Chapter 37
Ruby
Imute them.
They deserve it.
I take a deep breath.
I head toward the elevator.
And then the elevator doors open.
And Jaxon steps out.
Oh. Oh no.
He looks at me, slowly, deliberately, like he remembers everything too.
My stomach drops.
He doesn’t even try to hide the way his eyes drag down my body, lingering just long enough to make my breath stutter.
“Morning,” he says quietly.
I nearly combust.
“M–morning.”
His lips curve, a private, knowing smile.
“Come by my office later.”
My lungs forget how to breathe.
“Later,” he repeats. Not a question. Not a suggestion.
A promise.
My knees wobble.
He steps past me, calm and devastating.
When he disappears around the corner, I sag against the wall.
“Oh god.”
JAXON
She’s glowing.
She’s trying to hide it, but she’s glowing.
Her hair is softer today. Her voice is breathy. Her steps are smaller. Her blouse is a little too carefully tucked in, which tells me she tore it off too fast last night.
My chest tightens.
I shouldn’t feel proud.
I do.
I want her again. Badly. But more than that?
I want her comfortable with what happened.
With meI’ve been in the office for an hour, but I haven’t worked. Not really.
I’ve been replaying last night. Her sounds. Her shaking. Her nails in my shoulders. Her whispering my name like it meant something.
I didn’t expect to feel this.
Possessive. Calm. Focused. Certain.
But I want her in my life. More than stolen moments in dark rooms.
I send her one message:
Me:
My office.
Noon.
And then I clear my schedule.
EVAN
Evan watches Ruby walk past his desk.
His stomach sinks.
She looks… different.
Flushed. Soft. Distracted.
Happy.
He immediately hates it.
He shouldn’t.
He knows he shouldn’t.
But when she avoids eye contact, when she sits down too fast, when she bites her lip trying to act normal, his suspicion spikes.
And when she gets a message and goes pale-pink all at once?
Yeah.
He knows.
He knows.
He just doesn’t want to admit who it is.
He clenches his jaw.
He has to say something.
She’s not thinking clearly.
Someone should look out for her.
He will.
Even if she hates him for it.
RUBY
My phone buzzes again.
A message.
From him.
Jaxon:
Noon.
Don’t be late.
I close my eyes.
My heart thunders.
I whisper to myself:
“I’m in so much trouble.”
But my body answers first:
You’re going.
You know you’re going.
And god help me… I want to.