down. It was her first day, and she was already in his office twice. Again, all of the employees were staring at her, probably wondering how badly she screwed it up.

Elijah loudly shut the door as she walked inside, and she flinched. Elijah leaned against the edge of his desk and crossed his arms. Grace finally found the courage to look into his emerald eyes. They were burning with wrath.

“Drinking coffee, huh? Isn’t lunch break made for that, Ms. Ellington?” He asked, and she looked down onto the floor.

Elijah sighed and spoke again. “What have you done with my schedule?”

Grace snapped her eyes at him and frowned. “I changed it a bit.” She answered.

He scoffed. “I’m not blind, Ms. Ellington. I asked what you did with it.”

Grace straightened, crossing her arms. “I removed some unnecessary appointments so you’d actually have time for lunch. That’s all.” Her voice was firm.

Elijah’s jaw tightened as he closed the distance between them. “Did I ask you to do that? Because I don’t recall giving you permission,” he seethed.

Grace didn’t break their intense eye contact. It’d look weak coming from her, and she didn’t want him to discover her weaknesses. She didn’t like Mr. Russell, but the more arrogant he became, her dislike started to turn into loathing.

“I’m your new secretary, Mr. Russell. If you are not happy with the changes that I made, just let me know calmly. There’s no need for such an attitude toward me.” She stated with a smile on her face, and heard someone outside the door gasp.

“You should mind your tongue. This is your first day, and you’re already arguing with me.” Elijah whispered, towering over her.

Grace scoffed and drew closer to him. “If you weren’t such an ass, I wouldn’t speak to you that way. Respect goes both ways.”

He was about to say something when something suddenly fell outside the door. They both looked in its direction to see all of the employees glued to the glass doors, looking at them. Elijah quickly drew away from Grace and cleared his throat. He sat down behind his desk, and Grace dusted off her clothes, even though there was no dirt on them.

All of her colleagues went back to their desks in a split second, and Grace felt blood rushing to her cheeks. She didn’t want another false rumor about her as in her previous job. She wouldn’t let that happen.

“Change my schedule as it was before,” Elijah told her, and she simply nodded.

When she exited his office and took a seat behind her desk, she could finally take a deep breath. All the tension between them wasn’t making her feel good.

“Are you okay?” Lewis asked her.

She forced a smile and nodded. She didn’t utter a single word and went back to her work. All the wasted hours on making Mr. Russell’s schedule more free were in vain. Why was she bothered to do something so nice for him when he was acting like a jerk to her? From this day on, Grace promised herself she would never be nice to him again.

⸻⸻

3│𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞

After a great steamy shower and scrambled eggs, Grace quickly rushed to get dressed. She decided to be more subtle and chose something more professional. A gray slacks, with a tucked white shirt, and on top of it, a gray suit. Her short raven hair slightly waved into soft curls brushed to the side for a bigger volume. Her makeup was minimal, but she couldn’t stop herself from putting on a glaring red lipstick.

Her Uber was waiting for her outside her house, and she couldn’t be more pleased to not catch a cab. Her nerves were on the edge because of what happened yesterday, but she decided to keep being positive since she only began working and needed money to pay for her bills.

Grace stared out of the window as droplets of rain splashed against it. She loved rainy seasons and was glad the unbearable hot weather was over.

Her peaceful moment was ruined the minute the driver stopped the car, and she knew she was already in front of the building. She still couldn’t believe she worked at a finance firm this huge. The building was reaching above the heavy misty clouds.

She took a deep breath in and walked her way inside. Just as she stepped in, the elevator doors were about to close, and this building had 35 floors. If she’d not catch it, she’d have to wait, God knows how long, until the elevator would come back down.

Grace hurried to the door as they were closing, and right when she thought someone would stop the door from closing, they shut in front of her eyes.

“Fuck.” She murmured and shook her head.

A second later, the door suddenly opened, and a tall man with honey-blond short hair stood in front of her. He was dressed in a very expensive suit in the darkest black color and a tie. A silver watch was wrapped around his wrist, which could’ve been worthy of thousands of dollars. He wasn’t an ordinary man.

His sand eyes met her gaze, and Grace immediately got inside the elevator.

“Thank you.” She softly said.

“The tone of your voice when you cursed impressed me. I had to open the door for you.” He said in a husky voice and looked at Grace.

She couldn’t help herself but giggle. She often curses when something doesn’t go her way. But in this situation, it brought her luck.

“I believe everyone in a while should say fuck. Or when somebody makes your day worse, and you just want to say, how a huge of an dick are they.” She burst out and immediately slapped her running mouth.

I definitely crossed the line with this one, she thought and looked away.

Suddenly, he laughed in his lower voice, and Grace believed it meant he didn’t mind it. Still, she kept her mouth shut.

“Who could’ve ruined such a lovely woman day?” He asked, and Grace snapped her head at him.

She contemplated if telling him is a good idea, but since he didn’t work with her in the same department, she revealed the dick.

“My boss. Mr. Russell.” She admitted and smiled.

He nodded, and a small grin appeared on his face. “He can be a bit intimidating, but you should stand up to him if he’s too harsh on you.” He said.

“I can’t do that. He will fire me, and I can’t allow that, so please keep my confession to yourself.” She said softly, and the man simply nodded.

The elevator has stopped on her floor. As the doors were opening, she said another thank you and exited the elevator. The man said nothing back to her, but she hoped he’d keep their conversation just to himself. Until the door fully closed, his eyes never left her figure.

Grace greeted Lewis, who was already smiling at her, and sat down behind her desk. But before she started her work, she had to apologize to Mr. Russell.

She looked his way to see him reading some documents with his head leaned against his palm. He looked exhausted, and she wasn’t surprised.

She got up from her seat and knocked on the glass door. Mr. Russell met her gaze instantly, and her pulse quickened.

He beckoned for her to come in, and she did so. She quietly closed the door behind her and unhurriedly walked in front of his desk.

“Good morning, Mr. Russell,” Grace said, and Elijah didn’t raise his eyes.

“Good morning.” He coldly replied. Grace swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

“I came here to sincerely apologize about yesterday. There’s no excuse for my behavior. It won’t ever happen again.” She said with a shaky voice.

Elijah’s eyes slowly rose to Grace. He observed her face and narrowed his eyes. He couldn’t handle looking at her. She was too breathtaking to only look at, and Elijah was only able to look. As swiftly as he looked at her, he looked back to his papers. Grace’s nice act was almost on the edge of breaking. He never wants to meet her eyes for more than five seconds, and she found that disrespectful just because he has a higher position than her.

“Scolding someone again?”

Grace spun to see the man she met in the elevator right behind her. Before he moved toward Elijah, he winked at her, and she was stunned to even react. Elijah got up from his seat to shake hands with the mysterious man.

“Weren’t you supposed to be back next month?” Elijah asked the man.

“I had some urgent business here, so I returned earlier.” The man answered, and Elijah nodded in understanding.

Grace awkwardly stood there and had no clue how to excuse herself while they chatted together. Who was this man? And in what department did he work? She couldn’t stop wondering.

“I’ll take my leave now; I’m sure you have a lot of work to do and unresolved business with this lady.” The man said and paid her a glance.

She faintly smiled, and Elijah noticed it. His eyebrows furrowed. “You two know each other?” He asked the man.

“We have met.” He replied.

Grace nodded and moved her gaze to Elijah, who had seemed to be angry.

“Can I take my leave?” Grace asked with a smile on her face.

“Yes,” Elijah immediately replied.

Grace exited his office and took a seat behind her desk. When she looked at her colleagues, everyone seemed to be worried and anxious. She found Lewis in the back of the room and hurried to him. She waited until he finished his conversation with someone and moved in front of him.

“Hey, Grace. Is something wrong?” He asked.

She leaned towards his ear and whispered, “Who is the man in Mr. Russell’s office?” When she drew back, she noticed a slight blush appear on Lewis’s cheeks.

“You really don’t know?” He questioned, stunned by her answer.

“Of course not. I haven’t been here long enough.” She rolled my eyes and folded her arms under her chest.

Lewis stared at her for a short moment and said, “That’s the CEO, Grace.”

Grace’s jaw dropped to the floor. “He’s—what?” She exclaimed, and everyone around them looked at her.

When she remembered what she said in front of him, she truly wanted to transport herself into a different country. If it was a mere worker, she wouldn’t care at all, but the CEO? She was doomed.

“I need to go to the restroom.” She panted and hurried to the bathroom. She moved towards the wall there and gently smacked her head against it.

If the CEO would reveal what she said about him, she could say goodbye to this job.

After five minutes, she returned back, and the CEO was no longer in Elijah’s office. Grace sat behind her desk and got to work.

But her mind was clouded by too many things. She even forgot how many hours had passed. Lewis had to remind her about their lunch break, and she was grateful he could rely on him.

Hours later, after many scheduling and collecting data, her work ended. She was so eager to get back home and take a long hot bath. Right when she stepped outside, a thunderstorm appeared. She had no umbrella with her, and all the cabs and Ubers were full due to the sudden rain.

Grace was happy she didn’t choose to wear a skirt but long pants because she was already a bit cold. She hugged herself and kept on hoping the rain would suddenly stop and she’d find a free cab.

A black Volvo XC90 stopped in front of her. She only knew the exact type because her brother is obsessed with cars, so he always had to talk about them with her. The window slowly rolled down, and Elijah was behind the wheel, staring at her.

“Get in,” he said.

“N-No, it’s okay. I’ll just—”

“Get. In.” He emphasized and narrowed his emerald eyes.

She swallowed hard. “Yes, Sir.” Grace then quickly got inside his car and shut the door gently. It was an expensive car.

Elijah let out a long exhale and turned his body toward Grace. Before she could react, Elijah leaned in, and only inches were separating their lips. Grace’s dove eyes lingered across his perfectly shaved beard and plump lips. For a split second, she wondered how his lips would feel against hers. His hot breath and hard breathing were impossible to ignore, and Grace wished she could break the door and run off.

Elijah drew back to his seat, and Grace realized he merely buckled her with the seat belt. She fluttered with her eyelashes and looked ahead of her. Elijah drove off as if nothing happened.

For some minutes, there’s been complete silence, and Grace hasn’t told him her address yet; however, she was too intimidated to utter a word. Her heartbeat was in her throat, and no matter how slowly she was breathing, it didn’t calm her.

Elijah cleared his throat. “How do you know Mr. Blackwood?” He asked.

Grace turned to him with confusion over her face. She had no idea who Mr. Blackwood was, but then she recalled what happened at the office, and she realized he must’ve been talking about the CEO.

“I’ve only met him once. In the elevator. I don’t know him at all.” She replied and stared at her hands in her lap.

“Don’t talk to him again if it’s not needed.” Elijah quietly said.

“Why? D-Did he say something to you?” She stuttered, nervous if Mr. Blackwood revealed their conversation in the elevator.s

Elijah glanced at her for a second with a dull face and returned his attention back on the road with heavy traffic. Even though Grace was glad she didn’t have to wait, God knows how long for a cab, being in his presence spread goosebumps all over her body. There was just something about Mr. Russell that she couldn’t quite get.

“He didn’t say anything. He should have?” He questioned.

“No! I mean, there’s nothing you should know. I meant, there’s nothing to know.” She corrected herself and blew out a breath.

Elijah bit into his cheek to stop laughing. Grace was just too cute, and he purposely took the route, which had the heaviest traffic, to spend more time with her. Was he the bad guy? Probably. But he didn’t care. He wanted to enjoy this car ride with Grace by his side. To smell the sweetness of her perfume and to see her dimples when she smiled.

He gripped the wheel tighter and took a deep breath. “Where do you live?” He asked.

“Highfield Road.” She softly answered.

The rest of the drive was silent. Grace was kept looking out of the window, and Elijah couldn’t ignore her close presence. When they arrived on the Highfield Road, Grace pointed at her small house at the end of the road.

“Wait,” Elijah commanded when he got out of the car. Grace patiently waited until he rounded the hood of the car and opened the door for her. Before she could take a step forward, Elijah’s hand wrapped around her waist and brought her closer to his body. He opened his umbrella and walked to her house.

Grace was too stunned to speak. His warm hand on the side of her waist became too perceptive, and she despised how good it felt. How good it felt to be close to his body. In his slight embrace, she felt safe and warm.

Elijah stopped before the front door, and Grace forgot for a moment that she was the one with the key to her house. She dug through her purse and found the silver keys. She opened the door, and Elijah’s hand slipped away.

“Have a great rest of the evening, Ms. Ellington.” He softly said in his husky voice and strolled to his car.

“Thank you!” She yelled, and he waved his hand.

Grace stood at the threshold for a couple of seconds, just processing what happened in the last twenty minutes. Elijah’s hand left a cold spot on her waist, and she missed the warmth. Grace had to recall how big of a jerk he had been to her. He only acted nice to her for a couple of minutes, and she was sure tomorrow he’d act cold to her again.

⸻⸻

Update every Friday!

4│𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞

Something kept ringing over and over until it woke Grace up, and she soon realized it was her doorbell. She checked the time on her phone—4 a.m. The doorbell wouldn’t stop ringing, so she dragged herself out of the bed. Quickly, she wrapped around herself her red robe and wearily headed to the front door. She then regretted that she didn’t install a camera in front of the door.

Ignoring the unease creeping up her spine, she swung the door open, intending to slam it shut just as fast. But she wasn’t fast enough.

The man was quicker.

He pushed on the door with such strength that Grace couldn’t match him. “Such a rude welcome, dear sister,” her brother Alec said, opening the door fully.

Grace gave up with a loud sigh. She knew why he came. He had another fight with his girlfriend, so there was no other place for him to stay other than his sister.

“Do you know how early it is? I still could’ve slept for one hour!” She yelled at him, and he walked inside.

“Don’t be so cheeky with me. I know you’re happy to see my handsome face again. How long has it been? Two weeks since we last saw each other? Haven’t you missed me?” He smirked at her.

She narrowed her eyes. “Not one bit. You always cause trouble for me. How will you pay me for your stay?” Grace asked with a raised eyebrow.

“What about free car rides to your work? I’m sure you’re tired of cabs. Or am I wrong?” He grinned.

She smacked him in the arm, and he squeaked. Together they moved into the living room, and Grace made tea for both of them. It was pointless to return to bed anyway.

“Free car rides, until you go back home.” She reminded, and Alec, as a behaved puppy, nodded.

Even though Alec was a great pain in the ass, she loved him dearly. He was four years younger than Grace, but when they were together, it was as if they were fifteen again.

Alec’s deal felt beneficial to Grace. She was truly tired of cabs and Ubers. And as well as she knew Alec, his stay would be over a week or two.

“How have you been?” Grace asked him and ate breakfast, she quickly made for both of them.

“Pretty well. I still have a job, and I’m happy with working there. But Jenna isn’t. To be frank, I can’t take it anymore. She’s just unhappy with everything that I do.” Alec confessed, and Grace felt his agony.

No matter how many times she suggested breaking up, Alec still doesn’t want to give up. He and Jenna dated since high school. He even wanted to marry her.

“You know what I will say to you. I think it’s time to end it. I’ve never liked her anyway.” Grace rolled her eyes, and Alec laughed.

“Maybe.” He murmured.

.

After Grace dressed herself up, put a bit of makeup on, and styled her hair, she was ready to leave for work.

Alec blasted music on their way, and Grace enjoyed it so much. They were always arguing over the choice of the next song. But now she let him pick the songs.

When they stopped before the building, Alec was astonished.

“Are you sure we’re at the right place? I can’t believe you’re working at such a big company.” Alec teased.

Grace smacked him on the shoulder. “Of course I do! I’ve always been smarter than you.” She wickedly smiled, and Alec rolled his eyes.

Suddenly, his attention shifted to the car behind them. It was Elijah. Grace looked into the review mirror and sighed. She still couldn’t stop thinking about how he touched her.

“That’s my boss. I have to go. Don’t do anything stupid, and don’t break anything in my house.” She lectured him, and he only nodded.

Grace got out of the car and gently shut it. He hated it when she did it with force. Alec loves his car dearly.

As she was waving goodbye, she sensed someone’s eyes on her. She looked at Elijah and found his eyes peering at her. She immediately turned to the door and walked inside. Maybe it was rude not to greet him, but she’d see him in the office the whole day.

Grace quickly got inside the elevator, into the eleventh floor. She hurried to her desk to settle down. Lewis was in an instant by her side.

“Coffee or tea?” He wondered.

Grace smiled as she was so happy to have someone at work who was nice to her. Her other colleagues still seemed to not like her. She had no clue why, but she’d try to improve their relationship.

“Coffee. Thank you, Lewis.” She replied, and Lewis quickly went to the cafeteria.

Her phone started to ring, and when she saw her brother’s name, she annoyingly sighed. “What is it?” She asked.

“What do you want to eat after work?” He questioned.

“No! Don’t use my kitchen. I love my kitchen so much, and you will burn it to ashes. You can’t cook, Alec.” She quietly warned him.

Then Elijah walked inside, but she didn’t notice him. He, however, stopped by her desk. “No personal phone calls, “ he coldly stated, and entered his office.

Grace was left speechless. Right when she thought he changed his behavior towards her, she was proven wrong. She hung up on Alec and texted him a quick message.

“Here’s your coffee.” Lewis placed the cup on her desk, and when she felt the aroma, her mood suddenly got better.

“Thank you again. What would I do without you?” Grace said.

“We will never know.” He joked, and Grace quietly laughed. The whole time she felt someone’s eyes on her back. She was being watched, and it made her nervous.

She didn’t dare to look at Elijah. She started to work and ignored his stabbing eyes. Grace had no idea what she did wrong. She hated his rude and unprofessional behavior. How can she feel comfortable when he’s constantly watching her?

.

Grace’s eyes burned from the constant staring at the computer. She moved around with her neck and checked the time. In five minutes the lunch break would start. When she looked for Lewis, he was not sitting behind his desk. So she had to go by herself.

As she got up from her seat, she fixed up her skirt and headed for lunch. When she walked inside, Elijah was already there with Mr. Blackwood. Grace quickly grabbed her portion of the meal, and when she searched for an empty seat, there was none, except for the one next to Mr. Blackwood.

“Ms. Ellington!” He called out for her when he noticed she had no empty seat available.

Everybody knows that sitting with your boss is not the best thing to do. And she found it quite strange that the CEO would eat with everyone in a cafeteria. Grace was a mere secretary. She truly didn’t want to sit with them, but Mr. Blackwood kept insisting, and everyone around started to notice.

Grace hurried to their table and set the tray of food on top of it. Elijah was acting as if she wasn’t even there. Only Mr. Blackwood paid her attention. Grace, with a small smile, sat down and sensed how some of the people had already stared at her.

“Thank you, but I could’ve waited for an empty seat. I don’t think this is appropriate—”

“I think that’s up to my decision, Ms. Ellington. I invited you here.” Mr. Blackwood argued.

“Yes, sir,” Grace said and returned her attention to her meal.

Elijah ignored her presence the whole time, and Grace was glad for that. She didn’t want to talk to him or look at him. She was again angry and annoyed. How could she keep working at this firm if he’s acting like a total dickhead?

Suddenly, a hand moved to her back, and that startled her. When she looked at Mr. Blackwood, he had a huge smirk on his face that only she could notice.

“How do you like it here so far? Are you satisfied with your boss?” He asked her and kept his hand on her back.

Grace then felt Elijah’s gaze on her. She chose to keep her eyes on Mr. Blackwood. “I like it here very much. I’m pleased with my boss.” She answered, but the other half of it was a lie, and he knew it too.

“You wouldn’t dare to lie to me, Ms. Ellington?” He questioned, and Grace shook her head.

“No, of course not.” She said, glanced at Elijah, who was glaring at her.

After the lunch, she went back to her desk and wished she wouldn’t encounter Elijah so soon again. But that wasn’t an option. Right after her, Elijah stormed to her desk, and Grace jumped to her feet.

“My office.” He said, waiting for her to go first. Like every time, everyone who came back from their lunch stared at her.

When Elijah shut the door and turned the blinds on, he moved so swiftly towards her that Grace thought he was about to smack her. Her back hit the wall, and she gasped. Elijah hit his fist next to her head, and Grace’s heart was on the verge of bursting.

“What is your relationship with Liam?” He asked with an angry tone.

“I have no relationship with him. I barely know him. Why are you so interested in my affairs, Mr. Russell?” Grace wondered, and his hand slowly fell beside his body.

“I am not.” He seethed and sat down behind his desk.

Grace marched in front of him. He always does whatever he wants with her. She’s his secretary, not a toy to play with. The thing that bothered her the most was his interest in her relationship with Mr. Blackwood. She was a single woman. Why couldn’t she have a simple conversation with her CEO?

“You don’t know me at all, Mr. Russell, although you act as if you did. Would you be so kind and mind your own business?” Grace burst out, and Elijah’s eyebrows rose to his hairline.

Elijah smashed his fists against the desk that some of the pens jumped off the table to the floor. Grace raised her chin and stood by what she said. She won’t be weak in front of him.

Elijah rounded the table until Grace was pushed to the edge of it. He placed his hand on the edge of the table and leaned towards Grace’s face. “I should teach you some discipline, Ms. Ellington.” He quietly said, peering into her chocolate-brown eyes.

Grace swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to break their eye contact, but in vain. She was hypnotized by him. By his beautiful emerald eyes. “I-I should get b-back to work.” She murmured.

“That would be for the best.” He whispered and drew back. Grace swiftly exited his office and headed to the bathroom. Now she was acting unprofessional, and she hated it. She stared at her reflection and couldn’t believe how shocked she looked. Why does he always destroy her cool?

For the rest of the work, she kept herself busy with answering phone calls and scheduling appointments for Elijah. When her work time was over, Grace packed her stuff and hurried outside the building, waiting for her brother. She sent him a quick message, reminding him he should’ve been already waiting for her.

“Need a ride?”

Grace winced as she heard a voice behind her. Of course, it was Elijah again. Why does she always have to meet him?

“I’m waiting for someone.” She answered and forcefully smiled.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go with me?” He asked again, looking at her.

“I’d rather get run over by a bus.” She mumbled to herself, with a smile on her face.

“You said something?” Elijah came closer to her.

Grace moved a few steps back, shaking her hands. “No, nothing at all.” Then she heard her brother’s car and was happy he saved her on time. When she opened the door, Alec immediately spoke, “I have made us dinner.” He announced.

She ignored what he said because her attention was focused on Elijah, who still watched her. Chills ran down her spine. What happened with them in his office was something she had never experienced with another man.

Grace knew that only meant trouble.

⸻⸻

5│𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬

It was Saturday evening, and Grace was slowly preparing herself for a night out. Cara has been texting her about it for the whole week. She wanted to know everything about the cold-hearted Mr. Russell.

Grace dressed herself in a tight, mini-black dress that complimented her skin. She styled her hair in soft curls and brought red lipstick to her lips.

Alec gave her a ride to the club they visited before. Of course, he chose to stay with her. He said it was because he wanted to party, but Grace was sure he just didn’t want to leave her there, surrounded by strange men. He was worried for her.

Cara was already sitting on the bar stool, drinking a cocktail. Grace waved at her as she was looking through the crowds for her.

Cara looked so beautiful even from far away. Her sharp monolith eyes could make you hypnotized. Her long, straight black hair reached her belly button, and she was proud of the length. She also wore a tight mini dress but in a mint color. It suited her precisely.

“I see you’re already drinking,” Grace said as she walked over to her.

“Waiting for you felt like an eternity, so I shortened the waiting with a fine drink.” Cara sassed.

Alec couldn’t stop staring at her. They’ve never met before, unlike with Zoe. Cara only moved here two years ago, and even though Alec knew about her, he didn’t expect she looked so gorgeous.

“You must be Alec, right?” Cara asked, looking at him.

“I think that’s me. I haven’t checked yet.” Alec laughed, and Grace rolled her eyes. His jokes were never funny to her. Cara seemed to like it.

“What about Zoe? Where is she?” Grace wondered.

“She wanted to come, but she got busy with work. She said we should enjoy it and drink shots for her.” Cara explained.

Grace was a bit sad. Zoe wasn’t here, but she hoped they’d meet soon. She still had so much to say about Elijah.

Grace then ordered herself a drink, and Alec got lost on the dance floor. Cara’s eyes sometimes glanced in his direction.

Slowly, she drank her drink, and her mind was clouded with Elijah. Her head hurt just from thinking about him.

“Tell me everything. I’m dying to know about your hot boss.” Cara demanded and drew closer to her.

Grace sighed and faintly smiled. “I can’t understand him at all. Someday he’s acting completely rude to me, and then the next day, he acts friendly, even too much for me. He watches me and hates when I do something I didn’t ask beforehand.” Grace burst out.

“Oh honey, this seems crazier than I thought. Mr. Russell should go to therapy then. Maybe bipolar disorder?” Cara said, and Grace rolled her eyes.

“I wish I could help you with this, but you know Zoe is the one who will. I’m sure he has some problem with you. Maybe you should ask him directly what he wants. And if he won’t change, just leave the company.” Cara advised and took a sip from her drink.

If only it were that easy.

She sipped from her drink and searched through the crowds of people for her crazy brother. He was dancing with some random girl. But he looked like he was forcing himself to do it. He probably wanted to move on from his girlfriend, but it was harder than it seemed.

“Tell me about your boss. I’m dying to know what he looks like.” Cara suddenly said.

I turned to her and set my drink on the counter. “Well, he has broad shoulders, a very masculine body. Tanner complexion and snow-white teeth. The best part about him is his shoulder-length hair that looks like chocolate.” Grace’s eyes were unfocused as she pictured him in her mind. Elijah was a very attractive man.

“You like that man, Grace! You’re totally falling for him. It’s a matter of time before something happens between you two.” Cara teased her.

Grace’s eyebrows furrowed. That was the last thing she wanted to hear. “Are you insane?! That’s my boss. I can’t even imagine something like that. And he hates me anyway. I’m just waiting for the day he will fire me.” Grace sulked.

“There’s no way he would do that. I’m sure you’re an amazing secretary, Grace. Why do you think he hates you?” Cara wondered.

Grace took another sip of her drink, and it was already empty. She asked the barista for another one. “Because I once talked to the CEO, and he went ballistic. He asked me if I knew him, and of course, I didn’t. He must think I’m a slut because otherwise he wouldn’t suspect me.”

“Grace—”

“I mean, do I look like a slut to you? Maybe he thinks I want everyone in our department. Oh yeah, Mr. Russell, I want to suck every single dick in our company!” Grace yelled.

“Grace!” Cara shouted; terror overtook her face.

“What? You wanted me to talk about him, so why do you want me to stop?” Grace wondered and saw Cara swallow. She was looking over her shoulder, and Grace’s smile gradually dropped. She sensed someone standing behind her, the familiar fragrance lingering in the air. She knew it too well.

“Enjoying your night, ladies?” Mr. Blackwood said.

Grace slowly turned around to meet Elijah’s eyes peering at her. She quickly looked down and let Cara speak.

“Yes, we do. Don’t we, Grace?” Cara said her name a little more harshly.

Grace simply nodded with a forced smile on her face. Elijah was still staring at her, and somehow she couldn’t stop herself from looking at him as well. His long hair was down. Instead of a suit, he wore black slacks and a black shirt that brought his emerald eyes to life. If Grace hadn’t been sitting, she might have lost her balance. Elijah Russell looked like a god .

His head slightly tilted to the side as his eyes pierced through hers. While Cara was talking with Liam, Grace was in a war. She was sure Elijah heard what she said. And that meant he was definitely planning to fire her.

“Grace, you didn’t tell me you had such a lovely boss,” Cara said, and that shook her out of the trance.

“Oh, yeah. Cara, this is Mr. Blackwood, and this is Mr. Russell.” She introduced them.

“Nice to meet you,” Cara said.

“The pleasure is ours,” Liam replied and glanced at Grace.

Grace could feel her stomach twist. She wanted to enjoy this night without any obstacles. Elijah was one of them. And Liam was strangely acting towards her as well. Grace didn’t want to be a part of their twisted game. She just wanted to be alone.

“We would love if you joined our company, ladies.” Liam proposed.

“Liam,” Elijah said sternly.

If Grace was about to agree, the night could end up very badly. Just as she was thinking about an excuse, her brother walked back to them. He was her savior that night, and she couldn’t be more grateful.

Alec placed his arm on top of her shoulder and, a moment later, noticed the two men standing close to Grace and Cara. He was protective of her sister. His eyes immediately narrowed. “And you are?” He asked.

Grace whispered, “That’s my boss and the CEO.”

Alec looked at Grace and saw her mortified face. He knew her too well to know how she felt. She wanted to be saved from this awkward situation.

“Good evening, gentlemen. I’d like to keep my company for tonight.” Alec said to them, and Elijah’s brows slightly rose.

“And who exactly are you?” Elijah demanded, his tone cold.

Grace’s heart thumped in her chest. She didn’t want to argue or come to a misunderstanding. She still had to work as his secretary on Monday. She shot Alec a sharp glance.

He cleared his throat. “I’m her brother.” He replied honestly.

Grace has never seen Elijah more stunned. Who did he think he was to her? Her boyfriend or something?

Liam laughed, and the awkward tension vanished. “You could still join us. It will be fun.” He said to Alec.

Grace started, “I don’t think—”

“I don’t see a reason why not.” Alec cut her off.

.

Two hours later, everyone was wasted except for Elijah. Grace could barely feel her feet, and Alec, with Cara, were dancing on the dance floor for God knows how long. Grace was too drunk to scold them. She wanted to slap herself for letting it go this far.

Slowly, she rose to her feet from the couch, and Elijah’s eyes snapped at her. “Where are you going?” He asked.

“To the restroom.” She whispered with a laugh.

Steadily, she walked through the dance floor to the back where the bathroom was. She must’ve been really drunk because a lot of eyes were on her. She ignored them and hurried in front of the sink to splash some water on her face. When she looked at herself in the mirror, the reflection of herself was moving. She couldn’t tell how bad she looked, and she was better off not knowing.

When she exited the restroom, someone blocked her way, and she didn’t know that man. As she tried to walk past him, he pushed her to the wall, and Grace hurt her head. Her vision was blurry, and everything around her was too bright and funny-looking.

The man tightly held her arms, and it hurt like hell. She squeaked in pain, trying to break free from his grasp, but in vain. He was too strong compared to her.

Just as she thought of the worst, the man disappeared out of her view, and the known face moved in front of her. He gracefully hoisted her into his strong arms and carried her away. Grace wrapped her hands around his neck and leaned her head against his shoulder.

She was being carried for far too long. She didn’t mind it, though. His warm touch felt like electricity, and she loved every second of it. When she sensed the cold, she figured they were no longer inside the club but outside. Elijah still carried her, and she badly wanted to know where he was taking her, but her eyelids felt like rocks.

That was all Grace remembered. When she woke up, her head was hurting, and she needed water. As her eyes slowly opened, darkness enveloped her. Long curtains protected her sight. She turned around, enjoying the soft bed sheets and fluffy pillow.

Then she remembered her room didn’t possess such dark and long curtains. She was not inside her bed or in her house.

⸻⸻

A vote or a comment would make me very happy!

6│𝐋𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐮𝐧

Grace sat up straight, her head dizzy. She looked around the room and couldn’t recognize it at all. She had no clue where she was and how she got there. The room looked expensive. The curtains hid huge glass windows. The bed she was lying on was a king size in the deepest gray color. The walls were painted white, and a modern chandelier hung from the ceiling.

She looked at herself, seeing she was still wearing her dress. Slowly, she got off the bed and walked to the first door she had seen. Before she could open it, the door swung open. Elijah came into view, freshly out of the shower. Drops of water still ran down his abs as he wasn’t wearing any T-shirt, only a towel covered his intimate parts.

Grace stumbled back from him, her eyes wide open as she couldn’t tear her gaze away from his body. He moved rapidly towards her until her back hit the table. His eyes observed her for a moment with a plain look on his face. Then he leaned to her, his wet body just inches from hers. Drops of water dripped from his hair, landing on Grace’s skin. Her eyes lifted towards his face, and his skin was flawless without a single imperfection.

He then drew back with a towel in his hand that was placed behind Grace. He threw the towel on his head and dried off his hair. A couple of seconds later, he wrapped the towel around his neck.

“W-What am I doing here?” Grace finally asked.

Elijah smirked and turned around. He walked to the other door and exited the room. Grace followed him down the large staircase into the kitchen.

“I asked you something!” She demanded an answer.

Elijah abruptly spun to her, and Grace flinched. “You don’t remember?” He questioned.

Grace simply shook her head and felt the embarrassment creeping over her. How could she only remember drinking? Her mind was clouded by a thick, hazy fog. She’d never be so reckless as to go home with her boss, or?

Elijah roamed his fingers through his long brown hair, and butterflies bloomed inside Grace’s stomach. It was the most gorgeous view she had seen in a long time.

“I’ll explain everything after breakfast. You can use my shower if you want and borrow my clothes.” Elijah said.

Grace wanted to protest, but then she looked at her dress and saw how dirty it was. She still smelled like vodka. And she needed to call Cara and Alec. She had no idea where they were. Grace marched back upstairs, and before she used the shower, she found her phone on the nightstand and texted Cara.

As she expected, Elijah’s bathroom was massive, adorned with sleek marble tiles. The white-painted walls held a grand mirror framed in marble, while a double sink vanity added the perfect finishing touch.

Grace slipped inside the shower and enjoyed it. It was way better than the one in her home. Still, she was grateful she had a roof over her head and a career. When her parents died, she promised herself she would take care of herself and her brother.

After ten minutes, Grace exited the shower and wrapped a towel around herself. She then walked back into Elijah’s bedroom and searched for the closet, but she couldn’t find it. Slowly, she headed to the third door in his room and opened it.

Grace was in awe. Elijah had a room just for his clothes. He had more clothes than she did. Grace walked inside and looked through his stuff secretly. He had suits in every possible color and expensive wristwatches on display.

She was sure there was much more stuff to look through, but she didn’t want Elijah to wonder where she was for so long. She only grabbed a random black T-shirt from a dresser, since all his sweatpants or shorts were too big to hold onto her waist.

Grace felt greatly embarrassed to show up in front of him just in his T-shirt, but she didn’t have another choice. The good thing was that the T-shirt was so long it covered her knees. She headed down the stairs into the kitchen to find Elijah behind the stove, cooking. Could this man be more perfect?

She soundlessly tiptoed toward the kitchen island so Elijah wouldn’t notice what she wore, but he was quicker than her. When his eyes stopped at Grace, she never felt so exposed.

.

E L I J A H ’ S   P O V

Elijah couldn’t believe Grace was in his house and slept in his bed. It was a dream come true. But the feeling he felt when he caught sight of Grace wearing his T-shirt shut him up for a moment. He almost forgot he was cooking the breakfast.

The T-shirt hung under her knees, and his scent was all over her, it was difficult to stay so far away from her. To not be able to touch her. It was driving him crazy. It took all his self-control not to take her back to bed and let his desires win. But he held himself back, trying to focus on cooking the breakfast. It was torture to concentrate on anything but her.

Without a word, he turned back to the stove and cooked the scrambled eggs. He heard Grace sit down behind the kitchen island, and he had to stop himself from glancing at her. He felt powerless because all he wanted was to have her, but he hated the emotions that got in the way. For a split second, Elijah thought about locking her in his house until she’d become his. He thought about many things, but he knew what was right and wrong.

Once the eggs were ready, he placed them on the plates. Before he turned around to Grace, he took a deep breath. “I’m not the best cook.” He warned her, and Grace slightly smiled.

“It’s really okay, Mr. Russell. I’m no better than you.” She nervously laughed, and Elijah liked the sound of her laughter. He wanted to know more about her for some reason.

Grace caught herself laughing, and she immediately stopped. She cleared her throat and looked at Elijah. “What exactly happened that I slept here? Did something happen between us?” She asked, hesitant.

Elijah could only wish that something would happen between them yesterday, but Grace was too drunk. When he carried her into his car, Grace wouldn’t let go of him; it was hard to detach her. He tried all kinds of methods, but her arms were glued around his neck. Since Liam was drunk as well, Elijah called a cab and let Grace sleep. For the whole ride, her face was on his shoulder, and she was sitting on his lap. Elijah enjoyed the car ride more than he should have.

“You were too wasted. You were clinging onto me, so I had no choice but to take you to my house. Don’t take it personally.” Elijah explained.

It was hard to be so cold towards Grace. The more time he spent with her, the more he felt his defenses slipping. The more vulnerable he allowed himself to be, the greater the chance feelings would develop between them. He was terrified of these feelings, afraid that allowing himself to care for her would only lead to heartbreak in the end.

Grace dropped her gaze to her plate, and Elijah felt how she reflected his coldness. There was nothing worse, than the wretched feeling in his chest. He couldn’t stand Grace being so distant to him, but he knew he was the one who draw the line first.

Together they ate breakfast in complete silence. When Grace finished first, she draw the chair back and got up. Elijah did so as well. “Thank you for what you have done. Once I get home, I’ll wash this T-shirt for you, and bring it tomorrow back.”

Elijah cleared his throat and crossed his arms. “Actually, don’t wash it. I use a special kind of laundry detergent.”

“Of course, sir. Now if you excuse me, I’m going home.” Grace said with a tight smile on her face.

“Should I call a cab for you—”

“That won’t be necessary. As you said this is nothing personal. I can take care of myself.” She cut him off, and Elijah wasn’t happy about it. He had something nasty on the tip of his tongue, but her rather bit it, and nodded. Grace couldn’t take care of herself. She showed him that yesterday and Elijah wondered how could she be still alive for twenty-four years.

After that, Grace went for her belongings and left his house. Elijah was surprised by the sudden emptiness. He quickly put the dishes into the dishwasher and sat down in the living room. He turned the TV on, but that didn’t catch his attention. Grace was still on his mind. Her smell, her smile, and her eyes.

Elijah ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He wanted her to leave, so he wouldn’t suffer so much, but the longer she stayed, the more he wanted to ask her questions. For instance, if she’s dating someone. Or if she likes Liam. Or Lewis, as Elijah once caught him strangely observing her.

Elijah then decided to leave the living room and strolled to his bedroom. When he saw the comforter left in the same position Grace left it, he took a deep breath. Then he proceeded to sit down on the bed and roamed his hands through the pillow and sheets. For a moment, he imagined Grace still lying there, and his heart skipped a beat. He knew well that he wouldn’t be able to resist her forever.

Grace was Elijah’s loaded gun. One smile from her, and the gun fired.

⸻⸻

7│𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐭

Grace wasn’t ready to return to work, but she had no other choice. Dressing up took her a lot longer than any other time. She was more precise with her makeup and styling of her short hair. She was dressing more safely, but today she chose a tight black sleeveless dress with a burgundy bag.

Right when she was about to leave with Alec, she grabbed Elijah’s T-shirt that she put in a gift white bag. She was still embarrassed and angry at him. But she is still his secretary. So, she decided to forget about what happened and erase all her memories from the weekend once she’d given him back his T-shirt.

On the drive to her work, Grace was suspiciously looking at Alec. He didn’t come home from the club, and he still didn’t tell her what happened to him, and Cara when she left.

“Do I have something on my face?” He asked her.

“Ugliness only.” Grace taunted, and Alec rolled his eyes.

Grace took a deep breath and turned to Alec fully. “What happened when Elij—I mean Mr. Russell, and I left the club?” She asked.

Alec cleared his throat and turned on the radio. “I left the club as well.”

Her eyebrows furrowed. She turned off the radio immediately. “No, Alec. Stop lying. Where did you and Cara go?”

“Stop questioning me, Grace. Go ask your dear friend, and don’t bother me with unimportant stuff.” He said harshly and stopped the car before Grace’s company.

Grace huffed and got out of the car. She slammed the door, and Alec exclaimed, “Hey! I will kill you if you break my door. I won’t pick you up from work today, by the way. Have a nice day!” He yelled and took off. Grace didn’t even have time to argue with him. She just watched him quickly drive off.

She bit her tongue from shouting nasty things at him because her colleagues and people who worked at the firm were walking past her. She formed a fake smile on her face and turned on her heel inside. The elevator was fully packed, and she was glad they let her in.

When she got to her desk, Lewis was already waiting for her with a bright smile on his face. “Good morning.” She greeted him.

“Hey, Grace. How was your weekend?” He asked her and handed her a cup of coffee.

She took it and took a sip of it before replying to him. “It was the worst weekend of my life. How was yours, any better?” 

Lewis laughed and took a seat behind his desk. “If I’m honest, it wasn’t the best. But I wonder what happened to you that it was so bad.”

“It’s a long story,” Grace said and brushed her hair behind her ear. Lewis caught that.

“You could tell me about it at dinner, perhaps?” His puppy eyes stared at Grace, and she thought she heard wrong. Lewis was a very nice guy, but she only wanted to remain friends with him. She didn’t want to lose him as a friend, though.

“I—I have some plans after work. But I can tell you everything another day.” Grace said, and Lewis seemed disappointed with her answer.

“Yeah, of course.” He stuttered and focused his attention on his work. Guilt set in Grace’s chest, but she knew it was for the best. Starting another drama would be the end of her.

Suddenly, Elijah stormed in and walked right past Grace. He closed the door behind him, and Grace didn’t have a single clue if he was angry or not. Still, she had to return his T-shirt back.

She grabbed the bag and clutched it in her fingers. She took a deep breath and went straight into his office after knocking.

Elijah didn’t even raise his head to look at her. His eyes were focused on his computer. Grace wasn’t discouraged by that.

“I apologize for disturbing you, but I came to return your T-shirt,” Grace said.

Elijah was quiet for a while, just typing on the keyboard. After several seconds, he spoke. “Leave the bag on my desk and leave.” He replied monotonously.

Grace’s forehead creased. Why couldn’t he be nice for one second? He was acting more humanly with her just yesterday.

“Yes, sir.” Grace nodded and set the bag on the edge of his desk.

She then left his office in defiance, angry at herself for not saying something nasty. But she had to remember she was just a mere secretary, and she could lose this job if she let her emotions get in the way.

When she went back to her desk, a woman with wavy burgundy hair walked up to her.

“Can we have a word?” She quietly asked, and Grace immediately nodded. She knew the woman was her colleague. One of the fifteen she wasn’t talking to, except for Lewis.

They walked together to the bathroom, and the woman made sure no one was there beside them.

“I know you’re new here, but keep your hands off him if you don’t want any trouble with me.” She seethed, and Grace’s eyes widened.

“Believe me, I have no such intentions. I’m his secretary, so I don’t want to lose my position—”

“What? I’m not talking about Mr. Russell, silly.” She laughed. “Lewis. I was talking about him.” She added and got serious again.

“Oh, we’re just friends. That’s all. I promise.” Grace pointed her pinky for a promise.

The woman narrowed her eyes at her and wrapped her pinky around hers. “I’m Sofia, by the way.” She said.

“I’m Grace. We haven’t had a chance to talk yet. It seems I’m not making a good impression.” Grace nervously laughed, but inside, she was hurt. Did she seem like someone who wanted every man near her?

Sofia softly smiled at her, and her dimples showed. “No, it’s my fault. I always make an assumption and freak out. Lewis has no idea I have feelings for him. It’s been three years, and I still can’t find the courage. So, when I saw him talking to you all the time, I got jealous. I’m such a bitch.” She scoffed.

“I understand you. You don’t have to feel bad. I’m sure one day you will confess to him, and if you want, I can offer you my help, even though I’m not good with relationships.” She chuckled, and Grace laughed.

“I’ll think about it, Coach.” She teased, and together they walked out of the bathroom and back to their desk.

As soon as Grace took a seat, the phone rang from Elijah’s office. She picked it up swiftly. “Prepare two cups of coffee.” And just like that, he hung up on her.

Grace immediately went to the cafeteria and made two cups of coffee. On her way back to his office, she noticed he wasn’t alone—through the glass, she spotted a woman inside.

The woman had straight honey-blond hair and a beautiful face without any flaws. She was like a goddess, outshining every woman in this building.

Pausing at the door, she took a steadying breath, then knocked.

Grace tightened the grip around the tray so it wouldn’t fall. The woman stood beside Elijah, who was sitting behind his desk, her hand resting casually on his shoulder. For some strange reason, it angered Grace.

She walked inside, and lowered herself to the coffee glass table, gently placing the two cups of coffee on top of it. Suddenly, she sensed the woman’s eyes on her, so she turned around.

“You must be Elijah’s new secretary.” The woman spoke, and her voice was like velvet.

“Yes, Miss,” Grace answered.

Elijah got up and walked to the coffee table to sit down. So did the woman.

“I hope you will stay longer than the previous one.” The woman said with a fake smile on her face.

“Layla,” Elijah said her name in a lower tone.

“It’s only the truth. Maybe I should fill up that position, and there would be no need for constant interviewing.” She laughed.

Grace’s fingernails dug inside the tray. She still managed to keep a smile on her face, even though she had no clue how. She couldn’t let her defeat her.

“I’m sure Mr. Russell is quite happy with my work, Miss. So, there’s no need for you to fill that spot. Now, if you excuse me.” Grace sternly said, and walked out of his office, leaving the woman speechless.

She didn’t care how rude she sounded or who the woman was. No one will make a jest of her.

For the rest of her work hours, Grace focused on her work and didn’t think about Elijah for one second. The woman was with him for quite some time, and after she left his office, she didn’t even glance at Grace. Not as if she cared for her acknowledgment.

When it was five o’clock, Grace turned off the computer and slowly packed her belongings. She hurried out of the building to not talk to Elijah. Just as she walked through the front door, someone grabbed her by her shoulder.

“I called after you,” Liam said.

“Oh, I apologize. I didn’t hear you.” Grace was surprised to see him instead of Elijah. But she was glad for that.

A cold breeze blew past her, and she realized how badly she underestimated today’s weather. It was colder than it seemed.

Grace hugged herself and looked through the parking spots in the hope of finding Alec.

Suddenly, Liam took off his coat and hung it on Grace’s shoulders. She glanced into his eyes.

“It’s okay, Mr. Blackwood. My brother should be here soon enough.” Grace tried to take off his coat, but his strong hands stopped her from doing so.

“Keep it on. I insist.” He softly said and placed his hand behind her back, closing the distance between them.

Grace was too stunned to speak. She didn’t know what to do. Call her brother or keep staring at Liam?

“Do you have any plans now? Would you join me for dinner?” Liam asked, and Grace couldn’t believe her ears.

Then the front door opened, and Elijah walked through them. Grace panicked and said what she didn’t intend to. “Yes! Let’s go right now.” She grabbed his arms and pulled him away.

Liam chuckled as he pulled open the car door for her, revealing a waiting driver inside. Grace might have assumed Elijah hadn’t noticed, but she was mistaken. Elijah saw her perfectly well, and he was sure he would find out what was going on between her and Liam.

⸻⸻

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8│𝐋𝐮𝐬𝐭

The car ride was anything but comfortable. Since Liam wasn’t driving, his presence right next to Grace was making her nervous. From time to time, he glanced at her and asked her if she wasn’t cold. The drive was quite quick, and when the car stopped before a very luxurious restaurant, Grace was in awe. She had never eaten at such a restaurant before.

Liam got out of the car first and buttoned his suit. He made his way to Grace’s side to open the door for her. Grace gave him a small smile and exited the car. Together they walked inside the restaurant, and it was almost full. There were many people who were above her, from better classes. For a split second, she wanted to run out of the restaurant as she couldn’t handle the pressure. But Liam’s hand was attached to her back, and he led the way to an empty table far in the back of the room.

He pulled the chair for her as a gentleman and then sat across from her. Grace couldn’t stop observing the restaurant. Everywhere she looked, there was gold. The carpet was red, and the tables were made out of a very expensive wood. In the middle of the table was lit a small candle, and it made Grace a bit more relaxed. Watching its little flame.

Liam ordered the food for them, and as they were waiting for it, he spoke first. “I apologize if I was too hasty. I’m not usually like this.” He laughed.

“It’s completely okay, Mr. Blackwood. I’m grateful for your invitation,” Grace replied with a smile.

“I think it’s time for you to call me by my name. We are not strangers, or?” His eyebrow rose.

Grace gulped and nodded. “Yes, sir—I mean, Liam.”

Meanwhile, the waitress came with a delicious-looking meal, and Grace’s attention shifted to it. She heard Liam chuckle, and blood rushed to her cheeks. She was a lot hungrier than she thought.

“Grace, tell me something about yourself. How do you like to spend a day in your free time?” Liam asked and took a bite of his food.

Grace swallowed the food and set the fork and knife against the plate. “Uhm, I usually relax. Reading, watching movies, or taking a walk. Being far away from people, so usually in my house.” Grace laughed nervously. “W-What about you?”

“Hmm, I don’t have free time. My life is my work. I care about the firm and its performance. But when I do get free time, I usually sleep.” Liam replied and dived right back into his meal.

“It must be tiring to work all the time without getting any break,” Grace noted and frowned. If she wasn’t able to get any break, she would rather work somewhere else. Her health is far more important than money.

“Let’s change the subject. Now we’re not at work. We can both relax.” Liam said, and Grace nodded. “Can I ask you something?” He added.

“Of course.” She answered.

He leaned forward, just above the candle flame. His blue eyes were piercing into Grace’s. “Do you have someone?”

She almost choked on her food. She coughed, drinking quickly the water. “I-I don’t.” She finally said.

“Are you interested in someone?” He asked.

Grace’s eyes were shifting from side to side. It was weird to hold eye contact with him and answer such a personal question. “I’m solely focused on my career right now. But if the right man comes my way, I’d be interested in him.” She replied honestly.

Liam reached for Grace’s hand and intertwined their fingers. Her eyebrows rose to her hairline, and her heart skipped a beat. Why was Liam touching her without her permission? They didn’t know each other that well, and he was her boss. The CEO. Grace couldn’t afford someone seeing that. She abruptly sprang to her feet, and Liam did as well. He didn’t let go of her hand, and Grace was starting to get angry.

“Where are you going with this, Liam? I thought this was a friendly dinner.” Grace finally spoke.

“Grace, you’re a pretty smart girl or are you not? The purpose of this dinner was something else. And you know well enough why I asked you such questions.” Liam whispered, staring at her.

Grace looked around, and some people were looking at them. She swallowed the lump in her throat and shifted her attention back to Liam. “Please, let go of my hand. It’s making me uncomfortable,” she said quietly.

Liam tightened his grip, and it slightly hurt. Grace shot him a sharp look, to see him with a smirk on his face. She was afraid that if she said something disrespectful, Liam would immediately fire her, and she’d have to look for another job.

“Mr. Blackwood, I’m not good enough for you. Please, let me leave and pretend we never had this dinner.” She suggested with a fake smile on her face.

Liam laughed loudly, not caring that people were staring at him. “You think I’d give up on you, just because you said please? You don’t know me well enough, Grace.” He grabbed her fiercely, yanking her closer across the table towards him, nearly causing the drinks and plates to clatter to the floor.

Now all the staff was looking at them, wondering what was going on. Grace’s hand hurt from how harshly he held her, and she was embarrassed and uncomfortable in his presence. Even more than with Elijah. Why has she agreed to have dinner with him? She could’ve said no and gone home, and this would not have happened.

“Let go of her, Liam.”

She snapped her head, seeing Elijah by their table, glaring at Liam. Grace felt relieved that he had come. He was her savior. At that moment, she didn’t care what happened over the weekend or at his office. She just wanted to get out of the restaurant.

“Why should I?” Liam questioned with a wave of anger in his tone.

Elijah suddenly snatched his forearm and untied their hands. Grace pulled her hand to her chest, letting out a sigh. They both stared at each other like predators. Fury burning in their eyes.

Elijah grabbed Grace around her shoulder and pulled her to his chest. It all happened too fast for her to react in any sort of way. When she sensed Elijah’s warmth, it calmed her down. She felt safe in his arms, far away from any danger.

Without any further words, Elijah walked away from Liam with Grace. They stormed out of the restaurant without looking back. Liam just stared at them, speechless. Grace wasn’t sure what she should say. He did just save her from Liam, though.

When they were finally outside, near Elijah’s car, she spoke, “Thank you.”

Elijah opened the car door for her. “Get in.” He said harshly, and Grace looked at him with annoyance.

“Please, just get inside, and we will talk Grace,” Elijah added in defiance, rubbing his temples.

Grace let out a sigh and got inside the passenger seat. He made his way quickly to the driver’s side and started the car, abruptly pressing the gas pedal and speeding away. His knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel, the tension visible in his grasp. He was driving recklessly fast, far surpassing the safe speed limit.

“W-Where are we going?” Grace asked.

“To my house. Where else?” He snapped.

Grace took a deep breath and sighed. “Okay.”

.

For the whole car ride, they were silent. Once they arrived in front of his house, Grace got out of the car immediately, waiting for him in front of the entrance door. Elijah strolled towards the door and unlocked it.

Without any warning, he pushed her through the doorstep, and Grace stumbled backward. Elijah swung the door shut and was immediately by Grace. He closed the space between them and backed her to the wall.

Grace’s back hit the hard wall, and she gasped. Elijah towered over her. He pierced his emerald eyes into hers, breathing heavily, and rapidly. She had nowhere to hide, and nowhere to run. His arms slowly rose beside her body, barricading her.

Elijah’s eyes narrowed, and suddenly he drew closer. Just inches from Grace’s nose. She took a sharp breath, her heart skipping multiple beats. He was so intimidating and so irresistible.

His gaze dropped to her lips, and Grace swallowed hard. Her lips slightly parted, and Elijah could hear her constant exhales. She had no clue what to do. But she knew this connection was stronger than anything else she had ever felt.

“Touch me.” He groaned.

Grace took a sharp breath, and her hand moved to his waist. She gently gripped it, and Elijah let out a soft moan. She instantly felt the ache between her legs; she had to squeeze her thighs. 

The only thing you could hear, except for silence, was their loud rapid breaths.

Grace, without thinking, sneaked her hand under Elijah’s shirt and touched his bare hot skin. He immediately trembled at her touch. He moved even closer to her so that his whole body was attached to hers. She couldn’t ignore that something hard was against her thigh, but she didn’t have to look at what it was.

Blood rushed to her cheeks, and sweat formed on her forehead. Elijah was out of control. It was almost as if he was under a spell .

He buried his face into the crook of her neck for several seconds, breathing her scent.

When their eyes met again, his emerald eyes looked vulnerable. She never saw them like this. So lustful and yearning.

He moved his face closer to hers, and Grace’s lips parted again. Elijah looked at them and drew his lips closer. Their lips slightly touched for a split second, and Elijah gulped. Grace shifted her head to the side to avoid him, but his hand attached to her cheek and brought her gaze back to him.

Their heavy breaths only intensified their lustful state. Grace secretly wanted him to touch her, to kiss her. She wondered how he would taste, and how he would feel above her.

She moved her hand to his bun and released his hair from the hair tie. His beautiful long brown hair framed his face, and Grace loved them down. He looked the most handsome in her eyes this way.

It would have been all perfect if at that moment Grace’s phone hadn’t started to ring, and it totally destroyed their mood.

Oh my god . Why now?

⸻⸻

9│𝐋𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫

Grace hurriedly looked through her pants to find her ringing phone. When she found it, it was Zoe who was calling her. She picked it up as she didn’t want to get awkward with Elijah again.

“Uhm, hey! What’s up?” Grace spoke first.

“

How are you doing, girl? I haven’t heard from you. How’s your work?“ Zoe asked.

“Oh yeah, we should hang out, Zoe. You didn’t come with us to the bar. Both of us missed you. And work is going well, don’t worry.” Grace replied and moved to the living room to be far away from Elijah, who just turned back at her.

“I know, girl. My stupid work is taking too much of my time, and I’m so happy to hear that! I told you everything would be fine.” Zoe said.

“Well, I wouldn’t use the word fine, but it’s going okay,” She replied.

“

Can’t wait to hear about your boss! I’ll text you when I have a free schedule. Bye, for now, love you.“

“Sure! Can’t wait. Love you too.” Grace said and hung up. She put her phone back into her pants and turned around. Elijah was no longer in the hallway.

Grace darted to the next room, which was the kitchen, to find Elijah pouring himself a drink. She came closer but kept a safe distance from him. After what happened between them, after how Elijah acted towards her, Grace couldn’t act the same way as if nothing happened. He was her boss, and she was just a mere secretary.

She stared at him as he quickly swallowed the harsh liquid and placed the empty glass on the kitchen counter. She couldn’t stop looking at him. How perfect he looked with his hair down. How tight his muscles were under the suit.

Panic set in Grace, and she hurried away from the kitchen to the hallway to leave. She grabbed her purse, which fell to the floor, and reached for the door handle. But the doors were locked. She tried many times to move the handle, but the door wouldn’t open.

Grace abruptly spun to yell at Elijah to unlock the door for her. However, she got smacked against his chest as he stood right behind her.

“Why did you lock the door? Are you insane?” She shouted, anger spreading through her body.

Elijah took a step closer, and his eyebrow rose. “You’ve been getting on my last nerves, Grace. Why are you getting dinner with that fucker?” His eyes widened, and Grace was startled by that.

“I don’t care that you’re my boss any more.” She started. “I can get a dinner with whoever I desire. With whoever wants me, Elijah. So what if I was with Liam? I’m a single woman. I can do whatever I want.” She snapped.

“Oh fuck, you’re not!” He snapped back, and she flinched. Elijah cornered her and closed the remaining distance between them. He pressed his forehead against hers and let out an exaggerated sigh. His hand rose to her waist, but quickly, he retrieved it. Instead, he gently touched her lower lip with his thumb.

He whispered under his breath. “You are not allowed to do whatever you want. I won’t let you.”

“W-Why?” Grace stuttered, staring at his rising up and down chest.

“Do you always need an answer for everything?” He wondered and chuckled.

Grace moved her head to the side to avoid their direct skin contact. “This is not a trivial matter. I do need an answer for it or unlock the door so I can leave.” She replied.

Elijah took a step back and shifted towards the door. He unlocked it and opened it fully. Grace glanced at him, seeing him with a poker face on. She couldn’t tell what was going through his head at all. He shut down every possible emotion.

She heaved a breath and rushed out of the door. She called her brother to pick her up, and about fifteen minutes later he arrived. She was far too furious to answer any of his wondering questions. Only the thought of Elijah made her want to break something.

When they finally got back home, Grace took a shower and jumped into her bed. It was night already, and she had only a couple of hours of sleep to get. She, however, chose to finish her favorite show.

After that, she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Her life was pretty simple before. She had no big drama or problem that couldn’t be solved. But now? Her boss is crazy, and the CEO has a weird interest in her. She wouldn’t want to lose this job, but is it worth dealing with such men?

Grace in no time fell asleep and had to no longer worry about that until morning came.

.

The first message of the sunny morning was from Elijah.

Elijah : One large espresso on my desk exactly at 7:00.

Grace sighed from seeing that message and tossed her phone to the side. He never asked for coffee. Even though she is his secretary. But he’s not asking for it now because of her position, but because of what happened between them yesterday.

After she got ready and had breakfast, Grace hurried to the coffee shop to get Elijah’s order. Alec had to accompany her, of course. He said she couldn’t make such a good coffee, and Grace didn’t argue. She was terrible at that.

When she finally arrived at the firm and got to Elijah’s office, he was already there, reading some documents. That was already a bad sign. He was there sooner than she was.

She knocked on the glass door and went inside. Elijah didn’t even look at her, as always.

He didn’t look in the best mood, so she decided to silently place the coffee on his desk and turned around to the door.

As she started to walk towards them, Elijah spoke up. “You’re late.”

Grace took a deep breath and looked at her wristwatch. It was only one minute after seven.

“Take the coffee away. I don’t want it anymore.” He added.

Grace’s lips turned into a thin line. She didn’t care how annoyed she looked. She was too bad at hiding her facial expression.

Swiftly, she turned on her heel toward Elijah and marched to his desk. She grabbed the coffee and took a sip of it right in front of him. Elijah raised his head, and his eyes narrowed at Grace. She turned around and left his office.

She had enough of his games. He acted like a hurt child, and Grace wouldn’t play his manipulative game.

.

When lunch came, her phone buzzed.

Elijah: Bring me lunch into my office.

Grace sighed and jumped out of her seat. Everyone looked at her in unison, but she couldn’t give a single fuck. She was too busy murdering Elijah in her head. How dare he make a maid out of her?

She stormed to the lunchroom, and before she could head towards the food, Sofia blocked her way.

“It looks like someone lit a fire up your ass. Where are you rushing?” She asked Grace.

Grace took a deep breath before she answered. “I have to hurry to bring lunch to that dickhea—I mean, Mr. Russell.”

Sofia burst out laughing, hitting Grace on her shoulder. She just stood still, wide-eyed, staring at her. Some people who were passing by were totally unfazed by it. They were probably used to seeing her like this.

“You don’t have to hide your true feelings about your boss with me, Grace. I hate him as well.” She whispered and chuckled.

“You have no idea how happy that made me. I sometimes can’t stand that fucker! He’s angry with me now and thinks I’m his puppet!” Grace complained.

Sofia wrapped her arm around Grace’s shoulder. “What can we do? We are just their peasants.” Both of them laughed and went on a lunch.

Grace hurried and didn’t even finish her meal so she would satisfy Elijah this time. As she was getting up from the chair, Liam appeared. Grace rather waited for Sofia to finish her food so they’d go together back. She had no mood to deal with both of them today.

Grace knocked on the door before walking into Elijah’s office. This time, he was on his computer. He was unusually focused on the screen. His eyes were squeezed, and his chin was resting on top of his firm fist.

She set the tray of food on his desk and turned around to leave when Elijah stopped her in her steps. “Feed me.”

Grace’s eye twitched at his command, but she couldn’t protest. Instead, she chose to do this in her own way. She turned the blinds off and shifted the tray of food in front of Elijah. He was merely staring at her, figuring out what her next step was.

She walked around the desk to get to him. For a moment, she reconsidered her second step, but why would she be afraid of messing with him when he began this?

Grace, without asking, sat down on Elijah’s legs, and Elijah was left speechless. While she took the plate of food into her hand and brought its contents in front of his mouth, Elijah was in a different universe.

Grace’s hand trembled slightly. The adrenaline slowly subsided, and a panic settled in. As she was looking at Elijah’s face and saw his startled reaction, only then she realized what she had done.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and took a deep breath. “If you go low, I go lower, Mr. Russell.” She quietly stated.

Elijah’s jaw clenched, and his hand gripped Grace’s wrist. Her heart skipped a beat. Was he going to punish her for this?

He peered into her eyes as he drew closer to take a bite of the food in her hand. He chewed it and quickly swallowed it. “You have a lot of improvements to make to be on the same level as me, Ms. Ellington.” He said, his voice husky.

⸻⸻

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10│𝐒𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫

It was the weekend, and Grace had the whole weekend off. Alec left her house to spend time with his friends, so she had the whole house for herself. She baked a lemon cake, read some chapters of her new book, and waited for Zoe and Cara to come by to have a sleepover. Grace couldn’t remember the last time they had one, and she badly needed it.

After what happened with Elijah, it was hard for her to sleep or function without constantly replaying the confusing moments.

In the meantime, while she was waiting for them, she cleaned the whole house and rearranged her closet which looked like it was bombed. Grace threw away half of the clothes with the intention of buying new ones. She hated shopping in huge stores; she preferred to order everything online. And because her company is on another level, she had to be dressed accordingly.

It was six o’clock when the doorbell rang, and Grace hurried to open the door. She was ready to welcome her best friends, but instead, she found her brother Alec wasted, held by his friends.

“What happened?” Grace asked from between the partially closed door because she had a Hello Kitty pajama on.

“We told him to stop drinking, but he wouldn’t listen. He only repeated the name “Cara” over and over again.“ One of the guys replied.

“What?” She squeaked and facepalmed her forehead.

The guys carried Alec to the living room and dropped him on the couch. All of them had to take multiple breaths before they left. She supposed he was too heavy to carry. She offered them water, but they refused politely. All of them looked at her a bit funny, and she felt her cheeks redden. She’s too old to wear a Hello Kitty.

She thanked them and shut the door with a heavy sigh. This was supposed to be a great night, but now she had to take care of Alec. And the worst part is that something happened between him and Cara, and she fears the worst. What if he acted badly towards her?

Grace hurried to the kitchen to bring Alec a glass of water. As she was getting back, the doorbell rang again. She placed the water on the table and rushed to the door. Zoe and Cara stood there with a smile on their faces dressed in funny-looking pajamas.

“Hey! Sorry we’re a bit late, but someone had to take a piss,” Cara said and turned her face to Zoe.

“Ups,” Zoe said and laughed.

“It’s okay. I had a situation as well.” Grace mumbled and beckoned them to the living room. When they saw Alec wasted on the couch, their eyes widened, especially Cara’s.

“You can unpack your stuff in my room while I take care of this mess, okay?” Grace added.

Zoe nodded, and Cara stayed frozen for a few seconds, just staring at Alec. Zoe then noticed she wasn’t following her, so she came back and dragged her away. Grace knew she had to find out what happened between them tonight. Alec wouldn’t tell her anything, but Cara? She is easy to break.

Grace whirled to Alec and crouched down. She studied his face for some moments before she grabbed the glass of water and splashed it on his face. Alec opened his eyes immediately, and Grace laughed into his face.

“You ruined my sleepover.” She said.

“Is Cara here?” He mumbled.

Grace frowned and stood up. “Why do you ask about her? What did you do to her?” She asked.

Alec ran his fingers through his short black hair and took a deep breath. “Sis, do you know how much I have drunk tonight? I’m in no position to answer any of your questions.”

Grace rolled her eyes and grabbed him by his arms. “Get up. I’ll help you get back to your room.”

Alec slowly rose to his feet with Grace’s strength, and when he noticed her pajamas, he started to cackle. “What the fuck are you wearing? Are you sure you’re twenty-four?” He questioned.

Grace’s lips turned into a straight line. “And are you sure you’re not an alcoholic, brother?” A grin carved into her face, and Alec huffed.

When Grace was about to reach the staircase, her bedroom door opened with Cara standing in it. “Do you need help? I’m sure he’s heavy.” She laughed.

Grace was hesitant for a second, but then an idea was born in her mind. “Yeah, sure. He’s like a cow.” She rolled her eyes.

When she glanced at Alec, he suddenly looked nervous and flushed. She had never seen him like this before. He didn’t even say anything back when she called him a cow.

Cara hurried to them and wrapped her arm under Alec’s. His head tilted away from hers, and Grace couldn’t believe her eyes. Did Alec like Cara?

Together they walked him to his room and placed him on the bed. Grace glanced between them. Cara was looking around, and Alec’s head hung low.

“Do you need help with changing?” Grace teased.

Alec snapped his head upward and immediately looked at Cara, who was already staring at him. “No! Now go away.” He yelled, and his back slammed on the bed.

“Alright. If you needed something, call me.” Grace added and walked out of his room with Cara. Then they moved back into her bedroom, where Zoe was unpacking her stuff. No matter what Zoe wore, she always looked perfect. Her dark complexion and curly hair couldn’t be compared. She looked like a goddess. Even in unicorn pajamas.

“How’s your brother?” She asked Grace.

Grace took a seat on her bed, and Cara remained unseated. “Better. He drank too much tonight, and of course, I’m the one who needs to take care of him.” She sighed. “It’s sometimes frustrating, even though I love him.”

“I understand. My sister is the same.” Zoe laughed. “But didn’t he have a girlfriend?” She asked, and Cara suddenly came closer to them. Grace acted suspiciously.

“Yeah, he did. But I assume they’re no longer together. I hated her and told Alec to let her go. She was hurting him way too much.” Grace said.

Grace looked at Cara, and her mind seemed to be in a different place. She must be really interested in Alec’s affair.

“The last time we went drinking, we missed your company,” Grace said to Zoe in a sad tone.

“I’m so sorry, girls. But my work is killing me. I barely have the time to eat.” Zoe softly said, sadness overtaking her features.

Cara cleared her throat and took a seat next to her. “It was a messy night anyway.” She laughed.

Zoe glanced at me and then back at Cara. “Why? What happened? Something exciting?” She teased.

Grace roamed her fingers through her hair. “Well, I got drunk and ended up in my boss’s house.” She admitted it.

Zoe gasped, cupping her mouth. “No fucking way!” She gently punched Grace in her shoulder. “Did you sleep with him?” She wondered with excitement.

Grace’s eyes widened. “What?! Of course not. He’s still my boss, and he kind of hates me.”

“I don’t think that’s true, Grace. He took care of you the whole night we were there.” Cara chimed in.

Grace stayed silent and let out a sigh.

“Why weren’t you together? You were somewhere else, Cara?” Zoe questioned, and Grace’s corner of mouth quirked up.

Cara suddenly looked like a tomato, and she avoided their urging eye contact.

“Well, according to Elijah, she and Alec were together,” Grace revealed, and both of them shot her a sharp look.

“Y-You knew?” Cara asked, shocked.

Grace nodded and folded her arms under her chest. “Yes, and I was waiting for you to tell me. Or are we not friends?” Her brow raised.

“Of course we are! You know I’d never lie to you.” Cara said. “But he’s your brother.” She whispered.

Zoe didn’t intervene. She was only listening since she wasn’t at the club and had no clue what happened.

“So what if he’s my brother? It’s not like I care who’s having a relationship with him.” Grace snapped.

And she immediately regretted it.

This was supposed to be a relaxing night. But instead, it turned into chaos. She truly wanted to know what happened between them. Either Alec or Cara has been acting strange since that night.

“Listen, I’m sorry, Grace. I don’t want to hide things from you, but I’m ashamed. You’re my best friend, and I don’t want to ruin our friendship.” Cara softly said, her eyes full of worry.

Grace took a deep breath and moved towards her. She wrapped her arms around her and squeezed her tightly.

“Nothing can ruin our friendship. No man ever. Not even my brother.” Grace stated.

Zoe joined their hug and patted their arms. “I’ve missed one night with you two, and so much has happened.” She laughed, and they joined her too.

They drew away from their group hug. “Does that mean you two will be together?” Grace wondered.

Cara flushed and looked away. “I don’t know. We only spent one night together, but I do like him.” She admitted it.

It was weird for Grace to hear Cara talk about her brother in such a way, but she didn’t judge her. Her brother wasn’t a bad guy, and she’d support their relationship. If both of them are happy, she will be content. But she doesn’t want to be put in an awkward situation, so she told Cara to sort their matter just between them. It felt right this way.

The night continued, and Grace revealed everything that happened between her and Elijah. She didn’t leave any details. If only she knew how much more complicated their relationship would get.

⸻⸻

11│𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐞

Work again , Grace thought as she stared at the building she was working at. Today, she had to commute by cab since Alec had been a complete mess since the weekend. Once again she was late, and she knew Elijah would be mad at her.

She took a deep breath and opened the car door. After she thanked the driver, she shut the door and confidently walked inside the building. As for today’s clothes, she decided to wear black slacks with a brown shirt and a black blazer on top of it.

She got inside the elevator, and just as the door was closing, Liam rushed to them. Grace frantically pressed the button to close the door, over and over, but Liam was quicker. He slipped in just before it shut, and Grace moved further away from him. She still remembered how firmly he held her hand. He was like a completely different person. He only wore the mask of a nice person. Inside, he was rotten like all men.

“Good morning.” He spoke first.

Grace didn’t even pay him a glance. “Good morning.” She replied and looked intently at the floor number, wishing she was already in her office.

The silence was unbearable and awkward. She badly wanted to break it, but she didn’t want to have a chat with him. He wasn’t worth her time, not after how he acted towards her. No man should ever touch a woman like that. Just because he is the CEO doesn’t mean he can harm any woman he wants. He can’t own her like his stupid building.

As the number eleven lit up on the panel, Grace stepped forward, bracing herself for the elevator door to open. Liam, though, did the same. She felt his wicked presence and prayed for the door to swiftly open. And when they did, she hurried out of the elevator, and Liam followed her in her steps.

She walked into the office, and her heart skipped a beat. Nobody was inside. Not even Elijah.

She set her things on her desk and abruptly turned to Liam. He merely stared at her, and then his eyes dropped down her body. Grace had the urge to cover herself.

“How can I help you, Mr. Blackwood?” She asked, her fingers curling into a fist.

He softly chuckled. “I thought we dropped down the formalities, Grace.”

She put on a fake smile and said, “Well, this is a workplace. It feels improper.”

Please, someone save me. She looked behind Liam’s shoulder, hoping to see someone coming to save her.

Liam took a step closer, and a knot formed in Grace’s stomach. “We don’t have to follow the rules.” He whispered and stretched his hand to her shoulder. Grace flinched, and he noticed it.

Nevertheless, he touched her shoulder and gently caressed it. “You look very beautiful today, Grace.” He softly said.

“Stop touching me you-”

Liam’s hand shifted under her jawline as he held her neck. Grace’s heart rate was concerning. Soon, she was expecting a heart attack, or something else worse than that, if Liam didn’t draw away from her.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps, and when she raised her gaze, Elijah’s green eyes found hers. Her body felt relieved, and her muscles were no longer tense.

Liam noticed where Grace was looking, and he immediately stepped away from her. He turned to Elijah. “Oh, good morning. I was looking for you.”

Elijah, though, was only staring at Grace, noticing how uncomfortable she looked.

“I’m sorry I kept you waiting; I had to take care of something,” Elijah said and beckoned Liam into his office. Liam walked in first, not looking at Grace, acting as if nothing happened.

Elijah glanced at her as he walked past her, and when he shut the door to his office, she could release her breath. Why is Liam acting towards her this way? He couldn’t possibly like her, since he doesn’t know her at all. Even though he is a very handsome man, she has no romantic feelings for him.

After several minutes had passed, Liam finally left his office in a rush. Grace was glad he didn’t even look at her.

She was solely focused on her work. But then the door opened again, and Elijah cleared his throat. “Come to my office and take a laptop with you.”

She nodded and hurried into his office. Nobody was there except for Grace, and she had no clue why. Did he give them some sort of vacation? Was she being punished for her bold move of feeding him?

Elijah sat on the leather couch, numerous papers stacked in front of him on the coffee table. Grace took a seat next to him, placing the laptop on her lap.

She patiently waited for his commands, but his gaze was buried inside the papers.

Grace clutched the sides of the laptop frame, looking outside the glass door for any signs of her colleagues, but in vain.

“Looking for someone?” He suddenly asked.

Grace looked away, focusing on the laptop screen. “No, I just thought I saw something.”

Elijah placed the paper he was reading down on the table and turned to Grace. He rested his arm on the edge of the couch, crossing his leg.

“Your attention should be only on me, Ms. Ellington.” He said.

Grace’s heartbeat froze. She couldn’t believe her ears. How could he be so cheeky?

She moved her legs to the side, facing Elijah in all his glory. Today, he let his hair down, and she could barely focus.

He must do this on purpose .

His gaze lingered on her lips for a second, before he looked away.

“Clear my schedule for the rest of the week, and buy a ticket for New York,” Elijah announced.

“Yes, sir,” Grace said, quickly clearing Elijah’s schedule and starting to book the ticket. “I’ll also find you the best hotel,” she added.

Elijah frowned and softly chuckled. “I hope you’re not buying only one ticket, Ms. Ellington.”

Confused, Grace gawked at him. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t know you weren’t traveling alone.”

Elijah sighed and leaned closer to her. “Of course not. How could I leave for a work trip without my secretary?” He said in an obvious tone and raised his eyebrow.

Her eyes widened. “Oh.” That was all she could utter.

How could I be so stupid? Of course, I’m traveling with him.

Grace cleared her throat and shifted her eyes to the laptop screen, buying one more ticket in addition. She sensed Elijah’s intense gaze, but she chose to ignore it and focus on her work. She had a lot to do.

He again picked up several papers from the stack. “After you’re done, you will help me with these papers. We may stay here a bit longer.” He annouced.

“Of course.” She replied, not looking at him.

As she was typing on the keys, the nosy part of her needed to know where everyone was. “Did something happen? Why is no one here?” She wondered.

Elijah smiled, still staring at the papers. “They have a day off.”

YOU FUCKING DICK-

“You will have your day off after the trip. Don’t worry.” He added with a smirk.

Grace softly chuckled. “How generous of you.” She mumbled.

“You said something?” Elijah asked.

She cleared her throat. “No, nothing.” Grace murmured, and smiled.

.

It was almost seven o’clock, and except for the lunch, Grace didn’t put anything else into her stomach. She badly needed pizza or fries to satisfy her hunger.

Elijah was on his computer, behind his desk, for a few hours now. Not paying much attention to Grace.

She, though, read every single page and marked what Elijah told her to. Her eyes were exhausted, and she badly needed a break.

She placed the paper down and stretched her arms into the air. Moved her neck in a circular motion to release the tension out of her body.

Elijah was staring at her the whole time. Observing her from afar.

He studied the way she stretched her limbs, the tension leaving her body. His gaze never wavered, his attention fully consumed by her every movement.

She felt his intense gaze and immediately went back to reading the paper. Elijah suddenly got up from the chair and strolled to the couch.

He sat down, dangerously close to her, and her heart started to pound.

Two knocks on the door startled her. It was a delivery guy. Elijah beckoned him to enter.

“Thank you.” He said to the guy, and he placed two boxes of pizza on the table.

“No problem. Enjoy the rest of the night.” The guy said and left.

The aroma lingered in the air, and Grace felt saliva forming in her mouth.

Elijah started. “You must be hungry-”

Grace slapped his thigh and opened the first box. It was an olive pizza, one of her favorites. Her eyes turned into beating hearts.

“Thank you so much. You won’t mind if I take the first bite, right?” She said, her eyes only focused on the delicious-looking pizza.

Elijah looked down at his thigh. Grace’s hand was still on top of it, and he had to use every bit of self-control not to get turned on.

Grace quickly grabbed one slice of it and took a big bite. Her hand squeezed Elijah’s thigh; however, she totally forgot whose thigh she was holding from the excitement and hunger. So, it really wasn’t her fault.

Elijah had to place his hand over his crotch to hide his swelling.

“G-Grace, you’re still holding me.” He murmured, and Grace, in the middle of chewing, stopped and swiftly removed her hand.

Of course, she immediately noticed how Elijah was hiding his - “problem”. Blood rushed to her cheeks, and she almost choked on the food. Elijah quickly got up from the couch and took the seat behind his desk again.

How the hell will I survive a work trip with him?

⸻⸻

12│𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞

Grace woke up at four in the morning to get ready for their flight. Elijah said he’d pick her up around six, and she was glad she didn’t have to beg Alec to drive her to the airport. He was still grumpy since he got drunk.

She decided on a casual outfit. Leggings and an oversized hoodie that she stole from her brother’s closet.

She didn’t pack too much. Only clothes and most importantly makeup. Her laptop and documents. Elijah didn’t specify how long this trip would last, and Grace was too caught up in her head to ask him about that.

Especially after what happened that night, when she placed her hand on his thigh.

Grace slapped her forehead just thinking about it.

An hour later, her doorbell rang, and to her surprise, it was Elijah. He came much earlier than she anticipated.

“Oh, good morning.” She said, shocked. Elijah was dressed in a dark blue suit with a burgundy red tie. His hair was slicked back to a bun, and she immediately regretted her choice of outfit. Although comfortability is in the first place for her.

“Can I come in?” He asked, staring into her eyes.

“Y-Yes, of course.” She opened the door fully, and Elijah walked in. She showed him the way to the living room, and he sat down on the couch. It was weird for her to see him in her house.

“We have some time to spare.” He stated.

Grace just stood there, not understanding what she should do next. She smiled and nodded. Then she moved to the kitchen, ready to prepare a drink for him.

“Coffee or tea?” She asked louder.

When Elijah didn’t answer, she looked up to find him looking through the pictures that were placed above the fireplace.

Even from far away, he looked incredibly good. Grace wouldn’t mind seeing that every time she woke up.

“Coffee, thanks.” He said.

Grace froze for a moment. He never thanked her before. Every time she brought him coffee, tea, or something else, he didn’t bother to say thank you.

Somehow, she went back to making coffee for both of them. Elijah settled down on the couch again, and Grace carefully placed the coffee down on the table.

Awkwardly, she sat down next to him, keeping a large distance.

Elijah took a sip of his coffee and glanced at Grace. “I don’t bite.” He said.

Blood rushed to her cheeks. “Of course not.” She mumbled.

Elijah carefully drew closer, trying not to spill the coffee. “You don’t like having me here, Ms. Ellington?” He asked in a low tone.

Goosebumps appeared all over Grace’s body. “I just wasn’t expecting you so early.” She quickly answered, avoiding his intense gaze.

Elijah remained silent for a couple of seconds and then drew away. He took another sip of the coffee and sighed.

“We will leave in ten minutes. Are your belongings packed?” He wondered.

“Yes, I’ll just go change into something else—”

“There’s no need for that.” He cut her off. “I like what you’re wearing.”

Grace’s heart pounded in her chest as Elijah’s eyes roamed over her body, taking in every detail. She could feel her body reacting to his gaze, goosebumps forming on her skin. She tried to act normal, but the electricity in the air was noticeable.

After a couple of seconds, his eyes finally left her body. A wave of relief washed over her.

“I’ll wait outside,” he suddenly said, abruptly getting up from the couch and rushing through the front door.

.

When Grace walked toward Elijah’s car, his trunk was already open, and he was standing beside it, staring into his phone. As Elijah felt her presence, he stopped paying attention to his phone screen and instead loaded her stuff inside the trunk. After that, Grace moved to the passenger door to open it, but Elijah was quicker than her. He opened the door for her, and Grace didn’t hesitate to get in.

The car ride to the airport was surprisingly pleasant. Elijah played some really good music, and Grace was distracted enough to forget about her embarrassing moments with him. Like, even now, she didn’t look like his secretary. Who would dress like that for a work trip? Next to him, she looked like a teenage girl on a vacation that her rich father was paying for. Except, Grace is no longer a teenage girl, and she no longer has a father in her life.

Passing through security passed smoothly; it only became complicated again when she found out she had accidentally booked the seats next to each other. She was sure she didn’t because she wanted to avoid this situation, knowing how uncomfortable it could be to spend hours on end sitting beside someone who caused her such mixed feelings. But what was done was done, and there was no going back now.

They sat down, and Grace immediately ordered an alcoholic drink. After that, she checked Elijah’s whole schedule to be sure everything was arranged correctly. From time to time, she felt his eyes on her or her laptop screen, but she pretended she didn’t. Elijah watched some horror movie, and when Grace’s eyes slid to the screen, she must have immediately shut her eyes at the gruesome scenes.

But the more she looked, the less she worked, and her laptop screen was already turned off. Her eyes couldn’t leave Elijah’s horrendous movie choice. When he noticed it, he slightly smirked and stopped the movie.

“Want to join me?” He asked, offering her one   of the earbuds.

“I mean, why not.” She instantly plugged it into her ear and watched the movie with him.

As the minutes passed, she felt her body tensing up, her heart racing in anticipation of what was to come. But as soon as the first jump scare happened, she jumped in her seat, a small yelp escaping her lips and her nails digging into Elijah’s arm.

“Are you okay?” Elijah asked, looking over at her with a hint of amusement in his gaze.

Grace flushed in embarrassment, feeling a bit foolish for not being able to handle a mere movie. “Yes, I’m fine,” she replied, trying to laugh it off. “It’s just, I’m not usually good with horror movies.”

Elijah chuckled softly, a small smile playing on his lips. “I can tell.”

Grace’s cheeks burned, but she couldn’t look away from Elijah’s gaze. She felt exposed as if he could see right through her. The air between them felt thick with something she couldn’t quite identify, something unspoken that seemed beyond her grasp.

“You’re enjoying seeing me scared, aren’t you?” she finally managed to say. Her voice was quiet, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth despite her best efforts to sound annoyed.

“Maybe,” Elijah replied with a smirk and continued watching the movie.

Grace didn’t remove her hand from Elijah’s arm because she knew she would get scared again. Elijah was aware of it too well. Every time there was a jumpscare, Grace squeezed his bicep, and he was no longer focused on the screen but solely on her.

On the other hand, Grace dived too deep into the story to pay attention to his gaze.

This continued for the next two hours, and then both of them fell asleep with Grace’s head resting on Elijah’s shoulder.

When they landed, the flight attendant had to wake them up. Grace flinched when she realized who she was sleeping against. She wanted to feel uncomfortable, but his shoulder was better than a damn pillow.

Cab then drove them into the five-star hotel. On their way there, no one uttered a word to one another. Grace was texting with Cara and Zoe, and Elijah read through some emails.

As they entered the hotel and walked to the receptionist, both of them were ready to lie down in their beds and get ready for the afternoon meeting.

After the receptionist handed them a single key, Grace frowned.

“Sorry, but there are supposed to be two separate rooms booked,” Grace informed her.

“I apologize; let me check it again.” The receptionist said.

Grace felt the trail of sweat running down her spine. Did she not book two rooms? She checked it at least three times. How could she make such a fatal mistake?

“I’m sorry, Ms. Ellington, but you only booked one apartment with one king-size bed.” The receptionist announced, and Grace’s eyes grew wide.

“A-Are you sure? Like one hundred percent?” Grace questioned.

“Yes, Miss. I am.” She replied with an apologetic look.

Elijah stood right beside her, so he heard everything. Grace glanced at him, and he was merely looking at his phone, slightly smirking.

Grace came closer to the receptionist and whispered, “Is there any other available room?”

She immediately looked at the computer screen, and her smile turned into a thin line. “The soonest available room is in four days. By then, we have nothing free, Ms. Ellington.”

Grace took a deep breath and exhaled. “That’s okay.” She mumbled and grabbed the key. Without paying a glance at Elijah, she marched to the elevator. His presence was though instantly felt a moment later.

This work trip was a curse.

⸻⸻

13│𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

As they entered their apartment, a thick air of awkwardness settled in. Everything looked gorgeous and luxurious, but when Grace immediately rushed to the bedroom, she almost fainted.

The king-size bed was truly huge. But that wasn’t what shocked her. It was the satin red sheets.

Elijah didn’t mind it at all. He moved to the small bar section and poured himself a drink. While Grace was on the verge of a heart attack, Elijah just sipped from his drink with ice.

“This is madness,” Grace murmured as she took a peek into the bathroom. There was no shower corner, only a bathtub, in the shape of a triangle. She walked in and studied the sink, cabinets, and marble floor.

As she turned around, ready to storm out of the apartment to talk to the receptionist again, Elijah stood at the threshold, leaning against the doorframe. His arms were folded, and the dark drink in his hand was half empty.

“Want to go shower first?” He asked, a sly smile across his lips.

Grace took a step back and swallowed hard.

Why does he have to be so fucking hot?

“I-It’s okay. I should talk to someone again about the room—”

“Why?” He cut her off, closing the distance between them.

Grace slowly backed off, and Elijah’s towering body only drew closer.

“Well, because one of us would have to sleep on the couch.” She reasoned and tilted her chin to look confident.

He laughed, his teeth showing. “And how did you come to this conclusion, Ms. Ellington?” He spoke. “Why couldn’t we share the bed?” He smirked.

Intently, he stared into her eyes, and Grace felt her legs growing weak with every passing second. She couldn’t understand what was so compelling about Elijah; she could hardly utter a word back.

“Lost for words?” He teased and strolled back to the living room.

Her cheeks heated, and a sweat dripped down her spine. She didn’t know what was worse. Sleeping on the couch or be in the same bed with her boss?

Grace whirled to the sink and took a good look at herself. She stared at her reflection, her eyes full of fury. Nothing was going according to her plan. What if no available room was free in a few days? How could she sleep next to Elijah like nothing happened between them?

Grace took a deep breath and stepped out of the bathroom, making her way quickly into the living room. Elijah sat on the couch, one arm resting casually over the armrest, his eyes fixed on the TV. She settled on the opposite end, pulling her laptop from her satchel and placing it on her lap.

Almost immediately, she sensed Elijah’s eyes on her, but as always, she acted as if she didn’t know it and solely focused on her work. The TV was loud, though, and she couldn’t focus. She urgently needed a shower to cool down, and after fifteen minutes of pretending to work, Grace tossed the laptop aside. She grabbed her suitcase and dragged it with her into the bathroom. She swore she heard Elijah laugh.

.

For the rest of the day, she was only sitting in the living room, except for when they went for lunch. The first meeting of this work trip would happen in a couple of hours since the man they were supposed to meet was flying from France to get there.

Elijah was, after lunch, solely focused on the documents he’d present to the man called Mr. Hart. It was a very important meeting, so he had to succeed.

As the time approached for the meeting, Grace picked up the most elegant beige dress she had with her and dressed up. Choosing beige high heels to match it. She styled her hair straight and applied a thin layer of makeup. Just enough to cover her dark circles. She wanted to present herself with elegance and professionalism for this encounter.

Elijah dressed in a black suit and slicked his hair into a bun. He didn’t have to do much, as he was already gorgeous. Grace couldn’t ignore his perfume when he passed by her. It smelled like leather and sandalwood. Overall, a very masculine scent.

She almost didn’t hear Elijah’s voice when he was calling her name. His perfume totally messed with her senses. It was time to leave.

Let’s get over the meeting .

.

E L I J A H ’ S  P O V

When Elijah found out he’d have to fly to New York for a business trip, the only thought that was running through his mind was that Grace had to come with him.

When she booked the plane seats and hotel rooms, he immediately checked them out. The seats on the flight were too far apart for his liking, so he called the airline to have them changed—he wanted them side by side. The hotel reservation didn’t sit well with him either. That was a whole other issue.

You can’t be that far away from me, Ms. Ellington , he thought to himself as he changed their rooms into one apartment and called the receptionist beforehand to tell her to lie when Grace Ellington came here asking for another room. She was a bit hesitant to agree, but Elijah paid her in case she tried to slip out. He didn’t want Grace to find out what he did.

What he wasn’t prepared for was that Grace would try to sleep on the couch at night. Was it so wrong of him to want her next to him? To feel her body against his? He didn’t want to hurt her. He only wanted her under him.

When Elijah saw how wary Grace became, he couldn’t stop smiling. It was great, knowing he had so much power over her. He wanted to break her into pieces only he could put back together.

But that wasn’t enough at all. He needed to feel her skin and hear her moan his name.

Elijah knew that wasn’t possible now. It was too soon to make such a move on Grace, but he was sure he had almost broken her, and not a lot was missing from the snapping.

The meeting they were headed for was in a larger office on the second floor. Grace seemed to be nervous since this was her first important meeting, but for Elijah, it was another formality.

Mr. Hart was like any other businessman. Elijah knew this type of person very well. He was aware of how cunning they could get, so he was prepared for anything.

The elevator stopped on the second floor, and the door opened slowly. Elijah let Grace go first, and she faintly smiled at him as a thank.

For a moment, he was thrown off by her gesture. Was Grace warming up to him? It seemed that since the day they ate pizza late in his office, they grew closer to each other.

Grace was, however, still shielding herself, and maybe she had a good reason. Maybe she experienced some sort of trauma with men that made her this way.

Elijah followed in her footsteps, reaching closer to the meeting room. He pointed at the door with number 013, and Grace knocked. Then she opened the door, and Mr. Hart’s eyes immediately settled on her. His eyes analyzed her from top to bottom, and Elijah’s gaze narrowed.

He walked inside, stepping in front of Grace so Mr. Hart could shift his attention to him.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Hart,” Elijah said.

Mr. Hart stood up and reached his hand to Elijah. “Good afternoon to you as well.”

Elijah shook his hand with a half nod.

“Shall we begin?” Mr. Hart asked, looking at both of them.

“Of course,” Elijah answered.

They took a seat on the chairs, and Grace settled her things on top of the table. She was very well prepared. She opened her laptop with a presentation she was finishing off on the plane.

Elijah’s eyes roamed over her. He couldn’t get enough of the determination in her eyes. The fire and professionalism glinting in them.

After the presentation was over, Mr. Hart intently stared at the screen projector. His poker face gave Elijah no information about his decision. Did he like what they showed him, or was he displeased?

“Very well,” he began as he turned to them, his arms resting on the chair. “I’m happy with what you showed me, but I need a day to think about signing the contract with you.”

“We’re glad to hear that, Mr. Hart, but I don’t see a reason why we should wait. If you’re happy with what we showed you, is there a need for a delay?” Elijah asked.

Mr. Hart laughed and crossed his arms. “I’m inviting you to drink with me tonight. Don’t try to refuse, Mr. Russell.”

As Elijah was ready to refuse the invitation for a drink, Grace grabbed his thigh and squeezed it. That, let alone, left Elijah frozen.

“Thank you so much for your invitation. We will be there.” Grace replied with a smile and a warm tone in her voice.

Elijah couldn’t care less about the drinking when Grace’s hand was on his thigh. The things that ran through his head were unspeakable. The things that Elijah wanted to do with her hand were endless.

“It’s settled then. We will meet at seven, downstairs.” Mr. Hart announced and left the room.

Elijah snapped his eyes at Grace’s hand, and his breathing quickened. Then his eyes rose to hers, and the urge to bend her against the table was unbelievable.

He couldn’t keep the beast inside a cage for eternity.

He would get free during this trip.

⸻⸻

14│𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞

It was safe to say Elijah was furious because of the agreement to go for a drink.

Since Mr. Hart left, he hasn’t said a single word to Grace. Even when she asked him about something related to work. He refused to look at her, and Grace was losing her nerves. What was so wrong with accepting a drinking invitation?

It would surely help with signing the deal.

But Grace didn’t want to bring that topic out again. She knew Elijah would scold her or be a jerk to her. Because that’s who he was. A big-ass jerk.

Since the meeting with Mr. Hart, Grace has been working nonstop. Reading over some paperwork and fixing up Elijah’s schedule.

They were supposed to leave after signing the deal, but Mr. Hart is a stubborn man. He won’t let them win so easily.

Grace changed into gray slacks, matching top and jacket, before they headed out for a drink. Elijah didn’t pay her a glance or utter a word.

His eyebrows were knitted together, his nostrils wider. He was still mad.

Even during the ride in the elevator, he kept a great distance as if Grace had an illness.

“Don’t agree to anything he will offer.” Elijah suddenly spoke when they approached the bar in the lobby.

She didn’t say a word as Mr. Hart was already sitting comfortably on the couch. The bar was more crowded than Grace expected, and beside him sat a beautiful woman very close to his age with long brown hair.

“Good evening.” Elijah greeted them and shook the woman’s hand.

“Let me introduce you. This is my wife, Isabella.” Mr. Hart said.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Hart.”

“The pleasure is mine.” She smiled and then noticed Grace behind Elijah’s broad shoulders.

Grace awkwardly laughed and stretched her hand as well. “I’m Grace. Mr. Russell’s secretary.”

“Oh! I thought you were his wife. Honey, you should’ve told me beforehand.” She chuckled.

Blood rushed to Grace’s cheeks, and it was only the beginning of the night.

After the introduction, they took a seat and ordered the drinks. Mrs. Hart was already asking questions about Elijah to Grace. She tried to in a subtle way answer all of them, but she demanded a detailed reply. Not only about work, but also about their relationship.

Elijah was talking the whole time to Mr. Hart, not seeming to pay attention to their conversation. But Grace felt his eyes throughout the night.

“Don’t worry about the deal. My husband will sign it. He always plays his games, but he wouldn’t refuse such an opportunity.” Mrs. Hart whispered, clearly under the influence of alcohol.

“You have no idea how happy I am to hear that,” Grace whispered back, her body rocking from side to side. Mrs. Hart made her drunk. She wouldn’t stop insisting on drinking.

When she checked on Elijah, he didn’t look sober either. His cheeks were flushed, and he was constantly laughing from hearing Mr. Hart’s jokes.

“Do you like Mr. Russell, Grace?” Suddenly, Mrs. Hart asked.

Grave’s eyes grew wide. “Why do you think that? He’s a total jerk if I’m honest.”

“Isn’t every man a jerk? Even my husband is, and look! I married him.”

“Are you bad-mouthing me, sweetheart?” Mr. Hart drew closer, wrapping his arm around her waist.

“What? I could never!” She giggled, and Mr. Hart gave her a kiss on her cheek.

“Tomorrow, show up at the location my assistant will send you. We will be expecting you. I think it was enough drinking for tonight.” Mr. Hart announced and helped his wife to her feet.

“We will,” Grace said and immediately felt Elijah’s eyes on her.

Mr. and Mrs. Hart exited shortly after, leaving Grace and Elijah alone.

“I said…don’t agree to anything,” Elijah mumbled.

Grace pointed a finger at him. “I’ll do whatever I feel like is right. And not being nice won’t help us with the deal.”

Then she sprang to her feet and walked like she was on a boat. Elijah followed after her, both of them looking very wasted.

Once they got inside the empty elevator, crowds of people appeared on the third floor. They all rushed inside and squeezed Grace into the corner.

Elijah barricaded Grace with his hands on each side of her head, keeping people away from her. Shielding her. Grace looked up into his face, seeing him all flustered and red. He was so gorgeous. 

As the elevator made its way to the next floor, she watched his face, observing the flush on his cheeks and the way his mouth was slightly parted. He was focused on her, his eyes dark with desire.

How badly Grace wanted to run her fingers through his hair and kiss his mouth. It was so wrong to think that. To want that. But she couldn’t help herself. Elijah was her dream type, except for his personality.

She always dreamt of marrying a nice guy who would take care of her and be the perfect ideal partner. Elijah was the opposite of that. He was arrogant, sassy, and unbelievably annoying. But even so, Grace couldn’t eliminate the forbidden thoughts running through her head.

When they reached their floor, the voice announced it, Elijah immediately drew back and beckoned Grace to exit first. Her cheeks and neck were burning, and her legs barely moved as she made her way outside the elevator. She didn’t wait for Elijah, even though only he had a key to their apartment. She stormed down the hall, her arms folded and her face emotionless. She was good at a poker face, but if someone could see inside her, they would see the chaos. The confusion.

Grace impatiently stood before the door, and shortly after, Elijah came into view, already holding the key card. Without looking at her, he slid the card inside the lock, and the door instantly opened. He went in first this time, and Grace followed after him. She shut the door and rushed to the bathroom.

When she found her reflection in the mirror, she couldn’t believe her eyes. She was a total mess. Red as a tomato, with a bit of mascara under her eyes. She quickly wiped her makeup off in the shower and sneaked into the bedroom, where she had her pajamas. She grabbed it and ran into the bathroom to change.

As she returned to the bedroom, Elijah was already there, picking up his clothes to have a shower. He turned to her and quickly looked away, walking to the bathroom.

Grace didn’t know if she should settle on the couch or sleep in the bed. But she wasn’t the one who ruined everything tonight. She had every right to sleep on the huge, comfortable-looking bed.

“Just because I’m a secretary doesn’t mean I have to sleep on the couch. He’s the one who should if he’s a gentleman.” Grace mumbled to herself and opened the comforter to lie in.

She tied her short hair into a low ponytail and fell onto the soft pillow. Her back was in heaven. Even her head, until another five minutes passed and Elijah came inside.

Grace shut her eyes and turned to the side. Elijah strolled into the room and placed something heavy on a nightstand. Probably a glass of water.

He settled on the other side of the bed, lying down with his face turned toward Grace. She could feel the warmth radiating from his body. The musky scent of bergamot lingered in the air.

Her breaths quickened, and her eyes opened, finding Elijah staring at her with his beautiful, big eyes. His hair was down, wet, and glued to the side of his face. He wasn’t wearing any T-shirt, just lying half-naked next to Grace.

She took a sharp breath, and her back sprang up into a seating position, ready to run into the living room and sacrifice her back on the couch. But Elijah caught her wrist firmly, and Grace came to a halt.

She didn’t like how tightly he held her. It hurt, and his fingers would leave a bruise afterward if he didn’t let her go.

“I’ll take the couch,” Grace stated clearly.

Elijah tugged her wrist toward him, but Grace managed to sit straight, holding herself by the comforter, not to fall on Elijah.

“No, you won’t.” He said sternly, his voice giving away the drunkenness.

He jerked Grace toward him with much more strength than she could handle, and she ended up on her back, and Elijah shifted on top of her. He immediately wrapped his arms around her body and nuzzled his face into the crook of her shoulder.

Butterflies bloomed in Grace’s stomach. She again felt like a teenager, being touched by her crush.

But Elijah’s body was so warm and big; he reminded her of a teddy bear. His wet hair tickled her skin and made her top slightly soaked. But she didn’t mind it. How could she? Being embraced by a man like this felt like home. The feeling she has been searching for her entire life. She craved to have masculinity around her. Feeling safe in someone’s arms.

Ever since her parents died, she had to replace her mother and father to Alec. After a time, she felt more masculine than feminine when years passed, and Alec could now take care of himself; she couldn’t shake it off her.

For the first time in years, she felt otherwise, and she liked it. No, she loved it even though it wasn’t forever, just for this night until she fell asleep and woke up to reality. The reality of being alone.

⸻⸻

15│𝐇𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠

Grace woke up to an empty bed. But she expected it.

However, she still felt the knot in her stomach and a tight throat. Her fantasy was over, and reality came shining.

She got up from the bed and strode, half asleep, to the living room. Elijah was already dressed in a suit, staring at his laptop, which was placed on his lap.

As if he sensed Grace’s presence, he turned his head toward her. His gaze moved up and down her body, and she immediately crossed her arms over her top. She was sure her hair was messed up and that he was secretly judging her for not changing before coming to the living room.

He chuckled and cupped his mouth to cover it, but it was too late for Grace not to see it.

“Cute pajamas.” He said, pointing with his index finger.

She looked down to examine what she was wearing and realized she had swapped the beautiful, silky pajamas with strawberry ones that were a gift from Zoe a few years ago.

Thank God I didn’t bring the other ones. They were too short and revealing .

“There’s nothing funny about them! Can’t a woman my age wear funny pajamas?” Grace asked, her eyebrows raised to her hairline.

Elijah suppressed the laugh before he spoke. “You’re still young. Of course, you can wear it. You shouldn’t take everything to heart.”

Oh, so I guess that implies last night as well .

“Right.” She mumbled and turned on her heel to the bedroom to change into leggings and a cropped hoodie. It was almost lunch, and no message came from Mr. Hart’s assistant about their meeting location. Perhaps he changed his mind.

Grace returned to the living room, where a small kitchen was, and filled a glass with orange juice. Her hair was tied in a low ponytail, and she wasn’t wearing any makeup.

As if someone stabbed her in the back, she turned around to find Elijah quickly looking away from her. She frowned and walked to the couch. Elijah’s eyes were focused on the laptop screen, his fingers swaying over the keyboard.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door, and Elijah raised his gaze to Grace. She looked away and set the glass on the table. She hurried to the door to be welcomed by a very friendly guy.

“Good morning, Ms. Ellington. Room service.” The guy with short black hair said, and she greeted him back, opening the doors fully. He pushed the tray trolley with a silver cloche and drinks.

He greeted Elijah, and he barely paid him a glance; however, he did reply to him.

He pushed the tray trolley into the small kitchen and studied it, probably to be sure everything was there.

“But we didn’t order anything.” She said to him.

“Oh, Mr. Russell did. It’s the breakfast, Miss.” He smiled at her, and Grace felt the embarrassment creep over her.

“Right. Thank you.” She said, walking the guy to the door. Once he was at the doorstep, he turned to Grace, all red.

“By the way, Miss.” He began. “You’re a very beautiful woman.” He quietly said, and Grace smiled.

“Thank you so much.” She laughed, and the guy smiled harder. He was probably around eighteen, making a hard living. She handed him a couple of bucks she had, and he happily left.

“Isn’t he too young?” Elijah suddenly spoke.

Grace turned around with a frown. “You really believe I’d have something with a teenager? I simply smiled at him.”

“Yeah, sure.” He scoffed, shaking his head.

Grace rolled her eyes and made her way to breakfast. There was so much of it; she didn’t know what to pick. But after all, she went for the sweet pancakes. She stuffed her mouth with it until she had no space for more. She was turned back to Elijah so he wouldn’t see her.

She was too hungry.

After she swallowed, she spoke, “Aren’t you going to eat?” She asked, a bit hesitantly.

“I had my breakfast,” Elijah murmured, focused on the laptop screen.

Does that mean he ordered this because of me?

Grace had to eliminate that option. He’d never do that, but how else could she explain it to herself?

She then went back to eating and suddenly felt tension in her muscles. Elijah was standing behind her. She turned around, meeting those emerald eyes and a perfect face.

“What?” Grace mumbled, chewing.

Elijah chuckled and stretched his hand to her face. When his warm skin grasped her cheek, she was reminded of what happened yesterday evening.

Elijah moved his thumb ever so slightly over Grace’s lower lip, and she shivered.

“I see you’re enjoying the pancakes.” He said and brought his hand to his mouth, licking his thumb, which had a bit of whipped cream on it.

Blood rushed to her cheeks when she realized she must’ve looked like a child.

She turned back to her plate, her cheeks burning. She shoved another piece of pancake into her mouth, avoiding his gaze. Her heartbeat was loud in her ears, and she couldn’t decide if it was from embarrassment or something else entirely.

Elijah moved back to the couch, his movements unhurried, as if he hadn’t just crossed some invisible line again. He sat, leaned back, and resumed typing on his laptop. Grace tried to focus on her breakfast, but the air felt heavy.

She stole a glance at him, hoping he wouldn’t notice, but of course, he did. His emerald eyes flicked to hers briefly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth before he returned his attention to the screen.

Why does he always have that stupid smirk on his face?  Grace thought, stabbing her pancake with a little more force than necessary.

“So,” Elijah said, not looking up this time. “Mr. Hart?”

Grace swallowed quickly, her throat tight. “I’m still waiting for confirmation from Mr. Hart’s assistant. No word yet.”

He nodded slowly. “Hart isn’t the most punctual man.”

“Noted,” Grace said.

Elijah closed his laptop with a soft click and stretched, his shirt pulling slightly against his chest. Grace forced herself to look away and busied herself cleaning up the table.

“You seem tense,” he said suddenly.

Grace froze mid-reach for her glass, then turned to him with a forced smile. “I’m fine. Just… anxious about the meeting.”

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You’ll do fine. You’re tougher than you give yourself credit for.”

The sincerity in his tone caught her off guard. It was a rare moment when he wasn’t teasing or smirking. Grace didn’t know how to respond, so she nodded and busied herself again, her hands fidgeting with the edge of her glass.

The silence that followed wasn’t as uncomfortable as she expected. It was strange, being there with him, sharing a space that felt oddly intimate despite the tension.

Then, as if on cue, her phone buzzed. Grace nearly jumped and grabbed it from the counter. She read the message quickly—it was from Mr. Hart’s assistant, confirming the meeting location.

“A hiking trip?” she muttered aloud, her brows furrowing in confusion.

“What’s wrong?” Elijah asked.

“Apparently, Mr. Hart’s idea of a meeting is dragging us up a mountain.”

Elijah copied Grace’s facial expression. He wasn’t happy about it as well. Who would? They weren’t prepared for hiking but for signing a deal with a simple scribble of a pen.

.

Half an hour later, Grace found herself in the car with Elijah, wearing borrowed hiking boots and a jacket that was slightly too big. She stared out the window, dreading what awaited her.

“Cheer up,” Elijah said, breaking the silence. “We might actually enjoy this.”

“Doubtfully,” Grace muttered. “I don’t recall the last time I went hiking.”

He smirked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. “We have to pass this test.”

When they reached the trailhead, Mr. Hart was already waiting, dressed in a lightweight jacket and hiking pants, looking far too energetic for the early hour. His wife was right next to his side, her arm linked with his, dressed in white pants and a long-sleeved shirt.

“Good morning!” he called out. “Glad to see you both made it.”

“Of course, sir,” Elijah replied smoothly, shaking his hand. “Grace is eager to impress.”

Grace forced a polite smile, biting back the urge to glare at Elijah. She extended her hand to Hart. “We didn’t expect the meeting place to be the Appalachian Trail, Mr. Hart.”

“Well, I hope you’re ready for a bit of a challenge. This trail isn’t for the faint of heart.” Mr. Hart laughed.

Grace’s stomach sank. She had barely made it up the stairs that morning, and now she was expected to climb a mountain?

“Oh, honey. Don’t scare them. It’s not that difficult a path.” Isabella chimed in.

“I hope you’re right.” Grace awkwardly laughed, and Isabella patted her shoulder as she passed by them with Mr. Hart.

As the four of them started up the trail, Grace focused on her breathing, determined not to let either man see how out of her depth she felt. Elijah, on the other hand, looked completely at ease, walking beside her with his usual smirk.

“Try to keep up,” he teased.

“Try not to fall behind,” she shot back.

Mr. Hart laughed ahead of them, his low voice echoing through the trees. “I like her spirit, Mr. Russell. She’s got fire.”

The trail quickly became steeper, the air growing thinner with each step. Grace’s legs burned, but she refused to slow down. Elijah stayed close, his presence both infuriating and oddly comforting.

“You’re doing great,” he murmured, his voice low enough that only she could hear.

Grace shot him a sideways glance. “Flattery won’t make this easier.”

Elijah chuckled softly, his gaze lingering on her a moment longer than necessary before turning back to the path ahead.

They reached a clearing halfway up the mountain, where Mr. Hart and Isabella had stopped to rest. The view was breathtaking—rolling hills stretched out beneath them, washed in green color.

“Let’s take a quick break,” Mr. Hart said, wiping sweat from his brow. “You’re keeping up well, Grace.”

“Thank you,” she replied, trying to keep her breathing steady.

Elijah handed her a bottle of water, their fingers brushing briefly. The contact sent an unexpected jolt through her, and she quickly looked away, pretending to focus on the view.

As they resumed the hike, Grace couldn’t shake the feeling that this trip was more than just a meeting. There was something in the way Elijah looked at her, something unspoken but impossible to ignore.

By the time they reached the summit, Grace was exhausted but happy. The view from the top was worth every aching muscle. Mr. Hart clapped Elijah on the back, then turned to Grace with a wide grin.

“You impressed me today, Grace. Not everyone can handle this climb.”

“Thank you, Mr. Hart,” she said. Maybe this trip wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

As they began the descent, Elijah fell into step beside her. “We passed the test.”

Grace smiled, feeling a strange mix of relief. “Now we can—”

Grace’s foot slipped, and she lunged forward. Elijah’s instincts reacted immediately. He snatched her by her waist, lifting her slightly above the ground. His fingers were like a hot brand on her skin. So warm. So comfortable. So unforgettable.

“Are you okay?” He asked as he pushed her against his chest, looking down at Grace, and a trail of sweat ran down his forehead. Even all sweaty, he looked incredibly handsome.

“Y-Yeah, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. Thank you.” She said, staring into his eyes.

He smirked; his eyes strayed to her lips for a split second. “You must be exhausted. It will be safer if you’re by my side.” He cleared his throat and shifted Grace to his side. Then he took a deep breath and intertwined their fingers.

Grace’s eyes snapped to Elijah. His face reddened, and she wasn’t sure if it was because of the hiking or because he touched her. She saw him gulp, his eyes blinking fast. God, he was so nervous; she badly wanted to tease him.

He coughed and tugged their hands forward. “L-Let’s go.” He exclaimed, and Grace nodded.

When they reached the car, Mr. Hart agreed to the deal and instantly signed it off. He didn’t even wait until they got back to the hotel. They shook hands, and Elijah thanked him.

On their way back to the hotel, Isabella invited Grace and Elijah to a small cocktail party they were hosting. Of course, they accepted their invitation with a smile. Getting closer to Mr. Hart was exactly what they needed.

Grace was thinking in the back of her mind how glad she was that she had packed an extra party dress for this occasion. Now was the time for a little fun evening.

⸻⸻

  ![](https://img.wattpad.com/0851824000f8c12af4c58505544015a19ae6ece6/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f46395250636d304950424b446c673d3d2d313530343035313536382e3138333133616436303165366338633439323036353535323230382e6a7067)

16│𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫

Grace was dressed in an ink-black dress with spaghetti straps and a decent slit that exposed her leg. Her short hair was straightened and parted to the side. The makeup was minimal since she wanted to shift everyone’s eyes to her rose-red lips.

When Grace emerged from the bathroom and entered the living room, Elijah was fixing his tie. However, the clacking of her high heels redirected his attention to Grace. Elijah drank in the sight of her, his eyes dark and narrow. His jaw clenched, and he had to untie his tie just a little bit to breathe easier.

Grace, however, didn’t notice that. She snatched her purse and darted to the door. When Elijah didn’t follow, she turned and raised a brow at him. He gulped and looked away from her. He stormed through the front door to the elevator.

Once they rode down the elevator into the cocktail party, Grace’s jaw dropped. There were too many people dressed in fine clothes. She thought this was supposed to be more intimate, but she guessed wrong.

Why would it matter, though? The deal was signed, and now she could be free.

A waiter walked toward her with a champagne on a tray. She didn’t think twice and grabbed one glass for herself and a second for Elijah. She set the drinks on a tall, round table, searching for Elijah.

She found him beside Mr. Hart and other gentlemen. Probably businessmen.

She sighed and took a sip of the champagne. It was so delicious and had an expensive taste. She couldn’t hold herself back and took another, longer sip.

“It’s so good, isn’t it?”

She spun to the voice behind her, almost spilling the drink. A man, maybe in his mid-thirties, with a fresh haircut and grey eyes, was smiling at her. His light brown hair reminded her of a latte she often drank.

“Oh yes. But I’m not an alcoholic or something.” Grace said.

The man laughed, covering his mouth.

“Am I that funny, Mr…?”

“Arlo Harper.” He finished and extended his arm.

Grace shook his hand and took a sip of the champagne. “Grace Ellington. A pleasure to meet you.”

He suddenly tugged the back of her hand to his mouth and said, “The pleasure is all mine.” He gently kissed her knuckles.

Blood rushed to Grace’s cheeks. She wasn’t expecting him to be such a gentleman.

“Aren’t you too bold, Mr. Harper?” She asked, a smirk playing on her lips.

He chuckled. “I’ve never been so bold, but I couldn’t get through this evening before getting to know you.”

She folded one arm underneath her chest. The glass pressed against her lips. He wasn’t bad-looking, actually, he was a really good-looking man, but her eyes belonged to someone else.

“Does such a beautiful and charming woman have a date with her?” He asked, looking at Grace.

As she was about to answer, a shadow appeared, casting darkness on Mr. Harper.

“Oh yes, she does.”

Elijah placed his hand on her waist and tugged her to his hard chest. Grace’s eyes grew wide, leaving her speechless.

When did he get here, and why did he have to ruin a conversation with her new acquaintance?

Grace wanted to ask, but the warm hand pressing on the side of her waist made her completely still. Stoic like a statue.

“Oh, is this your date?” Mr. Harper wondered, eyeing Elijah.

“Not really—”

He shot her a death glare, clutching her waist harder. “She’s here with me . Who exactly are you?” Elijah’s eyes shifted back to the gentleman.

He introduced himself and tried to shake Elijah’s hand, but of course, he refused it.

“I won’t lie to you. She’s a diamond that shouldn’t get lost.” Mr. Harper laughed and looked at Grace. “Have a great rest of the evening, Miss.” He winked at her, and Grace had to chuckle.

Once he was long gone, Elijah drew away to stand in front of her. His eyebrows were knitted together, his shoulder tense, and fury written all across his face.

“I leave you alone for five minutes, and you’re already flirting with the first man that crosses your way.” He said, snatching the champagne from the table.

Grace set the glass with a thud  on the table and folded her arms. “If I’m not mistaken, it’s none of your business with whom I’m talking. I’m a single woman, Elijah.”

Elijah scoffed, running his fingers down his jawline. He suddenly erased the space between them and towered over her. “And that’s where you’re completely wrong, sweet Grace. It is my business and always will be. You’re not allowed to flirt with random men.” He seethed.

“Oh really?” She tilted her chin upward, staring into his emerald eyes. “And why is that? Why does it bother you that men want to get close to me?”

He let out a shaky breath, his chest rising rapidly up and down. “Because you’re my secretary.” His eyes trailed down her dress where the slit on the side was. “Because you’re mine .” He murmured.

Grace’s heart stopped beating. A rock has fallen into the pit of her stomach.

“I hope I’m not interrupting.” Mr. Hart chimed in, observing Grace. “You’re shining, Ms. Ellington. Gorgeous as always.”

She swallowed the knot in her throat, ignoring what came out of Elijah’s mouth. “Thank you so much. Your suit is very nice.”

Isabelle suddenly appeared next to Elijah. “I picked it for him. My husband has no sense of style.” She laughed, and Mr. Hart rolled his eyes.

Isabelle wore a long, strapless gold dress with a heart shape. It suited her skin color and eyes. Grace could tell she must’ve been a model when she was her age.

Mr. Hart raised his glass in the air. “Let me toast to our alliance and new beginnings.”

They all simultaneously clinked their glasses together and took a long sip. Grace, however, ignored Elijah for the rest of the night. She had no idea what Elijah expected from her now.

A confession or ignorance? Was he waiting for her next step? But she wasn’t sure what was wrong or right. Liking her boss was prohibited. But she lost control over her feelings a long time ago. Since the time she slept in his house, in his bed, as if she were his girlfriend.

The night carried on with numerous people greeting and chatting with both Elijah and Grace. Elijah seemed to be alerted every time a man approached Grace. She met his eyes once or twice, and they shot through her like a bullet that couldn’t be dodged.

She didn’t want to return to their hotel room. She didn’t want to be alone with him. She couldn’t face her feelings.

Yet when midnight came, and the guests slowly, one by one, went home or to their hotel rooms, Grace had to face the reality. When she glanced at Elijah, at his fingers that drummed against his arm, she knew he was impatient. He couldn’t wait to leave this party to be alone with Grace.

“When are you leaving New York?” Mr. Hart asked.

“In two days,” Elijah answered.

“You should take Grace and show her the city!” Isabella exclaimed.

Grace shook her hands in dismissal. “That’s not necessary. I’m sure Mr. Russell is too busy—”

Elijah cut her off. “Actually, I’m not.”

Grace smiled, not meeting his gaze. Goosebumps appeared on her skin, and sweat formed on her hands. She wanted to run out there and breathe fresh air. To get away from these complicated emotions.

“Well, you should enjoy your free time here. I see Isabelle is getting tired. Right, love?” Mr. Hart turned to Isabelle.

She looked at him, and a secret message passed between them. “Oh, yes. My feet are tired, and I’m sure you two are tired as well.”

“We are. This was a long day, and we thank you for your invitation. We had a great time tonight.” Elijah answered.

They said their goodbyes, and Grace first exited the room. Elijah followed right after. No matter how swiftly her feet were moving, she was weary. She missed the comfortable bed and her funny pajamas.

As soon as she approached the elevator, she pressed the button frantically, although it wouldn’t speed up the elevator’s arrival.

Waiting for the elevator felt like waiting for your final day, and the cut was cleaning his scythe. Perhaps that was a bit exaggerated, but Grace felt so. Every fiber of her being was dancing on the edge of a thin ice.

As expected, the elevator came down when Elijah caught up to her. Now he stood behind her, and a shiver ran down her spine.

She took a deep breath, and the elevator door opened. She walked inside and pressed the floor number. Elijah strolled beside her, his presence intoxicating. Heavy. Infecting.

Grace focused on her breathing, tapping her heel against the floor.

I can’t breathe. I have to get away.

After long minutes of hell, the door opened, and she rushed out, heading to their apartment. She quickly unlocked the door, leaving it wide open. Elijah’s heavy steps turned her stoic in the middle of the living room.

She stared ahead, at the city lights and tall buildings. The darkness of the sky and the moonlight that shone through the glass wall on the dark floor. It was so beautiful. This tense moment could only be captured through the eye.

Her heartbeat hammered in her head, her ears ringing. This man controlled her in ways that couldn’t be explained with words.

Elijah began to walk again toward her, and when he stopped, he was standing so close to her, she felt his hot breath against her nape. All the hair on her skin prickled. Blood rushed to her cheeks.

He let out a breath, his hand leisurely attached to her hip. Grace’s eyes went wide, and she drew a sharp breath. Elijah pressed himself against Grace’s back and shifted his warm hand from her hip under the slit on her dress to her thigh.

Pleasure coursed through her. An unexpected explosion.

His fingertips traveled across her inner thigh up and down, and Grace’s nipples immediately hardened, their aching unbearable. She couldn’t take it any longer—the lust, the temptation. She broke from Elijah’s embrace.

She ran to the bedroom, wanting to close the door, but Elijah was quicker than that. He pushed the door open, and Grace let out a sigh. She backed away, and now she was facing the inevitable.

Elijah shut the door behind him, locking it. He took off his tie with a harsh tug and threw it on the floor. The next was his black jacket, and then he began to undo the buttons on the white shirt. Meanwhile, Grace was pushed to sit on the bed as he caged her legs with his, looking down at her with the most yearning look in his eyes.

She stared at him, her lips slightly parted. For a moment, she wasn’t sure if it was real or if she had just gotten too drunk. He was the man of her dreams.

Elijah let his hair down and tore the shirt off his body. While maintaining eye contact, he took off his belt and lowered himself to the same eye level as Grace. He drew closer to her face and was mere inches from her lips.

As if he had changed his mind, he drew back up, his posture straight. Grace let out a ragged breath, not understanding his game.

Elijah suddenly seized her wrists and tied them with his long belt.

“Your behavior tonight…” He began, his voice hoarse. “It made me so furious and hungry for you. Every single second was torture. Being so close to you, and not being able to touch you.”

Without warning, he spun Grace around and slid his hand beneath the slit of her dress, lifting the fabric with ease. She couldn’t escape—move her hands. With one hand, he held her down against the bed, and with the other, he traced the curves of her ass.

“E-Elijah.” She breathed, every inch of her skin responsive to his fingertips.

“Don’t stop me,” Elijah murmured. “I have been dying to have a taste of you. To feel your warmth swallow me.”

He turned her back to face her, to look into her eyes. Grace couldn’t utter a word. Her throat was full of thorns.

Elijah hovered over her body, remembering every part of her. Then he dropped down to his knees and lifted her leg on top of his shoulder. He buried his face between her legs, kissing and tasting the forbidden fruit.

Grace was in delirium. His lips were like the softest feather. Every kiss, every lick of his tongue, sent her over the edge.

How could she refuse his touch? To make herself forget how good his fingers felt on her skin?

She couldn’t.

Elijah let out a strangled moan and sank his teeth into her flesh. Grace’s back arched, a sigh full of pleasure escaping her throat.

He ran his fingers up her waist, finding the hem of the black lace panties. He shimmied them down so he could have free access.

He gripped her beneath her knees, kissing and exploring her wet and needy cunt.

Grace’s insides went up in flames, her stomach filled with butterflies. His mouth kept devouring her, taking his sweet time to make her suffer. To let every nerve in her body feel how thirsty he was for her. How torturous it was not to lay his hands on her.

His tongue circled her clit, and Grace whimpered, a small tear rolling down her cheek. She didn’t want to come so soon. She wanted this unforgettable moment to last forever. But his tongue was doing magic, compelling her entire body to let go.

Elijah didn’t stop licking her. His thumb rubbed her slowly, passionately, while his tongue invaded her walls.

She tried to clench around him because she needed to feel him fill her empty walls. Her makeup got ruined. Mascara under her eyes, and her lipstick smeared from how much she bit her lips.

As soon as she sensed the orgasm build, Elijah pulled out of her and licked his lips. He stood up to his full height and unzipped his pants, revealing his swollen dick.

He just stood over her, all wet and unsatisfied, staring at the mess he created. He smirked, his chest rising and falling, his muscles contracting at each breath and exhale.

He freed his cock, and while looking into Grace’s teary eyes, he began to stroke his length. Moans echoed through the walls. She was so sure they could be heard even outside. That’s how loud and desperate they were.

Grace was so wet, so hot; she needed to feel him inside her. To finally take her deep and rough.

Once his hand began to shake, he lunged at her, spreading her like an open book. He was mere inches from her face, and Grace noticed his glassy eyes.

It was only then, when he sank slowly into her, that tears ran down his cheek. He trembled and whimpered, controlling his beast.

He started to pick up a pace, a rhythm. But that didn’t last long. He was starving. He moved like a madman, thrusting so hard and quickly that Grace was shouting his name.

Her walls clenched, and she exploded. Each thrust made her see stars. A wave of orgasm washed over every fiber of her being; she couldn’t stop quivering.

Elijah came only a couple of seconds after her, gripping the bedsheets as if his life depended on it. He growled and bit Grace’s shoulder, rocking back and forth against her until he became exhausted.

Grace’s loud breaths and Elijah’s muscular body on top of hers looked like a beautiful dream that could end up as a total disaster.

They both let their lust possess them, and now they had to decide if they would take it into their own hands.

⸻⸻

A vote or a comment would make me very happy!!

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17│𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠

As Grace tried to move to the other side, a strong hand wrapped around her waist, stopped her, and made her still.

She opened her eyes to a rainy and cloudy morning. It was her favorite weather because she loved to lie in bed and watch her movies and shows while the rain splashed against the window.

When she looked down, seeing Elijah’s muscular hand glued to her bare skin, she suddenly felt like she was being drowned in a volcano.

She was naked under the comforter, and so was Elijah.

She quickly reached for her phone on the nightstand to check the time. It was almost noon, and Grace was getting hungry. So, she attempted to escape from his grasp. 

She opened the comforter and grabbed his arm. But as soon as she moved it, Elijah sighed and tugged her swiftly to his chest.

“Where do you think you’re going?” He asked, his lips brushing against her ear.

A chill went down her spine. “I-I think I’m going to eat lunch.” She replied, too aware of his semi-hard cock against her ass.

Elijah chuckled, his voice sounding like velvet. “There’s no need for you to leave the bed. I’ll make a call, and the lunch will be served here.”

But Grace wanted to use this excuse to leave. She needed to sort out her thoughts and worries. And being wrapped in Elijah’s arms wasn’t much help.

“I’m not sure—” She began, however, Elijah twisted her to face him. He was even more gorgeous than before. His long hair framed his face, his emerald eyes glowing against his tan skin.

He examined her face, his fingers gently caressing her cheek. “The weather is made for staying in bed. No work, just relaxing.” He said and smiled. His dimples showed, and Grace’s heart skipped a beat. How could he look hot and cute at the same time?

She avoided his gaze for some moments, unsure how to act in front of him now. As his secretary, or like Grace?

“Yeah, I think you’re right.” She awkwardly chuckled, and when her eyes returned to his, it was like he saw right through her, through every doubt and insecurity.

His hand stretched to her face as he tucked her messy hair behind her ear. Grace badly wanted to hide under the bed. She wasn’t used to intimacy or being treated like this by a man.

“I’m going to take a shower.” He announced and gave her a quick smile. “Don’t you dare disappear on me. You can join me if you wish, though.” He smirked and left the bed.

Grace took a deep breath and turned to the glass wall. Her gaze followed the tiny drops of rain. Was this recklessness a mistake? Would she suffer the consequences?

.

The lunch was incredible. Grace was so full she believed her belly would explode if she dug into the dessert. As Elijah said, they were staying in bed. The lap tray was full of empty plates, except for the chocolate cake and champagne.

She thought that after lunch, she would feel more at ease, but it was the other way around. She was still restless. Her heartbeat was drumming in her ears. Elijah was glued to her side, wearing only gray sweatpants. Every time his bare shoulder brushed against hers, goosebumps appeared on her skin.

A movie was playing on the big TV screen, the characters talking, but their voices weren’t enough of a distraction.

Grace decided to go to the bathroom to freshen up, but as soon as she drew away from him, he caught her by the wrist.

“Where are you going? Is the movie boring for you?” He asked, staring at her.

But Grace’s eyes dropped to his strong chest and biceps. He looked like a god and a devil at the same time.

“No, of course not. The movie is great.” She replied with a smile.

His brow rose. “Oh, really? Then what’s the main character called?”

Grace laughed and glanced at the TV. “Lily? Or something like that. I’m not good with remembering names.”

Elijah chuckled and shook his head. “Dave. He’s a man.”

Well, fuck me, I guess.

Suddenly, he took her by the wrist and drew her closer, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. You were looking so adorable.” He said.

Her cheeks flushed a deeper color than before. She tried to pull away, to hide her embarrassment, but Elijah leaned in so close that she lost her balance and ended up lying flat on her back.

He crawled on top of her and grabbed her other wrist. “Since you woke up, you have been trying to escape me. Are you perhaps regretting last night?” He asked.

She wanted to burst out that she wasn’t regretting it, but she didn’t know how. It was one of the best nights she had ever experienced. Yet, she was afraid that she’d soon wake up from this beautiful dream and realize none of his feelings for her had been real.

His eyebrows snapped together. “Please, say something. And in the process, be gentle to my heart because if you say you didn’t like it—”

Grace slammed her lips against his for a couple of seconds. It was a quick kiss, but it left Elijah completely stunned.

“It was the most amazing night. But I have no idea what it means for us. What are we now?” She asked, with a slight worry in her tone.

A thunder echoed outside, and Grace instantly clung to his body like a magnet. She locked her arms around his body, her face buried in the crook of his neck.

Elijah sighed and let himself relax on top of her. “If I knew thunder was all it was going to take for you to hug me, I’d pray to the heavens for help.”

She rolled her eyes and breathed in his skin. The woodsy smell mixed with vanilla. His skin was so smooth, it made hers feel rough in comparison.

“I’ll stop hugging you if you don’t answer me, Elijah.” She warned.

He laughed in his very low voice, which made her body vibrate.

“I don’t know what you mean by that. I told you you’re mine. I’d even marry you right now, but you’d probably go running if I tried.”

Her eyes grew wide. Was he out of his mind? They weren’t even dating!

“Elijah, you can’t say that as if it meant nothing.” She said.

He exhaled and began to caress her skin in slow movements. “I mean every word, Grace. I’m tired of pretending like every fiber of my being isn’t in love with you. I tried to hate you, to dislike you, but it was an impossible task. I want to have you like this, attached to my body, and breathe the scent of your perfume on your skin. Let me be yours, Grace. Don’t push me away. I would not take it well.”

She was speechless, unable to form a sentence. Was he being a jerk to her because he was afraid of loving her? Was all that just an act, and he’s in fact a very nice man?

“Please…” He whispered, “Say something. Anything.”

Grace pushed slightly on his chest to see him in the eye. His eyes looked like puppies. So vulnerable and terrified. He wasn’t prepared to bear bad news.

He suddenly drew closer, staring at her lips. Grace turned to the side, in the hope he’d take the hint, but he instead kissed her neck.

“E-Elijah…wait,” she murmured, and he caged her in his muscular arms. She saw them contract when he hugged her. Those muscles looked like years of hard exercise.

“Answer while I hold you. I don’t want you to see me if your answer is a refusal.” Elijah huskily said.

She shut her eyes for a moment, bracing herself for the words she was about to speak—words she knew she might later regret. But her heart was beating fast against her ribs, and that was a clear answer. She liked her boss.

“I’d never refuse you. I can’t because what I feel towards you is too strong, Elijah.” Grace softly said, and he shuddered.

For some moments, he stayed silent. Grace didn’t urge him to speak. She waited for him to speak up first. But speaking was not on his mind, apparently.

Grace was twisted and lifted into the air. Elijah held her by her waist, smiling from ear to ear. She has never seen him so happy. So excited. It was like she was looking at a completely different man.

“Thank God. Thank the fucking God.” He choked out.

Grace’s heart ached, and butterflies flew in her stomach. She felt so hot that not even a bucket full of ice would calm her down.

“You’re so red.” He laughed, and Grace hid her face behind her palms.

“P-Put me down. It’s so embarrassing.” She stammered.

Elijah lowered her to his chest and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, which was blocking her vision.

“Let me love you, Grace. Allow me to be with you.”

She didn’t have to think twice about it. What she was longing for was the feeling of home and comfort. And Elijah was everything and more.

⸻⸻

A vote or a comment would make me very happy!!

18│𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞

The next day was no longer rainy, but the sky was covered with clouds. Very early in the morning, Elijah announced they’d go explore the city.

Since their flight home was in the evening, they had too much time to spare, and lying in bed all day again was not on Grace’s mind.

To her surprise, Elijah became too clingy. She didn’t imagine him as such a type. But he was. When they got ready and left the hotel, Elijah had his fingers tangled with hers. Grace was sure he’d glue them if he could.

Despite his actions, he acted calmly. In public, he didn’t act as in private. Perhaps he was shy or just didn’t like to show his feelings in front of others. It was only a theory since she was too embarrassed to ask.

Their first stop was by the Museum of Modern Art.

Inside, the cool air wrapped around them, a welcome contrast to the lingering warmth of his hand. The museum’s high ceilings and open layout made the space feel light and almost dreamlike. Soft murmurs filled the air as visitors moved through the exhibits, their footsteps echoing faintly against the floors.

Elijah led her to a room filled with vibrant, abstract paintings. Splashes of deep blue, crimson, and gold swirled across massive canvases, their meanings left to interpretation. Grace tilted her head, trying to make sense of one particularly chaotic piece.

“What do you see?” Elijah asked.

She squinted. “A cat. Or maybe a storm. A very angry storm.”

He chuckled, stepping closer. “I see a dragon.”

Grace turned to him, arching a brow. “Of course, you do.”

He grinned, tugging her toward the next gallery. This one was softer—gentle watercolor landscapes and portraits lined the walls. They slowed their pace, taking their time, stopping often just to stand side by side, soaking it all in.

Elijah suddenly leaned down, his lips close to her ear. “If we had more time, I’d paint you something.”

Grace felt a warmth creep up her neck. “Oh? And what would you paint?”

I didn’t know he could paint. Another reason to like him more.

“Something that captures you perfectly—maybe a stormy sky with a crack of sunlight breaking through.”

She laughed. “That sounds dramatic.”

“You are dramatic.” His smirk softened. “But in the best way.”

They strolled through more exhibits, their fingers still intertwined, their shoulders occasionally bumping. Everything about the moment felt content. No rush, no distractions—just them, lost in the art and each other.

By the time they reached a small café inside the museum, Grace was tired. They found a cozy corner by a window, ordering coffee and pastries. Elijah stirred his drink absentmindedly, watching her as she took a bite of her croissant.

“You’ve got sugar on your mouth,” he noted.

She licked it off, but he shook his head. “Missed a spot.”

Before she could react, he leaned in and gently brushed his thumb against the corner of her mouth. The touch was brief, but it sent electricity through her.

She rolled her eyes to cover up the way her heart fluttered. “You’re ridiculous.”

He only grinned. “And yet, here you are.”

As they sipped their drinks, surrounded by the quiet conversations and the occasional clink of cups, Grace realized something—this wasn’t just a morning spent killing time. It was the kind of moment she’d want to remember when she’s feeling down.

After finishing their coffee, they stepped back out into the city, greeted by the crisp, cool air. The sky was still layered with clouds, but there was no sign of rain—just a soft breeze rustling through the streets.

Elijah stretched lazily, still holding Grace’s hand as they walked. “Alright, where to next?”

Grace paused to think while looking around at the towering buildings and crowded sidewalks. “How about Central Park?”

His lips quirked up. “Classic.”

They took a cab, and the ride was smooth, filled with light conversation. When they arrived, the park stretched before them in green and gold, tall trees, and scattered groups of people enjoying the day. The air smelled fresh, with the scent of earth from yesterday’s rain.

Elijah laced his fingers tighter with hers as they started walking along the main path. “You know, I’ve been here before,” he mused, glancing around. “But it feels different now.”

Grace arched a brow. “Different how?”

He glanced at her, a soft expression across his face. “Just… better.”

A warmth settled in her chest, but she quickly masked it with a smile. “Are you always this smooth?”

He chuckled. “No, I usually embarrass myself by now.”

“Oh, really? It’s sometimes hard to believe it.” She mumbled.

“I’m not the most talkative man, Grace. I don’t know how to be one.” Elijah said.

Grace squeezed his hand. “And you don’t have to be one. Your silence speaks more than words.”

Especially, your action.

They walked in silence for a while, watching people jog past, couples row boats on the lake, and street musicians play music near the bridges. When they reached a small cart selling roasted nuts, Elijah pulled her aside.

“Wait here.” He disappeared for a moment and returned with a small bag, handing it to her.

Grace opened it and took a deep breath—the warm scent of cinnamon and sugar hit her immediately. “Oh, this smells amazing.”

“Taste it,” he said.

She took a bite, the sweetness melting on her tongue. “Oh, wow. Okay, you win. This is perfect.”

Elijah smirked. “Told you.”

They found a bench overlooking the lake and sat, sharing the bag of nuts and watching the world pass by.

Elijah casually rested an arm over the back of the bench, his fingers barely brushing her shoulder.

Grace leaned back slightly, letting herself relax into the moment. “This is nice,” she admitted.

Elijah turned his head to look at her, a small, unreadable smile playing on his lips. “Yeah,” he said, his voice softer now. “It really is.”

For a long while, neither of them spoke. They just sat there, the distant sound of laughter and footsteps filling the air, their hands occasionally brushing as they reached for another bite.

For once, neither of them was in a hurry. And neither of them wanted to be anywhere else.

“I don’t want to go back. I like it here…with you alone.” Grace suddenly said.

Elijah’s heart almost exploded with happiness.

“Me too. Going back feels like going to hell. There will be so much work.” Elijah rolled his eyes. “But I’ll always make free time for you. You’re my priority.”

Grace stared into his emerald eyes, and something in them made her lean closer and give Elijah a peck on the cheek.

His eyes grew wide as he looked at her. “What was that for?” he asked.

She shrugged. “I wanted to do this for a long time.”

Her heartbeat quickened. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been the one to kiss a man first. But it felt amazing to see him be so flustered by it.

“Don’t do this in public from now on.” He murmured and glanced around, his cheeks flushed.

She frowned. “Why? Are you too shy?”

He arched a brow. “No, I just have the most insane urge to kiss you all over your body, and I can’t do it now, can I?” He wickedly smirked at her.

The warmth of his fingers made her sweaty, and the skin contact sent electricity down her spine.

“You’re blushing, Ms. Ellington.” His eyes narrowed. “Please, look at me this way when you’re on top of me.”

Grace ducked her head, covering her face in her palms. “Shhhh, anyone can hear you. L-Let’s go back to the hotel.” She burst out and sprang from the bench.

She began to walk, feeling how heated her cheeks were. She couldn’t erase the image of her on top of him.

Elijah caught up to her and seized her hand again. She shot him a death glare, and he began to chuckle.

This man will bring me to my grave.

⸻⸻

19│𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝

After the promised day off, Grace was back in the office.

Even though everything and everyone stayed the same, the relationship between her and her boss did a three-sixty turn.

They crossed the line, and there was no going back.

As Grace waited for the elevator, she felt a familiar presence behind her. She turned her head slightly to find Elijah staring at her with a smirk plastered on his face. She suppressed a smile and turned back to the elevator door that was opening.

She strolled inside, and Elijah followed. Today, he wore a black suit, white shirt, and wine-red tie. His hair was, for once, not in a bun but in half up and half down hairstyle.

God, I feel like I’ll melt if he keeps looking like this.

The elevator door closed, and a sudden burst of tension filled the air. When they reached the third floor, the door opened again, and more people entered. Grace moved backward to make more space.

In her peripheral vision, she saw how close Elijah sneaked to her. She rolled her eyes and shifted to the corner. She didn’t want anyone to know he’s her boss. It would only cause chaos and gossip. The final result would be Grace getting fired, and she needs this job.

But Elijah seemed not to care at all because his arm was brushing against hers.

She shot him a death glare while no one was looking, and he simply winked at her. She sighed and checked the floor. They were still far away, and with people coming in and out, it was impossible to speed it up.

Grace sensed his predatory eyes on her figure. Especially on her ass. How dare he check her out when there were so many people around them?

She looked at him again and caught him in the act. He raised his eyebrows at her, and Grace pointed to her eyes and mouthed, Eyes up here .

“Impossible.” He mouthed back.

She let out an exaggerated exhale and looked away. Elijah quietly chuckled and grabbed her hip. Grace froze, trying not to snap at him. Since he was so close to her, she could smell his expensive cologne, and this time it had a fruity undertone.

His hand slid to her ass, and he squeezed it.

“You have the body of a goddess .” He whispered into her ear.

Grace’s cheeks heated. No one ever called her a goddess before. Men only know how to compliment women with their vulgarity, but Elijah was different. He knew how to make a woman blush.

When they finally reached their floor, Elijah’s hand slid off Grace’s ass, and he marched forward.

Grace followed him and felt everyone’s stares. Perhaps they heard what he said, or they saw how he touched her.

Dating your boss is not rational.

As soon as they entered the office, everybody congratulated them on the deal. They all worked hard for it.

Elijah was not as cold as before. He thanked them and praised them. It was weird seeing him not be grumpy.

“We should have dinner after work. To celebrate.” Someone suddenly said.

And of course, everyone agreed.

Grace looked at Elijah, who clearly didn’t want to make that happen. He can be nice, but to an extent.

“What do you think, boss?” Lewis wondered.

Elijah immediately looked at Grace as if he was hoping she’d save him from this situation, but she thought the opposite. It was time to be nice and show that he cared about his employees. They deserved one simple dinner.

Suddenly, he sighed and crossed his arms. “Ms. Ellington, make a reservation for tonight. You can pick the restaurant. It’s all on me.”

Everyone clapped their hands with happiness, thanking Elijah. He simply nodded and returned to his office. But Grace was surprised he agreed to this. She was sure he’d refuse.

After all, she doesn’t know everything about him, and the more time she spends with him, the better she will know his heart—his nature.

Grace sat behind her desk, browsing the internet for the best restaurant in town. Once she found one, she made a reservation and announced it to Elijah by phone. She was a bit scared being so close to him at work. Just the thought of everyone knowing they were together—assuming that’s how she got her job—made her sick.

The possibility of experiencing such a humiliation again made her pulse quicken.

.

When work ended, Grace shared the name of the restaurant and told everyone to meet there. They packed their stuff and happily left their desks, except for Lewis.

“Do you need a ride?” He asked.

Grace didn’t want to go with him, especially since she had a conversation with Sofia in the bathroom. She also didn’t like Lewis that way, and she didn’t want to give him any sort of hope.

“She’s coming with me. You can go ahead.”

Grace almost snapped her neck at how fast she turned to Elijah, who was staring at Lewis. His face was like a stone. Unreadable and cold.

“Yes, sir.” Lewis awkwardly smiled and rushed out of the office.

Grace sighed and glared at Elijah. “Was that necessary? He was just being nice.”

He merely shrugged and walked into his office. “He wants what’s mine. Of course, I won’t let him have it.”

She followed him inside and closed the door. “No, he doesn’t. And someone else in our department is interested in him.” I stated.

Elijah slowly turned to face Grace and beckoned her with his index finger to come to him. She was hesitant at first, but he wouldn’t stop insisting. Step by step, she drew closer until she stood directly in front of his desk, her legs trembling slightly.

With surprising strength, he reached out and caught her around the waist, lifting her effortlessly and placing her on his desk. He invaded the space between her legs, bringing himself intimately close. His hand gripped her throat, his touch firm but not painful. She couldn’t help but notice the deep shade of red creeping up his cheeks. She had never seen him so red before.

He brought his face close to hers, their noses almost touching. His breath was hot as it hit her skin, igniting a fire within her that she couldn’t quite explain. For a moment, he lingered there, silently staring into her eyes, as if trying to decipher her thoughts.

“Is something wrong?” Grace asked.

“Nothing,” he murmured. “I just wanted you close to me.”

She smirked, her heart hammering against her ribs. His honesty made her weak. How could he just spill these words on her like they meant nothing?

She wanted to say something, but the words caught in her throat.

Before she could gather her thoughts, he closed the gap between them, capturing her lips in a gentle yet passionate kiss. Her mind went blank as she melted into the moment, feeling as if time had stopped around them.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him take full control. Elijah devoured her, biting her lower lip gently. Grace pulled slightly away, signaling him to take it more easily, but he didn’t get the hint as he clutched her thigh, moaning quietly into her lips.

He deepened the kiss, clearly not willing to let her go just yet. His grip on her thigh tightened, holding her in place with an intensity that had her heart racing. He continued to devour her mouth, his tongue exploring every inch of her, leaving her dizzy and breathless.

“Elijah,” Grace protested weakly between kisses, her head spinning from the intensity of his touch. But he merely disregarded her, his mouth moving down her jawline, leaving a trail of fire.

He moved from her jawline to her neck, nipping and licking at the sensitive flesh. He could see her trembling, her body betraying her, betraying the protests her mouth uttered. His grip on her thigh tightened, his own body reacting to the fire that burned between them.

“I need you now.” He choked out and pushed her skirt up, revealing her red lace panties.

In unison, their eyes met, and the lust in Elijah’s eyes burned like a bonfire. Her pussy pulsed with a desire only he could satisfy. His chest rose and fell rapidly, and Grace swallowed hard.

With one swing of his hand, all the documents stacked on the desk were scattered around the floor. Elijah didn’t pay them a single glance. In a split second, his hands were unbuckling his belt, freeing his solidly hard dick.

The ache between Grace’s legs intensified. She was staring at his hardness, completely in awe.

Elijah leaned closer to her again and licked her lips. A shiver coursed through her, making her arms weak.

This man will be the end of me.

He chuckled against her lips and whispered into her ear, “Lie down, sunshine.”

She did as she was told, lying back on the desk, her body on display for him.

Elijah looked down at her, his eyes dark with lust, his gaze roaming over her exposed skin. He leaned over her, placing his hands on either side of her head.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, his voice rough with desire. “I want you so badly .”

Elijah grabbed her by her hips, and she locked her legs around his middle. His fingers slipped instead of her panties, and he slowly circled her clit.

Grace gasped, her back arching. Every nerve in her body was on fire. Elijah’s fingers circled her in those tormented movements; she thought he’d never let her come. The pleasure built in waves, and every time she felt herself getting closer to the edge, he stopped moving his fingers and kissed her instead.

“Now feel me deep inside you, and don’t let me go.” He said and sunk his dick inside her.

He grabbed her by the waist and slowly thrust himself in and out of her. The whole time, he held eye contact with Grace, and she was drowning in his eyes.

Her walls clenched around his length, and his thickness made her sore. But the pain mixed with pleasure was the most beautiful thing she had ever experienced.

“Squeeze me tighter, baby.” He breathed, and her walls automatically complied. Her heartbeat quickened, and she didn’t expect a simple nickname would throw her off.

“God, I’m in heaven.” He murmured and quickened his pace. Grace shuddered, gripping the edge of the table so she wouldn’t fall.

She thought how wrong it was to do this at work, in his office, but her body was set on fire since they met in the elevator.

Elijah evokes an eruption in her.

“S-Slow down.” She choked out, looking into his eyes, breathing rapidly.

He shook his head frantically and licked his dry lips. “You created madness within me. I can’t slow down. I’m crazy for you.”

The grip on her waist tightened, and desperate sounds left his throat. They were not quiet, but not too loud for anyone to hear.

The blinds weren’t closed, so if someone decided to walk in, they’d witness their recklessness.

Grace’s legs were becoming weaker, each thrust pushing her closer to ecstasy. Elijah, on the other hand, never looked more alive. That look in his eyes, hunger and lust, turned her on even more because she was the sole reason behind it.

Elijah suddenly groaned, and Grace’s muffled moans echoed in the air. He didn’t hold back and made her come so hard, she almost screamed if she didn’t cover her mouth with the back of her hand.

He also whimpered, his eyebrows snapping together. The way his muscles contracted as he held Grace in place made her wet again.

He suddenly collapsed on top of Grace, his face buried in her neck, trying to stifle his sounds.

The room fell silent, save for their ragged breathing, as they clung to each other. Elijah was so hot, she thought he’d burn her.

“That was incredible.” She whispered.

He inhaled the scent of her skin and snuggled his nose closer. “You’re incredible. I want to do this again, again, again—”

Grace slapped his back and chuckled. “Stop being an animal. We have a dinner to go to. We can’t keep them waiting any longer.”

He let out a sigh and kissed the side of her neck. It tickled.

“But after the dinner, I’m stealing you to my place. I won’t let you go home.”

“Who said I wanted to go home?”

They laughed simultaneously, and after they fixed their clothes, they were on their way out of the building.

Oh, fucking hell. He’s the last person who should catch us here.

Grace couldn’t ignore the glaring stare from Liam as they passed him in the lobby. Elijah didn’t seem to notice him, but she did, and she was sure he knew about their relationship.

That was definitely not good news.

⸻⸻

20│𝐆𝐫𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞

“Oh my God. You fucked your boss, and now you’re dating him?” Cara exclaimed loudly, and Grace was sure everyone in the coffee shop heard it.

She ushered her with her palm. “Thank you for the clarification, Cara, but not everyone in this room needs to know my personal business.”

She nodded and removed her hand from her mouth.

“Why didn’t you tell us sooner?” Zoe asked.

Grace felt like shit. Her friends were like family, but because of work, she had no time to meet them and tell them in person. She sometimes missed being in college and having more free time for her friends.

“It all got messy during the business trip. I didn’t want to tell you via text message. It all happened so fast that I still can’t believe it’s true.” She explained.

Cara took a sip of her coffee and asked, “Well, you fucked him, so it has to be true. How good is he?”

Grace almost choked on her coffee. “Cara!”

Zoe shook her head with a smile.

“What? Elijah is a walking sex bomb. He must be good in bed.” She whispered.

Grace sighed and chuckled. “You aren’t wrong. He has too many muscles.”

They all laughed simultaneously, and Cara suddenly got serious.

“Since we’re breaking the news today, I have something to say as well.” She announced, “Alec, and I want to start dating.”

Grace turned stoic for a second. Not because it was bad news, but because she couldn’t believe her brother was able to swoon her best friend. Anyone with clear sight would admit how gorgeous Cara looked, so it was obvious Alec liked her.

But what did she see in him? Grace would never know.

“I’m truly happy for you. You don’t have to ask for permission to date my brother. Just don’t break his heart.” She warned with a playful grin.

“Shouldn’t you tell him not to break mine?” Cara rolled her eyes.

She wrapped her arm around her and hugged her. “Of course, I will. I’ll dig up his own grave if he makes you cry.”

Zoe pouted. “I’m very happy for you two, but now I feel even more single.”

Grace reached for Zoe’s hand, and she squeezed it. “Don’t be. Together we will find someone for you.”

Zoe sighed, sadness written all over her face. “Even if you did, I have zero time for dating. I need to change my job.”

“The right man won’t have a problem with your schedule. If he likes you, he’ll wait.” Cara stated.

Zoe narrowed her eyes. “You need to stop reading fiction, girl. Such a man doesn’t exist.”

.

Elijah was waiting for her in front of her house. Since they got together, Alec’s taxi services weren’t needed.

Needless to say, he was happy, and Grace could spend more time with Elijah alone.

Grace strode to Elijah, who was leaning against the hood of his car, his arms folded.

“Good morning,” she said, and his mouth immediately curved into a smile.

He leaned off the hood and outstretched his arms. She buried herself in his embrace, smelling his favorite fragrance.

“Good morning to you as well, sunshine.” He said, his morning voice sending chills down her spine.

Grace looked up at him, admiring his handsome facial features. She deserved a man like him. So successful and so gorgeous.

“For how long will you stare at me?” He asked with a smirk.

She frowned. “Don’t tell me you don’t enjoy it.”

He looked away, his cheeks slightly flushed. “That would be a lie.”

Grace smiled to herself and hugged him tighter, drowning in his eternal warmth. She never wanted to be separated from him, not even for a second.

Elijah clutched her by the waist and hoisted her into the air. Grace gasped, finding herself on the hood of his expensive car.

He grabbed her neck gently and smashed his lips against hers. She felt the lust between them like a tsunami. She grasped his tie and tucked him even closer.

Elijah smiled between her lips and invaded her sweet mouth.

Neither of them cared that someone could see them like this. They ignored every single noise, except for their breath.

As they were kissing, a droplet of rain fell on Grace’s face. They stopped kissing, and both looked heavenward. Gradually, the rain intensified, splashing loudly on the car.

“We should get inside.” Grace chuckled.

Elijah smiled. “Afraid of rain?”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to ruin my makeup and hair. I still have to go to work.”

Elijah rolled his eyes and stepped back, then opened the passenger door and gently lifted Grace into his arms. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck. He placed her inside and buckled her. The smile has never vanished from his face; it was unusual to see him smile so much, but the change did him good.

Once they got to work, it was like they weren’t dating at all. Grace controlled her eyes and Elijah his lust. They rarely looked at each other.

She was relieved yet sad over the fact that they had to hide their relationship. Grace didn’t want to experience the humiliation again or be the center of attention.

But she wanted to look at Elijah without feeling anxious about being caught. Was working as his secretary a good choice? Wouldn’t it later become a problem? Was dating your boss allowed?

No, I need to think about something else. Nobody knows about us yet.

“Grace, are you coming with us?”

She was saved by Sofia. Otherwise, she would spend the entire break thinking, What if this or what if that would happen?

“And where are you going?” Grace asked and got up from the chair.

“To smoke. I’m so fucking pissed.” She whispered, and Lewis looked scared of her.

I nodded. “Let’s go.”

To her surprise, they stayed inside the building, standing on some random balcony that had an ashtray. Only Sofia was smoking angrily, as if someone had stolen her dinner. Working in an office wasn’t as easy as some people thought, and Sofia was clearly on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Grace smoked when she was in high school and later realized smoking wasn’t her forte. She’d rather have a glass of red wine to ease her nerves.

Lewis was leaning against the handrail, observing the busy city, and Grace was awkwardly standing between the two of them with her arms folded.

“So, what happened that got you so pissed?” She wondered.

Sophia suddenly whined loudly and pulled on her hair. “I’ve

been given an impossible deadline. I can’t fucking make it on time.“

“I can help you.” Grace softly offered.

Sofia shook her head with a gentle smile. “That’s so sweet of you, but I know you have so much work to do as well. If I can’t make it alone, then I guess I’m not working at the right place.”

“And Elijah would get furious, and he wouldn’t be happy with your performance, and his half-brother would magically find out about it.” Lewis chimed in.

Grace frowned, not understanding his point.

“His half-brother?” She asked.

They both suddenly froze, regret written on their faces.

“What? Weren’t you supposed to tell me that?” She laughed.

Lewis scratched the back of his neck. “Well, no. If our company has any secrets, it’s this one.”

Grace moved closer to him. “I’m good at keeping my mouth shut.”

He laughed and glanced at Sophia.

“Well, Elijah and Liam are stepbrothers. Elijah’s parents adopted Liam when he was a child. We don’t know much about their family, but it’s crystal clear that the two of them hate each other. Their father left the CEO position open for Liam, and we still don’t know why. If I were Elijah, I’d be so pissed.” Liam revealed.

Grace was left speechless, frozen. How could Elijah not tell her Liam is his stepbrother?

“Elijah is an asshole, but Liam is a sly fox. He made so many mistakes that Elijah had to cover for him; it’s only a matter of time before their father steps up and makes Elijah the CEO.” Sophia added.

On their way back, Grace had a million thoughts running through her head. Elijah’s strange behavior when he found out Liam was interested in her—the weird overprotectiveness over her.

He’s simply scared Liam would steal me as he stole his position. But I’m more than just that. I’m not a trophy to be won.

When they returned, Grace stood in front of the printer, too drowned in her thoughts that she didn’t even notice Liam walking out of Elijah’s office until he stopped beside her with his hand on her shoulder.

He leaned closer and whispered, “You may have fooled Elijah, but not me. How humiliated did you feel when everyone heard you seduced your boss to earn a higher position? How do you think everyone in this room would react if I revealed to them your little secret?”

Her eyes grew wide, and a shiver coursed through her body.

“You should’ve chosen me, Grace. Not him.” He patted her shoulder and left the office.

Grace’s worst nightmare came true, and Liam’s words were a warning.

If she stays with Elijah, he’d tell everyone the lie her previous boss made up. She didn’t care about her coworker’s opinion anymore, but about Elijah’s.

He’d never believe her side of the story.

⸻⸻

21│𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧

During the weekend, Grace avoided her phone, trying to distract herself with her hobbies to stop thinking about Liam and his threat. But her phone was vibrating every single time with a new text message. It was, of course, Elijah.

But she needed to clear her head, to think everything through.

This was more than just her job; her relationship with Elijah was at stake, and making an irrational decision was out of the question. He was a man she wanted to keep. This relationship was worth fighting for.

Grace sipped her green tea and read intently the book she was currently reading. She was wrapped in a big, fluffy white blanket, her hair messy, dressed in silk pajamas because they were the most comfortable on her skin.

She wasn’t lying on her bed but on the gifted beanbag that Zoe gave her last year for her birthday. It was the most pleasant place a person could ever sit.

After so many weeks of working, this felt like a reward. She was fully drowned in the thriller she was reading, not straying her eyes from the pages. She almost forgot about the whole situation with Liam.

She knew it was unavoidable, but she badly wanted to believe it was just another nightmare that would eventually pass.

Just as she finished another chapter, the doorbell rang. It was the plumber. One pipe was leaking, and telling Alec to fix it would cost her more than an actual plumber.

She quickly snatched a hoodie and hurried to the front door. What she wasn’t expecting was to find a young man at her doorstep.

He was exactly Zoe’s type.

“Thank you for coming. You saved me today.” Grace said and beckoned the plumber inside.

“No need to thank me, Miss. I’m just doing what I’m good at.” He warmly smiled at her, and Grace showed him the leaking pipe.

“If you need anything, just tell me. I’ll be in the kitchen.” She said.

He nodded. “Of course. I’ll be very quick.”

Grace smiled and headed to the kitchen. She filled a glass of water and set it on the table for him once he was done with his job.

As she was about to order a pizza, her phone buzzed.

Elijah: I’m truly worried about you. Why haven’t you replied or taken any of my calls? Did I do something wrong? Please, talk to me.

She felt a pang in her chest.

Acting like this toward him was unfair.

The plumber was still at work, the quiet clinking of tools echoing from the other room. Grace sat back in the beanbag, pulling the blanket to her chin. She didn’t resume her book this time. Her thoughts were louder than the plot now.

Grace: I’m sorry…I was reading a book. Nothing is wrong :)

Elijah: But why do I feel like something is? Don’t you want to talk to me, to meet me?

She typed again.

Grace: Of course, I do. Don’t be silly. I just needed time for myself.

Elijah only read her message and didn’t reply. She, meanwhile, responded to the girl’s group chat, uneasiness crawling in her skin.

A half-hour later, the plumber appeared in the doorway, wiping his hands on a cloth.

“All done, Miss. There should be no more leaks.”

Grace stood and walked over, relieved. “Thank you so much. That was fast.”

He only grinned.

“Here.” She grabbed the glass of water. “You must be thirsty.”

He smiled at her. “Thank you. You’re so kind.”

The plumber then packed up his tools, and Grace followed him to the front door, offering a warm, polite smile. “Thanks again,” she said, holding the door open as the cool afternoon air swept in.

“No problem, Miss. Have a good day.”

“You too.”

He gave her a nod and strolled forward. Just as Grace stepped out to watch him leave, she took a sharp breath.

Elijah stood in her driveway, hands in the pockets of his gray sweatpants, eyes fixed on her.

Her heart skipped a beat.

“Elijah…” she breathed.

He didn’t move at first. His gaze shifted from her to the plumber disappearing down the street, then back to her. “I thought you were just reading a book.”

She opened her mouth, but no words came.

“I didn’t mean to show up like this,” he added, walking closer now. “I just—Grace, you’ve been ignoring me the whole day. And I was worried.”

She stepped out of the doorway.

“I wasn’t ignoring you,” she said softly. “I just needed space. It wasn’t about you.”

“Then what is it about?” he asked, stopping a few feet from her. “Because something’s different. I can feel it.”

She dropped her eyes, staring at the ground tiles beneath her bare feet.

There it was.

The moment she had been dreading.

She met his gaze, her heart pounding. “I want to tell you,” she said. “I’m just so scared you won’t believe my words.”

His jaw clenched, and his eyes darkened. He closed the space between them and towered over her. “First of all, who was that man?” His eyes went up and down her figure.

“The plumber.” She answered, looking into his eyes.

He took another step, and Grace backed off. Elijah walked inside and closed the door.

“You could’ve called me. A random man was in your house, and you were dressed like this.” He snapped, observing her clothes.

Grace folded her arms. “I’m covered. He saw nothing, just my legs.”

His eyebrows rose to his hairline. “And you think I’m okay with that?”

She sighed and turned on her heel to the living room. Elijah stormed right after her; he yanked her by her elbow to his chest.

“What happened? Just tell me, Grace. I can’t stand that look in your eyes.”

A tear escaped her eye. “I don’t want to lose you if you won’t believe me! I’m so fucking scared. I can’t go through this pain again.”

Elijah put his arms around her and smashed her into his body. “Why wouldn’t I believe you? What’s wrong?”

Grace sobbed, her breathing ragged. “Liam.”

He stiffened. “What did he say to you?” His voice dropped low.

Grace stayed quiet, sorting her thoughts. How could she explain this to him in the best way? No man, except Alec, believed the truth. Everyone in her previous office stood against her.

Is a woman’s voice so unimportant?

“Tell me.” Elijah urged, his arms squeezing her tightly.

Grace looked up at him, tears silently running down her cheeks. “Let’s sit down.”

He nodded, and Grace drew away from him, sitting down on the couch in the living room.

Elijah sat down next to her, keeping a distance from her to give her space.

“I was fired from my previous position.” Grace began. “I was a really good employee, but then I made the grave mistake of getting friendly with my boss. I never thought of him as anything more than my boss, but he felt otherwise. He was drunk and invited me for coffee, and I went because I thought it was related to work. He, however, got touchy with me, and I was very uncomfortable. So I sent him to hell, and the next day at work, he claimed that I tried to seduce him. He fired me in front of all my colleagues. Almost no one believed my side of the story.”

Elijah’s eyebrows knitted together, and his eyes narrowed.

“Please, say something,” Grace whispered, and her hands slightly trembled.

“Has Liam threatened you with this? That he would form a lie about you seducing me?” Elijah finally spoke.

She frantically nodded, her eyes closed.

“And you thought I’d rather believe him than you?”

Grace snapped her head in his direction. Fury was written all over his face.

“Because he’s your brother.” She said.

He sighed, and his jaw clenched. “Half-brother.”

She looked away, her heart pulsing wildly. It was still his brother. He knew him better than Grace.

Suddenly, Elijah got up and started walking towards the front door. Grace stormed right after him, grabbing his arm.

“Where are you going?!” She asked.

“Beat the shit out of Liam, of course. No one will threaten my woman.” He stated.

Her eyes widened. “D-Does that mean you trust me?”

Elijah faintly smiled, and he grabbed her face. “I trust no one other than you, Grace. Your words are my holy bible. I’m going to put Liam in his place. No one will make you feel this way again.”

“Will you really fight him?” She wondered, her heart pounding fast from hearing Elijah’s words.

“Not psychically.” He winked and gave her a peck on the forehead before leaving her house.

Grace wasn’t sure about many things, but telling Elijah the truth was the right choice. Now she had no weight on her shoulders, pulling her down.

⸻⸻

22│𝐅𝐢𝐱

A couple of days passed, and everything was the same. Elijah had become busier, and they barely talked. He told her it was concerning Liam, so she didn’t ask more questions.

She was happy he trusted her and decided to do something about Liam’s threat.

But she missed him, even though he was so close to her during work. It wasn’t the same as being able to touch him and talk to him freely without being careful of what anyone could hear.

One day after work, Cara called her to go out for a glass of wine. She couldn’t refuse. She needed alcohol in her system.

They met at their favorite bar, both looking exhausted but happy to see each other.

“You look like a train wreck,” Cara stated.

“Hello to you, too. Yes, I’m doing well. Thanks for asking.” Grace joked.

Cara laughed and pushed Grace’s favorite glass of wine towards her.

“This will fix you. Believe me.” Cara said.

Grace sighed and sat across from her. She didn’t wait a single second to take a long sip of the red wine.

It was her favorite kind, and she had to restrain herself from finishing it all.

“Problems in paradise?” Cara joked.

Grace shrugged. “It’s more than that. My work got involved.”

Cara froze and set her drink down. “Don’t tell me…”

“Yeah, Elijah knows what happened at my old work. It got so messy, Cara. I don’t want to talk about it.” Grace said and sighed.

Explain to her that the CEO being behind it was out of the question. It would only make the situation more complicated if more people knew about it.

“But does he believe you? He better do, or I’m going to rip his head off his neck.” She threatened.

Grace let out a chuckle. “Yes, he’s on my side. But the person who told him thinks he can toy with me. So now Elijah wants to bring the person down. We haven’t properly talked for days because he’s so busy.” She explained.

“I’m positive he’ll take care of it, so don’t think negatively. Let’s just drink and talk about old times, when we thought life would get better.” Cara raised her glass to the air.

I nodded. “Yeah, when we were even more delusional.” They clinked their glasses together and took a sip.

The drinks were coming and going until both of them were wasted. However, Grace was feeling amazing. All the worries flew out of her head, and she only felt the highs.

They danced, they talked, they joked, and life became so much better, even if for one evening. It was all Grace hoped for.

Their lives weren’t perfect. Something would always cross their path, and they had to get rid of the obstacle. But at least they had each other. They weren’t alone.

When three bottles of wine were completely empty, nothing could sober them up.

Grace’s phone vibrated, but she completely ignored it. Cara, on the other hand, was calling with someone, giggling.

“I love him, Gracie. I’m so in love with him.” She mumbled, drunk.

“W-Who?” she asked.

Cara laughed and took another shot, tossing the phone aside. “Your brother. I never want to let him go.”

Grace was drunk enough to forget that Cara told her they began dating.

“I told you!” Grace exclaimed. “My brother is the best. Although he has a car obsession. That’s a red flag.”

Cara waved a dismissive hand. “Every guy has a red flag. Though your brother is an angel compared to the other men.”

“I agree!” Grace toasted to that and spilled some of the alcohol on herself.

Cara giggled, and before they could continue, a hand rested on Grace’s shoulder. Cara stopped laughing as well because Alec was standing right in front of her, frowning.

Grace tilted her head backward to find Elijah glaring at her.

“Oops.”

.

Elijah took Grace to his house. She couldn’t be left alone in such a state. She drank more than he did in these couple of years.

“How could your body handle so many shots and wine?” He said more to himself than to her, carrying her in a bridal style to the bed.

“I missed you so much. Where the hell have you been?” Grace mumbled, her eyes closed.

Elijah placed her gently on the bed, but Grace didn’t let go of his arms.

“I was taking care of something, sunshine. But don’t worry, you will be informed about it sooner than you think.” He said and kissed her forehead.

She writhed in his hold. “Tell me everything now.” She said.

“You need to sleep it off,” he murmured. “We’ll talk tomorrow when you’re sober and more yourself.”

“I love you.” She whispered and

leaned into his touch, and her grip on his arms loosened slightly. He could hear her mumbling something under her breath, but her words were too incoherent to understand.

Elijah sat down on the edge of the bed, still holding her hand. “I’ll stay here next to you,” he whispered.

Grace hummed softly, her eyes barely open now, but the sound let him know she’d heard him.

Elijah watched her for a moment, his thumb brushing over the back of her hand as her breathing slowed. Her face had softened in sleep, all that tension gone, melted away by exhaustion and too much vodka.

Elijah’s jaw clenched as the image of Liam flashed in his mind. That smirk. That sassy tone. He was going to wipe it off his face soon enough.

He gently adjusted the blanket over her body, careful not to disturb her, then leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out quietly and read the message.

Noah: Got the documents. You’re not going to like what’s in them.

Elijah’s eyes narrowed.

Elijah: I’m ready for all of it. Send me everything.

Noah was not working in the same firm, but he had been Elijah’s friend for a long time. Everyone needs to have a hacker up their sleeve.

They met in college and have been friends ever since. Grace never met him. Neither did someone else. Noah liked to be not seen.

He could only thank him for helping to find evidence against Liam. If it wasn’t for him, Elijah would’ve lost this fight.

Elijah slipped the phone back into his pocket and looked at Grace again.

“I’m going to fix this,” he whispered. “No matter what it takes.”

She stirred faintly but didn’t wake.

Elijah sat there a while longer, listening to her steady breathing, planning his next move. The time for silence was over.

Whatever Liam thought he had over Grace, it ended now.

And Elijah? He would make sure of it.

⸻⸻

23│𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐡

After a long shower, breakfast, and lots of water, Grace felt a bit better. It was so embarrassing to look like this in front of Elijah, especially since they hadn’t dated for too long. Being so close to him again after so many days, and looking like this, made Grace feel like dirt.

She even began to have ill thoughts, such as, Did he change his mind? Have his feelings for her weakened?

But if it were true, he wouldn’t come for her and take her home. He wouldn’t bother to take care of her.

“That vein popping on your forehead tells me you’re thinking about stupid things.”

Elijah’s voice startled her.

Grace sat in the living room, wrapped in a blanket, holding a big glass of water. Elijah chuckled when she didn’t reply and sat beside her.

“Was I right?” He asked, staring at her.

She sighed. “Unfortunately, you do. But I eliminated those thoughts already.”

Elijah leaned closer and tucked her hair behind her ear. Grace shivered. “Oh, yeah? Why so?”

For a second, she lost the ability to speak. His eyes were soft and so beautiful. She just couldn’t resist them.

“Because I trust you.” Those words were so heavy on her shoulders, but when they left her mouth, she no longer sensed their weight.

Trust was the most important element in a relationship, and if you didn’t trust your partner, how could you believe in your relationship?

Elijah slid his hand to hers and intertwined their fingers. “I know we haven’t talked properly, Grace. I apologize for that, but from now on, everything will change.” He smirked.

“How so? What happened?” Grace asked.

“In my closet, you will find your new dress, heels, along with makeup, even though you don’t need any. We will meet downstairs in fifteen minutes.” Elijah announced and got up from the couch, heading into his small office.

Nothing made sense, but she followed his instructions.

When she walked into his closet and found the dress, she immediately put it on. It was a white dress that hugged her waist, and its length fell below her knees. The square neckline and thick straps gave it a clean, elegant look, with a row of simple buttons on one side.

Grace quickly unboxed the heels that matched the dress, only to find their bottoms were painted red. She stared at them in total awe. She always deserved to be treated like this, but to experience it was so surreal.

When she was done with the makeup, she moved downstairs, where Elijah was already waiting for her.

“You look stunning. As always.” He said, and a smile tugged at his lips.

Grace stopped breathing for a split second.

She’d never get used to such compliments. He was full of them as if he studied every romance novel.

Elijah closed the space between them and put his hand around her waist.

“How is it possible you look amazing in every color?” He asked, a sly smirk playing on his lips.

Her eyes rolled as she folded her arms. “Let’s go. I don’t know how to respond to such compliments.”

He tugged her to his side, and Grace immediately looked up at him.

“I’m not expecting you to thank me. I’m only stating the obvious. I have a beautiful girlfriend.” Elijah said.

If Grace’s jaw wasn’t clenched, it would already be on the floor.

She couldn’t believe her ears. Was it the same man who interviewed her?

“Thank you for the clothes, Elijah.” Her voice softened. “But I’d like to know what’s happening.”

Elijah slipped his hand into his pants pocket and pulled out beautiful pearl earrings.

“I almost forgot about them.” He clipped them to her ears and took a good look at her. “Now is the look complete. We can go.”

.

Grace was expecting everything, except coming to the company on a day off. Elijah was in an unusually good mood, and it made her slightly nervous.

Something was about to happen, and she had no clue what.

As soon as Elijah opened the door for her and she slowly got out, he intertwined their fingers, and she frowned.

“But they will know—”

“It doesn’t matter anymore. I want them all to know that you belong to me.” He cut her off.

Without another word, Elijah led the way. Grace was speechless. Of course, she wanted everyone to know she was dating Elijah, but the gossip and envy in people’s eyes would be hard to handle.

And there was the whole Liam situation.

When they stopped on the sixth floor, she knew something was wrong. This was the floor where all the meetings took place.

“Why are we here, Elijah?” She asked, worried.

He opened the third door, and every important person in the company was sitting behind the long, round glass table.

“Now you will know why,” Elijah muttered quickly.

When Grace walked inside, every eye was on her. She slightly ducked her head, scanning the people who were thrice as high above her.

And amongst them was Liam.

Her eyes widened. Why was he here as well?

Elijah gently grabbed her shoulder and leaned toward her ear. “Take a seat.” His hot breath against her ear somehow slightly calmed her.

She swiftly took a seat, trying to compose herself. Liam’s piercing eyes were hard to ignore, but Grace wouldn’t satisfy him by meeting his gaze.

Now there was only one chair empty. It was the one at the very end in the middle where usually the CEO sits.

“Mr. Russell, for whom else are we all waiting? As you know, we are too busy to waste time here.” Liam spoke.

Elijah chuckled and moved in front of the board that was already turned on.

“It’s very well known about the punctuality of our father. He should be here any second.” Elijah announced.

“Father?” Liam said in disbelief.

“Yes, I called the chairman for this meeting. That should indicate to you that the matter I’ll soon talk about is not light.” Elijah’s voice dropped.

Grace hadn’t been working at the company for that long to know that their father is the chairman.

When she glanced at Liam, he was breathing quickly, and his face started to redden.

The door opened, and an almost exact copy of Elijah walked in. His hair was cut short and elegant, and a few wrinkles were on his face. His father, even at his age, looked gorgeous.

“Good day, gentlemen. Let’s resolve whatever my son wants to talk about quickly. Shall we?” He said. 

They almost all said yes, except for Liam.

Grace almost forgot she was the only woman in the room. Elijah’s father noticed her a couple of seconds later.

Grace bowed her head slightly, and he smiled.

“Since we’re all here now, let me reveal the reason for today’s sudden meeting,” Elijah said.

He tapped a button on the remote, and several spreadsheets appeared—figures, vendor names, and dates. Then a scanned document with Liam’s signature.

“For the past year and a half,” Elijah began, his voice calm, “someone has been channeling company funds through fake vendors—shell companies that don’t exist. The transactions were small at first. Clever. But over time, they grew bolder. More confident.”

Grace’s heart skipped a beat.

Whispers started to fill the room.

Elijah continued, unfazed. “Money has been moved, hidden under layers of false documentation. I’ve gathered records and approvals tied to these transactions.”

He paused and looked directly at Liam.

“All of them lead back to one person.”

Liam shifted in his seat.

“Elijah, this is ridiculous,” he said with a laugh. “You’re throwing around accusations without—”

“I have proof,” Elijah cut him off, clicking the remote again. A video played—a security clip of Liam in a private office, signing documents and handing them off to a courier.

Gasps filled the room.

“I also have recordings,” Elijah added. “Emails. Financial trails. You made mistakes, Liam. You got arrogant.”

The chairman—their father—leaned forward. “Is this true?”

Liam’s jaw clenched, but his silence said enough.

“I wanted this handled discreetly,” Elijah said, “but threats were made. Lies were spread. And now, this affects more than just money—it affects the people in this company.”

He looked at Grace—just briefly. No one else seemed to notice, but she felt it like a bolt of electricity.

“I’m recommending Liam’s immediate suspension and an investigation. The evidence will be handed over to the legal team and the board.”

Silence fell like a hammer.

The chairman straightened. “I’ll review everything personally. If what you say is correct, Liam will be dealt with accordingly.”

Liam finally stood, his voice trembling with rage. “You think you can ruin me like this?”

“No,” Elijah seethed. “You did that all on your own.”

.

The aftermath was silent. Grace, Elijah, and the chairman were the only people who stayed behind. Grace felt a bit awkward, as if she had no place to be there during the meeting since she was only a secretary, but the flame that swirled inside her chest when she heard Liam would be dealt with was indescribable.

Elijah fulfilled his promise to her. He believed in her.

“I apologize; I didn’t inform you about this sooner, but I wanted to gather all the evidence,” Elijah said to his father.

He simply shook his head. “I understand. You did the right thing, and I’m not mad about that. It’s something else that angered me.” The chairman said and looked at Grace.

“Who is this beautiful woman right here, son?” He asked, his eyes jumping from Grace to Elijah.

Grace’s cheeks heated.

Elijah suppressed a laugh. “This is my secretary, Miss Grace Ellington.”

The chairman stood up and walked to Grace. She jumped from the chair, looking up at him.

He extended his arm toward her. “I’m Dane Russell. You must be my son’s girlfriend that he still didn’t take home to introduce.” Dane smirked.

“Father!” Elijah chimed in.

Dane shrugged. “I know you’ve been busy, but how could you not introduce us?”

Grace laughed. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Russell.”

“The pleasure is all mine, sweetheart. I hope you know my son would never disappoint you. I’ve raised him well.” Dane said.

Grace smiled shyly, unsure how to respond to the unexpected warmth radiating from Elijah’s father. Dane Russell wasn’t what she imagined. She had pictured someone colder, even intimidating. But the man standing before her was charming and far more observant than she’d expected.

“I think he’s doing alright so far,” she said, glancing at Elijah from the corner of her eye.

Elijah smirked. “Only ‘alright’?”

Dane chuckled. “If that’s her version of praise, you better work harder, son.”

Grace laughed, and the tension that had clung to her spine since the meeting began finally melted away.

“I’m inviting you for dinner this weekend, and I don’t take no for an answer.” Dane wiggled his forefinger.

Grace nodded with a smile. “I wouldn’t dare to. Thank you, Mr. Russell.”

Dane moved to Elijah, patting his shoulder, sighing. “Good work, Elijah. It’s such a shame your brother didn’t cherish his position more, but I guess we can’t change him anymore.” Dane said and exited the boardroom.

It was written all over his face how deeply disappointed he was with Liam. He tried to mask the sadness, but she saw it in his eyes. The letdown and sorrow.

It didn’t matter if Liam was his own son or not. He still raised him and gave him a very high position that Elijah could’ve had, but instead, Dane gave Liam a chance to show he could handle this company.

But Liam was simply an ungrateful brat who didn’t deserve the trust of this company and every worker in it.

“Let’s go, Grace.” Elijah took her hand.

“I hope you’re taking me out for a coffee. I need it.” She grinned.

He tugged her closer, and it slightly startled her. “Let me make you the best coffee at home. I missed you.”

She blinked quickly. “Yeah?”

He smirked and kissed her under the jaw. “It was torture,” he muttered.

⸻⸻

24│𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞

Three weeks went by, and Liam Blackwood was no longer the CEO of the company. Elijah Russell and Dane Russell made sure of that.

The chaos and confusion in the company really showed how everything can change upside down.

People couldn’t believe their eyes that Liam was capable of such a thing, but Elijah proved his wrongness with the evidence he gathered against him. Some of Grace’s coworkers were actually glad Liam was fired because, in those weeks of investigation, many women came forward, saying Liam talked inappropriately with them.

When all that evidence was proved right, Liam tried to flee to a different country. Thankfully, Dane Russell made sure his departure would never happen.

After careful consideration, Elijah was chosen as the next CEO. Some were happy with this decision, and some were not, but their opinion didn’t matter. He was a far better option than Liam.

Elijah’s previous position was free, and even though he wanted to give it to Grace, she declined.

It didn’t feel earned, and she wanted to be promoted without anyone’s help. So, instead, Sofia took her place, and Lewis became her secretary.

Of course, Lewis position was suggested by Grace because Sofia asked for this little favor.

Elijah kept Grace as her secretary until she earned a higher position at the company and could spread her wings.

They didn’t confirm their relationship, although some assumptions were voiced. They ignored them all, despite wanting to tell everyone the truth.

But both of them decided it was better to keep it as a secret and not stir up more of the chaos Liam created.

When it comes to Alec, he found his happiness with Cara, and Grace had never seen him more joyful than when they all came together for a dinner with Elijah.

He looked like a teenager, so incredibly in love.

Seeing him get along with Elijah was a shock for Grace as well. Those two bonded so quickly, they started to go out for a drink regularly.

Everything was perfect, and her heart was finally fulfilled.

“Is this really necessary?” Grace asked as Elijah blinded her because they were on the plane to a secret surprise he had prepared for her.

“Of course, it is. It’s called a surprise for a reason, you know.” Elijah scoffed.

They were flying in a private jet, with many flight attendants and so much food, but as soon as the plane began to depart, Elijah insisted on blinding her with a sleeping mask.

“Okay, but what if I need to pee? Then I have to really take it off.” She reasoned.

Elijah grabbed a strawberry dipped in chocolate and put it in her mouth.

“Take a nap. It will be a long flight.” He said, and she reluctantly chewed on the delicious strawberry.

Elijah sat opposite her, only a small table separating them. Even though they’ve been together alone so many times, flying to a different place was a new experience.

Since the whole matter with Liam has been sorted, he took such great care of Grace. At times, she wondered if it was all just a dream.

“Do you crave another one?” Elijah pulled her out of her thoughts.

She nodded, and he chuckled.

“Say, please .” He murmured.

Her heart skipped a beat.

“And what if I don’t?” She teased.

The silence that lingered in the air truly made her nervous.

The sudden movement and rattle of champagne made her flinch. Elijah moved next to her.

She took a ragged breath into her lungs, feeling his radiating presence consume her.

He suddenly grabbed her knees and gently spread them apart, and the next thing that Grace felt was the insane coldness pressed to her inner thigh.

She took a sharp breath, clutching the armrest.

“Say, please, Gracie.” He whispered into her ear and moved the ice cube higher.

She shuddered and closed her legs, trapping his hand.

If you want to play dirty, I should as well.

Grace sneaked her fingers to the hem of his pants, hearing him quietly gasp, but she didn’t halt. Her fingers slid underneath, touching the already hard dick.

“ Unfair .“ Elijah breathed and moved the ice cube to her clit.

Her pulse sped up, and she squeezed her thighs tighter, feeling the movement of the ice against her sensitive skin.

She sighed and stroked his length over his underwear. Elijah moaned and let go of the ice.

Grace took hold of the opportunity and stroked his dick in constant movements, turning him into a complete mess.

He slid fully into the seat, his eyes closed, enjoying her fingers.

“Beg me, Elijah. Tell me you want me to make you come.” She whispered, and he instantly nodded.

“I do. Please, make me come.” He moaned, his hips thrusting.

He suddenly clutched her hand in his and fastened the movement. She could only hear his rapid breath and helplessness voice as her eyes were still covered.

“Don’t stop, please.” He added.

Grace smirked and rubbed his length, making sure he felt her well. The whimpers and moans only intensified, and she almost thought of touching herself to his expressive sounds, but she just couldn’t leave him unfinished.

“W-What if someone comes in?” She asked and gulped.

Elijah let out an exhale. “Don’t stop even then. Finish what you started, sunshine.”

He helped her free his dick from his underwear, immediately gluing her fingers over his cock.

It didn’t take him long to explode. Only a few more strokes, and he came all over her hand and his pants with loud moans.

Vocal men like him were rare these days, and Grace was a lucky woman.

Elijah was catching his breath for a couple of minutes, and then he went to the bathroom to change.

Grace’s heart never stopped racing in her chest. She was unsatisfied, all hot and ready to be eaten by him.

But he was gone for so long, she somehow fell asleep, fantasizing about their night together.

.

When she woke up, someone was caressing her hand in gentle strokes. Her eyes were still blinded, and she couldn’t wait to take the mask off and see where Elijah took her.

“We are here, Grace.” He suddenly said, and she smiled.

“Can I take it off now?” She asked and touched the mask, ready to slide it off her eyelids, but Elijah stopped her.

“Not yet. The surprise is waiting outside.” He softly said.

He helped her get up, and to make it easier for her, he hoisted her into his arms and descended the airplane stairs.

“Is this truly necessary?” Grace wondered, holding him around the neck.

He quietly chuckled. “Yes, it is. Now stop talking.”

She rolled her eyes and focused on the change in the weather. The air was warm but thick, not the same as home. Crickets were creating a melody somewhere in the distance, and the sound of waves washing the shore was hard to miss.

“Oh my god.” She whispered, and he placed her on a chair. He slowly took the mask off, and her eyes had to readjust to the sudden light of decorative lights and candles. It was already evening, the full moon shining strongly.

The moment she registered everything around her, her jaw dropped to the floor.

Elijah took a seat across from her, smiling from ear to ear.

“We are in Italy. Amalfi Coast.” He announced and continued, “And this is the best Michelin-starred restaurant. I reserved the whole restaurant for us.”

A couple of seconds later, a violin started to play, and when Grace looked to her right, a man was playing the violin, completely lost in the melody.

Grace couldn’t utter a word. She had a view of the sea and the beautiful white terraced houses that covered the whole hill. She felt like she was in a movie. Everything looked surreal.

When she looked back at Elijah, his eyes were slightly wide, impatiently waiting for her response.

“I-I don’t know what to say.” She muttered.

He frowned for a second. “You don’t like it?” The hurt in his voice was so clear.

She shook her hands frantically. “No! It’s the exact opposite. This place looks like heaven.”

He stretched his hand and grasped hers. Grace’s heart thumped. The gentle breeze swayed his hair, and she noticed they grew a bit longer. She thought about giving him a slight trim.

Elijah caressed the back of her hand with a faint smile on his face.

“I have something for you.” He said, uncovering what was underneath the serving tray in front of her.

There was a velvet black jewelry box.

“Open it.” He grinned.

Once she opened the box, a green diamond necklace was glinting back at her.

Elijah got up and walked behind her. He gently took the necklace and pressed it against her collarbone.

“I know I was such an asshole to you when we first met, and I know a necklace won’t erase it, but at least I hope you will like wearing it,” Elijah said and clipped the necklace on her neck.

Grace touched its surface, thinking how expensive it must’ve been.

“Well, I called you worse than that.” She murmured and suppressed a smile.

He touched her bare shoulders. “You did?” There was amusement in his voice.

“Of course, I did. You literally tortured me. I thought you were never going to like me.” She confessed.

His hum alerted her.

I guess he didn’t like my answer.

He leaned toward her face with one hand on her shoulder and the other on the table.

“I miss those times torturing you. Seems you still need some lecturing.” His grip on her shoulder tightened.

Grace looked away.

“Where did you get such a beautiful necklace? It looks exactly like your eye color.” She burst out, touching it.

Elijah quickly hoisted Grace and took a seat on the chair with her in his lap. His hand immediately landed on her thigh.

She felt her cheeks heat. The violin player was still there.

“Now this is better.” He said with a grin. “I like it when you sit on me.”

She gently slapped him on the chest.

“Don’t say that so loud.” She whispered.

His eyes widened. “Why? Embarrassed?”

She instantly buried her face into the crook of his neck, and he started to laugh.

“Thanks for laughing at me, Elijah. That makes me feel better.” She said.

His arms wrapped around her waist.

“There’s no need to feel shy. Don’t hide how you feel in front of me. I want to see every side of you. Good and bad.” He softly said, and his fingers gently stroked her back.

Grace closed her eyes and enjoyed the silent moments that passed between them. The sound of waves almost made her fall asleep, but the warmth radiating from Elijah’s body kept her awake.

She wanted to stay in this place forever. She wanted to stay with Elijah till death do them part.

“Grace, I’ll soon ask for permission from your brother to marry you. So, don’t be surprised.” Elijah announced.

She immediately drew away.

“Isn’t it too soon for that? You might change your mind—”

“No.” He cut her off. “I’ll never change my mind about you. You and I are forever. You’re the only woman I want to marry. The only woman I want to kneel to.”

Before she uttered a word, the sound of footsteps alarmed her. She turned over her shoulder, and servers with trays arrived. She quickly got off Elijah’s lap and hurried to the opposite chair. He chuckled, and she rolled her eyes.

.

When they finished the three-course meal, they moved toward the balcony railing. Grace leaned against it, staring at the moon. Elijah hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.

Everything was quiet now.

No office. No gossip. No threats. Just the sound of waves, the distant violin, and the flicker of candlelights behind them.

Grace exhaled, letting it all sink in. She didn’t need anything else—not a diamond, not a title, not anyone’s approval.

This was enough.

Elijah gave her a gentle squeeze. “You’re quiet,” he said.

She smiled faintly. “I’m just…happy.”

He turned her around slowly, his hand brushing against her cheek. “Good,” he said. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

They stood like that for a while, eyes locked, hearts calm. Then Elijah leaned in and kissed her—not rushed, not hungry, just soft and steady. The kind of kiss that said home .

When they pulled apart, she whispered, “Can we stay here a little longer?”

“As long as you want, sunshine.”

And they did.

Under the moonlight, above the sea, surrounded by music and the dance of the waves, Grace leaned into him—and for the first time in a long time, she felt completely at peace.

She found the perfect man, and she couldn’t wait to start a new chapter with him.

The End

⸻⸻

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