Chapter 1: The First Day
Evelyn Sinclair had always prided herself on her beauty, though she didn't flaunt it. She knew it was there-perfect balance of curves, glowing skin, eyes that seemed to capture the light in a way most women only dreamed of-but she didn't need to use it to get by. That was until she stepped into the world of Calloway Enterprises.
Everything spoke of opulence: glass walls, marble floors, sleek furniture that seemed to shimmer under the artificial lights. Yet none of it had compared to the presence of Alexander Calloway-the CEO, the man who commanded a room into silence without saying a word.
And she was about to work for him.
As Evelyn stepped into the elevator to head up to the top floor, her nerves started unraveling. She had tried to prepare herself for the first day-for the high expectations, the pressure-but nothing could have prepared her for meeting him.
The elevator dinged, the doors opening. Evelyn took a deep breath. She had seen him on the company website, read about him in the papers. His reputation preceded him: cold, calculating, untouchable. Yet there was something in his profile that intrigued her. Something dangerous.
As she walked into his office, her breath caught in her throat.
Alexander Calloway was even more imposing in person: tall, broad-shouldered, with jet-black hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through her. His tailored suit fit him like a second skin, oozing confidence, power, and raw sexuality with every inch.
"Miss Sinclair." His voice was low, velvet-like, but laced with an edge that made her feel like she was in over her head already.
She swallowed hard and stepped forward, trying to keep her composure, though the pull of his presence was almost overwhelming.
"Mr. Calloway," she replied, offering a polite smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She wasn't sure why, but she felt an odd tension in the air between them.
"You're quite. the beauty," he said, his eyes running over her slowly, deliberately. His gaze was heavy, possessive, like he was marking her, claiming her in some subtle way.
Evelyn froze for a second, taken off guard by the intensity of his words. It wasn't the compliment itself, but the way he said it—like he owned her, like he was already deciding what he wanted from her.
"Thank you, Mr. Calloway," she managed, though the words came out stiff. She was aware of how his eyes never left her face, how they moved down to her lips, lingering for just a moment too long.
He took a step closer, his body mere inches from hers now. Evelyn could feel the heat radiating off him, his scent-something spicy, expensive-surrounding her, making her pulse spike.
Call me Alex," he said, his voice low and husky. He leaned in just enough that she could feel his warm breath against her skin. "And I expect you to address me by my first name, not 'Mr. Calloway'. It's more. personal that way, don't you think?
Evelyn's heart skipped a beat, and she found herself taking a step back, though there was nowhere to retreat. "I. I'll remember that, Alex." The words tasted foreign on her tongue, but they slipped out anyway.
Alex smiled, but not in a way that made her feel comfortable. It was a slow, deliberate thing, like a predator weighing its prey. "Good," he murmured, his eyes flicking over her again, his gaze heavy and possessive. "You'll find I don't take kindly to people who don't follow my rules."
Her pulse quickened. "I won't disobey, sir.
His smirk deepened, and he reached out to brush a lock of her hair behind her ear; the touch soft, yet electrifying. "I like a woman who knows her place," he whispered, his lips now just inches from her ear. "Still, I cannot help but feel that you could be a lot more. difficult than that.
Evelyn's breath caught in her throat, a wave of heat rushing through her. She forced herself to focus, to pull away from the magnetic pull of his presence. "I'm here to work, Alex. Nothing more."
His eyes darkened as he straightened, taking a step back. For a moment, Evelyn thought she had won—thought she had regained some semblance of control. But then his gaze swept over her once more, the heat in his stare unmistakable.
You don't think I see what you're doing?" he asked softly, but she knew that voice. It was the one that usually preceded an eruption. "You're playing coy. You're pretending not to be affected, but I can see it. You're drawn to me. I can feel it."
Evelyn's heart pounded in her chest. She couldn't deny this pull, this weird feeling as if her body knew something that her brain did not. But she would never admit it.
"I'm not," she said, trying to keep her voice even.
Alex took a slow, deliberate step closer. "You don't need to lie, Evelyn. I know you want me. And trust me, I'll make sure you get exactly what you want."
The words hung in the air like a promise, a dark, twisted promise that ran a shiver down her spine.
Let's get to work, shall we?" he said, his tone suddenly shifting back to that cool, professional edge. But Evelyn could still feel the heat in his gaze, the desire that simmered beneath the surface.
She nodded, trying to ignore the way her body betrayed her.
But as she turned to take the documents from the desk, her skin prickled with the feel of Alex's eyes upon her, following every movement, as if he marked her. Was watching her.
And deep in her belly, Evelyn knew—he wouldn't stop with just having her work for him.
He would claim her.