Ivy’s POV
I collapsed into my office chair, my legs trembling beneath like I’d just survived an earthquake. Sohow I had managed to maintain my professional facade during that entire catastrophe, but now the reality was crashing over like a tsunami.
Yara Rossi was absolutely venomous, but nothing could have prepared for what happened next. When Caleb wrapped his powerful arm around my waist to steady , pulling flush against his granite-hard chest, every rational thought abandoned completely.
The unmistakable evidence of his arousal pressed against my lower back sent shockwaves through my entire body, awakening sensations I had buried for three years.
When his breath burned against my ear as he commanded not to move, liquid fire coursed through my veins, pooling between my thighs in a way that left breathless and aching. This hadn’t happened since that night at the underground auction, and now my boss—possibly my son’s father—was rock solid against , making coherent thought impossible.
"Ivy, you are absolutely fucked," I whispered to myself, burying my face in my hands.
I fumbled for my phone and fired off a quick ssage to Zoe about finally eting my mysterious boss. Her response ca back lightning fast asking if he had cornered in his office yet. I couldn’t help but smile as I typed back that he actually had, and I would spill everything over dinner tonight. Just as I tucked my phone away, Monica appeared in my doorway looking mortified.
"Ivy, I am so incredibly sorry about what happened. That psychotic bitch always causes chaos whenever she shows up here. Please tell you didn’t get in trouble with Mr. Thorne because of my failure," Monica said, wringing her hands with genuine distress.
Monica ran this entire floor with military precision. Nothing happened without her knowledge, and her position at the security checkpoint ant she controlled access to the inner sanctum. She was stunning in that deadly way, probably mid-thirties with rich brown hair always swept into an elegant twist, intelligent dark eyes behind designer fras that made her look even more dangerous. My office connected directly to Caleb’s fortress, while the mirror setup on the other side led to Xavier’s domain. This entire floor was their kingdom, complete with a full kitchen, multiple conference rooms, and exclusive access to the gorgeous rooftop garden that overlooked their territory.
"Please don’t worry about it, Monica. Mr. Thorne was absolutely murderous, but his rage was directed entirely at that woman, not us. From what I gathered, she’s Mr. Rossi’s daughter, correct?"
"Unfortunately, yes. She’s been stalking Mr. Thorne for years, constantly showing up here uninvited, and he despises every second of it."
"How long has Mr. Rossi been with the organization?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of .
"Three decades. He was here before Mr. Thorne even joined, started as a low-level money counter and climbed his way up to underboss under the previous Don. His daughter and Caleb grew up in the sa circles, and she’s been obsessed with him since childhood, always finding excuses to hang around the compound. Her father constantly pushes the narrative that she’s perfect for Mr. Thorne, his ideal match." Monica dropped her voice to barely above a whisper. "Ever since Mr. Thorne’s parents were murdered, Mr. Rossi has been telling anyone who will listen that both families always dread of them uniting. But it makes Caleb absolutely homicidal."
I nodded sympathetically, understanding the impossible position that put him in—and the deadly implications of crossing Roman Rossi.
"That sounds incredibly dangerous. But don’t stress about today, Monica. Mr. Thorne wasn’t upset with either of us. Actually, I doubt we’ll deal with this situation again since he specifically ordered security to permanently ban her from the building."
Monica’s eyes went wide before her face broke into the biggest grin I had ever seen. She practically danced back to her desk, calling out triumphantly, "Thank fucking God, finally!"
Before I could process her reaction, Heidi and Xavier strolled in arm in arm, both wearing matching expressions of predatory delight. Xavier imdiately pounced on the gossip.
"No fucking way, did Caleb really have Yara Rossi permanently banned from the premises?" His face was lit up with barely contained bloodlust, like he had just heard the best news of his entire life.
I couldn’t suppress my laughter as I confird his suspicions with a nod. He burst into delighted laughter, with Heidi joining in imdiately. When they finally composed themselves, she turned to with sparkling eyes.
"Ivy, darling, I heard you’ve officially t your Don now. And apparently in quite the morable fashion." Xavier clearly couldn’t keep his mouth shut about anything, and now my face was burning with embarrassnt again, but I managed to smile back at them.
"Mr. Black, where’s your compassion? I genuinely thought I was going to be eliminated in that room today. I don’t know whether to laugh or have a complete breakdown, Heidi."
Xavier looked absolutely delighted by the entire situation, clearly enjoying every second of my discomfort.
"Ivy, there’s no way my brother would ever let that miserable snake touch even one hair on your beautiful head," Xavier said with obvious affection, then turned to Heidi with an exaggerated pout. "Heidi, why didn’t you stick Jude with Mr. Dangerous and let work with this gorgeous Ivy instead?"
"Because you’re an incorrigible predator who hunts every woman within a fifty-mile radius, and she wouldn’t survive two days around you. Ivy isn’t like your usual prey, so I expect you to show so respect and keep your hands to yourself," Heidi replied warmly but with steel in her voice.
"The boss already made it crystal clear that she’s completely off limits, so I’ll behave myself. But we can definitely be allies," he replied with a dangerous grin and winked at . "You really are devastating though, Ivy. You’re going to make a lot of won around here very jealous—and a lot of n very stupid."
"Thank you, Xavier, that’s incredibly kind, but I’m really hoping to avoid any more bloodshed," I replied, trying to ignore the flutter in my stomach.
"Please, just call Xavier. I want us to be genuine allies," he said with surprising sincerity. "Now excuse while I go check on my brother after you literally fell into his arms." I turned crimson watching him saunter toward Caleb’s office and walk right in without bothering to knock.
Xavier was genuinely magnetic, the kind of person who made everyone around him feel special and valued—right before he probably killed them. Working with him was going to be an absolute pleasure and terror.
"So Ivy, what’s your honest assessnt of Caleb?" Heidi asked with obvious curiosity dancing in her eyes.
"Well Heidi, despite that horrible incident that set him off, he was completely professional and controlled. I think we’ll work together just fine." Complete lie. I was in serious trouble because that man was devastatingly attractive and had already made wet without even trying.
"I know all that. I want to know what you think of him as a man. He’s absolutely lethal, isn’t he?" Heidi’s smile grew wider as she watched my face flush. "Don’t even try to deny it, you were completely srized by him."
"Yes Heidi, I definitely wasn’t expecting my boss to be so young and incredibly dangerous. And he has the exact sa eye color as Max," I said, almost thinking out loud.
"What do you an by that?" Heidi asked, suddenly laser-focused.
"Well, my son has these amazing ice-blue eyes, exactly the sa shade as Mr. Thorne’s. They’re absolutely beautiful and extrely rare," I explained, watching her carefully.
"Yes, they certainly are. I’ve only ever known Caleb and his father to have eyes that particular color. Now I’m dying to et your son. Who did he inherit those eyes from?" She seed genuinely surprised by this revelation.
"He has his father’s eyes, the sa deep, gorgeous ice-blue shade. You should co have dinner with us tonight, Zoe is desperate to et you, and Max is such a little angel," I said enthusiastically, already feeling like she was family.
"I would absolutely love that. I’d love to et both Max and Zoe after hearing so much about them. It’s settled then. Now I need to go check on Caleb. That boy is like my own son, I even changed his diapers when he was little," she said with maternal affection before heading into his office.
I grabbed my phone to let Zoe know Heidi would be joining us for dinner, but first I saw her ssage demanding all the juicy details. I smiled and confird I would tell her absolutely everything tonight.
My desk phone rang with an urgent tone—Caleb summoning into his office. I grabbed my tablet and walked in, then froze completely. He was smiling, a brilliant smile that transford his entire face, making him so devastatingly handso I could barely breathe. I was in serious trouble because he looked absolutely lethal when he smiled. He looked directly at and his smile grew even more predatory, like he knew exactly how his smile affected .
"Miss Ivy, co in and close the door behind you. Join us to hear what Xavier did to that insufferable bitch," he said, gesturing to the empty chair across from his desk.
I did exactly as he commanded. Xavier was in full performance mode, dramatically reenacting how he escorted Yara Rossi out of the building, complete with her tantrum, foot stomping, and threats of revenge. We were all laughing dangerously as Xavier perfectly mimicked her voice and mannerisms. When he finished his show, his expression turned deadly serious.
"But honestly man, we need to be careful. That psychotic woman promised she won’t rest until she gets your assistant eliminated and thrown out of here." Then he turned to with genuine concern. "Ivy, you need to watch your back, not just with Yara but with her father too. They’re vindictive people who hold deadly grudges."
I felt a chill at his warning, but my eyes widened when Caleb said with lethal focus directly on , "Don’t worry about it, Xavier. From now on, I’m the only one allowed to touch Ivy." The way he said my na without the formal Miss and looked at with such possessive intensity made sothing deep inside clench with desperate need, leaving breathless and burning with dangerous hunger. Working with this man was going to require incredible self-control.
But Xavier had absolutely no filter and never missed an opportunity for entertainnt. Seeing my obvious embarrassnt, he burst out laughing. "Ivy, I think you’re definitely in trouble."
Caleb added with mischief sparkling in his ice-blue eyes, "Maybe I should get so chamomile tea," and winked at with predatory intent.
Watching turn redder by the second, Heidi ca to my rescue. "Boys, don’t make Ivy quit on her first day because I’m moving up my Boston departure and I absolutely refuse to find you another assistant, Caleb," she said with amusent, making them laugh even harder.
"Alright Heidi, I’ll control myself. Let’s leave Ivy alone and discuss the contracts we finalized during our Chicago operation," Caleb said, looking directly into my eyes with an intensity that made my face burn all over again.
But all I could think about were those eyes—those impossible, unforgettable ice-blue eyes that looked exactly like my son’s.
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