Kian woke up the next morning feeling different.
For the first time in months, he wasn't bracing for war. There were no immediate threats, no impending confrontations waiting in his inbox. Harlow was gone, and the power struggles that had consumed his every waking moment were finally over.
But the victory didn't come with the relief he expected.
Because now, all he could think about was Adrian.
And the fact that they had crossed a line.
---
The office was quieter than usual. People were still adjusting to Harlow's sudden departure, and while no one dared speak about it openly, the shift in atmosphere was palpable.
Kian entered the building with his usual confidence, but this time, there was something extra humming beneath his skin—an awareness of last night, of Adrian's hands, of the way his name had sounded when whispered against Kian's lips.
He had barely made it to his desk before his phone buzzed.
---
