Chapter 2

Aubrey shoved her phone back into her Bottega Veneta clutch. The driver was waiting at the side gate.

She pushed off the wall and walked quickly down the long corridor toward the spiral staircase that led to the side exit.

The antique wall sconces cast a dim, yellow light, making the edges of the marble steps blur into the shadows.

Her mind was completely consumed by the oppressive weight of Callum's gaze. Her steps were frantic, lacking their usual practiced elegance.

She grabbed the hem of her red dress, lifting it slightly, and threw her right foot forward onto the first step.

Her four-inch stiletto slid perfectly into the narrow gap of the vintage metal anti-slip strip on the edge of the marble.

The heel snapped into the groove.

Aubrey's ankle twisted violently outward. A sharp, agonizing pain shot up her leg.

She lost her balance instantly. A short, panicked gasp ripped from her throat as her body pitched forward into the empty air above the steep staircase.

She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the impact of her neck snapping against the marble.

A solid, muscular arm shot out from the shadows behind her.

The arm, wrapped in a tailored suit, clamped around her narrow waist with brutal precision.

A terrifying force yanked her backward. She slammed hard into a broad, rock-solid chest.

Instantly, her lungs were filled with the sharp, clean scent of cedarwood mixed with a faint trace of tobacco.

The smell was carved into her bones. Aubrey's pupils dilated. Her heart simply stopped beating.

"Have you forgotten how to walk?"

The voice came from right above her head. It was incredibly low, dark, and laced with a dangerous rasp.

Aubrey's entire body went rigid. Her blood turned to ice.

She turned her head stiffly, her eyes traveling up the sharp line of his jaw until she met Callum's deep, freezing eyes.

The second Callum saw her face clearly, the careless indifference in his eyes shattered. A violent storm of raw, unhinged emotion exploded in his dark pupils.

The arm around her waist tightened. He squeezed her so hard her ribs ached, as if he wanted to crush her bones into his own.

Aubrey gritted her teeth against the throbbing pain in her ankle and the suffocating pressure on her waist. She slammed both hands against his hard chest, pushing with all her strength to create distance.

Callum didn't let go. Instead, he stepped forward, driving her backward until her spine hit the wooden banister. He pinned her completely between his body and the railing.

He lowered his head, his face inches from hers. His warm breath brushed her ear as he ground out her name through his teeth.

"Aubrey."

Aubrey dug her nails into her palms. She forced the cold, untouchable mask of a Hollywood actress onto her face. The corners of her lips curled into a mocking smile.

"Thank you for the save, sir," she said, her voice dripping with polite, distant unfamiliarity. "Now, let go of me."

That single sentence was a lit match dropped into gasoline.

Callum's suppressed rage from the last four years ignited.

His free hand shot up, his long fingers gripping her jaw. He squeezed hard, forcing her to look directly into his furious eyes.

"You drug me," he whispered, his voice vibrating with lethal anger. "You run away like a coward. And now you dare pretend you don't know me?"

Aubrey's heart was screaming, tearing itself apart in her chest. But her eyes remained dead, filled with nothing but cold disdain.

"I remember you," she mocked, letting out a dry laugh. "I'm just surprised the CEO of Wyatt Corp is still obsessing over a woman he slept with once."

Callum's jaw clenched so hard a muscle ticked in his cheek. His eyes turned pitch black, looking at her like a predator ready to tear her throat out.

Before he could speak, the sharp clicking of heels and the sound of women laughing echoed from the other end of the corridor.

Aubrey's survival instinct kicked in.

She lifted her uninjured foot and stomped her stiletto heel down as hard as she could onto Callum's expensive leather shoe.

Callum winced, his grip loosening for a fraction of a second.

Aubrey shoved him hard, breaking free from his cage. She didn't look back. Dragging her throbbing ankle, she limped frantically toward the heavy side door and pushed it open.