Leo's POV

Blood and sweat hung in the air like cheap cologne. The man kneeling in front of me reeked of fear, his hands trembling as he pushed the duffel bag forward. The zipper strained against the crumpled mess of cash inside, as pathetic as the man himself.

"Is this a joke?" Matteo's voice cut through the silence beside me, cold and sharp. The kind of cold that made men like this piss themselves.

The thug swallowed hard, wiping his face with a shaking hand. "I-it's all I could get, I swear-"

I silenced him with a look. His mouth snapped shut, terror flickering across his face as his knees scraped against the concrete floor. Good. Let him squirm. Let him feel it.

This wasn't personal. This was business. And in my business, there were no second chances. The rules were simple: You pay. You respect. You don't fuck with me.

I crouched down, grabbing the duffel. The weight of it was wrong. I knew it the second I lifted it. Too light. My jaw tightened, and I tossed it to Matteo without a word.

Matteo unzipped it, sifting through the bills like he was sorting trash. His lips curled in disgust as he grabbed a handful of crumpled twenties, letting them fall to the floor.

"You're short," Matteo growled, his voice low and menacing. "Three hundred grand short."

The thug's eyes widened, his face draining of color. "I-please, Mr. Weston, I'll get the rest. I just need more time-"

Time. They always begged for time.

"Look at me," I said, my voice quiet, controlled. It cut through the room like a blade. The man flinched but obeyed, his wide, panicked eyes locking with mine. He was trembling like a cornered animal, and I could see it: the wheels turning in his head, calculating how far he could run. He didn't realize it was already over.

"You came into my city," I began, standing up slowly, keeping my gaze locked on him. "You made a deal. You failed to deliver. That's not how this works."

"I-I have a family," he stammered, desperation dripping from every word. "Please, I'll get the money, I swear-"

"Everyone has a family," I said, brushing off his plea like dust from my suit. "It doesn't make you special. It just means more people to cry when you're gone."

Before he could say another word, Matteo stepped forward. His movements were calm, deliberate, and utterly merciless. He pulled out his gun with the kind of casual grace that only came from years of practice.

The thug's eyes went wide, his body jerking back as if he could somehow escape. But there was nowhere to go. His fate had been sealed the moment he walked into my city thinking he could cheat me.

Matteo moved fast, pressing the barrel of the gun to the man's temple.

"No!" the man screamed, scrambling, his voice cracking under the weight of his terror. He barely had time to panic before....

Bang!

The shot echoed through the warehouse, loud and final. The body hit the floor with a dull thud, blood pooling beneath him as the bitter scent of gunpowder filled the air.

I didn't flinch. The rush of control, the usual satisfaction I felt in moments like this, was absent today. It should've made me feel powerful. Instead, there was just... nothing.

"Clean this up," I ordered, my voice flat as I turned toward the exit. "Send a message to his crew. They owe me three hundred grand. Make sure they understand what happens if they don't deliver."

Matteo nodded, already signaling the cleanup team as I stepped into the cold night air. The sky was pitch black, the streetlights casting long, fractured shadows across the pavement. My driver was waiting, the car's engine humming softly.

I slid into the backseat, and the door clicked shut behind me. The silence inside the car was suffocating, pressing against me as we pulled away from the warehouse. Usually, moments like these helped me think, helped me focus. But tonight, my mind was already elsewhere.

Her.

Lyra Carson.

No matter how much I tried to focus on business, on the empire I'd built brick by bloody brick, she kept invading my thoughts. It had been two days since I hired her. Two days since she stood in my office and looked me in the eye without a trace of fear. And ever since, she'd been there: in my head, under my skin.

The worst part? I didn't know if I wanted her out.

I closed my eyes, letting the hum of the car lull me into a fog. But instead of clearing my mind, it only sharpened the image of her. Those sharp green eyes, the way her voice didn't waver when she spoke to me, the quiet confidence she carried like armor.

Most people flinched under my gaze. They stammered, cowered, tripped over themselves to get out of my way. But Lyra? She didn't. She met me head-on, unflinching. And it gnawed at me. Intrigued me.

Why the hell wasn't she afraid?

The car pulled up to the estate, the towering gates creaking open as we rolled inside. The moment I stepped out and into the mansion, I felt it again,that subtle shift in the air. Her presence was like a hum beneath the surface, soft but impossible to ignore.

I found myself heading toward Mira's room without thinking, my footsteps echoing softly through the dimly lit halls. When I reached the doorway, I stopped, leaning against the frame.

And there she was.

Lyra sat on the floor beside Mira, her back to me. She was reading softly from a book, her voice low and soothing. Her fingers brushed gently through Mira's hair, the kind of tenderness that stopped me in my tracks.

Mira was listening. Actually listening. For the first time in months, she wasn't lost in her own world. She wasn't staring at the floor or retreating into silence. She was watching Lyra, her small fingers clutching the edge of her sweater as she hung on every word.

I stood there, something unfamiliar tightening in my chest. Lyra didn't know it, but she was doing what no one else had been able to do,she was reaching her. And for the first time, I saw a flicker of light in Mira's eyes, a hint of the girl she used to be before everything fell apart.

Lyra's voice softened, and she glanced up, her gaze locking with mine.

There it was again. That look.

It was calm, steady, unafraid. She didn't flinch under my gaze, didn't look away or shrink back like everyone else. Her eyes met mine like a challenge, and it made my blood hum in a way I hadn't felt in years.

I should've turned away, should've walked out of the room. But I didn't. I couldn't.

Something about the way she filled the space, the way she handled Mira with such quiet strength, made it impossible to look away. She didn't belong in this house, in my world. She was warmth and softness in a place built on cold, hard edges.

And that made her dangerous.

Because in my world, distractions got people killed.

She didn't speak, didn't break the moment, but the corner of her mouth curved upward, just slightly. Not a smile,more like an acknowledgment. She knew. She could see the effect she had on me.

And that was a problem.

A problem I needed to solve.

I straightened, forcing myself to break the spell. "Don't let her stay up too late," I said, my voice colder than I intended.

Lyra nodded, her expression unreadable, and turned back to Mira. But as I walked away, I could feel her gaze on me, a weight I couldn't shake.

I made my way to my office, the quiet clicking of my shoes against the marble floor echoing in the back of my mind. My pulse was still racing, my jaw clenched tight.

She was a distraction. A complication I couldn't afford.

And yet, as I poured myself a drink and stared out the window at the sprawling estate below, I couldn't stop thinking about her.

Lyra Carson was going to be a problem.

The question was: What the hell was I going to do about it?

Leo's POV

The clock on my desk ticked away the seconds. Normally, its rhythm was a comforting reminder of how many people, how many lives, moved on my command. But tonight, it grated on my nerves.

Because of her.

Lyra Carson.

Ever since she walked into my life, something had shifted. It wasn't dramatic or obvious, but it was there: subtle, like a thread being pulled loose. And the longer she stayed in my house, the more that thread unraveled.

I'd been watching her. More than I should have. Checking the security feeds too often, monitoring how she interacted with Mira, how she moved through my house like she belonged there. She was too steady, too calm for someone living under my roof. and for some reason It didn't make sense.

No one was that calm around me unless they were hiding something. And I hated loose ends.

I leaned back in my chair, pulling up the surveillance feed on my laptop. Her image flickered on the screen: sitting on the floor of Mira's room, reading to her. Mira, who had been silent for months, was clinging to her every word.

Before I could focus, my phone buzzed on the desk. A message from Matteo.

Adrian Blackwood. Seen near the estate.

My blood ran cold for a second. Then it boiled.

That son of a bitch.

Adrian Blackwood hadn't dared cross my territory in years. The last time he did, I made sure he learned his place. He was a vulture, obsessive, dangerous: a man who didn't know when to quit. If he was sniffing around here, there was a reason. A fucking problem I needed to deal with.

I dialed Matteo, and he picked up on the first ring.

"Where?" I asked, my voice sharp.

"Downtown, near a café," Matteo said. "He didn't stay long. In and out. I don't know what he's after, but it's clear he's looking for something. Or someone."

Someone.

Lyra.

The realization hit me harder than I liked.

I ended the call and let the silence stretch for a moment, the ticking of the clock filling the room once again. My jaw tightened as I stood, shoving the chair back and striding out of the office. My footsteps echoed down the marble hallways as I made my way to Mira's room, anger simmering just beneath the surface.

Lyra was inside. Her soft voice drifted through the partially open door as she read to Mira. I stopped outside, leaning against the frame, watching them. She was sitting on the edge of Mira's bed, her fingers brushing through the girl's hair, coaxing her into sleep with a calm patience that seemed entirely out of place in this house.

It should have been a peaceful scene, something that eased the tension in my chest. But instead, it only added to it. Because while she was sitting there, quiet and warm, my mind was pulling the pieces together: warning signs flashing bright and red in my head.

I stepped inside, and the moment Lyra sensed me, her voice faltered. She looked up, her green eyes locking with mine, and I could see the shift in her posture. She straightened, her hands dropping to her sides as if bracing herself.

"Sir Leo," she said quietly, standing up.

"We need to talk," I said, keeping my voice low.

Lyra hesitated, glancing down at Mira, who was already slipping into sleep. Then she nodded, following me out of the room and into the hallway.

The door closed behind us, and I turned to face her, my gaze sharp. "You didn't think to tell me about your little meeting with Blackwood today?"

Her eyes widened slightly before narrowing, her jaw tightening. "You're spying on me?" she asked, crossing her arms. "isn't that a violation against personal privacy or something?"

" This is how everything works in my world," I said, stepping closer, my voice dropping to a dangerous tone. "I know everything that happens under my roof. And outside it. So don't play games with me, Lyra."

Her arms tightened across her chest, tension rippling through her body. "I wasn't hiding anything, Sir Leo," she said, her voice calm but edged with unease. "He showed up. I didn't invite him, and I didn't want to see him. But running to you felt... unnecessary."

I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes. "Unnecessary?"

"Yes," she said, but I could see the flicker of tension in her expression. "I didn't think it was your business, Sir."

"Let me make something very clear to you," I said, closing the distance between us. The air between us seemed to hum with tension, sharp and electric. "Everything you do is my business. As long as you're under my roof, you answer to me. And I don't tolerate surprises."

Her composure cracked slightly, her breath hitching, but she held her ground. "I didn't ask Adrian Blackwood to follow me. I don't control him."

"No," I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous murmur. "But you should have come to me the second he showed up. Do you know who that man is? What he's capable of?"

She swallowed hard, and for the first time, I saw a hint of fear in her eyes. "He's... obsessive," she admitted quietly, her voice faltering. "He thinks he owns me. But I'm not his. I never was."

Obsessed.

My fists clenched at the word. Adrian Blackwood didn't get to be obsessed with her. Not while she was in my house. Not while she was under my protection.

"He doesn't come near you again," I said, my tone sharp, final. "If he does, I'll put him down."

Lyra flinched at the coldness in my voice. "I don't need you to protect me, Sir," she said, her voice shaking slightly, though she tried to hold it steady. "I've dealt with men like Adrian before. I can handle him."

"This isn't about what you can handle, Lyra," I said, stepping closer, towering over her. "This is about what I own."

Her breath hitched, her eyes widening as she stared up at me. "Own?" she repeated, her voice dropping to a whisper.

I reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, my touch light but deliberate. "You work for me now," I murmured. "You live under my roof. That makes you mine. And I don't share what's mine."

Her breath quickened, her chest rising and falling with barely controlled emotion. "You can't just... spy on me, Sir Leo," she said, her voice shaky but defiant. "You don't have that right."

I smirked, leaning in closer. "Lyra, I don't need rights. This is my house. My world. And the sooner you understand that, the easier this will be for both of us."

She didn't flinch, but I could see the struggle in her eyes: the push and pull of anger, fear, and something else. Something she wasn't ready to admit.

"I'm only doing this cause I need the money," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "But don't think for a second that I'll let you control me."

I leaned in, my lips brushing her ear as I whispered, "You don't have to let me, Lyra. You're already under my control. And if Adrian comes near you again... I'll enjoy making him regret it."

I stepped back, watching her reaction. Her eyes burned with frustration and something deeper; something that made my blood hum.

Lyra's POV

Leo Weston's estate was massive, cold, and unsettling. The halls were too quiet, the corners too dark, and the weight of it pressed down on me like a heavy, invisible hand. Every time Leo was near, I could feel it,the air thickening, my nerves tightening. He didn't just walk through this house; he owned it, commanded it, and everyone inside bent to him without question.

Except me.

Or at least, that's what I told myself.

"You're not afraid of him," I whispered under my breath as I made my way to Mira's room. "You're here for her. You're here to do a Job. That's all."

But my own words felt hollow. How could I not feel the pull he had, the way his presence changed everything? Leo Weston wasn't just a man,he was a force of nature, a storm waiting to destroy anyone who stood in his way. And I couldn't help but feel like I was standing directly in his path.

I knocked softly on Mira's door and stepped inside. She was in her usual spot by the window, knees tucked to her chest, staring out at the gray sky. She didn't even glance at me when I entered.

"Hey, Mira," I said gently, sitting beside her. "Do you want to read today? I brought a story about a brave girl who-"

"No," she whispered, her voice so quiet it almost didn't register.

I forced a smile, trying to ignore the familiar ache in my chest. At least she'd spoken. "Okay, no books today," I said softly, rising to my feet. "Maybe tomorrow."

As I turned toward the door, something shifted. The air grew heavier, colder. I didn't need to look to know who was there.

Leo.

He stood in the hallway, his dark eyes fixed on me like a predator sizing up its prey. My breath hitched.

"Sir," I said, my voice shakier than I'd intended. "I didn't hear you."

He didn't reply right away. Instead, he just watched me, his gaze sharp and piercing. The space between us felt charged, like an electric wire stretched too tight.

"I've been watching you with Mira," he said finally, his voice low and smooth, though there was an edge to it. "You've been good for her."

The unexpected compliment caught me off guard. "I'm just doing my job," I said quickly, my tone cautious.

Leo took a step closer, and the hallway seemed to shrink. "It's more than that. Mira trusts you." His gaze never wavered, pinning me in place. "And trust isn't something that comes easily in this house."

I swallowed hard, his words sinking in. There was a weight to them, something unspoken that sent a chill down my spine. "I care about her," I said quietly. "That's all."

He tilted his head slightly, studying me with unnerving intensity. "You're different," he murmured, taking another slow step forward. "Not like the others."

"The others?" I repeated, my pulse quickening.

His lips curled into a faint smile, one that didn't reach his eyes. "The people who come through my life. They're all the same. Weak. Predictable."

I forced myself to stand my ground, even as every instinct screamed at me to step back. "And what do you think I am, Sir?"

His eyes darkened at the word, his expression hardening. "Don't call me that."

"It's respectful," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "You're my employer. Sir is appropriate."

He shook his head, his tone laced with a dangerous edge. "I'm not 'Sir' to you. Just Leo."

"Leo," I corrected hesitantly, his name tasting strange on my tongue.

"Better," he said, though there was something possessive in his voice, something that made my skin prickle. He stepped closer, his gaze holding mine like a vice. "Now answer me. What do I think you are?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words caught in my throat. His proximity, the way his presence filled the hallway, left me breathless. "I don't know," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I haven't decided yet," he said softly, his words like a promise and a threat all at once.

Before I could react, his hand brushed my arm, a light touch, but it burned like fire. My breath caught, my heart racing as heat flooded my skin. I hated how my body reacted to him, how it betrayed me.

A shiver ran through me, despite the heat rising between us. I should've stepped back, should've created space, but I couldn't move. His eyes were like a trap, pulling me deeper into something I didn't want to understand.

I took a shaky step back, pulling away from his touch. "Why are you acting like this?" I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended. "You're my boss, Leo. This, whatever this is,it's not appropriate."

He smiled faintly, but there was no warmth in it. "Appropriate?" he repeated, his tone mocking. "You think I care about what's appropriate?"

"You should," I said, my nerves fraying under his gaze. "You hired me to take care of Mira, not... this." I gestured vaguely between us, hating how exposed I felt.

His expression darkened, and he took another step forward, crowding me against the wall. "You don't understand how this works, Lyra," he said, his voice a low growl. "You're in my house. My world. That means you follow my rules."

I swallowed hard, my back pressing against the cold wall. "I didn't agree to... whatever you're trying to do right now," I said, my voice trembling despite my efforts to sound strong. "I just want to do my job and go home."

"You think you can leave?" he asked, his lips curving into a dangerous smirk. "You're already in, Lyra. And once you're in, there's no going back."

His words sent a chill through me, laced with a possessiveness I couldn't ignore. "Why are you doing this?" I asked again, my voice quieter now, almost pleading. "Why do you care what I do or who I talk to? I'm just your employee."

His hand grazed my cheek, his touch sending a jolt of heat through my body. "You're more than that," he whispered, his voice soft but commanding. "You just don't see it yet."

"I'm just here to do a job,I don't belong in your world," I said, my breath catching as his fingers lingered against my skin.

"No," he agreed, his lips dangerously close to my ear. "You don't. But that's exactly why you're here. You think you're just here for Mira, but we both know that's not true anymore."

I pushed against his chest, trying to create distance, but he didn't budge. "How do you know that? I'm not yours, Leo, you don't own me," I said firmly, though my voice wavered under the weight of his gaze.

His eyes flashed with something dangerous, something raw. "You already are," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The tension between us was suffocating, the air thick with heat and unspoken truths. I couldn't tell if I was more terrified or more drawn to him. Maybe both.

He stepped back finally, his gaze still locked on mine. "Stay away from Blackwood," he said, his voice sharp and commanding. "He won't stop until he has you. And when he does... I'll deal with him. But you'll be mine."

Before I could respond, he turned and disappeared down the hallway, leaving me trembling against the wall, my heart racing, my thoughts spinning out of control.

What the hell had I gotten myself into?