Orion’s POV

I held my silence, letting the tension settle as the boardroom emptied. Ava didn’t move from her new spot across the table, her gaze locked on me, challenging me without a single word. The perfect act of composure—no one but me could see the steel just beneath her calm exterior. It was something I respected, in my own way. She wasn’t afraid to wield her power, but she’d soon learn that I wasn’t a man to be controlled.

Once we were alone, I leaned back in my chair, watching her, the amused smirk barely hidden on my face. “Quite the performance, Ava,” I said, letting the silence grow thick between us. “You didn’t seem so concerned with impressing anyone until today. Trouble sleeping?”

Her face didn’t flinch, but her eyes gave the faintest flicker. “Not at all,” she replied smoothly, her tone as cold as the frost in her gaze. “If you think this company runs on charm and cheap moves, Orion, you’re mistaken. I’m making sure it’s built to last, even if that means doing things myself.”

“Is that what you think this is?” I asked, a bite in my tone. “Your sense of duty, giving you the power to undermine me in front of my board?” I leaned forward, letting my words fill the space between us. “Don’t mistake a single victory for control.”

Ava stood her ground, her gaze hardening as her hands gripped the edge of the table, steady and poised. “Control? That’s your problem, Orion. You think it’s something you can hoard like a prize. But control in a partnership?” She tilted her head, a dangerous glint sparking in her eyes. “That’s something you earn, not something you take.”

I rose from my chair, crossing the distance between us, my gaze unwavering. The hint of challenge in her voice—the defiance—sparked something raw in me, something primal. She thought she could tame me, push me into a corner? The idea was almost laughable. She didn’t seem to understand that I thrived on this game, that every challenge she threw my way only made me want to break down her walls, to watch her pride crumble beneath my hands.

I reached out, running my thumb slowly along her jawline, savoring the subtle tension beneath my touch. She didn’t pull away, but her jaw tightened, her chin lifting in defiance. Her eyes dared me to keep going, to take this farther than either of us dared in public. “Mutual respect, hmm?” I murmured, my voice low. “Tell me, is this how you show respect—by testing my patience with your little games?”

She lifted a brow, a cool smirk forming on her lips. “If you expect compliance, Orion, you’ve chosen the wrong partner. I’m not someone you can play with and discard.”

My fingers trailed down her arm, feeling the tension in every inch of her body, how she resisted the pull even as I closed the distance between us. Her words were like a challenge thrown in my face, daring me to prove her wrong. And I wasn’t one to walk away from a challenge. “Who said I wanted compliance?” I replied, my voice dangerously soft. “I don’t mind a fight, Ava. But know this—every move you make, I’m right there with you, watching. Waiting.”

Her breathing hitched, just enough for me to notice. She was good at hiding her reactions, but I’d learned to pick up on the subtle cues, the slight shift in her posture, the way her pulse quickened just beneath the surface. She thought she could keep herself immune to me, that she could build walls thick enough to keep me out. But we both knew that was a lie.

“Orion,” she said, her voice dropping to a near whisper, laced with both anger and something else—a spark of desire she’d never openly admit. “If you think intimidation will make me back down, you’re mistaken. I don’t scare easily.”

“I know,” I replied, stepping closer until there was barely any space left between us. “That’s what makes this so… interesting.” My fingers grazed her waist, and I felt her body tense, her breathing shallow as I leaned in, letting the proximity do the talking. She wasn’t unaffected by me, no matter how much she tried to deny it. And it thrilled me, knowing that I could unravel her so easily.

Her hand rose, pressing against my chest, her fingers splayed as if to push me back, but her touch lingered, hesitant. She was balancing on a thin line between anger and desire, the fire in her eyes a warning as much as it was an invitation. “Is that why you dragged me onto your lap today? A little power play to show everyone you’re in control?”

My smile widened. “That was hardly for their benefit.” I leaned closer, my breath warm against her ear, feeling the faint shiver that ran through her as I whispered, “It was for you.”

She scoffed, but her voice wavered just enough to betray her. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Maybe,” I replied, brushing a thumb across her lower lip, savoring the way her breath caught at the touch. “But you haven’t walked away yet.”

Her fingers curled into the fabric of my shirt, her nails digging in, a silent acknowledgment that she was just as trapped in this as I was. The air between us thickened, the tension like a charged wire, ready to snap. She didn’t need to say anything—I could see it in her eyes, the way her defenses were crumbling, one by one, as I closed the distance.

“Orion…” Her voice was barely a whisper, but it held a note of warning, a faint edge that told me she was both furious and enticed by the situation we were in. She could pretend all she wanted, but the way her fingers clutched my shirt, her breath coming in shallow, betrayed the truth. She wanted me, even if she’d never say it.

Without another word, I pulled her closer, my mouth hovering inches from hers, feeling the heat radiate between us. Her hands tightened, holding me in place, as if she’d finally surrendered to the pull that had been building between us from the moment we were alone. Her breath was hot, her gaze locked on mine, daring me to make the next move, to shatter the thin line we’d been walking.

But just as I leaned in, the sound of the boardroom door clicking open sliced through the charged silence, breaking the moment with a jarring finality. We both froze, our gazes snapping toward the door. A junior associate stood in the doorway, his expression quickly shifting from confusion to horror as he realized what he’d walked in on. His face paled as he stammered, “I—uh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

I let out a frustrated sigh, my gaze darkening as I shot a glare at the unwelcome intruder. “Get out,” I ordered, my voice laced with barely-contained fury. The associate stumbled back, muttering apologies before closing the door hurriedly, leaving us alone again.

But the spell had been broken. Ava’s composure snapped back into place, her expression turning icy as she pulled away, reclaiming her distance. I could see the anger simmering in her eyes, the way she wrestled with the emotions I’d stirred, her walls slamming back into place.

She straightened, smoothing out her dress, her gaze hardening as she looked at me. “Next time, Orion,” she said coldly, “try to keep your moves outside the boardroom.”

I smirked, letting her words wash over me, unbothered. “Careful, Ava. I’d hate to see you push too far.”