The sun hadn't fully risen when Amelia's heels struck the marble floor of Roth Tower.
9:00 AM sharp.
Amelia had been awake since 5:00, running through financial projections and trying to uncover the leak in her company's shipping division. Her brain was sharp. Focused. Cold. The way it needed to be when you were preparing for war.
But when the elevator doors opened to the executive floor, the first thing she saw was Leo Vance already waiting for her.
"You're early," she said coolly.
Leo leaned casually against the wall, his hands tucked into his pockets. He was dressed in another perfectly tailored suit black this time the dark fabric clinging to broad shoulders and a lean, dangerous frame. His tie was undone, the top button of his shirt left open, exposing a flash of tanned skin.
Amelia's gaze didn't linger but the fact that her pulse kicked in her throat irritated her.
Leo smiled, lazy and sharp. "So are you."
Her heels clicked against the marble as she strode toward the conference room. "Let's get one thing straight, Vance "
Leo's hand shot out, his fingers brushing her wrist as he cut her off.
Amelia's breath hitched. His hand was warm. Strong. His thumb skimmed against the inside of her wrist, feeling the quick pulse beneath her skin.
"What exactly are we straightening out?" Leo's voice was low, intimate enough that it felt like a touch.
Amelia pulled her hand away sharply. "Boundaries."
Leo's eyes darkened, his gaze slipping down to her mouth before sliding back up to meet her eyes. "What kind of boundaries?"
"The kind that will keep you employed," Amelia said smoothly.
Leo's smile widened. "Noted."
She pushed the glass doors open, walking into the boardroom without another word.
10 Minutes Later
(Roth Tower – Boardroom)
Amelia sat at the head of the table, back straight, legs crossed. Leo sat beside her uninvited but already owning the space like he belonged there.
Her father, William Roth, stood at the far end of the room with Charles Vance, their expressions sharp and cold as they watched the presentation unfold on the screen.
"Projected losses in the shipping division have increased by 14% in the last quarter," the CFO explained. "The leak is targeting high-value shipments, primarily in the tech sector."
"Someone's feeding the competition detailed shipping manifests," Amelia said. Her gaze cut toward Leo. "That information isn't public."
Leo's expression didn't change. "You're suggesting it's an inside job."
"I'm confirming it."
Her father's gaze sharpened. "What's your solution?"
Amelia's eyes flashed. "We need to purge the division. Reassess management and implement new security protocols."
William's mouth tightened. "Disrupting operations will create instability."
"So will bankruptcy." Amelia's tone was cutting.
Her father's gaze sharpened, but before he could respond, Leo's smooth voice cut through the room.
"There's another option."
Amelia's head snapped toward him. "Excuse me?"
Leo leaned back, his arm draped over the back of his chair, his smile infuriatingly relaxed. "Instead of dismantling the division, we could trap the leak."
Amelia's brows arched. "Trap them how?"
Leo's gaze sharpened. "Feed them false information."
Amelia's eyes narrowed.
Leo continued, his voice calm. "If someone inside the company is feeding shipping details to the competition, we can plant a false manifest and track where it leads. When the competition makes a move on the shipment we'll know exactly who the leak is."
The room went quiet.
Amelia's pulse hammered. It was dangerous. Risky. If the competition caught wind of it, they could escalate or worse, go public with the scandal.
"Too risky," William said. "We can't afford more exposure."
Leo's eyes gleamed. "What we can't afford is to sit back and wait for them to bleed you dry."
Amelia's eyes narrowed. "And what would you propose as bait?"
Leo smiled. "A controlled shipment is high-value, something valuable enough to catch their attention."
Amelia's gaze darkened. "You're asking me to use company assets as bait?"
Leo's eyes sharpened. "It's already happening you're just giving them the rope to hang themselves."
William's gaze flicked between them. "This is reckless."
"Or it's strategic," Leo countered.
Amelia's heart hammered painfully against her ribs. Every instinct in her body told her to shut it down. To control the situation before it spiraled.
But Leo's gaze locked with hers across the table dark and steady and just dangerous enough to make her consider it.
William's expression remained cold. "Your company, Amelia. Your choice."
Amelia's hands curled into fists beneath the table.
Leo's gaze softened, voice lowering just enough for only her to hear. "Trust me."
Amelia's breath hitched.
She hated that he was making her feel this hated that the idea made sense.
Her pulse hammered. Her gaze sharpened. "Fine."
Leo's smile widened.
"But," Amelia continued, her tone dangerous, "if this backfires it's your head."
Leo's smile didn't fade. "I'll take that risk."
Amelia stood. "Good. Because if you think you're walking out of this without consequences…" She leaned closer, her breath brushing the edge of his ear. "You don't know me as well as you think you do."
Leo's eyes darkened. "I guess I'll just have to find out."
Amelia's eyes narrowed.
"Board adjourned," William's voice cut through the tension.
The boardroom emptied quickly but Amelia and Leo remained where they were, tension buzzing like static between them.
Leo stood, adjusting the cuffs of his jacket. "We'll start tonight."
Amelia's gaze cut toward him. "We?"
Leo's smile sharpened. "You didn't think I'd let you have all the fun, did you?"
Amelia's jaw tightened. "I'm not doing this for fun."
"No?" Leo's voice lowered. "What are you doing it for?"
Amelia's gaze darkened. "Control."
Leo's smile softened, his gaze slipping over her face like a slow caress. "Careful, sweetheart."
Her pulse kicked dangerously.
"You can't control everything," Leo murmured.
Amelia's breath sharpened.
"Watch me," she whispered.
Leo's smile curved into something lethal. "I think I'm going to enjoy this."
He turned and walked toward the door.
Amelia's eyes followed him, dark and calculating.
She hated Leo Vance.
She hated that she was about to let him inside her company.
Inside her life.
Inside her head.
She hated him.
And God help her because she was starting to want him.
Leo's footsteps echoed down the hallway as he disappeared through the glass doors.
Amelia stood motionless in the boardroom, heart still pounding beneath the thin silk of her blouse. Her father's words circled in her head: "Your company. Your choice."
But she knew better. This wasn't a choice, it was a trap.
Her father had orchestrated this. Her father and Charles Vance had backed her into a corner, forcing her to partner with Leo under the guise of saving Roth Industries from collapse.
And Leo? Leo was already playing the game smooth, dangerous, and far too comfortable for someone standing on enemy territory.
Chloe slipped into the boardroom, her heels clicking against the marble. "I cannot believe you agreed to that."
Amelia's gaze sharpened. "I didn't have a choice."
Chloe perched on the edge of the table, legs crossed, arms folded across her emerald silk blouse. "There's always a choice."
"Not when you're being forced to clean up someone else's mess."
Chloe's eyes glittered. "So? Clean it up. But make him bleed while you're at it."
Amelia's jaw tightened. "That's the plan."
Chloe smiled knowingly. "Mmm. Sure. Just be careful not to bleed for him first."
Amelia's gaze darkened. "That won't happen."
Chloe slid off the table and smoothed her skirt. "Famous last words."
That Evening
(Vance Penthouse)
Leo's penthouse was perched high above the city, glass walls reflecting the skyline like a mirror. Inside, the space was all dark wood and black leather, punctuated by the soft glow of city lights.
Leo stood near the floor-to-ceiling window, his phone pressed to his ear.
"It's done," he said. His voice was low, clipped. "We'll move forward with the shipment tomorrow night."
A pause.
"Yes. She agreed."
His mouth curved into a sharp smile. "Of course she did."
A knock at the door.
Leo ended the call and slid his phone into his pocket as he crossed the room. He opened the door and smiled.
Amelia stood on the threshold, her posture stiff and guarded.
She was still wearing her work clothes navy blazer, silk blouse, and pencil skirt but there was a restless energy beneath the surface, a crack in her usual armor.
Leo leaned casually against the doorframe. "Couldn't stay away?"
Amelia's eyes narrowed. "We need to talk."
Leo stepped back, motioning her inside. "By all means."
She hesitated then crossed the threshold. Leo shut the door behind her, his gaze drifting over the rigid line of her shoulders as she stood in the middle of his living room.
"I want to be clear about one thing," Amelia said, turning toward him. Her eyes were cold, calculating. "This isn't a partnership."
Leo's mouth curved. "No?"
"I'm letting you handle this because it benefits my company." Her chin lifted. "Don't mistake that for trust."
Leo stepped closer. "Trust is earned."
"And you won't earn it."
Leo's eyes darkened. "We'll see."
Amelia's pulse hammered. "We're not doing this on your terms, Vance."
Leo's smile sharpened. "Sweetheart, you agreed to my terms the second you let me into your boardroom."
Amelia's jaw clenched.
Leo's gaze lowered, his eyes drifting to her mouth. "And let's be honest…" His voice dropped. "You don't really hate me."
Her breath sharpened. "You don't know what I feel."
Leo's hand brushed her wrist light as silk. "Don't I?"
Amelia's breath caught. Heat prickled beneath her skin, burning through the icy armor she'd spent years perfecting.
Leo stepped closer. His scent dark spice and whiskey curled through the air between them. His eyes gleamed beneath the low lights, dark and dangerous.
"You're playing with fire," Amelia whispered.
Leo's mouth curved. "So are you."
She should step back. She should shut this down before it spiraled any further out of control.
But then Leo's hand slid along her wrist, his thumb brushing the inside of her palm. The contact was brief barely there but it sent a dangerous current of heat spiraling down her spine.
Leo leaned in, his mouth close enough to brush the edge of her jaw. "Careful, sweetheart." His breath teased her skin. "You might like it."
Amelia's pulse hammered. Her breath hitched.
And then she stepped back.
The air between them sharpened.
Amelia's gaze steadied, her voice like ice. "You're not as charming as you think you are."
Leo's smile widened. "Keep telling yourself that."
Amelia's eyes narrowed. "Tomorrow night. 8 PM. Don't be late."
Leo's gaze darkened. "Wouldn't dream of it."
She turned and walked toward the door, her heels sharp against the polished wood floor.
Leo watched her go, his smile slow and dangerous.
"Careful, Amelia," he murmured. "You might like me more than you think."
She didn't respond.
But when the door shut behind her, Amelia's pulse was still racing.
The Next Night
(Roth Shipping Facility – Private Dock)
The water was black beneath the moonlight, calm and still as glass.
Amelia stood at the edge of the dock, arms crossed as the cool night air slid over her skin. The shipment was being prepped under the cover of darkness exactly as Leo had instructed.
She hated that it was working. Hated that Leo had been right.
Leo stood beside her, dressed in a dark jacket and black jeans. He looked different out of his usual tailored suits rougher. Dangerous.
Amelia's gaze sharpened. "You've done this before."
Leo smiled faintly. "What gave me away?"
Amelia's eyes darkened. "You're too comfortable with this."
Leo's gaze sharpened. "Comfort comes with experience."
"And what exactly are you experienced in?"
Leo's mouth curved. "Business. Strategy. Persuasion."
Amelia's pulse kicked. "You left out sabotage."
Leo's eyes flashed. "I don't sabotage unless I have to."
"And what happens when you have to?"
Leo stepped closer, his gaze dark beneath the moonlight. "Then I don't miss."
Amelia's breath hitched.
A shout from the dock below. Amelia's head snapped toward the sound.
"They're here," Leo said softly.
Amelia's pulse hammered.
Leo's hand brushed her lower back, the touch barely there but enough to make her heart stumble.
"You ready for this?" Leo's voice was low.
Amelia's gaze sharpened. "I was born ready."
Leo smiled faintly. "I believe you."
Amelia's gaze flicked toward him. "Don't get used to this."
Leo's smile widened. "You keep saying that."
Amelia's pulse quickened.
And beneath the moonlight with danger pressing in around them the only thing more dangerous than the trap they were setting…
…was the fire already burning between them.