The city lights glowed softly through the tall windows, casting shadows on the sleek, polished furniture in Stephan Lautner's office. The quiet hum of the city outside seemed miles away, drowned by the air of tension within the room. Paisley sat across from him, her eyes narrowing as she reviewed the papers in front of her. The weight of the case loomed over them both, but tonight, it wasn't just the case they needed to focus on.
Stephan leaned forward, his gaze intense. I don't want to just win this, Paisley. I need your help. For more than just business. This is personal.
Paisley stiffened, her fingers tightening around the edge of the file in her hands. Personal? This is business, Stephan. We both know it.
The space between them crackled, and Stephan's voice dropped a notch, more vulnerable now. I don't care about the business anymore. It's about something bigger. Something you don't understand yet.
She met his gaze, her breath hitching in her throat. This wasn't the cold, detached man she was used to. The hardness in his eyes was there, but there was something else, something she couldn't quite place.
You can't expect me to believe that, she snapped, keeping her voice steady. Not after everything. You don't get to play the victim now.
For a moment, there was only silence, the kind that spoke louder than words. Stephan didn't back down. His jaw clenched, and his fingers brushed against the edge of the desk, almost involuntarily. I don't expect you to believe me. But I'm asking you to try.
The vulnerability in his voice was unmistakable. Yet, Paisley couldn't shake the feeling that there was more at play than just the casemore than just him. She could feel herself slipping. This wasn't what she had signed up for.
Before she could respond, a flicker of movement caught her eye. Stephan's posture shifted, his eyes darkening. The game had changed. And she was caught in the middle of it.
The tension in the air thickened as they continued to sit across from each other. Stephan's presence was overwhelmingevery inch of him exuded power, control. But tonight, there was something different in the way he moved, in the way his eyes followed her.
As she reached for another file, their hands brushed against each other. The contact was brief, yet electric. A shock ran through her, quick and involuntary, and she pulled back, her heart racing.
Stephan didn't move. His eyes remained fixed on her, and for a moment, Paisley saw a flicker of something, something familiar, something dangerous. Her breath caught in her chest. This was no longer just business. She could feel it in her bones.
Do you feel that? he asked quietly, his voice like gravel. The tension?
She refused to answer immediately, staring at her hand where their skin had touched. Her pulse hammered in her ears. You don't get to use me like this.
He leaned closer, his lips barely a breath away from her ear. I'm not using you. I'm trying to tell you something. Something you need to hear.
Her eyes locked onto his, the space between them narrowing, and for a moment, the rest of the world disappeared. The weight of their history, the unsaid words, the past that still lingered it all vanished. It was just them, and the danger they both knew they were walking into.
The moment hung suspended, charged with the heat of what could be, what almost was. Stephan's fingers grazed her wrist, the touch lingering just long enough to make her breath hitch. The contact was light, but it seared through her skin like a brand.
She should have pulled away. She should have told him to stop, to back off. But she didn't. Her body betrayed her. Instead, she remained still, her eyes flicking to his lips, then back to his gaze.
You're playing with fire, Stephan, she whispered, though her voice betrayed a hint of vulnerability.
He smirked, the dangerous edge returning to his expression. I've never been afraid of fire.
Before she could respond, the office door slammed open, shattering the moment. Both of them jolted back as a man stepped into the room. His presence was like a storm so heavy and suffocating. His eyes scanned the room, landing on Stephan first, then shifting to Paisley with an unsettling smirk.
This is getting interesting, the man said, his voice like venom.
Stephan's expression hardened in an instant, the facade of vulnerability vanishing. He rose slowly, his gaze never leaving the stranger. Get out, Carlo.
But the man didn't move. Instead, he stepped forward, his eyes flicking between the two of them. No. I'm not here for you, Lautner. I'm here for her.
The shift in the air was palpable. The dangerous game they had been playing just turned into something far more perilous. Stephan's gaze turned cold, calculating, as he positioned himself between Paisley and the stranger.
Carlo's words echoed in the room. This is just the beginning, Paisley. The real game is about to start.