Chapter 65 Naughty Little Thing
Bianca’s POV
I sat in the darkness of my office, staring at the black screen of my laptop.
The image of the figure in the Steele garage was still burned into my eyes.
I felt like I couldn't move. My hands were frozen on the desk, and my breath was coming in short, jagged gasps.
Someone had sabotaged my father’s car. Someone had stood in that garage four years ago and decided my parents had to die.
I was still stricken with fear when the door to my office opened, and the light from the hallway spilled across the carpet.
Leon walked in, carrying a takeout bag and a bottle of water. He looked tired, but his eyes softened the moment they landed on me.
"Bianca? Why are you sitting in the dark?" he asked, walking toward the desk. He set the food down and reached for the lamp, clicking it on. "It’s late, darling. You’re overworking yourself. I brought dinner, and then I’m taking you home."
I didn't answer. I just looked at the laptop.
Leon noticed my state immediately. He dropped the bag and moved to my side, his hand coming up to touch my face. "Bianca? You’re white as a sheet. You’re shaking. What happened?"
"I... I got a video," I whispered, my voice cracking. "An anonymous email. Leon, it was the garage four years ago. I saw someone. I saw the car my parents died in."
Leon reached for the laptop, his fingers flying across the trackpad. "Show me."
I moved aside so he could see, but as he clicked the replay button, the screen suddenly flickered.
A series of red lines slashed across the display, followed by a wall of scrolling code that moved too fast to read. Then, the screen went completely black.
"What is that? What’s happening?" I cried.
Leon tried to restart the system, his jaw set tight.
He hit the power button repeatedly, but the machine stayed dead.
He pulled a small device from his pocket and plugged it into the USB port, watching a small LED light on it turn a deep, solid red.
"It’s gone," Leon said, his voice flat and angry. "The entire system has been corrupted. It’s a wipe-and-fry virus. The moment you finished watching that video, it triggered a script to destroy the hardware. All your files, the footage... it’s all been wiped. There’s no way to trace the source now."
"No!" I screamed, standing up and grabbing the edges of the desk. "Leon, I saw it! I saw my father’s car! I saw someone working on the wheels! We can’t just let it go!"
The panic hit me like a physical wave.
My vision started to spin, and the walls of the office felt like they were closing in.
I felt like I was losing my mind. Every time I got close to the truth, someone reached out and snatched it away. I started to hyperventilate, my chest heaving as I struggled for air.
"I saw him, Leon! He was right there!"
Leon didn't hesitate. He grabbed the laptop and slammed it onto the floor.
The plastic and glass shattered into a hundred pieces, the sound echoing through the quiet office. Then, he grabbed my shoulders and pulled me hard against his chest.
"I've had enough of this!" he roared. He held me so tightly I could feel the heat radiating off him. "Look at me, Bianca. Look at me!"
I looked up, my eyes swimming with tears.
"Whoever is doing this is trying to scare you," he growled. "They are trying to get into your head, and it’s working. You have to stop looking at these things. They are only going to make the panic worse. You are safe with me. Do you hear me? My security is the best in the world. Some old, stupid video is not going to break your peace as long as I’m standing here."
"But Sinclair—"
"I spoke with my men," Leon interrupted. "Sinclair is still at large, but we are closer to finding him. They located one of his sons who is studying abroad, and we have a lead that he’s running off to stay with an ex-wife. He will be found, Bianca. I promise you. But you are done for today. You are going home, and you are going to rest."
I pulled back, my anger flaring through the fear. "No! You can't just tell me what to do! I'm not a child, Leon. You can't just boss me around."
Leon narrowed his eyes. "You are under my protection."
"I am no longer your daughter-in-law!" I snapped, stepping back from him. "You don't have the right to dictate my life anymore. We are partners, nothing more."
Leon took a step toward me, his presence suddenly overwhelming.
He looked down at me, his eyes dark with a mixture of frustration and something much more dangerous. "You are under my roof, and you are my guest. And you said it yourself... you trust me."
"I did," I whispered. "But you're treating me like I'm fragile."
"Maybe it's because you are acting like it," he countered. He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a rough whisper. "What do you think, Bianca? You think I can't just put you over my knees and spank you for stressing yourself out like this? For running off alone last time? For pushing yourself until you break?"
I gasped, my breath catching in my throat.
The air in the room suddenly felt electric as he reached out and grabbed the back of my neck, his thumb tracing the sensitive skin behind my ear.
He pulled me closer until our noses were touching. He leaned in and kissed my cheek, then my forehead, his touch lingering and possessive.
"Please," I whispered, my eyes closing.
"What?" he asked against my skin. "What do you want?"
"You," I said. "I want you. You promised, Leon. You said when the divorce was done, we could be together. It’s done. Why are you still holding back?"
Leon pulled back just an inch, his expression pained. "There is so much going on in your life right now, Bianca. You’re dealing with a murder investigation, a missing lawyer, and a new company. I think the last thing on your mind should be sleeping with your ex-father-in-law."
I pulled away completely, my face hot with frustration. "Stop saying that! Stop using those titles to make yourself unavailable! You’re the one who told me you loved me. You’re the one who saved me. Why are you running away now?"
"I’m not running away," he said. "I’m trying to be the man you actually need, not just the man you want right now because you’re scared. Sex isn't on the list of things you need to worry about today."
"You don't get to tell me what I want or how I feel!" I shouted. I grabbed my purse from the desk and turned toward the door. "I'm going home. And don't worry, I'll take a cab myself. I don't need your permission."
I rushed out of the office, my heels clicking loudly on the floor.
I heard him calling my name, telling me to slow down, but I didn't listen. I was tired of being protected. I was tired of being told to wait.
I hit the stairs and started to stomp down toward the landing. I was moving too fast, my vision still a bit blurry from the panic attack.
As I reached the final few steps before the landing, my heel caught on the edge of the carpet. I tripped, my legs tangling under me.
I felt myself falling, the hard floor rushing up to meet me. I let out a cry, expecting the impact, but instead, I felt a pair of strong arms snatch me out of the air.
Leon caught me, his grip like iron. He swung me around and pinned me against the wall near the stairwell landing. He was breathing hard as he grabbed my face with both hands, forcing me to look at him.
"You’ve been a very naughty little girl today, Bianca," he growled, his eyes burning with an intensity that made my knees go weak. "It’s time I get you punished."
Before I could say a word, he yanked me toward a small storage room to the left of the landing.
It was a utility space, filled with a few large printing machines, a desk piled high with paper, and an old, jammed coffee machine. He pulled me inside and kicked the door shut.
"Leon, what are you doing?" I gasped, my heart hammering in my chest.
He didn't answer. He spun me around in one fluid motion, facing me away from him. I felt his hand on the hem of my skirt. In one quick move, he lifted the fabric. I didn't have time to protest before his palm came down, slamming hard against my butt.