KISS'S POV
I didn't remember leaving the gala.
Only fragments followed me home—
the weight of Adrian's gaze,
the heat of his kiss still burning on my lips,
the way my knees had nearly buckled when he stepped away.
By the time I closed my apartment door behind me, my heart was still racing.
I leaned against the door, eyes shut, fingers pressed to my mouth as if I could erase the memory.
But I didn't want to.
That was the problem.
The kiss hadn't been gentle.
It hadn't been accidental.
It had been intentional. Charged. Possessive.
And terrifying.
I slid down until I was sitting on the floor, hugging my knees to my chest.
"What are you doing to me, Adrian Goodwill…" I whispered.
My phone buzzed in my hand.
📩 ADRIAN:
Did you get home safely?
I stared at the screen for a long time.
I shouldn't reply.
I knew I shouldn't.
But my fingers moved anyway.
📩 ME:
Yes.
Three dots appeared almost immediately.
📩 ADRIAN:
Good.
Just that one word.
Yet it wrapped around my chest like invisible arms.
I tossed my phone aside and pressed my forehead to my knees.
This was dangerous.
Because somewhere between his jealousy, his protection, and that kiss…
I had started wanting him to care.
And that realization scared me more than anything else.
---
ADRIAN'S POV
The city looked different after tonight.
Sharper. Louder. More hostile.
I stood by the window of my penthouse, tie loosened, jacket discarded, glass of whiskey untouched in my hand.
I hadn't planned to kiss her.
That was the truth.
I had planned to warn her.
To draw a line.
To remind her—and myself—of control.
Instead, I lost it.
The way she looked under the gala lights…
the way Chris stood beside her, smiling like he had already won something…
It snapped something inside me.
Her lips had been warm. Soft. Responsive.
She hadn't pulled away.
That fact haunted me.
"You're in trouble," Isaac said from behind me.
I didn't turn. "I know."
"You crossed a line tonight."
"I know."
"You kissed your employee."
"She's not my employee yet."
Isaac scoffed. "You're lying to yourself."
Finally, I faced him.
My reflection in the glass looked… altered. Less polished. Less untouchable.
"She doesn't belong in this world," I said quietly.
"And yet you dragged her deeper into it," Isaac replied.
I clenched my jaw.
Chris Blackwood's face flashed in my mind—the amused look in his eyes, the way he observed instead of interfered.
He wasn't retreating.
That much was clear.
And for the first time in years, something unfamiliar settled in my chest.
Fear.
Not of losing power.
Not of losing control.
But of losing her.
---
KISS'S POV
The next morning at work was torture.
Every time the elevator chimed, my heart jumped.
Every time footsteps echoed down the corridor, I stiffened.
I kept my eyes on my screen, my posture professional, my expression neutral.
Executive Secretary.
Efficient. Detached.
That was the role.
"Miss Hilson."
His voice.
My spine straightened automatically.
"Yes, Mr. Goodwill?" I replied, standing.
He stood in the doorway of his office, dark suit immaculate, expression unreadable.
"Come in."
The door closed behind me with a soft click that sounded too loud in the silence.
I stood there, hands clasped, heart pounding.
"I want to address last night," he said calmly.
I swallowed. "So do I."
He studied me, slowly, carefully, as if searching for cracks.
"What happened shouldn't have," he said.
Relief and disappointment hit me at the same time.
"I agree," I replied, forcing steadiness.
"But," he continued, stepping closer, "I don't regret it."
My breath caught.
"Adrian—"
"This job," he interrupted softly, "comes with scrutiny. With danger. With people like Chris."
My hands tightened.
"I can protect myself."
He stopped inches away from me.
"I know," he said. "That's what terrifies me."
Our eyes locked.
For a moment, the office faded away.
Then he stepped back.
"You're dismissed," he said quietly.
I turned and walked out on unsteady legs, my pulse roaring in my ears.
Behind me, I could feel his restraint snapping—slowly, painfully.
---
CHRIS'S POV
I watched the security feed with casual interest.
Kiss Hilson exiting Adrian's office.
Flushed cheeks. Rigid posture. Controlled breathing.
Oh yes.
Something had happened.
I smiled, swirling the drink in my hand.
Adrian Goodwill was losing ground.
And Kiss?
She didn't even realize how powerful she had become.
I picked up my phone.
📩 CHRIS:
Coffee later? Same place.
The reply came minutes later.
📩 KISS:
Sure.
I laughed softly.
"Checkmate," I murmured—not because I'd won…
…but because the board was finally alive.
---
KISS'S POV
As I walked back to my desk, I realized something terrifying.
Adrian's restraint made me want him more.
Chris's ease made me feel safe.
And somewhere between them…
I was standing on a line that was already beginning to crack.
The game hadn't just begun.
It was accelerating.
And I wasn't sure who would break first.
Me—
Or them.