They were almost late. Rushing to the garage, Mira was ready to take the wheel when Jerry raised a brow. "Keys?"
Mira hesitated, then tossed them over without a word.
Jerry caught them in one hand and opened the passenger side door for her. Mira silently slid in, her heart still fluttering from the nickname—Mrs. Kingston. She regretted rejecting Jerry before… not that she'd admit it out loud yet.
Driving one-handed, Jerry rested her other hand lightly on Mira's thigh. Mira stared out the window, trying not to combust. "You're doing that on purpose," she muttered.
"Doing what?" Jerry said innocently, smirking under her shades.
The elevator was packed. Mira hated this part of the day. Too many people. Too little space.
When someone pushed from behind, Mira stumbled, practically falling into Jerry's chest. Her heart pounded. Jerry turned to face her, her strong arms wrapping around Mira protectively.
"You okay?"
"I'm—I'm fine…" Mira said quickly, cheeks burning.
But she wasn't fine. Jerry was so close. She could feel her warmth, her scent—cologne and something dangerously addictive. The heat rose between them as Jerry gently turned Mira to face the elevator wall, placing a hand on her arm as if shielding her from the crowd. Mira's breath caught when she felt Jerry's body pressed behind her.
Their faces were inches apart. Her lips brushed Jerry's neck when she turned her face away—and accidentally left a red lipstick stain without realizing it.
When they stepped into the office, the energy shifted.
Mira walked ahead, pretending nothing happened.
But the lipstick on Jerry's neck said otherwise.
A group of employees turned to stare—some with wide eyes, others whispering. Jerry didn't flinch.
Suddenly, a man across the lobby began yelling—something about a deal gone wrong. He stormed toward Mira, pointing an accusing finger. When he got too close, Jerry moved like lightning.
She grabbed his wrist mid-air and twisted it hard. The man screamed, knees buckling.
"Don't. Ever. Touch my girl again," Jerry growled, her voice low and deadly calm.
Mira's breath caught. Her heart skipped.
The man stumbled back, terrified. "I—I'm sorry! Please let go!"
Jerry released him with a final glare.
Mira, stunned, touched Jerry's arm. "You… called me your girl."
Jerry turned, face softening. "Well, you did stain my neck. It's only fair."
Mira flushed bright red, her lips parting in disbelief and awe.
The air in the office had shifted.
Mira couldn't stop staring at Jerry. There she stood—tall, dominant, one hand casually tucked into her pocket while the other held the trembling man's wrist like it was nothing. Her stance was calm, but her aura radiated danger, control, and something Mira couldn't quite name—something primal.
The man whimpered again, his bravado completely gone.
Jerry leaned in, voice smooth as velvet but laced with steel. "What are you even yelling about? You want to speak to someone about it?" She released his wrist with a twist that made him flinch back a step. "Then go. Speak to the owner. Or should I say…" Her lips curled.
"Master Kingston. She invited you here. Thirty minutes. That's your window."
The entire floor went silent. People stared. Whispers started.
Mira stood frozen beside Jerry, stunned not just by the authority in her voice, but by the power she held. She didn't just defend Mira—she owned the space, the moment, the man. And all with that casual, cocky look in her eye and one hand still in her damn pocket.
The man muttered a breathless apology and practically fled to the meeting room.
Jerry turned to Mira slowly, sunglasses still on. "Let's get you upstairs."
Mira blinked. "That was…"
"Hot?" Jerry offered, smirking.
"Dangerous," Mira whispered, still watching her.
Jerry stepped closer, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "Same thing."
Upstairs, in the quiet safety of Mira's office, she finally exhaled.
Jerry leaned against her desk, finally taking her sunglasses off and tossing them onto the table.
"You didn't have to do all that," Mira said softly.
"Didn't I?" Jerry shrugged, eyes locking with hers. "You think I'd let someone raise a hand to you? Not happening."
Mira opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came. Her heart thudded again—just like in the elevator.
"Why are you… so good at this?" she asked, voice cracking just slightly.
Jerry walked over, slow and steady. "Because I've been trained for war, Mira. Business is nothing."
"And me?" Mira's voice barely above a whisper.
Jerry's eyes softened, but her smirk never left. "You? You're the war I'm willing to lose."
Mira flushed hard, her breath catching. "You're… so bold."
"And you," Jerry said, stepping even closer, "are still staring at my neck."
Mira instantly looked away. "I did not mean to—!"
Jerry chuckled, bending slightly to whisper in her ear, "You can leave a hundred stains, Mira. I won't mind. But next time…" She let her fingers brush down Mira's wrist. "Do it when we're alone."
Mira made a sound somewhere between a gasp and a squeak. She turned away, pretending to be busy with her laptop.
"Still pretending to be unaffected?" Jerry teased.
Mira shot her a look. "If you keep calling yourself Master Kingston, I'm going to lose my mind."
Jerry laughed, deep and smooth. "Then call me yours, instead."
Mira groaned, grabbing a file to hide her blushing face. "You're impossible."
"Only for everyone else," Jerry said with a wink. "But for you… I'll behave. Mostly."
The day was already blazing with tension from the morning, but nothing could've prepared Mira for what came next.
She had just returned from a quick check-in with HR, only to find her office buzzing with murmurs. People peeked around corners. Eyes were wide. Mouths hung open. Jerry, meanwhile, was lounging casually on the long leather sofa in Mira's office, legs spread like she owned the world, one arm resting along the back, the other lazily scrolling through her phone.
Across from her… was the Theo Lancaster.
CEO of the globally acclaimed Lancaster Tech—flawless reputation, power beyond numbers, a man who'd never bowed to anyone.
Until now.
Because there he was—on his knees.
Mira froze in the doorway, completely stunned. "W-What the hell is going on?"
Jerry didn't even glance up. Her leg moved slightly as Theo clung to her ankle.
"You?" Jerry said, her tone like steel wrapped in velvet. "Touching company data? Feeding info to our competitors?" She finally looked at him, expression flat. "How dare you."
Mira stared in complete disbelief. Theo was sweating—literally sweating—as he kept muttering apologies.
"Miss Langford, I—this is all a misunderstanding," he tried, turning to Mira. "She's bluffing."
"I don't bluff." Jerry's voice cut like a blade. "Mira, check the USB I left in your desk drawer."
Confused, Mira rushed to the drawer and opened it. A sleek silver drive lay there. She plugged it into her laptop and clicked the file.
What she saw left her speechless: recordings, emails, logs—proof of data leaks. Lancaster's team had been feeding intel to one of Langford Corp's enemies for months.
Mira stood up slowly, her gaze landing on Jerry.
"You… knew?"
"I suspected." Jerry leaned forward slightly, her legs still spread like royalty. "So I baited him. The second I got confirmation, I sent the evidence to your server."
Theo looked like a ghost.
Jerry stood now, looming over him. She leaned down, her voice cold. "You don't mess with Langford Corp when I'm in the room. Got it?"
Theo crawled backward and scrambled up to his feet. "I—I'll resign—"
"You already did," Jerry said flatly. "I sent the email from your account ten minutes ago. Enjoy your fall, Lancaster."
As he fled like a kicked dog, silence filled the room. Mira still hadn't spoken. She slowly turned to Jerry, eyes wide.
"Who are you?"
Jerry stepped closer, finally dropping the king-like demeanor for something gentler.
"I'm the reason your grandfather trusted the Kingston name," Jerry said. "We don't just do business, Mira—we dominate."
Mira sat down hard in her chair, her head spinning. Her mind reeled back through every moment—her rejection, her assumptions, the rumors. All this time, she'd thought Jerry was just some cocky tomboy assistant sent for revenge or punishment. But now?
Now she realized…
Jerry Kingston was the lion her grandfather warned her about.
Smart. Strategic. Unstoppable.
She looked up at Jerry, breathing a little unevenly.
"You're… not here to ruin me, are you?"
Jerry tilted her head, her usual cocky smirk melting into something softer. "I was. At first." She stepped even closer, now standing between Mira's knees as Mira looked up at her. "But you… complicated everything."
Mira's lips parted. "I—"
Jerry leaned down and whispered, "Still think rejecting me was the right call, Mrs. Kingston?"
Mira blushed furiously. "Shut up…"
everything. "You're impossible."
Jerry winked. "Only for you, babe."