Chapter 2: The Rules of Steele Industries
Maya Carter stepped into the top-floor office on her first official day, taking a deep breath before crossing the threshold. The air smelled faintly of expensive cologne and polished wood, a combination that felt both luxurious and intimidating.
Adrian Steele sat behind his massive desk, reviewing documents with his usual intensity. The faint click of his pen echoed through the room, punctuating the silence. He didn't look up immediately. She waited, standing straight and composed, though every muscle in her body was tense.
Finally, he lifted his eyes, piercing into hers like cold steel. "You're punctual," he remarked flatly. "Good."
"Thank you, Mr. Steele," Maya replied, keeping her voice neutral. She refused to let any hint of nerves show.
Adrian leaned back in his chair, folding one arm across his chest. "I have certain expectations for my assistant," he said, his tone low, deliberate. "Mistakes are unacceptable. You will anticipate needs without being asked. You will manage my schedule, my communications, my contacts. And above all…" He paused, letting his words sink in. "…You will maintain discretion. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal clear," Maya said, meeting his gaze evenly.
He smirked faintly, the ghost of a playful arrogance flashing across his face — a reminder of the man he had been before he fell for her. A playboy who had women chasing him, a man whose charm and confidence could bend anyone to his will. That man was still there, hidden behind the cold exterior, but now he was sharper, more dangerous, harder to reach.
"Very well," he said, tapping his pen against the desk. "You may start by organizing my schedule for the week. I have meetings, calls, and several client dinners. Prioritize them according to importance, and I don't want any excuses for missed appointments."
Maya nodded, pulling out her notebook and pen. "Understood. I'll have it ready by noon."
Adrian's smirk widened, but there was no warmth in it. "Good. I don't tolerate failure. You'll quickly learn that here."
She made a mental note. This man didn't play around. He expected perfection — and he had the authority, intelligence, and wealth to enforce it.
---
The first few hours passed in a blur. Maya handled calls, coordinated meetings, and filed reports with precision. Yet, every task was punctuated by Adrian's scrutinizing gaze. He didn't hover, but she could feel him watching, noting even the smallest details.
During a brief break, Maya sat near the window, staring out at the city below. She tried to ignore the tension lingering in her chest, the tension that flared every time she remembered the man behind the desk. She hated him — she really did. After everything that had happened years ago, she had sworn never to care about Adrian Steele again. And yet, seeing him now, sharp, commanding, and impossibly attractive, a strange, infuriating heat stirred inside her.
"Miss Carter," Adrian's voice cut through her thoughts. She looked up sharply. He stood near the desk, arms crossed, expression unreadable. "Your efficiency is acceptable. But there's more to this job than tasks. I need to know you can handle pressure, and I don't tolerate hesitation."
Maya lifted her chin, meeting his gaze. "I don't hesitate. I handle what's necessary."
He walked slowly around the desk, his presence magnetic, almost suffocating. "Do you?" he asked, stopping a mere foot from her chair. "Most people crumble when things get difficult. They panic, they falter, they make mistakes. I can't afford that. Not from anyone. Not from you."
Her pulse quickened, not out of fear but irritation. "I'm not most people, Mr. Steele," she said evenly. "I don't panic. I don't falter. I don't make mistakes."
Adrian's lips twitched in what could almost be considered amusement. "We'll see," he said, finally stepping back. "I enjoy testing people. I like to know their limits. It's… enlightening."
Maya suppressed a groan. He sounded almost like a predator. Maybe he was. The man had a reputation, after all — not just for his intelligence and ruthlessness, but for the way women fell for him without realizing it.
---
Later that afternoon, a secretary knocked on the door and entered, looking flustered. "Mr. Steele, the client from last night called. She wanted to confirm lunch tomorrow."
Adrian didn't respond immediately. His gray eyes flicked toward Maya. "Handle it," he said finally, voice sharp.
Maya took the phone, dialing the client confidently. "Hello, this is Maya Carter, Mr. Steele's assistant. I'll be happy to confirm tomorrow's lunch."
When she finished, she placed the phone back on the desk. Adrian leaned back, scrutinizing her with those intense eyes. "Most assistants wouldn't handle that with poise. They'd stumble over every word."
Maya straightened her back. "I'm not most assistants," she said, her tone firm.
He didn't reply immediately. He was quiet, studying her like a hawk. For a moment, she caught a flicker of something — a ghost of the man he had been, the playboy who had once been untouchable, now concealed behind a wall of cold authority.
"You're… resilient," he muttered, almost to himself. "And irritating. I don't like that in most people. But in you… it's interesting."
Maya's jaw tightened. "Interesting is just a word, Mr. Steele. Don't mistake it for approval."
Adrian leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "Do you ever get tired of arguing?" he asked, voice low, almost teasing.
"Only with people who think they can intimidate me with a glare and a reputation," she replied, her eyes flashing.
The silence that followed was thick, charged with unspoken tension. Adrian Steele wasn't used to women who resisted him so completely. Most gave in to charm, wealth, or dominance. Most fell easily, willingly. Maya didn't. She challenged him, irritated him, and yet… he couldn't stop looking at her.
---
By the end of the day, Maya had organized schedules, answered calls, and handled multiple unexpected issues without faltering. She gathered her things to leave, her body tense but proud of herself.
Adrian's voice stopped her at the door. "Miss Carter," he said, leaning casually against his desk. "You survived your first day without disaster. Impressive. Most people don't last a week."
"I'm not most people," she replied, letting a small, dry smile tug at her lips.
He smirked, the faintest glint of something dangerous in his eyes. "I can tell. And yet… don't think this means I'll make things easy for you. I don't like easy."
Maya straightened her shoulders. "Good. I don't like easy either."
He let her leave without another word, but the weight of his gaze lingered long after she stepped out of the office. Adrian Steele was a man who thrived on control, on power, on bending situations to his will. And yet, this woman — this assistant he had hired — had irritated him, challenged him, and left him unsettled in a way he hadn't felt in years.
He leaned back in his chair, swirling the glass of scotch in his hand. His thoughts drifted briefly to a memory — fleeting but sharp — of a woman who had once made him give up his reckless ways, who had loved him despite his flaws. The memory made his chest tighten, a pang he hadn't allowed himself in a long time.
But that was the past. He was Adrian Steele now: cold, untouchable, ruthless. And yet, for some reason, Maya Carter made him want… something he hadn't felt in years. Something dangerous. Something he wasn't ready to name.
Tomorrow would be another day. And he intended to test her limits further.
Because in his world, nothing was ever given freely — and Adrian Steele didn't believe in second chances.
Not even for someone like Maya Carter.