Chapter 4 The First Fracture

Sienna had always prided herself on control. She had built a career on precision—on keeping her emotions locked away, on never letting personal distractions cloud her judgment. But Adrian Blackwood was not a distraction. He was a force. And that was far more dangerous. She felt it now, sitting beside him in the sleek black town car as they rode toward the investor meeting. He was reviewing reports, his gaze focused, his brow slightly furrowed. But Sienna wasn’t looking at the reports. She was looking at his hands. Long fingers, strong but elegant, flipping through pages with absent precision. There was something unsettling about the way he moved—controlled, deliberate, like every action was calculated. She tore her gaze away, exhaling softly. Focus. “You’re quiet,” Adrian remarked, not looking up. Sienna smoothed down her skirt. “Just reviewing the meeting agenda in my head.” A pause. “Lying doesn’t suit you, Miss Locke.” She stiffened slightly, glancing at him. His eyes were still on the papers, but the corner of his lips curled. He knew. Of course, he did. The rest of the ride was spent in silence, but the tension thickened with every passing second. By the time they arrived, Sienna was certain Adrian could hear her heartbeat. The meeting itself was seamless. She watched him command the room, watched the way investors listened when he spoke, how effortlessly he controlled the conversation. And yet, the entire time, she was hyper-aware of him. The heat of his presence beside her. The occasional brush of his sleeve against hers. The deep, smooth cadence of his voice. Her thoughts were not professional. She had worked with powerful men before. But Adrian… Adrian was different. When the meeting ended, she expected to return to the office. Instead, Adrian placed a hand at the small of her back—a fleeting touch, barely there, yet it sent a sharp jolt through her body. “We’re stopping for lunch,” he murmured. Sienna hesitated. “I didn’t schedule—” “I did.” And that was that. --- Lunch – Another Test The restaurant was intimate, all dark wood and dim lighting. It wasn’t the kind of place one took an assistant for a business lunch. And Adrian Blackwood knew that. He didn’t make small talk. Instead, he observed. Studied. Sienna tried to ignore it, but it was impossible. “What are you thinking, Miss Locke?” His voice was low, almost lazy. Sienna met his gaze, keeping her posture straight. “That this lunch wasn’t necessary.” Adrian smirked. “And yet, you’re here.” A slow, deliberate pause. “You always follow orders so easily?” Sienna’s pulse spiked. “I don’t follow orders. I do my job.” Adrian tilted his head slightly. “Interesting.” Sienna picked up her glass, taking a slow sip of water. “Why did you hire me?” Adrian leaned back, watching her. “I needed the best.” “You had options.” “Yes,” he murmured, “but none of them would have entertained me quite like you do.” Her breath hitched. For the first time, Adrian wasn’t subtle. He knew it. She knew it. And neither of them moved to correct it. The line between them had cracked. And Sienna wasn’t sure she wanted to fix it. Atleast, not yet. She wanted to see the outcome..