Page 3 of Alien Boss. Human Pet

A shadow flickers over Raymond’s face. Just for a second, his skinshimmers, scales flashing beneath human veneer. My breath catches.

He sees me see it. His lips curl.Not a smile. A threat.

"Well, Ms. Christian?" His thumb traces my bottom lip. "How deep does your honesty go?"

“I can’t say that I did not see what I saw,” I say, my voice steady despite the hurricane of thoughts spinning in my head. The spreadsheets tremble in my hands, but my eyes lock onto his. I’m not just talking about the embezzlement now. I’m talking abouthim. The flash of gold scales, the inhuman ridge of his brow—I saw it. I didn’t imagine it.

Raymond’s golden eyes narrow, and for a second, I wonder if he’s going to crush me like a tin can. “And who are you going to tell?” His voice is low, a growl that rumbles through the air like distant thunder.

“I’ve already told the only person who matters.” My heart hammers in my chest, but I force my words to come out calm, measured. “You.”

He studies me, his gaze piercing, like he’s trying to see through every lie I’ve ever told. The tension in the room is so thick I could cut it with a knife. Then he raises an eyebrow, and I think I see a flicker of something—amusement? Respect?—in those molten gold eyes.

He plucks the spreadsheets from my hands, his movements fluid. His eyes scan the numbers, and I can practically see the calculations clicking behind them. Across the room, Jim makes his move. He scrambles to his feet, his loafers squeaking against the polished floor, and bolts for the door.

Raymond doesn’t even look up. He grabs the nearest office chair—a heavy, polished thing that probably costs more than my rent—and hurls it across the room like it’s made of cardboard. The chair slams into Jim’s back with a sickeningthud, and he goes down in a heap, groaning.

“We have a problem, Rader,” Raymond says, his voice like a hammer striking steel. He strides toward Jim, the spreadsheets still in his hand. “The embezzlement would appear to go back almost a year—a full nine months before Ms. Christian joined our little retinue.”

Jim looks up, his face pale and sweaty. “Mr. Keong, I can explain?—”

“Shut up,” Raymond snaps, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. He crouches down, his massive frame looming over Jim like a storm cloud. “You’ve been stealing from me, Rader. Stealing fromme. Do you have any idea what happens to people who cross me?”

Jim whimpers, his bravado completely shattered. I watch from the corner of the room, my heart still racing, but a strangesense of relief washes over me. I’m not the one in the crosshairs anymore.

Raymond stands, towering over both of us. “Ms. Christian,” he says, his gaze flicking to me. “You have my attention. Now, let’s see if you’re worth keeping it.”

CHAPTER 2

RAEKON

Her head tilts downward, the cascade of fiery hair shielding her face like a curtain. Her breaths come quick and shallow, the sound of a small creature caught in the jaws of a predator and still deciding if it should play dead. I can smell the fear on her, but there’s something else too—something sharp, like the crackle of static before a storm. She’s not just scared; she’s furious.

"Look at me, little flower." My voice is low, a command wrapped in velvet.

Her shoulders tense, but she doesn’t move.

Her fingers twist the edge of her blouse, knuckles whitening. I can see the battle waging inside her—the instinct to shrink, to disappear, warring with the need to face this head-on. She’s not used to being seen, much lessnoticed. But I’ve noticed her. I’ve noticed everything.

I step closer, the weight of my presence filling the space between us. She flinches but doesn’t back away. Brave, even if she doesn’t realize it. My hand reaches out, fingers brushing against her chin. Her skin is warm, softer than I expected. I tilt her face up, forcing her to meet my gaze.

Her eyes are wide, the green of them almost swallowed by dilated pupils. She’s trembling, but not from the cold. Her lips part, a faint gasp escaping as I hold her there, pinned by my stare.

"When I speak, you will obey." I let the words sink in, each one a weight she can’t ignore. "Do you understand?"

She swallows hard, her throat working against the fear. But there’s defiance there too, a spark she can’t quite smother. "Y-yes, Mr. Keong," she whispers, her voice so small it’s almost inaudible.

"Good." I release her chin but don’t step back. She’s still caught in the gravity of my presence, her chest rising and falling in quick, shallow breaths. "You’ve earned my attention, Willow. Don’t waste it."

Her eyes flicker, confusion and something else—curiosity, maybe—dancing behind the fear. She’s not used to being the center of anyone’s focus, let alone mine. But she’s here now, and I don’t intend to let her slip back into the shadows.

I extend my hand, watching the flicker of hesitation in her eyes. She hesitates just a second too long—testing me, perhaps, or testing herself. Finally, her fingers brush against mine. Soft. Delicate. But there’s strength there, hidden beneath the nervous tremor.

I pull her up in one smooth motion, and her balance gives—her body colliding with mine in a rush of warmth. Her palms splay against my chest, fingers flexing against the fabric of my suit. She makes a small noise, half gasp, half flustered curse, and I can feel her pulse hammering where her wrist presses against me.

"Ms. Christian." I keep my voice low, reprimanding, just loud enough for her to hear the amusement beneath it. "So forward." Her head snaps up, green eyes wide, and I let my smirk curl thecorner of my mouth. "Dotryto behave with some decorum in the office."

I lean down, just enough for my breath to ghost over her ear.

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