Page 19 of As the World Falls

“I told you. I don’t like people meddling in my affairs.”

“Then why not just have my brother tell me?”

“Because I don’t want you taking up more of his time than you already do.”

“Excuse me?”

“Your brother has important connections to make. He doesn’t need to deal with your little escapades. I want him focused on his tasks, not worrying about when you’ll show up to wreak havoc next.”

“Connections like what? To the so-called people that could hurt me?”

“That’s enough questions, little owl.”

“Why do you keep calling me little owl?” she snaps. “It’s incredibly random.”

“Do you know what an owl is?”

“Are you serious? Yes, I know what an owl is.”

“They’re small creatures, well smaller than most predatory animals, but they’re extremely determined and aggressive.” She gleams a little at that, and for some reason, I like that she’s impressed with the comparison.

“So, you’re saying I’m small but mighty?” She smiles, and I think it’s the first time I've seen her truly do that in front of me. It feels like my chest starts burning and opens up completely. The feeling of it makes me nauseous.

“No, I’m saying you’re like an annoying rodent that keeps returning despite my efforts to keep you away.”

“But owls aren’t rodents,” she remarks. “Actually, they eat them.”

“See, little owl, you know so much about your own kind.”

She rolls her eyes. “You know you say you want to keep me away, and yet you’re still here, in my place of work, I might add.”

“Annoying, isn’t it? I’m ensuring we’re on the same page before I leave.”

“And what page is that?” she asks, putting her hand on her hip, which pops out as she stares daggers into me.

I drag my gaze away from her curves and level her with my gaze as she challenges me back with hers. “If I catch youon any of my properties again, I’ll have you arrested. Do you understand me?”

“You’d really resort to incarceration so that I don’t interfere with your precious empire?”

“I’ll do whatever means necessary.”

She leans across her desk, looking up at me more as she shakes her head. “Then that only just tells me to keep coming back. You’re obviously hiding something from me. Something that my brother does that you know I won’t like. I’m going to find out what that is.”

I can’t help but grin because despite how utterly irritating it is that she’s so relentless, it’s that fact that I also admire because I like determination and strong-willed souls. I liked it when someone looked fear in the face and decided to keep going just like she is now.

I also lean on her desk, letting my elbows glide forward until I’m nearly nose-to-nose with her. I quickly catch the way she tenses at my nearness, and it’s like a balm over my chest wound that she’s carved open because I like it when she fears me. I like it when I see how much she doesn’t like me.

I didn’t understand why playing with her was suddenly so fun. Maybe it was because her brother had warned me away from her. Maybe it was because she also seemed to enjoy investigating me. Perhaps I was just bored with life these days. This was way more entertaining than my usual work, even if she was trying to undermine me.

I scan her face, taking my time and marking every inch, only to make her squirm more, but she doesn’t move away. She stays still, letting me roam her. I was a little surprised at her confidence, given her age. Twenty-four felt young compared to my thirty-six years. She seemed older. Perhaps wiser than most her age. I wondered if it was because of everything Tobias hadtold me she’d been through. Pain and betrayal can do that to a person.

I zero in on the flush beginning to rise in her cheeks, and I know she can feel it because she finally squirms in an attempt to hide it, so I finally smile and lock my eyes onto hers.

“I’ll see you soon then, little owl,” I murmur before slowly backing away and leaving the library. When I glance through the window, she’s still in the same position, staring as if I were still directly in front of her. It makes my stomach burn with satisfaction that I can shake her a little bit, no matter how much she tries to hide it.

Cecilia Bowen has slowly and disturbingly become more interesting to me.

When I return home, I change out of my suit and into something more comfortable and go straight to my home gym. The second I enter the room, though, my phone rings, and I pull it out of my pocket, finding a video call from Tobias.

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