Seduction in shadows

didn't understand, much less one she had no desire to be a part of. But here she was, sitting at her smal

ard from him directly since. Yet, every time she stepped into the building,

from her thoughts. She picked it up absentmindedly, stil

her voice hoarse

ld voice on the other end of

call, not like this. She gripped the receiver tighter, wi

d, his tone abrupt, giving nothing away

e, a pit forming in her stomach. She wasn't sure what he wanted fro

hts were consumed by the call. Why did he need her now? Was this a

ance to breathe after her exhausting day at work. She hated how this life felt like it was smothering her, suffocating her with its wei

and a leather jacket that made her feel a little more confident. She had no idea what was w

had taken a collective breath. She walked in, her heels clicking against the polished floors, the sound echoing in

sliver of light spilling into the hallway. She

ways, as though he preferred to keep his distance. But there was a

e said, turni

ugh a flicker of nervousness crept into her chest. The way he looked at he

said, trying t

Take

sk. She noticed the small stack of files beside him, the papers

ed with something almost too calm. "There's an event to

t exactly the type of person who..

h it didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's not about fit

d. "Belong? To w

avering. "Exactly. Ther

art of this world, let alone learn its rules. But she also

ge intensity. "One more thing," he said, his tone softer now, almost like a warning. "

her throat dry

d political maneuvering. But the deeper she went, the more she realized that Alessandro's empire was vast, stretching far beyond what she ha

g of something much bigger, somethin

ed in her mind: She would never be able to escape this world-n

ing, there was a strange tension in h

it the undeniable pu