All Yours

XVII

AURORA

I thought my first day at work was over the moment I hit "send" on my last email, but Lorenzo had other plans. Of course, he decided to drop one last-minute task on my desk, making me stay late. By the time I finally finish, my nerves are fried, and my patience has run thin.

Packing up my things, I shove my chair in and speed-walk toward the elevator. As I turn the corner, I bump into someone—hard.

My papers scatter everywhere, fluttering to the floor like leaves. I glance up, ready to apologize and freeze.

The man I've bumped into is tall—not nearly Lorenzo's height—but leaner, with sandy blond hair and piercing green eyes. He flashes a wide, toothy grin that feels a little too bright, a little too forced.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," he says, crouching to gather my scattered papers. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

I blink, taken aback by the sharpness of his tone hidden beneath his otherwise kind words. Still, I manage a polite smile. "It's okay."

"Ivan," he says, standing and extending a hand. "And you are?"

"Aurora," I reply, hesitating before shaking his hand. His grip lingers just a little too long, and I tug my hand back.

"Aurora," he repeats, his lips curling into a smirk. "A pretty name for a pretty girl."

I feel the heat rise to my cheeks, but something about his grin makes me uneasy. Still, I force a laugh. "Thanks."

My cheeks redden and my face starts to feel hot under his comment. He chuckled before rising after picking up the last paper.

As he hands me the last paper, his gaze drops to my chest briefly before snapping back to my face. "You know," he starts, leaning casually against the wall, "a bunch of us are going out tomorrow night to celebrate a coworker's birthday. You should come."

I hesitate, unsure. Ivan's smile falters for the briefest second before he adds, "It'd be nice to get to know you better."

"Sure," I finally say, pulling out my phone. "Text me the details."

He takes my phone, adding his number under "Ivan :)," before handing it back. We stand in awkward silence until the elevator dings.

As we step in, I feel a shiver crawl up my spine. I turn instinctively, and my breath catches.

At the end of the hallway, Lorenzo leans against the wall, arms crossed, his dark eyes locked on us. The intensity of his gaze is suffocating, the muscle in his jaw ticking. He looks so devastatingly beautiful with his arms crossed, legs spread wide, and his chest heaving up and down.

For a moment, it feels like the air has been sucked out of the hallway. Lorenzo's attention isn't on me—it's on Ivan. His glare is sharp, calculated, and brimming with something dangerous.

~~

The workday drags, but thankfully Lorenzo stays out of my way for most of it. By the time I clock out, I'm buzzing with nerves for the night ahead.

Slipping into a skintight black dress, I pair it with gold jewelry and a spritz of my favorite perfume. The mirror reflects a confident, polished version of me, but the butterflies in my stomach betray my anxiety.

When I arrive at the bar, the warm buzz of chatter and music envelops me. I spot Ivan near the back with a group of coworkers and make my way over, wishing the birthday boy a quick "Happy Birthday" before Ivan pulls me aside.

"Aurora! You made it!" he shouts, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug. The smell of alcohol is strong on his breath, and I laugh nervously, trying to extract myself from his grip.