The next morning, Kashi stepped out of the car and handed the keys to the valet without slowing.
The moment she entered Saints headquarters, the atmosphere shifted.
Employees straightened.
"Miss Saints."
"Welcome, ma'am."
"Good morning, Miss Saints."
Kashi acknowledged none of them. Her heels struck the polished floor with calm precision as she crossed the lobby and entered the private lift. She pressed the button for the top floor—her floor—and watched the doors slide shut.
By the time they opened again, her patience was already thinning.
Zach turned from his desk the instant he saw her. "Miss Saints."
Kashi walked straight past him.
He hurried after her. "I'm sorry. We tried to hold him back."
"I leave for a few days…" she muttered.
Zach lowered his head as she stopped outside her office. "We really did try."
Kashi rested a hand on the door handle.
Breathed in.
Then pushed it open.
Chaos Riegrow sat in her chair.
Not just sitting. Lounging.
His legs were propped across her glass desk, one ankle crossed over the other, as though he owned the building, the chair, the air and everyone unfortunate enough to breathe it.
A slow smirk pulled at his mouth when he saw her.
Kashi entered calmly. She stopped in front of the desk and looked at the shoes resting on its surface.
"Chaos," she said. "To what do I owe the honour this time?"
"Kashi." His smile deepened. "I've been waiting."
"How tragic for you."
"Shall we have dinner?"
Her gaze dropped to his legs.
"Your feet. Get those mangy things off my desk."
Chaos removed them at once.
"Sit straight."
He straightened.
Kashi inspected him. "Your tie."
Chaos raised a brow.
"Chin."
He lifted it.
Kashi pressed a palm to her face. "For fuck's sake. Do you abandon manners and etiquette whenever you're around me, darling?"
Chaos stood. His height swallowed the space between them almost immediately. He bent slightly, enough for his shadow to fall over her. "Only you, Saints."
Kashi gave him a long, unimpressed look before turning towards Zach. "You can leave. I have a few things to discuss with Mr Riegrow."
Zach bowed quickly. "Yes, Miss Saints." He left. The door clicked shut behind him. Only then did he breathe properly.
Earlier that morning, Chaos Riegrow had walked into Saints headquarters and announced that he would wait for Kashi.
No appointment. No explanation. No regard whatsoever for protocol.
He had simply entered the building like a beautiful natural disaster and refused to leave until she arrived.
The CEO of X Holdings sitting inside their headquarters all morning had thrown everyone into panic.
Executives whispered. Security hovered. Reception had nearly lost their collective mind.
Zach had informed Kashi immediately. Now that she was here, he was more than happy to evacuate the blast zone.
Inside the office, Kashi folded her arms.
"Really?"
Chaos looked at her.
"Weeks of absence, and this is how I'm greeted?" she continued. "You cannot keep doing this."
He spread his hands, a wicked grin appearing. "Why not?"
"This is a place of business. If you wanted something, you could text. Call. Send a flipping pigeon to deliver the message."
"I find this very effective."
"You are disrupting business activities, Mr Riegrow."
"I haven't threatened anyone."
Kashi raised a brow.
Chaos smiled. "Yet."
Kashi stared at him for a moment. Then, "What is it this time?"
"Have dinner with me."
Her eyes narrowed. "Is that why you stormed my office?"
"Would you rather I ask to sleep with you instead?" Chaos said smoothly. "I'm fine with that too."
Kashi lifted one hand. "You lecherous bastard."
Chaos looked almost pleased with himself. "So. Dinner?"
"It is still early."
"I know. I wanted to tell you in advance before I come to pick you up."
Kashi's expression sharpened. "Why do I feel like you don't actually require my permission?"
"I don't."
Her face darkened.
"But," Chaos added, "I thought I'd be a good boy and ask nicely."
"Fucker." Kashi moved around the desk and lowered herself into her chair, reclaiming it with the dignity of a queen returning to a stolen throne.
Chaos watched her. "Is that a yes?"
"No."
He leaned forward, placing both hands on the glass desk. His gloves were gone.
They lay neatly to one side, black leather arranged with deliberate care. Kashi's attention caught on them, Chaos reached for her hand.
Slowly.
Giving her enough time to pull away.
She didn't.
His bare fingers brushed hers first, light as a question, before settling fully over her hand.
Warm. Careful. Entirely at odds with the shameless man who had been tormenting her seconds earlier.
Kashi's breath caught. Barely. Chaos stroked his thumb over her knuckles. His pale blue eyes remained fixed on her face.
"Miss Kashi," he said, voice lower now, "please have dinner with me."
Kashi lowered her gaze.
This bastard.
This infuriating bastard.
For the past week, Chaos had been absent. After weeks of appearing everywhere and refusing to let her breathe or exist in peace, he had simply vanished.
She had almost regretted signing the contract with X Holdings because it had given him the perfect excuse to hover around her.
In boardrooms. Outside meetings.
At events.
In places he had absolutely no business appearing.
Especially during board meetings, when he should have been listening instead of bothering her.
And then— Nothing.
She hadn't seen him since the incident at the club. The silence between them had been historic.
Should she ask where he had been?
No.
Absolutely not.
That would be too much.
And now he had appeared out of nowhere asking for dinner.
Kashi still wanted to slap him. This motherfucker.
Yet here he was, holding her hand as though he had every right to, looking at her with that pleading, infuriatingly handsome face.
Her gaze betrayed her.
His eyes. His mouth.
The sharp, goddamned unfair perfection of his features.
Why did the universe insist on throwing insane men into her path? Maybe if she returned one, the curse would end.
And still— This face, voice, touch.
"Fine," Kashi said at last. "One dinner."
Chaos's smile widened. He lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "I'll pick you up at six."
A cold shiver travelled through her. Kashi snatched her hand back and scowled at it as though the reaction had personally offended her.
"Ugh."
Chaos looked entirely too pleased.
"Also." She pointed at him. "Stop threatening my secretary. If Zach quits because of you, I will kill you."
Chaos straightened. "I can take his job."
A laugh escaped her before she could stop it.
"The CEO of X Holdings as my secretary?" Kashi said. "That would break the news."
"For a woman like you?" Chaos replied. "Anything."
Kashi looked up at him, neither spoke. Her throat shifted. Then she recovered.
"Right. Now kindly fuck off. I have work to do."
Chaos smiled. "Six?"
"Yes, six. Now leave."
He gave her a small bow, graceful and mocking all at once, then collected his gloves from the desk and walked out.
The door closed behind him.
Kashi remained still.
Then she slowly raised the hand he had touched and stared at it.
"Chaos Riegrow," she murmured.
She was not ready for anything. Not after Damian.
Not after everything she had gone through. But somewhere deep down, in a place she refused to name, Kashi already knew the truth.
This blue-eyed devil was getting through walls she had spent years building.