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Min was gratified when the elevator doors opened after only a moment. For once, the universe was on her side. She hit the button for the lobby and stepped back, leaning against the back wall of the elevator, waiting for the doors to fully close before she allowed herself to breathe.

But just as they were about to close and free her from this nightmare situation, a hand slammed between them. The doors were pushed open and there he was again, tall and overwhelming, the energy around him crackling, his eyes wild. That heat fluttered inside her again, and once again she ignored it, her eyes narrowing, her spine straightening with outrage.

“What the hell are you doing?”

He didn’t answer, stepping into the elevator with her and just… standing. Staring at her. Their eyes locked on each other, heated and powerful and something else Min couldn’t define, some sort of combustible chemistry that was unique only to them. She glimpsed the two executives behind him, not coming near the elevator, letting whatever was going to happen, happen, and she felt her fury rise at that, at once again being left to fend for herself in a shitstorm that she didn’t create. But she wouldn’t let that show. Not to him.

Their eyes clashed as the elevator began to move. And then, without breaking eye contact, he reached toward the control panel and pulled the emergency stop. The elevator lurched a little as the brakes complied.

“You’re not going anywhere until you delete that picture, babe.” His voice was soft, softer than it had been before in the lobby, but still menacing, and she could almost feel it caress her skin. Despite herself, despite how pissed she was at him, she couldn’t help but notice that they were alone in the confined space, with only the soft elevator music cutting the silence. She kept still, clenching her phone in her hand, sensing that he was tensed for her to try to escape even though there was clearly nowhere to go. She was trapped.

But she sure wasn’t going to show any vulnerability in front of him, so she raised her chin up and stood her ground. “For the last fucking time, I didn’t take your picture. Get over yourself.”

He exhaled sharply, raking his hands through his hair, his curls even more unruly, his dark eyes snapping.

“People like you are the problem, you know?” he growled.

“You mean innocent people who get stalked and yelled at for just trying to attend meetings they were scheduled for?”

He snorted at that, clearly not believing her. “People who claim to be fans, who say they love you and want everything for you, support you through it all. When in reality they don’t give a shit about you. They never did. They’re just waiting for their chance to steal a piece of you for themself. Something to mount on their Instagram like a fucking trophy.”

Despite her anger, she could feel the truth in his words, the cynicism that must have been proven to him time and again. A flicker of sympathy fluttered through her, but she refused to let it show. However true his statement was, whatever his experience, it had nothing to do with her.

“I’m not that person,” she said, her voice softer than before, trying to appeal to him. “I swear.”

He wavered, and she thought he wanted to believe her. But then his expression hardened.

“Then prove it.”

His hand reached out for her phone, and on instinct she drew it back, away from him, which only pissed him off more. He reached for her again, and this time his hand was too fast to dodge, grabbing her wrist tight and unyielding as he pushed it against the wall behind her, holding it there slightly above her head. He stepped closer into her space. Min found herself surrounded by his clean scent, inhaling it deeply before she could stop herself. He gazed down at her, nostrils flaring, and she wondered vaguely how the fuck she was going to get out of this.

She attempted to push him away with her free hand, but all she found was hard muscle underneath his black hoodie as if she was pushing on a wall. Unphased, he put his free hand on the other side of her head and pushed his body into hers, anchoring her into the wall with his hips so she couldn’t move. Their faces were so close she could feel the rustle of his hair as he leaned down toward her ear.

“Give me your phone.” His voice rumbled from his chest, and this close, she could feel the vibration shiver through her body.

“Eat shit and die.” Her reply came out as a whisper, but she refused to back down. She tried pushing her body against his to move him away, but he wasn’t budging.

“This would be over if you’d just let me look.”

“I have just as much right to privacy as you do.” A muscle in his jaw flexed at that, like he agreed but didn’t want to show it. He was silent a moment, studying her, probably trying to figure out his next move, and she tried pushing him away again, but he was too strong. Too solid. Too much.

With a deep sigh, he reached over and plucked the phone out of her trapped hand, not letting her go as he tapped the screen. She tried to struggle again, to dislodge him, but he slid one of his legs between hers, holding her more securely pressed against the wall. He held the phone up to her face, waiting for facial recognition to kick in, but nothing happened. She almost smiled at his frustration but settled for glaring.

“I don’t do the facial recognition lock. Always too worried someone would use it against me. Ironically.” She smirked as his lips pinched into a frown. “Now let me go.”

He didn’t move. “Code.”

“Get bent.”

Only because she was so focused on his mouth did she see his lips twitch, a different expression fighting to overtake him before he controlled it. Instead, he leaned closer, his breath whispering into her ear, his heat surrounding her.

“You want to know the worst part? If you had just played it cool, just smiled at me with that fucking candy pink mouth and introduced yourself with that smooth as silk voice, I would’ve done whatever you asked. Anything.”

He whispered the last word, and she couldn’t stop a shudder from running through her. His eyes flared as he felt it.

“But you ruined it.” His voice was suddenly cold, and she couldn’t stand it, not when she had heard how hot it could be only a moment before. Before she could think about it, she turned her head toward him, their mouths now only a breath apart.

“I didn’t. And when you realize that, you better have the best fucking apology for me. Because if you had just not been an asshole, I would’ve smiled and introduced myself. And my fantasies about you would’ve been very, very different from the homicidal ones they currently are.”

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