Page 5

God, she was playing hard to get, and it was only making me want her more. It was making me more invested than I probably should’ve been, but a part of me couldn’t help it.

She was so interesting and addicting, and I just wanted to know more. I wanted to be around her and feel like I knew her so completely.

But of course, I couldn’t spend all day pining for her, as much as I wanted to more than anything.

Even after a few hours passed, I was still feeling satisfied with the fact that Sky even agreed to that ride to work, even if I more so coerced her into it.

Sure, it wasn’t my finest move, but it got her in my car anyway, and allowed me to talk to her again like I had been wanting.

I didn’t know what it was about her, but I found myself needing to engage with her despite knowing better. Needing to hear her voice.

Which was exactly how I landed myself in that position, standing on the tenth floor with my back turned to the workers while I looked down at the live feed playing on my tablet, pretending like I was doing something more important with my time. The desire to be in her space outweighed anything else, and I couldn’t resist going back to that lucky floor of mine.

Even if I was hounding to see and hear her, I was still trying to be discreet, hence why I wasn’t looking outright.

But still, I could hear her voice as she moved to various cubicles, answering questions and offering her input when her subordinates asked for it. I was straining to hear her better… needing to have that fix all while not paying attention to the task at hand like I should’ve been.

I was trying to sniff out that rat, but Christ, focusing was nearly impossible with her so close. She was too much without even realizing it.

“We should focus on this angle…maybe add something here about the main issue…” Sky murmured, using that professional tone of hers that was sexier than I wanted to admit.

Her voice was like a siren’s song to me, and on one hand, I hated the sway it had over me. I hated how it made me feel like a dumbstruck idiot. But on the other, I craved it. I yearned for it.

She was too nonchalant and friendly to possibly understand what she was doing to me, but with every word she said, regardless of the topic or intentions, I was doomed to be captivated.

Unable to help myself like a dog on the scent of something, I looked up from the tablet and started moving before I could even think twice about it. I walked down the section of cubicles as if I had something important to take care of, feeling that need to be closer. My body seemed to act all on its own, and gravitated towards her.

I wanted to believe it was all happening against my will…as if I were merely watching myself be piloted by some greater force, but that was far from the truth. I was perfectly in control, and I couldn’t resist her.

Irritated by the notion, I scolded myself for not being able to focus. For letting Sky get through my defenses without even trying, and distracting me in a way I had never experienced before.

Even if I was investing some time and effort into finding out who was leaking Levov secrets, I knew I wasn’t doing a proper job. I could’ve been more invested and dedicated to figuring it out, but while knowing that, my feet still carried me forward.

I was still on her trail, whether she knew it or not.

As her voice grew louder while I closed in, painfully aware of what little distance remained between us, I felt as that familiar thrill move down my spine…almost like a reward for giving in.

Before all of this, I was interested in her after the few times I had seen her at the family events. While it hadn’t been anything more significant than that, it was hard to believe my desire to see her had been subdued once. It was to a normal degree and not at all concerning. But being forced to see her every day in the office, knowing there was a chance I might run into her at any given moment, only made that longing worse—more intense.

I hated feeling that way. Able to be influenced and controlled by a woman who had no idea what she was capable of. No idea what she was doing to me in all of her friendly innocence.

Still, I wanted her all for myself, regardless of how selfish that sounded.

It was clearer than ever before that I wanted and needed her, and even I couldn’t deny it then. To my dismay, I was considering more desperate measures. Like calling and pretending there was some kind of an emergency I needed help with…finding some way to use my connection with the Levovs to my advantage…or even just taking her…

No, I couldn’t do that. I wasn’t crazy, and I didn’t want her to think that of me either.

I couldn’t do anything too delusional or I’d run the risk of her hating me, and that was the opposite of what I wanted.

As desperate as I was becoming, I wanted things to be natural. I wanted her to come to me, even if that seemed like an unlikely objective.

Still, her voice enticed me further, and I couldn’t stop myself from passing by that cubical where she casually sat on the side of that desk while she helped a coworker with something on their desktop.

Even if my glance at her was brief, it still sent a wave of sparks through my system. It was a quick, desperate fix, but it felt like finally breathing air after having my airway blocked. Like stepping into the sun after weeks of being confined to nothing but darkness. She was so perfect…so tantalizingly close—

But seeing him there took the wind right out of my sails.

Her coworker, who seemed vaguely familiar to me, sat there in his desk chair and looked at Sky intently while they talked. He had a faint, yet noticeable smile on his face, and something about it struck a chord with me.

Even worse, she didn’t seem irritated or repulsed by him. Instead, she was just as friendly as she had been with me the other day when we ran into each other. She was kind, pleasant, and sunny in ways that made me wish she’d only be that way for me.

Clenching my jaw in an attempt to push down those irrational feelings, I kept moving until I reached the back of the floor and turned to have the perfect view of everything.

From there, I watched as Sky continued talking to her male coworker all the while that pesky burning sensation moved through me. My grip on the tablet tightened slightly, and I couldn’t ignore how badly I wanted to stop that conversation from happening.

I was being ridiculous and I knew it, but it didn’t take away the fact that I wanted it to stop. That I didn’t want her to be friendly with anyone else like she was with me.

I’m a grown-ass man…I shouldn’t be feeling petty things like this…

Still, that fact didn’t change how badly I wanted all of her undivided attention. How I didn’t want to share her with anyone—not even her coworkers.

To make matters worse, Sky had no idea that her conversation with him was driving me up the wall. She had no clue, so it wasn’t like I could blame her for intentionally trying to rile me up.

All the while, my gaze came close to burning holes into the back of his head, I found myself mentally going through those employee files to try and recall who he was. As he gave her a subdued laugh and nodded at whatever she said, I couldn’t fight the urge to learn every piece of information I could about him, all to ruin him and prevent him from getting in the way of me and Sky.

But that was crazy. God, it was insane…

My fingers were moving before I could stop them as I tapped the screen in my grasp and accessed those digital files. My eyes focused on what I was doing all the while my ears were fixed on the conversation happening across the room from me, I swiped through the list of employees until I found his face.

Raf Ajello. That was his name.

An Italian too…

I internally scoffed to myself as I faintly shook my head and took in more of his information.

Even in his photo, his short, sandy-blonde hair was pulled back in that stupid preppy hairstyle. There was an unimposing, almost naive look in his green eyes that just screamed how gentle he tried to be.

As much as I thought he seemed like a loser of sorts, I couldn’t help the sharp jab of jealousy in my side. He was exactly the type I assumed Sky would go for.

They both seemed friendly with those sunny demeanors. I could almost picture them doing something as predictable as going to see movies on the weekend, or volunteering at animal shelters or something…bonding and being happy, and—

Shut up.

Christ, what was wrong with me?

This woman was making me lose my mind and she had no idea.

Gritting my teeth, I shook off those destructive thoughts and instead focused on the file in front of me, trying to drown out how they continued to chat aimlessly, not even discussing work at that point.

All the while I took in Raf’s picture, I couldn’t help but feel suspicious of him. He seemed almost too clean…too proper.

Plus, it didn’t help that he was hired only a few months ago. He was one of the newer ones and one of the people I flagged for that fact alone.

Of course, it was impossible to know if my suspicions were accurate, or if it was just the flaming jealousy getting the better of me. Either way, I made the mental note to do a deeper background check on him, and to make a new pile of potential suspects.

As much as I wanted to jump in and confront him then and there…to ruin his image in front of Sky, I couldn’t. I had to show some restraint for the sake of everything.

Still, it was a tempting thought.

Before I could do something stupid, I forced out a breath and tried to keep my focus on investigating.

Even if Raf ended up just being a nice guy, I could justify looking further into him if it meant getting to the bottom of things.

Sure, it was partially charged by personal matters, but either way, I couldn’t leave any stone unturned.

To keep everyone safe, I needed to root out any possible rats, and I needed to get it done sooner rather than later.