Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
Solenn
The moment I stepped into Spencer & Co., I felt it.
The shift. The weight of reality pressed down, dragging me away from the last three days of sun, skin, and whispered names against silk sheets.
The office hummed with its usual efficiency—phones ringing, heels clicking against polished floors, the scent of freshly brewed coffee mixing with expensive cologne.
It should have felt the same. But it didn’t.
I adjusted the strap of my bag, walking toward my desk, hyper-aware of every glance in my direction. Some employees tried to be subtle, eyes flicking up from their computers as I passed, while others whispered, not even attempting to hide their curiosity. Of course, they knew.
The world might not have been watching, but the company sure as hell was.
The kiss at the gala had already put a spotlight on me, and now? Three unexplained days off with the elusive, untouchable Maverick Spencer? Yeah. They knew.
I dropped my bag onto my desk, ignoring the murmurs, forcing my expression into something unbothered as I opened my laptop. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, but I barely registered the emails piling up. Because I could feel him.
Maverick.
I glanced up just in time to see him stride into the office, exuding that same sharp, commanding presence, the air around him charged with something I couldn't quite place. His navy suit was crisp, his tie perfectly knotted, his expression unreadable. To anyone else, he looked the same.
But I knew better.
Because I could feel the difference.
The way his eyes found mine immediately, locking onto me with an intensity that sent an involuntary shiver down my spine.
The way his movements were a little too controlled, a little too precise like he was holding something back.
The way his fingers flexed at his sides as if fighting the urge to touch me.
Three days ago, he had pinned me against the shower wall, his mouth on my skin, his hands claiming every inch of me. But now?
Now, we were back here. Back to this.
His gaze flickered, just for a second, and then he turned away, heading straight for his office. No words. No acknowledgment.
The cold, rational part of me knew this was how it had to be. That whatever happened between us didn’t belong here. But the irrational part—the part still aching from his touch, from the way he had murmured my name in the dark—hated it.
I exhaled, dragging my attention back to my screen, but before I could even attempt to focus, a familiar voice cut through the air.
"Well, well. Look who finally decided to show up."
I barely had time to process before Asher Spencer strolled into the office, looking as smug as ever.
Dressed in a dark gray suit, hair slightly tousled like he hadn’t put in half the effort Maverick did, he leaned against my desk, grinning like he had just walked into his favorite soap opera.
"How was your little getaway?" he asked, crossing his arms, his hazel eyes gleaming with amusement.
I arched a brow, keeping my expression neutral. "Vacation days exist for a reason, you know."
"Sure," he mused, tapping his fingers against the desk. "But they don’t usually involve disappearing with my brother."
My stomach tightened.
He knew.
I opened my mouth to respond, to come up with something smooth, something dismissive, but before I could, Maverick’s voice sliced through the room.
"Asher."
The temperature in the office shifted instantly.
Maverick stood a few feet away, his expression unreadable, but there was something sharp in his eyes. Something dangerous. He didn’t say anything else. He didn’t have to.
Asher, completely unfazed, smirked. "Ah, there he is. The man of the hour."
I expected Maverick to brush it off. To act indifferent, to move past this like he did with everything else. But instead, he walked straight to me.
His hand brushed my lower back, barely there, but enough to make my breath hitch. The touch was casual. Too casual. But it was also a claim. A message. A silent fuck off directed at his brother.
Asher caught the movement immediately.
His smirk widened. "Oh, this is fun."
Maverick didn’t react. "Why are you here?"
Asher sighed dramatically, pushing off my desk. "Business, of course. Unlike you, I don’t spend my weekends on private beaches with scandalous assistants."
Maverick’s jaw ticked.
I rolled my eyes. "You’re enjoying this way too much."
"Oh, absolutely," Asher admitted. "I mean, Maverick sneaking away with someone? That’s news."
Maverick exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his jaw, clearly done with this conversation. "If you have something to say, say it."
Asher tilted his head, his amusement dimming just slightly. "Fine. Mom called me."
The words hung in the air, suffocating.
I stiffened, glancing between them, feeling something in my stomach drop.
Maverick’s entire demeanor shifted. His fingers twitched against my back before dropping away completely. His stance tightened, his expression turning to steel.
Asher studied him, his usual playful energy replaced with something sharper. "She’s asking questions, Mav. She’s going to find out."
Silence.
Heavy. Unrelenting.
Maverick didn’t move, didn’t speak. But I could see it. The flicker of something dark, something dangerous, something he didn’t want me to see.
I swallowed, trying to ignore the unease curling in my stomach. "And what exactly won’t she like?" I asked, forcing my voice to stay even.
Asher’s eyes met mine, and for the first time since he walked in, he looked… almost apologetic.
"That," he said simply, nodding toward where Maverick had touched me seconds ago. "That’s the problem."
A lump formed in my throat.
Asher looked back at his brother. "You know how she is. You know what she expects. If you think you can keep this quiet, you’re wrong. And when she finds out?—"
"Enough."
Maverick’s voice was low. Dangerous. Final.
Asher held his hands up in surrender. "Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. I’m just saying—be ready. Because of this?" His gaze flickered to me one last time before he took a step back. "She won’t like this, Maverick."
The weight of his words pressed down on my chest.
Because deep down, I already knew.
This wasn’t just about us anymore.
This was about whatever world Maverick had tried to keep me out of.
And now?
Now, I was standing right in the middle of it.