Chapter 20

Damian’s POV

The office was way too quiet.

I’d never noticed it before. But now, sitting behind my desk with only the ticking of the Cartier clock and the distant hum of New York traffic for company, it weighed on me.

Kayna’s absence was like a missing note I hadn’t realized I’d grown used to. The rhythm of her voice as she read back my schedule. The way her heels clicked evenly against the marble floor outside my office. Even the faint scent of her perfume when she dropped contracts on my desk.

I told myself it was routine. Nothing more. Assistants came and went. The company ran regardless.

But this one… wasn’t just routine.

These few weeks of her being at the company have been like a breath of fresh air. She was certainly the best executive assistant that has worked at the company in recent times and I couldn’t help but pat myself at the back for making the bold decisions to employ her despite her lack of qualifications.

Was it really just her work ethic I admired?

Julian barged in without knocking, as always. He tossed a folder onto my desk and slumped into the chair opposite me. Audacious as always.

“Congratulations brother” he said dryly. “Cosmo’s board officially signed the deal this morning. We’ll be getting the documents by the end of the week.”

I should’ve felt satisfaction. Victory. Months of maneuvering had paid off. Instead, the weight in my chest didn’t shift.

“Good,” I said simply, flipping the folder open.

Julian studied me, one brow raised. “You don’t sound thrilled.”

“I’ve just got a lot on my mind at the moment.”

He snorted. “You’re restless.”

I shot him a look. “Careful.”

But he wasn’t wrong.

Restless was exactly what I was.

By noon, I’d cleared my calendar. Meetings postponed, all calls rerouted. I should’ve buried myself in work, but instead I found myself staring out the window, the Manhattan skyline a blur against the gray December sky.

The image of Kayna hugging me before she left replayed in my mind, uninvited. The warmth of her body pressed against mine. The way she’d almost—almost—let me close the space between us.

And then she’d pulled back, her eyes full of something I couldn’t read. Fear? Restraint? Or was it just the iron wall she kept between her world and mine?

I cursed under my breath, dragging a hand across my jaw. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not to me. Not again.

My phone buzzed, breaking the silence. Unknown number.

I almost ignored it—until I saw the message.

Careful, Marshall. You can’t protect your secrets forever.

A slow, cold anger curled in my gut. I tightened my grip on the phone until the edge dug into my palm.

Julian walked back in just then, pausing when he saw my face. “What now?”

I turned the screen toward him. He read the message, his jaw hardening.

“That’s the second time you're getting this sort of message. I think we should investigate this further and get to the bottom of things.” he muttered.

“Third time actually ” I corrected. He didn’t know about the one I’d received in Los Angeles, the night after Kayna had left me staring down a whiskey glass with too many questions in my head.

Julian exhaled sharply, pacing the room. “Do you think it’s Prestley? Or—” He stopped himself. His gaze flicked toward me. “Or Ixora? Could this messages be connected to operation sweep?”

Her name was a blade against my skin. Ixora.

If she was involved…

I pushed the thought aside. Dangerous speculation could get us both killed.

“Whoever it is,” I said evenly, “they’ve made a huge mistake. I'll make sure they regret ever thinking I'm someone they could toil with. I'm nobody's pawn. I make the rules.”

Julian’s smirk was humorless. “Because they think your new assistant is the weak link?”

“Because they think I won’t notice,” I corrected.

I leaned back in my chair, forcing calm into my tone. “Find out where these messages are coming from. Quietly. And Julian…”

“Yeah?”

“If Ixora’s name comes up, I want to know before anyone else. She is a leash that I have to cut before it gets too twisted.”

By evening, the city glittered outside my office, the skyline a cathedral of steel and light. I should’ve gone home. Instead, I found myself still at my desk, staring at a file I hadn’t read a single word of.

My phone lay within reach. One call, one text, and I could hear Kayna’s voice. Check if she’d arrived safely in Boston. Ask about her mother. Pretend it was just professional concern.

But that wasn’t who I was. I didn’t chase anyone. I was used to getting more attention than I even needed.

And yet, for the first time in years, I wondered if I might.