TAMING THE ICE HEARTED CEO

Lane's trial period b

the punch, and sat at her new desk top floor, outside the most intimidating office door in

long subway ride. Her heels pinched. B

l his sharp-suited arroganc

ldn't l

r for the day. His mornings were brutal. Five meetings, a review with legal, two phone calls with interna

ancing at her scribbled reminder. "T

silent combat. The first assistant had once added oat milk

dn't be nu

refully into a matte black thermos mug and double-checked the lid. He

she heard the soft ding

lse pi

h was

nt on having the coffee waiting by the time he

ma

e marketing girls Melissa or Marcie, she

the collision happ

assing intern's laptop case. The lid of the the

co

lli

ryw

o a stack of folders she'd tucked under her arm, dripping down her ja

grabbing napkins f

d disappeared like a puff of smoke. Melissa

say 'good morning.'

respond. He

was alm

wiping her blazer. Most of the documents inside were salvageab

or doors o

Click

und of his shoes befo

"Would you care to explain why you're crawling o

hroat

ticking to her arms, coffee st

mmaculately dressed in a slate

," she said quickly. "There w

spill

" she said, trying to

r, then to the folders in her hands.

one job this

ine st

ow, a

, voice dangerously calm. "I want re

sharp retort danc

ink on the first page had bled slightly, but the data was

fai

p herself. "I was prepared. The data's still

it. That speaks

an acc

don't belong

inside h

ser, meeting his ar

, accidents are human. And contr

yebrow. "That

he problem isn't me. Maybe the problem is that no one's ever told you that being perfect does

was thick en

t her, face

"You're not just careles

. And frankly, if you fired everyone who made

aw tw

yes something she couldn't place

d closer.

oice low, "do you always challen

Only when authority

r long

tedly his li

la

ut something in

e," he said.

stly, I'm just no

close enough for her to smell hi

shoul

ds were

idn't

make

ng Behind

seconds. His eyes were fixed

his. Not in meetings. Not b

lifted. Her tone steady. Defiant but not

him... he d

oth as marble. "Let me be clear. I demand precision because the cost of failure here is mil

empire. I respect that. But no one can work next to

h bli

arder than she

g time

ad no

n his expression. "Replace the reports. Redo th

d slowly. "

o leave, she glance

ng at his reflect

man admirin

rying to remember

r Th

stayed

ed by seven. Lights

by morning. She wasn't staying to impress him. She was staying because her name

for her pe

jah's office wa

ted out qui

vesdrop, but the tone of Eli

father said. He doesn't

pa

me a name.

She knew she should turn away, but she couldn't.

o talk, he can make an appo

ic

le

foots

fast, prete

e door op

ut, phone in han

aw her, h

e stil

ng the p

being paid

kno

long beat. "You shoul

n't me

er si

't lash out. He didn't threate

Some things nev

"Is that why you

His eyes locked onto

t she'd go

storming off, or delivering an

lau

ke a sound dragged out

in this office to say s

"That... ca

le here are cowar

ear. "Maybe they're just afraid of what

ed her, eyes

t to do with you,

use I'm not here to be fig

long bea

en he

looks clean

y before she

first time,

sh

k in t

h to melt

egin unraveling what

in the

ng crew ha

ed floors. Amara barely noticed them. Her fingers were still hovering over her keyboard, her eyes st

a name, n

k with her like wet

about what it meant to be born into expectations you never asked for. She understood being p

ast time. Her body begged for slee

nally leave, the overhe

n a

bla

ing everything in darkness. The only light left came from

hell?" she

t a loud ding then

rom somewhere in the w

l si

ched for her phone, tur

. Probably already on lower fl

ept

ija

ame before she c

rom down the h

door was slightly ajar, and he stood near the massive glass

skyline lit his face not wi

cing. He was

t... stand

an made

d inside. "P

quietly. "Secu

oze. "

management system. The top floor sealed automatic

ot up. "You'

sh I

und. "So what,

enance. But they said it'll take time to ove

ark office, the way the city blinked beyond the glass. They wer

with Eli

e'd imagined this week,

indow and moved toward th

h?" he

ked. "Se

he said, pouring a drink

ink during

murder you

Afraid I'll say someth

pau

ded her a glass of wate

it, watching

. different. Less guarded. Less rehearsed

she let hers

the

e

rying more than anyone could see. His jaw was clenched, like he was fighting

were

lence. "Why don't

at her,

ere. First in. Last out. You sl

this position came

said softly. "Bu

ed his

arning, said, "

wa

ed, as if trying to

op it. "And quiet i

slower this time. "You

oid too man

h his nose, almos

aid after a beat. "Some people get used

heart

e he sound

ause he

ded...

," she sai

nked.

made of stone. You

om wen

rst time,

e behind hi

behind hi

didn't l

irst

't respond

ather sofa stretched along the window. He sat down slowly, scotch

standing, uns

"You can sit.

d," she said softly.

thing resembling a s

m him, tucking her

, but in that high tower of glass and silence, they were alone suspended

spoke

o hate th

speak. She

thing in the world. My father stopped speaking to me unless it was to correct me. The h

wallowe

e. School, business, strategy, growth. But noise doesn't replace lo

at tighten. "I know

ed up.

good. After that, it was just me and my mom. She worked two jobs, and

neither of the

e building around them, and

s down. "I don't do

faintly. "I

before they can le

noti

arper now. "And yet,

"Maybe I'm j

d slightly, "you're waiting for me

ng for anything. I just see through peop

ou see when yo

gered in the air

answer w

trying not to

le

did somethin

gently brushed a loose str

gers we

complet

. It dropped away almo

ween them? Differ

eath h

n't do that

wh

the

at her,

he said honestly.

ding distance. "

kno

rossed over her chest, trying to gro

It's

ked bac

ted if we lie to ou

im, heart thudd

cy lights flicke

stem r

evator

ing breat

ent sha

od. Adjust

normal,

ra knew

uld be nor

r the fi