Selene's POV)
By the time I returned to my office, my coffee was barely warm in my hands, and my mind was still spinning.
The man with the mask, the way his hand had touched mine, the quiet magnetism in his voice was unlike anything I'd ever felt before.
I tried to shake it off, focus on work, but it was no use.
I could still feel the warmth of him, still hear the soft murmur of "Thank you" curling around my mind like smoke.
I set the coffee down, tapping my fingers nervously against the desk.
Come on, Selene.
Focus.
The internal pep talk did little to help, because no sooner had I settled into my chair than a message popped up on my screen:
"Come to my office."—Jacob
Just five words.
No "please," no explanation.
Typical Jacob.
Still, my heart jumped a little for reasons that had nothing to do with professionalism and I grabbed my ID card before heading for the elevators.
The ride to the top floor was smooth, the silence pressing against me.
I smoothed down my blouse and checked my reflection in the polished elevator doors, wondering why I suddenly cared so much about how I looked.
The door slid open with a quiet ding, and I stepped out into the executive level.
Jacob's office was at the end of the long hallway, past glass-walled conference rooms and secretarial desks that gleamed under the soft lighting.
I walked with measured steps, the click of my heels unnervingly loud.
When I reached his door, I knocked lightly.
"Come in," came his deep voice.
I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Jacob was seated behind his massive mahogany desk, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a sleek laptop open before him.
He looked up when I entered, and for a moment… just a moment I saw something flicker in his eyes.
Something unguarded.
"We meet again,Selene," he said, his voice smooth. "Sit please"
I obeyed, lowering myself into the leather chair across from him, trying to ignore the way his eyes followed my every movement.
The office was warm, the scent of expensive cologne hanging in the air, sharp and masculine.
"You settling in?" he asked, his tone casual, but there was a tightness around his mouth that suggested otherwise.
I nodded, folding my hands neatly in my lap.
"Yes, sir. Everyone's been very welcoming."
"Good."
He leaned back in his chair, regarding me with a gaze that felt... searching.
"You seem... distracted," he said after a pause, his voice low.
I flushed slightly, ducking my head.
"I guess... it's just a lot to take in," I lied, the memory of the masked man flashing behind my eyes.
Jacob's lips curled into something between a smirk and a smile.
"Skype has that effect," he murmured, almost to himself.
Then, louder: "You'll get used to it."
There was a brief silence, filled only by the faint hum of the air conditioning.
"You met someone down the halls," he said suddenly.
It wasn't a question.
I blinked, startled.
"How...?"
He shrugged, a lazy roll of his broad shoulders.
"I have eyes everywhere."
I opened my mouth to protest, to claim that it was nothing but Jacob held up a hand, silencing me.
"I'm not angry," he said smoothly. "Just curious."
His fingers tapped a slow rhythm against the edge of his desk.
"The man you bumped into ;masked, tall, dark suit?"
I nodded reluctantly, feeling my cheeks heat again.
Jacob's smile turned sharp, almost wolfish.
"That's Xander."
The name felt heavy in the air, as if it carried weight beyond what I could understand.
"Xander's one of our most loyal supporters," Jacob continued, his voice smooth but edged.
"An investor. A sponsor. A benefactor, depending on the year."
He leaned forward slightly, his forearms braced against the desk.
"He's been with Skype for years. Always behind the scenes. Always... watching though."
There was something in his tone,a mixture of respect and wariness that made my stomach flutter.
"Who is he?" I asked softly.
Jacob chuckled, but there was no humor in it.
"Nobody knows," he said, leaning back again. "Not really."
I frowned.
"But surely, if he's invested in the company....."
"He's anonymous," Jacob interrupted.
"He comes and goes when he pleases. He donates billions, sometimes more. Keeps Skype afloat when competitors try to drown us."
His fingers drummed once, twice, against the polished wood.
"We respect him," he said. "We don't question him."
I swallowed hard, feeling a strange mixture of awe and apprehension.
"So... he's important," I said dumbly.
Jacob's smile returned, slow and lazy.
"Very."
For a moment, our eyes locked…a heavy, charged silence stretching between us.
I could feel the tension crackling in the air, alive and tangible.
"Selene," Jacob said, his voice dropping lower, "this company is filled with powerful people.
People who can make or break lives with a word."
He rose from his chair then, rounding the desk in a few long strides until he stood just in front of me.
I tilted my head back instinctively to meet his gaze, my pulse hammering at my throat.
He reached out slow, deliberate and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
His fingers brushed the curve of my cheek, lingering for a fraction of a second too long.
"You," he said, his voice a low murmur, "have a light in you. A spark."
His thumb traced the line of my jaw so lightly I barely felt it.
"Be careful where you let it shine."
My breath caught in my chest, the world narrowing until it was just him and me and the soft thrum of electricity between us.
For a moment, I thought he might kiss me.
The thought made my heart race, my lips part slightly in unconscious invitation.
But then, mercifully or maddeningly,Jacob stepped back.
Professional again.
Cold.
He cleared his throat, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt.
"You're dismissed," he said briskly, without meeting my eyes.
I stood on shaky legs, my body still humming with leftover adrenaline.
"Thank you, sir," I whispered, my voice embarrassingly breathless.
I turned to leave, my hand on the door handle, when his voice stopped me once more.
"Selene."
I glanced back.
"If you ever feel... overwhelmed," he said, his gaze dark and unreadable,
"My door is always open."
I nodded, unable to find words, and slipped out into the hallway, my heart hammering painfully in my chest.
As the elevator doors closed behind me, I leaned against the cool wall, pressing my palm to my racing heart.
Jacob Gerard was dangerous.
In ways I was only just beginning to understand.
And somewhere, somewhere deep inside me, a voice whispered:
So is Xander.
And you're caught right between them.