Fated Series. Book #2
"Be possessive of me, own me, keep me, because if you do then nothing and no one else can." - Maddox.
My name is Maddox Vallero, and I'm dead.
Well, that's not quite true. I'm alive in the breathing, walking, talking sense-but...
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Chapter 15 Elevator Tension Maddox
I glanced up as Sophia entered my office, maintaining the same cautious distance she'd been keeping for weeks. Damn, I hated it. Once upon a time, I'd craved space, wanted people kept at arm's length so they couldn't touch me, couldn't pile more dirt onto the weight I already carried. But now, with her, it was different. Her presence was the only thing that made me feel like I could claw my way out of the mess inside me. Every inch between us felt like a barrier I wanted to burn down, to scorch until there was nothing left but her warmth.
I leaned back in my chair, spreading my legs to get more comfortable, in that way I knew she liked—or at least, that I hoped she thought about. Did she ever imagine herself sitting on my lap? Or kneeling down in front of me? I'd told her I wasn't raised to bow, but for her, I'd gladly make an exception. Her fierce, ambitious spirit called to me in ways nothing else could.
She stopped on the other side of the chair opposite my desk, one hand on the back of it, and looked at me with that guarded expression. Today, she was dressed all in white—tight pants that flared at the ankle, a cropped top revealing a hint of olive skin, the overcoat she'd been wearing earlier discarded. She looked like some kind of fallen angel, my own personal temptation.
"Boss," she said, her voice steady but distant. "I have a meeting with the operations manager to go over the project timeline. I'll send you an update after. Do you need anything before I leave?"
Her formal tone sent a flicker of anger through me. She was determined to keep me at a safe distance, to shut me out of the spaces I wanted to break into. But I was equally determined to draw her closer. I'd already faced my worst fears; there was nothing about her—or her baggage—that scared me. So, I'd keep chipping away at her walls until there was nothing left between us.
"Actually," I said, standing up and smoothing down my suit jacket, "I want to be a part of that meeting."
Her eyes flashed with surprise, and I grinned, shoving my chair back and stepping around the desk. I loved catching her off guard.
"Yes, Sophia, I do run this company," I chuckled, "and I like knowing what's going on in it."
She cleared her throat, quickly schooling her expression. "I know that. You're very good at your job," she said as we walked out of my office. She rounded her desk, gathering her things, her voice more hesitant now. "I'm just surprised you want to sit through another meeting. You specifically asked me to handle this one on my own."
Well... she's got me there. What's my excuse? I can't just admit that I want to be around her, that I'll take any excuse to be in her orbit. Am I really this pathetic? Is that what she's turned me into—an attention whore who craves her attention so badly he'll chase her through meetings and appointments just to feel close? Screw it. As long as it's her attention, I don't care. Stamp "whore" on my forehead and watch me chase her to the ends of the earth.
