The first button gave way with a reluctant pop, the sound echoing in the sudden, suffocating silence of the office like a gunshot. Elena’s fingers froze, hovering over the second one, trembling so violently that she had to clench her fist to steady them.
She was standing in the middle of the most secure office in the city, the blinds drawn tight, the air conditioning humming a low, monotonous tune that did nothing to cool the flush scorching her skin. And Julian Sterling was watching her.
He hadn’t moved. He was leaning back against the edge of his mahogany desk, his arms crossed over his chest, his long legs stretched out casually. But his eyes… his eyes were anything but casual. They were burning holes in her, tracking every micro-expression, every ragged breath she took. He looked lik
