Beneath the Veil of Shadows

Chapter 22

Sapphire pushed open the heavy courthouse doors, feeling the weight of the day dragging at her every step. It had been an exhausting case, and all she wanted was to go home, slip into something comfortable, and let the tension roll off her shoulders. Her eyes scanned the street as she descended the steps, expecting to see Logan waiting for her by the car. But instead of Logan’s familiar face, she saw Elias leaning casually against the sleek black car.

Her heart gave an unexpected jolt at the sight of him, looking as effortlessly perfect as ever. His dark, tailored suit fit him like a second skin, and even the setting sun seemed to conspire in casting him in a golden light. His eyes, intense yet softened with something, locked onto hers as she approached.

“Where is Logan?” she asked, arching an eyebrow. Her surprise was genuine, Elias never came to pick her up himself unless there was something going on.

Elias pushed off from the car with an easy grace. “I had some business near the courthouse,” he said smoothly, “and figured I might as well take you home myself. We have to go to an event tonight. It is easier if we go straight from home.”

Home. The word still sent a strange warmth through her chest. It had been several months since she had moved into Elias’s penthouse, and though they had fallen into a rhythm, moments like this still reminded her of how deeply intertwined their lives had become.

She nodded, not pushing the matter further. She had grown used to Elias’s ways—his need to be in control, his habit of surprising her when she least expected it. Sapphire slipped into the passenger seat of the car, Elias holding the door open for her before rounding to the driver’s side.

As they drove through the city, the tension from the day began to ease. When they arrived at the penthouse, they headed inside. Sapphire’s shoes clicked against the marble floor as she made her way to her bedroom.

Minutes later, she stood in front of the full-length mirror, struggling with the zipper of her gown. The dress was perfect for the evening—elegant, sleek, and clinging to her body in all the right places—but the zipper was maddeningly out of her reach. She had been twisting and turning for what felt like an eternity, her fingers grazing the zipper but never managing to catch hold of it. With a frustrated sigh, she finally stopped, her arms dropping in defeat.

She glanced at the clock. Time was slipping away, and the event was looming. Annoyed, she considered changing into something simpler, something easier to manage, but the thought of giving up on the dress felt like admitting defeat. Just as she was about to head back to the closet, there was a knock at the bedroom door.

“Come in,” she called, half-distracted by her wardrobe dilemma.

The door swung open, and Elias stepped into the room, his eyes immediately falling on her half-dressed figure. Sapphire froze for a moment, startled to see him, but there was something in the way his gaze lingered that sent a shiver down her spine. He wasn’t just looking—he was watching, his dark eyes taking in every inch of her.

“What is taking you so long?” he asked, his voice smooth but laced with curiosity.

Sapphire hesitated, feeling a sudden heat rise in her cheeks. “The zipper,” she admitted, gesturing to the back of her dress. “I can’t reach it, and I have been trying for too long.”

Elias’s expression shifted, something unreadable flickering across his face. He stepped closer, his movements slow and deliberate. “Do you want me to help you?” he asked, his voice quieter now, more intimate. “If you don’t mind.”

Sapphire’s heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, she considered refusing—part of her unsure if she could handle the proximity. But something in his tone, in the intensity of his gaze, made her nod. Wordlessly, she turned her back to him, pulling her hair over her shoulder to reveal the bare expanse of her back.