Sienna.

 The sleek glass walls of the penthouse office did nothing to keep the heat from crawling under my skin. I shifted in my chair, the leather cool against the backs of my thighs, while the voices in the boardroom droned on. The air smelled like expensive fragrances, but beneath it was a tension I couldn't shake. I had tried to focus on the situation of the post-hack analysis going on around me, but the minute the consultant flashed a diagram on the screen, my stomach twisted. A series of supply chain disruptions, a backdoor in the system, a subtle, insidious move disguised as technical glitches. I had seen it before. Too many times. My breath hitched, and I tightened my grip on the pen in my hand. This was exactly how the Cartel had done it. How they had dismantled my family's cartel, piece by bloody piece, until everything we built crumbled. Seeing it again felt like drowning. And right then, I couldn't breathe. I pushed back my chair, the sound too loud in the glass-enclosed room. Heads turned. Zane's icy-blue gaze locked on me from across the table, a silent question in his eyes. But I couldn't stay. Not with my heart pounding in my throat. "Excuse me," I muttered, rising to my feet before anyone could stop me. I barely made it out into the hallway before the walls felt like they were closing in. My fingers trembled as I pressed the elevator button, ignoring the familiar shadow lurking near the door. One of Zane's men was stationed to keep an eye on me. I hated being watched. Hated feeling like a burden. Because this was my fault, if I hadn't come to work at The Atlas Group, none of this would be happening. The cyber-attacks. The money leaks. The chaos brewing underneath Zane's perfectly ordered empire. I was the common denominator. I had to get out at least for a little while. By the time I hit the lobby, I was already pulling my phone out and making a call to Belinda. Just to feel something normal. But she didn't pick up. She clearly was busy at work. I shoved the phone back in my bag and ducked into a waiting cab, ditching the two guards stationed outside. I knew they would report it and Zane would be pissed. But I couldn't be his problem today. I already felt like too much. The city blurred past, neon lights bleeding into one another as the car sped toward downtown. But even with the movement, the memories followed. They always did. It had been three years since the last time I ran. Another job, another city, another fresh start. Away from Ian. But no matter where I went, the past always found a way to claw itself back. The night it all fell apart, I was twenty. The hacks came first and then the threatening red envelopes at every corner. My father had taken us to the safe house, but it didn't matter. The Cartel found us anyway and the night they carried off the brutal attack on our family, I should have been asleep but Father had given me the silver locket earlier and I was fascinated by it. He had always treasured the piece and never let it out of his sight and it was why I was still awake when the visitors came. Four men in dark suits. One of them stood out because of his funny build. I still remember his face. The scar along his forehead and the way his eyes drooled when he raised the gun. I should have died that night. The voices downstairs were loud enough to wake the dead keeping me up. When the gunshot rented the air, I knew that was the last time I'd be normal again. I went to hide in the makeshift cabin father had carved out and shown me. I listened but everything was silent after the shots were fired. The heavy, terrifying silence before everything burned. They had the house set on fire. I didn't even get to bury them. When I crept down the stairs, my heart nearly stopped. They were already leaving yet I saw them. Instead, I ran. And I kept running. Until I ended up here. Working for Zane Calloway. The one man powerful enough to keep me safe. At least, that's what I told myself. The cab stopped, jerking me back to the present. I paid the driver and slipped into the crowded sidewalk. If I kept moving, the memories couldn't catch up, nor would the men after me. My phone buzzed in my jacket and I pulled it out. The screen flashed Belinda's name and I answered the call immediately. "Are you okay? I missed your call. I am just seeing the news about the Atlas hack." I smiled faintly and leaned against a lamp post, watching the flow of people around me. "I'm fine. Just needed air. How's the hot colleague?" I asked trying to distract her from being worried about me. "Even better. He asked me to the movies. I'm not ready for a relationship, but damn, girl, those eyes? I might risk it." I laughed under my breath, the sound foreign in my throat. At least one of us was living a normal life. My stomach growled, and I realized I hadn't eaten since lunch. "Are you sure you are fine?" Belinda asked "I am. Have a wonderful evening and tell me about it when you return, okay?" "Okay, girl. Bye," she said and hung up. I scanned the area, looking for a diner to eat since my stomach would not stop protesting in hunger. I spotted one down the corner and headed over there. My boot thumped softly against the pavement. I knew Zane would be furious when he realized I had slipped away from his men, but for now, I just needed to feel like myself again. Needed to remember who I was before my life became one long chase. The bell above the door jingled as I stepped inside the diner and instantly, the aroma of fresh bacon filled my nostrils, and for a second, I felt something close to peace. I slid into a booth, my body aching from the tension of the day. The waitress barely glanced at me as she dropped a menu on the table. "Coffee?" "Please," I murmured, my throat dry. As I skimmed the menu, the door swung open, and I glanced up, half-expecting one of Zane's men to drag me back. But it wasn't his security. It was worse. My stomach dropped.

Zane.

 I stepped into my office after the emergency board meeting, ready to continue the day's task, but there was something weird in the air and I knew something was wrong. The IT department had assured me the hack was being managed and the worst of it was behind us, yet I couldn't shake it off as I walked over to my desk. I dropped into my chair, exhaling sharply before I pressed the intercom. I needed to hear her voice, satisfy my desire to feel her presence to distract me from the chaos on the ground. "Sienna, in my office. Now." I grumbled, eyes closed as I pictured her reaction to my order. She wouldn't like it and would roll those sexy dreamy eyes. Silence from her end. That made me open my eyes, I frowned, drumming my fingers against the desk, and pressed the button again. Nothing. Her end was unusually silent. A cold wave of unease slithered down my spine. I knew that she had excused herself halfway through the board meeting, and I had trusted Jason to keep an eye on her. Where the heck are you Sienna? I grabbed the receiver and hit Jason's direct line. A static click followed, then his voice. "Boss." "Where is she?" My tone was calm, but beneath it, something primal clawed its way to the surface. Jason hesitated. Too long. I already knew. Something terrible had happened. "We lost her" The words barely left his mouth before I slammed my fist against the desk. The sound echoed through the office, but it wasn't enough to drown out the storm brewing in my chest. "She's gone, boss. She sleek" Jason said, his voice edged with frustration. "She knows how to disappear." Jason rushed on, his voice firm. "We've been looking. I have the team tracking her last known location, but she hasn't answered her phone." I pushed to my feet so fast that the chair rolled back with a sharp scrape. "You were supposed to watch her." Jason didn't flinch. "She went to the lobby an hour ago. That's the last footage we have. After that, nothing." I gritted my teeth, my pulse pounding against my skull. This wasn't a coincidence. Not with the timing, not with the threats hanging over us. The cartel had her. "I want every man combing this damn city," I ordered, my voice ice-cold. "I don't care what it takes. You find her right away." Jason nodded once. "On it." I ended the call and forced myself to breathe, to push past the blind rage threatening to take over my mood. I had trusted my security team to keep her safe, and now Sienna was gone. I could not merely sit there, fuming behind my desk, I had to do something about it. Without hesitating, I grabbed my jacket and headed for the elevator. The wind outside howled as if the city itself had sensed my fury. Dark clouds had gathered just as forecasted, a storm was pressing down over the city. I didn't give a damn about the weather or the damage the reporter had announced earlier. I needed to find her. And if anyone had taken her. I would burn the city to the ground. The first drops of rain descended on the street as I drove, my grip tight around the wheel while I kept dashing my gaze to my phone, waiting for a beep. Every contact I had, every resource at my disposal, I had sent them all searching. But I needed to be out there doing my part. I tried calling her phone, the call went straight to voicemail. Damn it, Sienna. My gut told me she hadn't left on her own. I pulled up outside a bar she had mentioned once in passing, the spot she and her bestfriend had gone to celebrate their new jobs. I scanned the entrance, my pulse hammering.She wasn't there. I was about to leave when my phone buzzed. Jason. "Tell me you have something," I yelled at once. "She's been spotted," Jason said. "Downtown, near the old subway entrance." Why the hell would she be out there? It didn't matter. I was already driving over. *** By the time I reached the subway, the storm had fully broken. Rain pounded against the pavement relentlessly making it almost impossible to drive, yet I kept on going until I got to the entrance. Then I saw her. She was standing alone near the tunnel's entrance, arms wrapped around her waist, soaked to the bone. The gown she wore clung to her body tightly, making her look even more irresistibly charming. I swallowed the gush of lust filling me up as I tried to park the car, eyes fixed on the outlines of her curvy body. Her boobs stood pecky, begging to be touched. I got a spot next to her and parked. I killed the engine and got out, matching over in quick strides. She looked up at the sound of my footsteps, her eyes wide, startled when she realized it was me. With each step I took closer to her, my desires grew because now I could see the entirety of her body contours, the way her hips felt even more defined and it drove me crazy. I didn't slow down. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" My voice was taut with barely restrained anger. And desire to grab her, feel her wet boobs against my chest. She shivered, whether from the cold or my tone, I didn't know. "I needed air," she stammered. "I was..." "You were gone." I closed the distance between us, ignoring the rain dripping down my face. "Without your security and without informing anyone. Do you have any idea what could've happened at such a time as this?" She looked away, biting her lip, and something about the sight of her standing there, drenched, trembling and fragile, all sent a fresh wave of desires through me. I couldn't resist the urge to hold her, touch her, feel her wetness so I reached out, grabbing her wrist, firm but not rough. "Get in the car." Her chin lifted, defiance flickering through her eyes. "I'm not a child, Zane." I exhaled sharply even in her current state, she still had her arrogance. "Sienna, this isn't a game." My voice softened just enough. "They're watching. Waiting. You disappearing like this is not safe" She swallowed hard, and for the first time, I saw it. Fear. Raw fear. That was one confirmation I needed. She did know. I let go of her wrist and ran a hand through my rain-soaked hair. "Just... get in the car." She hesitated, then nodded, walking behind me to the car. As I pulled back onto the road, she was quiet, staring out the window. I gripped the steering wheel tighter than necessary. Sienna sat stiffly beside me, arms still crossed. She hadn't said a word since getting into my car. I exhaled slowly, trying to ignore the feminine scent of her even though it was distracting as hell. "Are you planning to keep up the silent treatment all night?" I asked. Her golden-hazel eyes cut to mine, sharp and unreadable. "I didn't ask you to come here." "No, you didn't." My fingers flexed against the leather wheel. "But since you don't seem to grasp the concept of self-preservation, someone has to keep you alive. I am taking you home with me" I said A muscle ticked in her jaw. "I can take care of myself. I have been doing this all my life." I laughed under my breath, shaking my head. "Yeah? That's why you were about thirty seconds away from a full-blown panic attack back there?" Her nostrils flared. "Screw you, Calloway." Banking on the cue she dropped, I stopped the car abruptly causing the tires to screech against the terrace. "What the heck" Sienna cussed as she bounced forward in her seat "You asked for this" I said, turning towards her. before she realized what I was up to, I had her face pinned between my palm. I threw caution to the wind as I raised her mouth to mine, sucking away the grasp she released in shock of my spontaneous action. She tried to push me away but I had her head pinned in my hand, while I devoured her mouth with hunger I had tried to hold back for days. "Hmmmmm" I heard her moan and noticed she had stopped fighting me. good. I thrust my tongue further into her now parted lips, invading her warm wet mouth. I poke around at her perfect teeth, loving the way she tasted in my mouth. I leaned closer to her, letting a hand fall to her neck. The wet flesh fueled my desires and in seconds I was erect and ready to have her but I continued to rub her neck, kneading the flesh until I found my way into her breast. Oh the mound had been begging for attention, I found the nipple that had become taut, one at a time I rolled them between my fingers softly and didn't stop kissing her mouth. "Ohhhhh...." She grasped going soft with the invasion of her body. I let my mouth leave hers as I licked around her mouth and below her jawline. "Zane" she whispered now that she was able to speak but I ignored her plea for release as I pulled out a breast, until the nipple was in my mouth. I leaned forward, bending my mouth to get a better position while I sucked on the flesh of her. I had reached for the second, when a loud honk halted me. Abruptly, I snapped, letting go of Sienna at once. I chuckled, giving her a wink before reaching for the wheels. "How dare you" Sienna said, adjusting her dress. "You asked for it." I said, driving into the night. I was going to enjoy my time with Sienna and from her reaction, it was going to be a two-way thing. Why does she have to be this sexy...And that was the moment I knew this woman, this stubborn and infuriating woman, was going to ruin me. And against all my survival instinct, it dawned on me that I was going to let her.

Sienna.

 I had barely ended the call with Belinda when the elevator doors slid open with a quiet chime, revealing a foyer so sleek, so meticulously curated, that it almost felt like paradise. Zane's Manor was nothing short of breathtaking. The white marble floors that gleamed under the chandelier lighting screamed wealth and precision. It should have felt like a home. Instead, it felt like a trap. I crossed my arms, shifting on my feet as Zane stepped inside behind me, his towering presence pressing against my already frayed nerves. The storm outside hadn't let up, thunder rumbling through the sky as rain lashed against the windows. The world beyond was chaos, but inside these walls, the tension was sharp. I shouldn't have come here with him not after the intense moment we shared in the car. I should have fought harder and ignored the way my body had betrayed me when he had pulled me into his arms and invaded my body, yet I couldn't block out my response, the way I kept moaning like touch was nothing more than a command I couldn't refuse. I hated how his touch erased years of running, how it made me want to stay and even if it meant burning with with. I took a step forward, my boot felt sturdy against the marble. "I'm not staying here with you Zane." Zane didn't move. "You don't have a choice." I turned, glaring. "You don't get to decide that." His blue eyes met mine, yet it was impassively unreadable. "Until I figure out who the hell is after you, I do. And perhaps we may get to finish what we started earlier while at it" My fingers curled into fists as a grasp escaped my mouth. "This isn't your fight." He took a sharp step toward me. It was deliberate and calculated. "Isn't it?" I refused to back down, even as every nerve in my body screamed at me to run. But not because I was scared of him. Because I was scared of this pull he had over me. The magnetic sexual force that had been there from the moment I stepped into his office, from the moment his sharp, calculating gaze had landed on me like he already knew every secret I was trying to keep buried, even the secret corners of my body. "You think hiding me away in your penthouse is going to solve anything?" I lashed out, desperate to keep my voice steady. "You think that locking me in here makes you my hero?" "I'm no hero, Sienna." His voice was quiet, but the weight of it sent shivers down my spine. "And don't make the mistake of thinking I'm doing this for you." I swallowed hard. "Then why are you doing this?" He exhaled slowly, dragging a hand through his perfectly styled hair. For the first time, he looked...frustrated. "Because I don't like loose ends." I laughed, but it was hollow, brittle. "That's what I am to you? A loose end?" He didn't answer. I turned away, my pulse hammering in my ears as I walked toward the windows, wrapping my arms around myself. The city pulsed with life, oblivious to the storm that my entire world had been flipped upside down in a matter of days since stepping into Atlas. I felt him before I heard him, the heat of his body at my back, the subtle shift in the air as he closed the space between us. Every vein in my body screamed for his attentive touch, just like earlier in the car. "You don't trust me," he said, his voice low, almost a murmur. I let out a soft, bitter laugh. "Should I?" I turned to face him, regretting it instantly. He was too close, his presence too overwhelming and consuming. "Let me go, Zane." My voice was softer this time, almost pleading. His gaze flicked to my lips before meeting my eyes again, and something inside me clenched. "I can't." Those two goddamn words that felt like chains tightening around my ribs. I exhaled sharply, pushing at his chest, but he didn't move. Not even an inch. "Move," I said through gritted teeth. He didn't. "Zane" His hands shot out, gripping my wrists, pinning them against the cool glass behind me. I sucked in a sharp breath. I should have been furious and slapped him, kneed him, or done something from my self-defense class other than stand there, heart hammering against my ribs as his grip tightened firm, but not painful. His head dipped slightly, his breath fanning across my cheek. "You don't want me to move. We already established that." A shiver raced down my spine, but I forced myself to meet his gaze, to pretend that he didn't affect me. "You think you know what I want?" A faint smirk touched his lips. "I think you hate that I do." He was right. "Let. Me. Go." I enunciated each word, hoping he couldn't hear the tremor in my voice. His jaw tightened, something flashing behind those ice-blue eyes, something I didn't understand. Then, just as suddenly as he'd grabbed me, he let go. I exhaled sharply, dragging in a breath as I stepped away from him, my back pressing against the glass. His hands curled into fists at his sides, his control barely tethered. "You're staying here. End of discussion." I lifted my chin, forcing steel into my voice. "You don't own me." The corner of his mouth lifted in something that wasn't quite a smirk. "No. But right now, I'm the only thing standing between you and whoever the hell wants you dead." A chill settled over me, knowing he was right, and that terrified me more than anything. **** I pulled the soft and oversized shirt tighter around my body and sank against the pillows. Sleep. That's all I wanted. But my mind wouldn't shut off. It wasn't the raging storm muffled by the thick walls of the building that was keeping me awake, but Zane Calloway and the way his kiss had made my blood pressure spike. I touched a finger to my lips, which were still swollen from his suckings, reliving the moment in the car. If only the car behind us hadn't ruined the moment. I blew out a warm breath and rolled onto my side, staring at the sleekly designed interiors of the expensively decorated guest room hoping to distract myself from imagining what he would have done to me if we hadn't stopped. The faint scent of leather and spice still clung to the air, a reminder of the man who owned this place and the fact that I was trapped here under his rules. Because apparently, keeping me alive also meant controlling every single move I made. My phone buzzed on the nightstand. The screen lit up with the caller's picture and my heart squeezed in my chest. Belinda. I grabbed the phone and swiped the call. "Hey, Belinda." My voice came out softer than I wanted, but exhaustion did that to me. "Okay, spill. What the hell is going on, Sienna?" Belinda's voice was sharp, but there was an undertone of worry. "I expected you back in the apartment hours ago. Instead, I get a vague text saying you won't be home. Are you in trouble?" I swallowed hard. If only she knew how much trouble. "It's complicated." "No kidding. Is it him?" Her voice softened. "The boss-man? Zane Calloway?" I rubbed my forehead. "He's not exactly giving me a choice, but he's actually keeping me safe" And doing more than that to my body. "Sienna, you know how this sounds, right?" she said quietly. "A man like that doesn't just force someone to stay in his place unless he has an agenda." I bit my lip, staring at the ceiling. "It's not like that. There was an... incident. He says it isn't safe for me to go home." "And you believe him?" Zane wasn't exactly the type to care about anyone but himself. But the look in his eyes that night when he dragged me back here? That wasn't just about control at play. "For now," I admitted. "And it's not like I have better options." Belinda sighed. "I don't like this. And you're not exactly filling me with confidence here." I managed a weak laugh. "I don't have much to give." I wanted to tell her about the kiss, but knowing Belinda, she would blow it out of proportion. Her voice turned lighter when she spoke again. "Well, while you're playing captive in a billionaire's lair, guess what happened to me?" I smiled despite the ache in my chest. "Let me guess. Another workplace scandal?" "Even better," she said, practically giddy. "Travis. Remember the hot new guy in marketing? He asked me to dinner. And before you say it, yes, I know dating someone from work is risky. But come on, Sienna. He looks like a walking thirst trap." "I'm pretty sure HR would not approve of that description," I teased. "First it was the IT guy, then the legal and now Marketing. You girl are on a streak. "HR can bite me." She snorted. "Anyway, I said yes. So, if I mysteriously disappear, know that I either died of excitement or he turned out to be a serial killer." I chuckled softly, grateful for the distraction. "I'm happy for you. Seriously. You deserve someone who isn't a total jackass." "And you deserve to be somewhere safe," she shot back. "Promise me you'll be careful?" The knot in my stomach twisted tighter. "I promise." "Good. Because if that boss of yours crosses any lines, I will personally murder him. Capisce?" I smiled faintly. "Capisce." We chatted a little longer, mostly about her wardrobe crisis and how she was torn between the red dress that screamed "sexy confidence" and the black one that said "I might let you kiss me if you're lucky." And for a few minutes, it almost felt normal. But normal was a distant memory. When I finally hung up, the silence of the penthouse felt suffocating. The kind of quiet that made me hear my heartbeat. I turned on my side, pulling up the blanket. And that's when my stomach growled. Loud. Of course, it did. Nothing was worse than starving at two in the morning in a stranger's fancy home. I shoved the covers off and padded barefoot into the hallway.