Chapter 9 Xelene
NINE
XELENE
When the office door finally swung open, Xelene’s trained eye immediately caught the subtle shift in Janice’s expression—that particular gleam of satisfaction mixed with mischief that meant her friend had just secured some deal. The look made Xelene’s jaw tighten with irritation.
What could they possibly have discussed that required my absence?
The audacity of this man dismissing her from the meeting made her blood simmer. She was the lead reputation consultant here, not some junior associate to be sent away like a child on a timeout. Lev Marcan might be a prince, but he clearly had no concept of professional boundaries or basic respect.
He thinks he can do whatever he wants, say whatever he pleases, act however suits him, she thought, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. Well, he’s about to learn differently soon enough.
“Right this way, ladies.” Lev’s voice carried that easy confidence that probably made most women weak in the knees. The deep timbre rolled through the corridor, smooth and intoxicating.
As they followed him through the massive castle, Xelene found herself studying the intricate tapestries lining the stone walls, the soaring archways, the polished marble floors that gleamed under crystalline chandeliers—anything to avoid staring at the man leading them.
But her treacherous gaze kept drifting to the broad expanse of his shoulders, and the way his dark green henley stretched across the powerful muscles of his back with every step.
The fabric clung just enough to hint at the raw strength beneath, and when he turned to gesture toward a particular corridor, she caught a glimpse of his profile—that strong jawline and the way his golden hair caught the light.
Stop it, she scolded herself fiercely. He’s your client. He’s insufferable. Why are you even looking at him like some starstruck teenager?
But her body betrayed her completely, her pulse quickening as her eyes traced the way his jeans hugged his powerful thighs, the perfect curve of his—
“Xelene?”
She jerked her attention back to find both Lev and Janice watching her with knowing expressions that made heat flood her cheeks.
“Here are the guest suites,” Lev said, his blue eyes dancing with amusement. “You seemed lost in thought.”
“Just admiring the castle,” she replied coolly, grateful for her years of practice maintaining composure under pressure.
They’d stopped before two identical oak doors adorned with brass handles that gleamed like burnished gold. The hallway was wider here, with plush carpeting in deep burgundy.
“I look forward to treating you to dinner tonight, Xelene.” Lev’s voice dropped to a lower register, intimate and warm in a way that made her stomach flutter unexpectedly.
She opened her mouth to argue that she’d never actually agreed to dinner, but Janice caught her eye with a pleading expression.
What the hell, Xelene thought with resignation. I need to eat anyway.
“Sure thing,” she said, the words coming out sharper than intended. “But this is a working dinner.”
Lev’s grin was pure masculine satisfaction. “Naturally.”
He turned and walked away with that predatory grace that marked him as an apex predator, even in human form. Xelene watched the confident set of his shoulders, the easy swagger that spoke of a man who’d never doubted his own appeal, and felt her irritation spike again.
The moment he disappeared around the corner, she practically dragged Janice into her guest suite and shut the door with force.
“What the hell did he say to you that he couldn’t say in front of me?”
The room was elegantly appointed with a four-poster bed draped in midnight blue silk, matching curtains that framed floor-to-ceiling windows, and a sitting area with overstuffed chairs positioned around a stone fireplace.
Fresh flowers in crystal vases filled the air with the scent of jasmine and roses.
Janice perched on the edge of the bed, her expression carefully neutral. “He was just asking about you. Wanted my opinion on how to approach working with you.”
“Why wouldn’t he just ask me directly?” Xelene crossed her arms, her analytical mind already working through the possibilities. “What’s his angle here?”
“You know you can be pretty intimidating,” Janice pointed out with a gentle smile. “The man probably just wants to get on your good side. I’m sure he’s just trying to maneuver through this reputation overhaul without you making his life totally miserable.”
Too late for that, Xelene thought grimly. She’d already decided to make this extra difficult after his little power play in the office.
“I simply told him that you were a tough egg to crack. So I wasn’t much help to him.” Janice’s eyes brightened considerably. “But he did agree to help me get a date with Benjamin.”
Xelene rolled her eyes, pieces of the puzzle clicking into place. “Oh, I see why you wanted to ally with Lev against me. To cozy up to his friend Benjamin. Go figure.”
“It’s not like that—”
“Janice.” Xelene’s voice carried a sharp edge.
“We’re here to do a job. My reputation is riding on this assignment, and it could be career-changing in ways we can’t even imagine yet.
We cannot mess this up, which means you cannot get distracted from your duties by some lion shifter with pretty eyes. ”
Janice held up her hands in surrender. “I promise I won’t let it interfere. Besides, getting closer to Benjamin will help us navigate shifter politics and traditions better. It’s a win-win situation.”
Xelene couldn’t argue with that logic, much as she wanted to. Strategic alliances were part of any successful campaign, and having an inside source could prove invaluable.
“Just... be careful,” she said finally. “We don’t know enough about this world yet to understand all the implications.”
“I will.” Janice stood and headed for the door, pausing with her hand on the handle. “Have fun at dinner tonight with Lev.”
Fun wasn’t the word Xelene would use for what dinner promised to be. More like a strategic battle disguised as a social meal.
After Janice left, Xelene stood alone in the opulent guest suite, her mind racing.
She moved to the window and gazed out at the alien landscape—rolling savannas dotted with strange, beautiful trees she couldn’t name, the sky painted in shades of amber and rose as the day began its slow drift toward evening.
This planet is incredible, she admitted to herself. But that man...
Lev Marcan was going to be a problem in ways she hadn’t anticipated. His casual dismissal of her authority, his obvious attempt to manipulate the situation through Janice, his infuriating confidence—all of it rubbed against her professional instincts like sandpaper.
But worse than his challenging personality was her own inexplicable reaction to him. The way her pulse had quickened when their hands touched, the electric awareness that seemed to hum between them, and the way she’d caught herself staring at his body like some hormone-raging schoolgirl.
Get it together, she told herself firmly. He’s just another job. A particularly difficult one, but nothing you can’t handle.
She moved to her suitcase and began unpacking, hanging her clothes in the massive armoire.
Lev had chosen to dress casually today, probably to defy her and this entire situation.
If she showed up to dinner in her usual polished business attire, she’d be overdressed and at a psychological disadvantage.
Fine, she thought with grim determination. Two can play that game.
She selected a green sundress from her limited casual options—a flowing piece that brought out the color of her eyes and skimmed her curves without being obvious about it. The dress was elegant but relaxed.
In the en suite bathroom, she touched up her makeup, telling herself she was simply refreshing her appearance after their interdimensional travel.
It had nothing to do with wanting to look good for Lev, nothing to do with the way his eyes had darkened when he looked at her, nothing to do with the inexplicable pull she felt toward a man who represented everything chaotic and uncontrolled in this world.
Absolutely nothing, she assured her reflection, even as she applied an extra coat of mascara and chose lipstick in a shade that made her mouth look fuller and more inviting.
This is just professional preparation, she told herself. Nothing more.
But as she smoothed the dress over her hips and checked her reflection one final time, Xelene couldn’t quite silence the voice in her head that whispered she was lying to herself.