All Chapters of Bound By The Desk : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

72 Chapters

11: Sparks and Suspicion

Vorian’s POVI am slouched in my chair, the meeting room buzzing with tension as Claire stammers through her update, her hands shaking like leaves.I just do not understand why she is shaking like that and movement is really beginning to annoy me.“We are tracing the encryption,” she says, her voice wobbly, papers trembling. “The leak is internal, but no names yet.”My blood is boiling, the AI deal leak like a knife in my gut. I was about to speak, then Zephyr’s leg bumps mine under the table, a shock that cuts through my anger.I glance down; his leg is twitching, nervous. I look at him, but he is staring across the table at Miles Carter, all slick suit and cool eyes, leaning back like he is untouchable. My chest tightens, jealousy hitting hard and fast.Does Zephyr like him? Is he into older guys? The thought burns, sharp and ugly, that kiss we shared; his lips, his hands, flashing in my head.I nudge his leg back, firm, pulling his gaze to me. His eyes snap up, wide and startled, a

12: Masks and Maps

Zephyr’s POV“You are…” Miles says, his voice smooth, his eyes locked on me across the meeting room table as Vorian stands, ready to leave.My heart slams, panic spiking like a shock. He knows me from my old job, doe he not? I keep my face calm, a practiced mask, but inside I am really really spinning, waiting for him to spill it all.He stops, his mouth twisting. “I got the wrong person,” he states, resting back, his voice casual however his gaze is keen.I breathe out, relief overwhelming me, although my heartbeat still speeds. Silas chuckles, moving his hand. “Okay, okay, false alarm. Let us clear out.”Something clicked in me and my thoughts went wild; he got the wrong person? Judging from his tone, I am hundred percent sure he recognizes me, so what is he playing at or am I wrong and just panicking for nothing? I hope it was the second but a faint voice is whispering to me that it is not.I look at Miles, and he is grinning; a sly, charming smile that makes my body shiver. What i

13: Fire in the Dark

Chapter 13: Fire in the DarkVorian’s POVI am in the kitchen, gulping chilled juicer, my body still damp from the shower. The rap on the door pierces into the penthouse, and I know it is Zephyr. I am too unmotivated to move over to the door, so I pick up my phone and text him the passcode: 4729.Besides, as my secretary, he should know my passcode. I change passcodes though everytime I get a new secretary so my old secretaries won’t come over. Who knows if one is being obsessed with me.The door sounds, snaps unlocked, and I hear Zephyr’s footsteps pause abruptly. I turn, resting upon the counter, a towel tied around my waist, droplets trickling down my chest.Zephyr is frozen in the doorway, eyes wide, staring at my abs, my biceps, the towel barely hanging on. His jaw drops.What a reaction, completely forgotten I was half naked. I grin then snap my fingers. “You are going to stand there all night, Zephyr?” I asked him.He blinks, cheeks red. “Uh, sorry, Mr. Vorian,” he says, voice

14: Tangled in the Heat

Zephyr’s POV“Vory!” a voice yells, fearless and impudent, piercing into the penthouse. My pulse is thumping, my body still tingling from Vorian’s kiss, his fingers caressing my body, our physiques entwined on his bed.That passcode beep really froze us, and now someone is yelling for him. I am about to spring out, heart pounding, but Vorian seizes my forearm rm, his hold strong.“Stay,” he whispers, voice low and rough. “It is my brother. Younger brother to be exact.I remain put, partially covered in the sheets, gasp trembling. The room door creaks open, and there is a recognizable guy standing there; lofty, gangly, with disheveled black hair and acute green orbs that scream trouble. He is in a designer sweatshirt and ripped trousers, all defined angles and an arrogant sneer.I know him; Dorian Rex, Vorian’s younger brother, always in the news for bar fights or some scandal. My stomach twists, caught half-naked in Vorian’s bed by this guy. I want the ground to swallow me.Dorian’s j

15: Shadows on the Screen

Vorian’s POVI am sprawling in bed, my hand around Zephyr, his heat nestled against me, our breathing still ragged from what we just completed.His flesh is tender, his hair a tangle, and he has got this relaxed grin that is stirring emotions to me. The city glow flood through the room window, spreading a shimmer across the linens.I am caught, my heart pounding, not just from the sex but from him; Zephyr, my secretary, who has got me breaking every rule I set.Who knew I would one day be in my penthouse entangled with my own secretary. Just day two of meeting him and we already have sex. Damn, I have to define whatever is between us.I looked at him, his focus is on the ceiling. I do not know what is special there. It is just plain white like any other ceilings out there.“What are you thinking? You okay?” I say, my voice low, my hand brushing his arm, slow and soft.He turns, his eyes dark, sparkling. “More than okay, Vorian,” he says, his voice teasing, leaning in to kiss my jaw. “

16: Red Ink Returns

Zephyr’s POVI woke up, blinking my eyes, look at my surroundings and remember I am in Vorian's bed, the linens all tangled around me, my physique still prickling from the previous night escapades. The glow from the rising sun peeps through the room panes, gently and dull.My cellphone is vibrating really frantically on the beside table, so I pick it, blinking; a dozen missed calls. Seven from my sister, three from my mom and two from my dad.“Damn it,” I swore beneath my respiration. I told my dad I was heading out, but I did not say if I would be returning. I did not even tell him my destination.“Shit.” I am probably the worst son on Earth presently. I might be an adult and independent but I am living under roof, I was to update them.My sis is probably overthinking, imagining me dead in a ditch somewhere. She has always been like that, blowing up my phone when I do not check in.I sit up, heart racing. Vorian is not on the bed, but I can hear the shower sizzling, water through the

17: Whispers on the Screen

Vorian’s POVI got to the company around nine. Saw Silas in his office, seems like he stayed up all night.I am in my office, bent over my table, scowling at the laptop display, that encrypted document looking at me. It is still locked, a chain of numbers with no sense, and it is driving me mad. Silas is across from me, tapping at his tablet, trying to crack it. “This thing is a vault, a fucking fortress,” he says, shaking his head. “Whoever set it up knew their stuff.”I rub my temples, my gut churning. “Stop praising the bastard, this is tied to the leak, Silas. I know it. Someone got into my system, in my own damn house.”He looks up, eyes sharp. “Chillax, we will figure it out, Vorian. But it is gonna take time.”The door swings open, and Zephyr strides in, all lively and energetic,like he has had three espressos. “Hey, Silas!” he calla, his voice upbeat, a smile brightening up his expression. “What is good?”I peek at him, and my chest clenches; his grin, his tousled hair, that g

18: Echoes in the Shadows

Zephyr’s POVI am sprawled on the couch in Vorian’s office, my laptop balanced on my knees, cross checking employee access logs with Silas, who is slouched beside me, tablet in hand, scrolling through data.The room is tense, the investigation of the leak hanging over us like a storm, but Silas keeps it light, tossing questions my way back to back to break the mood.“So, Zephyr,” he utters, smiling, his gaze darting from his screen. “What do you do for pleasure? You are a gamer? Hiker? A secret streamer? What is your deal?”I laugh, leaning back, my fingers pausing on the keyboard. “Fun? Uh, I read sometimes. Thrillers, mostly. And I am into old sci-fi movies; you know, the cheesy ones.”“Cheesy sci-fi?” Silas says, chuckling. “Like, aliens in rubber suits? Man, you are a nerd.”“Says the guy glued to a tablet all day,” I shoot back, grinning. “What about you? What is your hobby, man? Staring at code all day.”He snorts, tapping his screen. “Nah, that is Vorian’s hobby. I cook. Pretty

19: Tensions and Tracks

Vorian’s POVI am in my office, hunched over my laptop, staring at that creepy email“You are close. Look closer.”My gut is churning, my fingers tapping as I try to trace its source with Jake, our senior IT guy. He is clicking through code on his tablet, muttering about firewalls and proxies.“This sender is hidden deep,” Jake says, shaking his head. “No trace yet, Mr. Vorian.”I rub my face, frustrated. “Just keep digging, Jake. This is not some random prank. I do not care if you have to breach the firewall.”“Huh… the firewall???” Jake looks at me.“Just focus on what you are doing, Jake.” I groan.The door opens, and Silas walks in, his face grim.“Vorian, no luck on that red ink envelope of a thing,” he says, dropping into a chair. “I have run it with the security team. Found nothing. No prints, no leads. I think the deliverer knows where the cameras are, because he easily dodged the cameras. What a sly bastard.”I grind my teeth, the thought of the envelope; on my table with no

20: Stolen Secrets

Zephyr’s POVWhen I walked into Vorian’s office, I noticed there was a shift in the atmosphere, the room was tensed. There is a guy looking at Vorian’s laptop with him and both Vorian and Silas are looking at me weird.Right now, my heart is pounding from Claire’s words.“Uh…uh… Mr. Vorian… Mr. Silas… you have to see this.” She is panting, clutching her tablet, her face pale. Vorian is at his table, Silas and the guy from earlier leaning in, all of us staring as she shoves the tablet at Vorian, wondering what this was about.My stomach twists, my mind already racing with the three red ink envelopes sitting in my drawer at home; one empty, one with “Watch.” What now?Vorian grabs the tablet, his eyes narrowing. “What is it this time, Claire?” he snaps, his voice sharp, cutting through the room.She points at the screen, her voice shaky. “It is… a…breaking news sir. HoltTech Innovations; Nathaniel Holt’s company, they are releasing an AI. It is… it is ours, Mr. Vorian. Same design, same

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