Page 57 of The CEO

“I’ve endured worse discomforts.” I stand, rolling my shoulders to ease the stiffness. “Are you hungry?”

“No.” She pushes back the covers, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. The sweatpants hang low on her hips. “I should go home.”

I debate on telling her to stay, but I know it’s irresponsible and pointless.

“Of course. I’ll have a car brought around.”

She looks up at me, studying my face in the morning light. The tension between us has shifted since last night, maybe even deepened, intensified by my confessions. What was once wariness has transformed into something electric—a current humming beneath every word, every glance.

“Thank you,” she says simply.

“Before I take you home, there’s something I want to show you.” The words come out before I’ve fully considered them.

She tilts her head, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “What is it?”

“Something that will help you understand what you’re considering.” I move toward the door. “Get dressed. Your clothes have been cleaned.”

Thirty minutes later, we walk together through the corridors of Eden. She’s back in her own clothes, freshly laundered and pressed; her scarf, though, once wrapped loosely around her neck, is slung around one pillar of my bed. The possessive satisfaction I feel at this small claim is disproportionate to the gesture.

“Where are we going?” she asks as I lead her down a corridor she hasn’t seen before.

“You asked about a door the night of the gala,” I remind her. “The one you thought contained more than just storage.”

Her eyes widen slightly. “You’re taking me there now? Just like that?”

“Just like that.” I stop before the ornate metal door that had caught her attention that night. “What happens beyond this point changes everything, Eve. Are you certain you want to proceed?”

She hesitates only briefly before nodding. “Show me.”

I press my palm against a concealed scanner, hearing the soft click as multiple locks disengage. The door swings open silently, revealing a spiral staircase descending into darkness.

“After you,” I gesture, watching as she steps through the threshold without fear.

The staircase leads us deep beneath Eden, the temperature dropping noticeably as we descend. At the bottom, another security door awaits. This one requires both retinal and voice confirmation.

“Damien Knox. The CEO,” I state clearly, looking directly into the scanner.

“The CEO?” Eve questions as the final door slides open.

“My title within The Shadows,” I explain, ushering her into the chamber beyond.

The room unfolds before us, vast and imposing. Vaulted ceilings arch overhead, supported by Gothic columns that cast long shadows across the polished black marble floor. A massive table of dark wood dominates the center, its surface gleaming like obsidian under the glow of iron chandeliers. Seven high-backed chairs surround it, six arranged along the sides, and one—larger, more elaborate than the others—at the head.

Along the walls, ancient weapons hang interspersed with modern surveillance equipment. Screens display data feeds from across the globe, while medieval swords and shields serve as reminders of more primitive forms of justice. In one corner stands a glass display case containing the code of conduct we follow.

Eve moves forward slowly, her eyes taking in every detail. Her fingers trail along the edge of the table as she circles it, her expression still unreadable, though I think it’s tinged with a mixture of confusion and trepidation.

“What is this place?” she asks, her voice echoing slightly in the cavernous space.

“The heart of The Shadows,” I reply, watching her exploration. “Where decisions are made, justice is determined, and consequences are set in motion.”

She stops before the ornate chair at the head of the table, studying its intricate carvings: twisted branches forming a canopy above the seat, with darker figures lurking among the leaves.

“And this?” She gestures to the throne-like chair.

“Mine.” I move to stand beside her. “The seat of power within our organization.”

“Your throne?”

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