Chapter five
~ADRIAN ~
Fear flickers in Elana’s eyes as I approach her.
Is it me or the internship that has her on edge?
She rises quickly, smoothing the knee-length dress with a design I can’t quite figure out yet.
I haven’t seen her in five days—five days of long honey-blonde hair and playful green eyes invading my mind.
Half her hair is secured, while the rest cascades over her shoulders and around her breasts, the pink hue on her cheeks mirroring the shade of her lips. She’s undeniably stunning.
“Make sure no one disturbs us,” I instruct Melissa, who nods in acknowledgment and then turns to look at Elana as I pass by. Poor thing is frozen in place. “Coming?” I raise a brow at her and turn my head back forward.
“Y-yes, sorry,” she stammers behind me.
Opening the door to my office, I allow her to enter first before closing it behind us. Leaning against my desk, I observe Elana tentatively exploring the room, her eyes scanning the furniture as if encountering it for the first time. She looks lost and out of place.
“Take a seat.” I gesture towards the leather couch in front of my desk, and she lowers herself into it. Nervous energy radiates from her, and I’m still unsure if it's the internship or my presence that’s unsettling her more.
“Thank you for having me,” she mumbles, her gaze flickering towards the coffee table. Oh, this will never do.
“We’ve known each other for years, Elana,” I remind her. “We might as well skip the formalities.” I lean back a bit, studying her. “How are you feeling about all this?”
“I’m nervous. This is very overwhelming.
” She fidgets with the hem of her dress, and I can finally make out what’s on it—small ducks.
She came here wearing a fucking duck dress.
I almost laugh at the absurdity, but I’m not sure she can handle fashion criticism on top of everything, so I opt for a raised brow.
“I guess it is.” I lock eyes with her, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of my lips.
“I’ve arranged for someone to help you settle in since I find it hard to align my schedule with yours.
” She looks up at me, perplexed, and I clarify, “I asked Ethan to send me your class schedule earlier today.”
“Oh,” is all she says. Who the hell is this girl? Where is the cheerful, annoyingly playful girl I remember? She’s terrified. I soften my gaze in an attempt to calm her nerves.
“A man named Ryan has agreed to help. He’s the head of the financial department and will be your guide.
He’s friendly. I have no doubt you’ll get along.
” I hope the last part brings her some relief, but it only brings me a sense of unease.
It accompanies the hope that she won’t get along that well with Ryan.
“Oh, that’s great.” She smiles and looks up at me. “I appreciate it. Thank you—” “she falls silent, and I know why.
“Adrian.” I chuckle.
“Adrian,” she repeats, her cheeks turning pinker. I pause, savoring my name on her lips. I want to hear it louder, hear her fall apart as she screams it. Heat immediately rushes down my body, and I close my eyes briefly. Pull yourself together.
“Nevertheless, I expect nothing but your best. This isn’t a cakewalk.” My tone sharpens.
She nods. “I understand. I’ll do my best.”
“Good.” My gaze lingers on her face, noticing the worry etched on her naturally beautiful features.
Tell her she can trust you. I sigh as I take a few steps towards her and sit on the armchair to her left.
“Elana, you can come to me with anything. Whether it’s a concern, question, or anything else.
” She turns to face me, and I lean forward. “Never be afraid to approach me.”
I see her visibly relax as she absorbs my words, and there’s no doubt these are the words she needed to hear.
“Thank you.” Her voice almost cracks, and for the first time, a genuine smile graces her lips. It’s a smile that takes my breath away, a smile I’d like to see as often as possible.
“You’re more than welcome,” I reply, my gaze unintentionally dropping to her soft, full lips.
This time, I’m close enough for her to notice. I see her lips part as she inhales sharply. When I meet her eyes again, her cheeks are even pinker. Her reaction makes the corners of my mouth lift.
Suddenly, a knock echoes in the room, and I look up.
“Come in,” I call, and Melissa opens the door with a respectful nod.
“Mr. Morgan, Ryan is here,” she informs me.
“Great, let him in,” I reply, my eyes briefly shifting to Elana. “He’s here to help.”
Melissa exits and in walks Ryan, a bundle of energy and charm as fucking always. His jovial greeting fills the room as he extends a hand towards Elana. “You must be Elana. I’m delighted to meet you!” Delighted?
Elana smiles and shakes his hand. The contrast between her nervousness with me and her immediate ease with Ryan doesn’t go unnoticed.
So, it is me she’s afraid of.
“I hope the big boss didn’t scare you too much.” He turns to me with a laugh, and Elana chuckles. “I promised Mr. Morgan I would make sure you know what you’re doing, or at least look like you know what you’re doing.”
“I appreciate that.” Elana smiles, her tension visibly easing.
While they exchange more pleasantries, I observe, my unease growing. Ryan is undoubtedly the right choice to mentor Elana—experienced, friendly, and a perfect blend of professionalism and approachability. Yet, a subtle pang of jealousy tugs at me as I watch them connect so effortlessly.
“Alright, then.” Ryan claps his hands together. “Mr. Morgan is a busy man. We don’t want to take up too much of his time. Let the grand tour begin.” He turns to me. “With your permission, Mr. Morgan?”
“Of course.” I nod and walk around my desk and take a seat. “Good luck, Elana.”
“Thank you.” She gives me a smile before Ryan opens the door and urges her to follow him.
As they exit my office, I lean back in my chair, my gaze fixed on the closing door.
Lingering jealousy settles within me. The idea of aligning my schedule with hers crosses my mind, and I quickly dismiss it.
That’s bullshit. I’ve never aligned my schedule with anyone else’s.
I open my laptop to attend to a few emails, hoping they’ll distract me from Ryan showing Elana around. The thought remains an unwelcome one.
The clock ticks away the minutes in my penthouse, the silence interrupted only by the mellow hum of a jazz track playing in the background.
I sit on the couch, a glass of red wine in my hand, the deep crimson liquid swirling as I twirl the glass absentmindedly.
I’ve already removed my jacket, loosened my tie, and undid the top buttons of my shirt.
I wonder if Elana’s still wearing the dress from today.
A laugh threatens to come out at the thought of her coming on her first day wearing that.
The intercom buzzes, and I’m alerted to Ethan’s arrival with Elana. I quickly instruct Mac to let them in, and within moments, the elevator doors leading straight to my living room open.
“Adrian!” Ethan, in high spirits, leads the way, with Elana following closely behind.
Mac assists them with the luggage, a suitcase in each hand.
“LA awaits,” Ethan sighs with a smile, three duffel bags in one hand, a suitcase in the other, and two more duffel bags on his shoulders.
The sight is unnerving. She’s moving in, and there’s nothing I can do about it other than offer Ethan a hand, taking the three duffel bags from him as he groans, flexing his hand.
“Hello.” Elana gives me a small wave and adjusts the straps on her backpack.
I place the duffel bags on the floor and stand up straight, offering a nod in response.
I’m unsure of how to approach her in front of Ethan.
I definitely know how I want to approach her, but that would earn me a dropkick from Ethan.
“It’s about time you chased those dreams, Ethan.
” I decide to talk to him instead, not trusting myself to look at Elana for more than a second.
If my best friend can’t tell when I want to fuck someone’s brains out, who else would?
He would definitely be able to see, and he won’t be as eager to leave Elana here—or me alive.
He smiles again, but this time, there’s sadness in his eyes. “Yeah, but leaving this one behind.” He gestures towards Elana, who’s standing by with her hand resting on the handle of the suitcase.
I see sadness and a lot of worry in Elana’s eyes as her gaze jumps between Ethan and me. She looks beautiful despite the underlying melancholy that clouds her eyes… and that dress. She’s still wearing it.
Half an hour drifts by, with Mac effortlessly ferrying Elana’s bags into her new room while Ethan and I engage in conversation at the kitchen island.
I notice the subtle tension in Elana’s posture.
It’s more than just Ethan leaving; it’s the unease she feels around me, and I know it.
As Ethan talks about the LA apartment he’s renting, Elana glances around the room, her eyes landing on me.
“I’m sorry. Could you please tell me where the bathroom is?” Her voice is so small I wouldn’t have heard her talking if I weren’t already looking her way.
“There’s a hallway with an oval archway,” Ethan speaks before I can. “Down that hallway, first door to your left.”
I chuckle and shake my head. He knows the layout of the penthouse perfectly.
“Thanks, Ethan. I’ll be right back,” she murmurs, excusing herself and disappearing from the kitchen. As she walks away, my gaze lingers on her, noting the subtle sway of her hips. Those hips would look damn good under mine.
With Elana out of earshot, Ethan suddenly leans in, his expression serious.
“What is it?” My brow furrows as I meet his gaze.
“It’s about Elana’s ex,” Ethan admits, casting a wary glance around to ensure Elana’s absence. “The guy’s unhinged, man. I hate the idea of leaving her with that piece of shit around. I know we already talked about this, but please keep an eye on things for me.”
“I’ll do my best, you know that.” The mention of the infamous ex-boyfriend stirs a surge of irritation within me.
I wonder about the guy. What he looks like, what drew Elana to him.
Has he fucked her? The idea of someone else having a claim on her makes me curl my fists.
“But she needs to trust me enough to share if something happens. That’s the only way I can truly help. ”
“I know, but you have your… ways to see what someone’s doing. And I’m definitely not telling you to invade Elana’s privacy. I’m just asking you to protect her.”
“I get it.” My gaze lingers down the hallway where Elana disappeared. “Can I at least upgrade your ticket to first class?”
“You’ve asked me that already. You don’t have to do that.” Ethan pours some more wine into our glasses.
“Come on, man.” I laugh. “What’s the point of having a rich best friend if you’re not using him for his money?”
“Who says I’m not using you for your money?” He downs his glass, grinning, and strides over to the sink, depositing it inside. “Alright, if you insist. I’ll send you the flight information.”
“I’ll tell Melissa to take care of it.”
Ethan claps me on the shoulder once we’ve reached the elevator. “Take care of her, Adrian. She’s got a knack for getting into trouble.”
“No, I don’t!” Elana elbows him gently.
“Don’t worry.” My eyes meet hers, and a sly smirk plays on my lips.
“So do I.” An instant flush paints her face as my words land, and that’s the extent of what I’m willing to reveal in Ethan’s company.
It’s a good thing he’s facing away, engrossed in pressing the elevator button; otherwise, my audacious smirk might have earned me a solid punch.
Although, I’m no stranger to taking hits from Ethan.
We've engaged in our fair share of sparring matches over the years—nothing I can’t handle.
“Come here, you.” He finally turns to face us and pulls Elana into a lingering hug. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Elana’s voice cracks as she holds on to Ethan. I step back, giving them space.
“I’ll make you proud, El.” I see a tear roll down Elana’s cheek at Ethan’s words.
“You already do.” They hold each other for a few moments longer before Ethan finally breaks away.
“Look after her, okay?” His eyes are red, and he sniffs. “That uppercut you have is deadly. Use it if you must. I’ll bail you out with my LA money.” He laughs, and I push him back with a smile before embracing him.
“I’ll take care of her, brother,” I say against his ear before pulling away.
With a final round of goodbyes, Ethan steps into the elevator and turns to face us.
“I’ll call you from the airport.” He smiles, and the doors close in front of him.
In my periphery, I catch Elana inhaling deeply as she turns to face me.
Exercising considerable self-control, I resist the urge to push her up against the wall and taste those luscious lips that have haunted my thoughts for days.
I opted instead to keep my hands to myself and focus on locking eyes with her.
Her breathing undergoes an immediate shift as I step towards her, leaning in close to her ear.
“Welcome home, little duck.”