Shadows Of Desire

Chapter Nine

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Xavier sat in his office, staring at the closed door. He couldn't shake the image of Nauxr's teary eyes from a few days earlier, nor could he ignore the dull frustration that pulsed through him every time he thought of her... with Josh. It hadn't escaped his notice that Josh had been around her more than usual lately. The thought irritated him more than he cared to admit, though he kept it buried under his typical stone-faced composure.

A knock on his door snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Come in," he called, maintaining a neutral tone as Josh strolled in, looking unusually pleased with himself.

Josh plopped into the chair opposite Xavier's desk, his signature grin flashing across his face. "Evening, mate. Thought I'd drop by since we haven't caught up in a bit."

Xavier simply nodded, masking any emotion behind his usual blank expression.

"Busy day. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Josh shrugged, but Xavier sensed something behind the casual façade. "I actually wanted to talk to you about Nauxr," Josh said, leaning back with a mischievous gleam in his eye. "She's... interesting. Not exactly what I expected when I bumped into her the other day."

Xavier clenched his jaw but kept his tone even. "Interesting choice in women for you, Josh," he replied dryly. "I thought your interests leaned a bit... Wilder."

Josh laughed, unfazed. "Well, there's something about her, you know? She's different. Tougher than she looks. Plus," he added, his tone softening, "I think she's had a rough time with things around here." He raised a brow, looking pointedly at Xavier.

Xavier shrugged dismissively, keeping his gaze focused on his laptop screen. "Nauxr is just an employee, and she's... competent. But I keep business and personal matters separate."

"Do you, now?" Josh's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Because if you're giving me the green light, then I might just pursue things with her. Take her out, show her a good time. She could use it."

Xavier forced himself to nod, the words catching in his throat. "As I said, Josh, I don't involve myself in the lives of my employees. If you're interested, that's your business."

Inside, though, he felt a flicker of irritation, one he quickly tried to snuff out. Josh's attention toward Nauxr shouldn't have bothered him. He didn't care about her personal life-she was merely his assistant, nothing more. But as Josh continued to talk, he couldn't ignore the tightening in his chest.

"Perfect, then." Josh grinned, clearly pleased. "I think she'll be at the company event on Monday, too. Should be interesting seeing how she cleans up outside the office."

Xavier gave a nonchalant shrug, his expression unreadable. "She'll be attending, yes. But remember, Josh-keep it professional."

"Of course," Josh replied with a smirk. "Wouldn't dream of crossing that line." But the mischievous glint in his eye suggested otherwise.

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Monday Evening

The event was in full swing, laughter and conversation filling the room as business associates mingled and exchanged pleasantries. Xavier stood at the edge of the crowd, a glass of scotch in hand, scanning the room with his usual impassive gaze.

And then he saw her.

Nauxr entered the room with Josh by her side, her head held high, her dress a stunning shade of green that seemed to highlight every delicate feature. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing her face in a way that left Xavier... unsettled. He had expected her to look nice, but he hadn't expected this. She was breathtaking.