Never this sour

Never this sour

Trista’s POV

I had few seconds to decide.
Let Emily in and risk her seeing Leonard in my office?
What would i and Leonard’s encounter look like?
Or turn her away and make her become suspicious?
Leonard’s gaze bored into mine, his dark eyes filled with quiet amusement that made my skin
prickle slightly He looked comfortable, too comfortable, like he belonged here—leaning against
my desk like this was just another one of our old power games.
Except this wasn’t a game, game was easily an understatement.
This was war.

My heart hammered in my chest, but I forced my voice to stay steady, at least it felt like I was
doing.
“Come in.
The door creaked open, and Emily peaked before deciding to step inside.
Her eyes flicked between me and Leonard, brows knitting slightly in obvious confusion, The
hesitation was subtle—but I caught it. She wasn’t just looking at him. She was assessing him
without even trying to hide it.

Why?
“I… didn’t realize you had company,
” she said, her voice smooth but still curious nonetheless.
I stepped forward slightly, subtly blocking Leonard from her view.
“It’s just business.”
I have no idea why I was offering an explanation.
Leonard chuckled behind me, the sound so low and knowing.
“That’s one way to put it Trista”.

I clenched my jaw hard, what was he trying to do?
I could feel him watching me—his gaze was too heavy, too consuming. Like a touch that never
actually landed, but still burned just exactly the same, just like in the past.
Emily’s gaze flicked back to Leonard. Something too sharp, too observant passed through her
expression before she trued to quickly masked it with a polite smile.
Was she curious? Suspicious? Or was I just being paranoid?
Maybe I was being paranoid, besides I owe no one an explanation.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said, that apology didn’t sound genuine at all, Tucking
a strand of dark hair behind her ear.

“I just wanted to check in about the job we talked about
previously .”
Right. The job.
The silly excuse Chad used to shove her into my life.
My stomach twisted. Chad, the same uncertainty from the other day seems to make sense now.
Why did I suddenly feel like he hadn’t just sent Emily to help me—but to watch me?
Because she was acting like a fucking spy or something.
I kept my expression neutral, trying to avoid her reading my facial expressions, we’ll discuss the
details tomorrow. For now, just settle yourself in and get familiar with your new surroundings,I’ll
introduce you properly to the team later.”

Emily nodded, but her gaze lingered on Leonard for a beat too long.
Like she was trying so hard to read him.
And then—Leonard smirked.
My breath caught, what exactly is going on.
It was subtle, but I know I saw it. The slight tug of his lips, the knowing gleam in his eyes.
Emily’s lips parted slightly, like she wanted to say something—but then she caught herself.
What the hell was that? Are they acquainted? Or was that a flirting attempt right in front of me?
I forced a cool smile.

“I’ll see you in the morning, Emily.
” I dismissed her.
She hesitated, then nodded.
“Of course. Goodnight, Miss Lancaster.”
With one last look she slipped out of the office, closing the door softly behind her.
The second she was gone, I exhaled, spinning around to face Leonard.
“What the hell was that? I need an explanation?
His smirk deepened.
“What was what?”
Was he trying to play with my intelligence?
I narrowed my eyes, Really?.
“That look.”
His head tilted slightly.
“What look?”
“Leonard.”

His gaze darkened slightly after I called his name. I had said his name too intimately. Too
naturally, just like how I used to call him in the past.
The air between us thickened.
It always did whenever we were in the same space, some thing never do change.
No matter how much I fought it—there was always something between us, this mad connection.
Something I didn’t have a name for, something I didn’t know how to kill.
Leonard pushed off my desk nonchalantly, stepping closer. Slow. Deliberate. Dangerous.
I refused to let him intimidate me.
He noticed.

“Darling, are you worried about your new little assistant?” he murmured, voice like velvet
wrapping around steel.
“She’s not my assistant,
” I snapped back almost immediately .
Why the hell was I getting defensive? Maybe because he was in my space? That must be it.
“No?” He took another step, his presence suffocatingly close now.
“Then what is she?”
My brain starts looking for answers and I hated that I didn’t have a good answer.
She’s just someone who is looking looking for work, she was recommended by a good friend, I
said.

He hummed, clearly not believing me and not even bothering to hide that fact.
why did she look at me like she knew exactly who I was?”
“If that’s the case,
My stomach dropped, he noticed her previous assessment on him.
She didn’t, i say too quickly.
“Didn’t she?”
I swallowed Visibly hard. You’re just being paranoid Leonard.

Leonard chuckled, but there was no hint of humor in it. Funny, I was about to say the same thing
about you, he retorted.
God, he was too close now.
He spmelled divine.
I could smell his expensive cologne, could feel the heat radiating off of him. His eyes were
locked onto mine, dark, unyielding and daring.
It reminded me too much of the past.
The last time I remember I was trying so hard to bury all this.
Of all the times he had backed me into corners like this—except back then, it had completely
been different.

I was willing to allow him dominate.
Back then, I had let him win.
Not anymore.
I lifted my chin defiantly, If you’re done playing your little detective game, I’d like for you to
leave.l my office Leonard.
Leonard studied me for a long moment.
Then—he reached out with his hands.
I barely had time to react before his fingers brushed against my jaw, tilting my chin up ever so
slightly.

The touch was barely there, but I felt every bit of it— it sent a violent shiver through me.
I hated that.
I hated that I still reacted to his touch after all these while.
Hated that even after all this time spent apart, he could still pull this reaction out of me.
His thumb skimmed ever so lightly along my jawline, his voice a low murmur.
I wonder “Trista he said, who you’re more afraid of—me or yourself?”
My breath hitched.
My pulse rising, I shouldn’t give him the satisfaction of getting a reaction out of me, that’d be
the last thing I do.

And then—he dropped his hand Suddenly, stepping back like nothing had happened.
Like he didn’t just try to renact old feelings.
Like he hadn’t just lit my entire body on fire.
Goodnight, Trista, he murmured, heading for the door in slow strides.
I didn’t move.
Couldn’t.

He reached for the handle—but just before he pulled the door open, he paused.
I’d be careful about the company you keep sweetheart, he said without turning around. Emily…
Chad… you never know who’s really on your side.
The warning sent a sharp jolt through me.
Does that mean that the doubt I had towards Emily is something anyone would also feel?
Before I could demand what the hell he meant, he was gone.
I stood there, my breath unsteady, my pulse still erratic from our close proximity.
And for the first time in a long time…
I felt completely and utterly trapped.
But the nightmare wasn’t over.
That was a fact.

Because the second Leonard left the door, my phone started ringing.
Unknown Number.
Again.
My heart lurched into my throat.
I hesitated.
Then, against my better judgment, I answered.
Silence.
Then—
“You should have stayed away from him, Trista.”

The voice was different this time.
Sinister, Darker.
More threatening.
Chills ran down my spine, goosebumps erupted on my skin out of fear.
“What do you want?” I forced out.
The caller chuckled.
“Oh, sweetheart… it’s not about what I want.”
The line went dead.
My hands trembled as I gently lowered the phone.

This was definitely not Leonard’s game anymore.
Someone else was watching me.
But who is this person exactly? I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that this unknown
caller has informations about me.
Someone that I can seem to pinpoint a face his voice.
And whoever they were—they weren’t just playing, he meant every word he said.
They were for sure getting ready to strike.