The weight of the conversation still lingered in the air long after Leo had left her office. Evelyn couldn't shake the feeling that she was standing at the edge of something dangerous. Something she might not be able to control.
But what else was new? Control was overrated, especially when it came to Leo.
Her phone buzzed—another message from Zane, the smugness practically dripping from the text:
"I'm sure Leo's a man of many talents—but does he know the cost of loyalty?"
Evelyn clenched her jaw, her fingers hovering over the phone. She wasn't afraid of Zane. She wasn't even afraid of the truth she was about to face. But something about Leo's silence, his cryptic words, gnawed at her.
She hadn't thought much about it before, but now… now, it all seemed too perfectly orchestrated. The tension. The attraction. The way Leo always knew when to push and when to pull back.
She tossed the phone onto the desk, pacing the room. She wasn't just a CEO. She wasn't some puppet to be played with by Zane or Leo, no matter how much power they held. But Leo… he had a way of breaking down every wall she'd ever built.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. She barely turned around before the door swung open. Leo walked in, his presence filling the room like a storm.
"Everything alright?" He didn't wait for a response, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.
"I got a message from Zane."
Leo raised an eyebrow, the hint of a smirk on his lips. "What did he say?"
Evelyn's hand clenched into a fist, the words hanging between them like a warning. "He's playing some game, Leo. And it's not just with me. He's using you to get to me, isn't he?"
For the first time, Leo didn't immediately reply. Instead, he moved closer, his body language controlled but intense. He stopped just in front of her, those deep eyes locking onto hers.
"Tell me, Evelyn," Leo's voice was low, rough with something unreadable. "Do you really think I'm just a pawn in his game?"
She didn't have an answer. She couldn't. Not when she saw the glimmer of something dangerous in his gaze. He was in this, but how much was he playing her?
Before she could speak, Leo reached out, his fingers brushing against her jaw, tilting her head up so their eyes met. "I'm not working for anyone, Evelyn. Not Zane. Not anyone but myself."
He stepped back then, the distance between them almost unbearable. "I'm here because I want you. Not because of business. Not because of anything other than that."
Evelyn's breath caught in her throat. There was no doubt in her mind that he wanted her. She could see it in the way his gaze followed her every move. But there was still so much she didn't know. So much she was afraid to know.
Before she could process the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her, Leo's voice sliced through the tension. "Let's end this game, Evelyn. Let's make it real. Once and for all."