LOGINI cannot remember the last time I was ordered what to do, but I yield to the command, closing my eyes. The rustle of heavy, textured paper fills the quiet expanse of the office."Open them." I open my eyes to find a deep grey, matte-textured display squarebbox bound with a rich, blood-red silk ribbon. Before I can even touch it, the air shifts. The sharp, potent tang of a familiar red wine bleeding into raw leather hits my senses, instantly triggering a visceral memory that causes the blood to thicken in my veins. It’s impossible. A slow, involuntary curve touches her lips."I apologize for the delay in its arrival," she murmurs, her gaze dropping in a quiet, captivating display of vulnerability. I take the huge box from her hands, keeping my eyes locked entirely on her face. My heart hammers against my ribs, recognizing the gravity of what she’s done. My perfume. "Anor.""Unwrap it," she coos, before hiding her face directly against the lapel of my shirt, her palms covering her eye
I cannot remember the last time I was ordered what to do, but I yield to the command, closing my eyes. The rustle of heavy, textured paper fills the quiet expanse of the office."Open them." I open my eyes to find a deep grey, matte-textured display squarebbox bound with a rich, blood-red silk ribbon. Before I can even touch it, the air shifts. The sharp, potent tang of a familiar red wine bleeding into raw leather hits my senses, instantly triggering a visceral memory that causes the blood to thicken in my veins. It’s impossible. A slow, involuntary curve touches her lips."I apologize for the delay in its arrival," she murmurs, her gaze dropping in a quiet, captivating display of vulnerability. I take the huge box from her hands, keeping my eyes locked entirely on her face. My heart hammers against my ribs, recognizing the gravity of what she’s done. My perfume. "Anor.""Unwrap it," she coos, before hiding her face directly against the lapel of my shirt, her palms covering her eye
ELEANOR POV- SAME HOUR. The persistent vibration of my phone echoes against the glass counters of the formulation lab. I let out a long, heavy breath, staring at the screen before finally sliding it open."Hello, little thing.""Who is this?" I question, though the smooth, slightly mocking tone and nickname is unmistakable.A dramatic sigh travels through the line. "I am deeply wounded to be so entirely forgettable. It’s Anthony.""How did you even obtain my call line?""I orchestrate the digital architecture alongside your possessive partner, little one." I roll my eyes. "Such arrogance. Wht did you call?" "Because of your partner, why else?" My heart rate ticks upward, the sterile scent of the lab suddenly feeling distant. "Is he alright? Has something happened? Why are you calling me, Anthony?""Physically? Impeccable. Temperamentally? He is currently tearing my sanity to shreds.""Anthony, speak clearly.""Why haven't you presented him with his fragrance yet?" I pull the devi
BANKS POV"Get out." My command cuts through the high-ceilinged boardroom like a blade. The obsidian conference table reflects twelve frozen faces as an executive stands trembling by his leather seat."Sir, it wasn't..." I lift my gaze, the cold weight of it snapping his jaw shut. He bows, beating a frantic retreat toward the double mahogany doors. When he's out of sight, my eyes shift to the Chief Financial Officer, whose fingers nervously twitch against his tablet before he clears his throat."The elite venue portfolio in the Lower Manhattan club has encountered a structural liquidity deficit," the CFO begins, his voice strained beneath the oppressive silence of the room, which grates at me even more. "And with the ongoing regulatory audit into the source of..." "I don't pay you to exhaust my endurance, nor do I find amusement in this sluggish delivery," I intercept, my voice dangerously low and seats shift. My eyes sweep across the remaining board members, they look around before
"Sounds like someone is hopelessly in love," Zara teases."Anyways," Kayden continues."After I made you smile, he was the one who ordered the massive floral arrangement to be delivered to you.""The flowers were from him, too?!""Well, I told him it would be a good idea, and he actually listened," Kayden says. A deep, overwhelming warmth spreads through my chest."I have to head out now, Elle," Dean’s voice cuts through my thoughts."So soon?" I ask, looking at him. He steps closer, leaning down to pull me into a brief, firm hug, my body tenses, mind immediately going to Banks for a brief second."We will talk more about the business contract later." My hands freeze awkwardly at my sides, my mind instantly flashing to Banks's possessive gaze."Thank you, Dean," I murmur as he pulls back."I'll pick up the preliminary paperwork next week," he says, gesturing toward the folder resting on the table a few feet away. I smile."Hold on" he stops, watching me pick up a bottle of perfume and
"But curating entirely from a home lab alone, isn't a sustainable business model.""That is highly debatable, and her boyfriend has more than enough resources to handle her production logistics," Kayden counters."Last I checked, kid, you are only Zara's boyfriend.""Kayden is a very dear friend of mine, Dean," I correct, hoping to put an end to the bickering."And as Zara said, I actually met him before he and Zara started dating.""A friend?" Dean repeats, a patronizing smile on his face."He isn't even of legal age, Eleanor.""He's highly judgmental as well, which is just another reason why you should seriously question this entire deal, Eleanor," Kayden adds, ignoring him. I look between the two of them, my head beginning to throb."Why should she question my offer?" Dean grinds out, his smile finally slipping."Because I'm offering her a larger space to grow her business? Or because I'm giving her a prime retail stall? Do you honestly think her brand isn't worth that kind of inve
BANKS POV"I never knew you loved plump girls."I put down my phone and clear my throat, hating that I can't watch her scramble for me, or whoever she imagines dare to release onto her."I do now," I reply dismissively to the partner who had made himself my friend and wouldn't stop prying. It is si
Eyes on me, she pours. A slow tilt. The wine trails down and I watch it move across her and feel my jaw tighten with the effort of stillness.She sets the glass down and lowers to her knees.And crawl towards me.Her eyes locked on me, gaze unwavering with heat that burns through the ice of my body
BANKS POV She is sitting, eyes darting everywhere except me.Still refusing to sign so I switch tactic. “You bleed heavy.” Her head lifts sharply at my words and I hold her gaze: steady and unhurried. A dare dressed as an observation.“How did you know that si....master?” The correction comes qu
Banks is leaning against his sofa; relaxed and expecting. I should sign but all I can think of is WHAT LED US HERE? WHY ME? WHAT BROUGHT US TOGETHER? WHAT WENT WRONG... Or is it right? "Sign," he orders like it's a statement and I look at him. I sit back on the chair, the folder right on my lap wa







