Chapter 5 Lines We Can't Cross

Katie had known pressure before. She had stood in front of ruthless corporate sharks, fought off men twice her rank in negotiations, and torn apart airtight contracts with a single clause. But this?. This was the kind of pressure that could kill her. Sitting in Justin Clark's sleek black car as it sped through the nearly deserted streets of Manhattan, Katie fought to steady her breathing. She wasn't afraid-at least, that's what she kept telling herself-but the unease coiled in her gut like a loaded gun. Someone had been in her office tonight.

Someone had been watching her. And she knew damn well that Eddy Moore didn't issue warnings without a reason. Justin sat beside her in the driver's seat, his jaw set in a grim line. He had barely spoken since they left the Clarke Enterprises building. His grip on the wheel was tight, controlled-but she knew him well enough to see the storm beneath the surface.

Finally, she exhaled sharply. "Are you going to tell me where we're going, or are we just driving until we hit the ocean?" Justin didn't take his eyes off the road. "You're staying at my place tonight." Katie's brows shot up. "Excuse me?" "You heard me."

She let out a short, incredulous laugh. "Let's get something straight, Clark-I don't take orders, and I sure as hell don't need you playing bodyguard." Justin's grip on the wheel tightened, his jaw clenching. "This isn't up for discussion." Katie narrowed her eyes. "You don't get to decide where I sleep."

Finally, Justin turned to look at her, his blue eyes dark, piercing. Dangerous. "Someone was in your office tonight, Katie," he said, his voice low, controlled. "And you and I both know that if they wanted to hurt you right then and there, they would have. That wasn't a threat. That was a message." Katie swallowed. He wasn't wrong.

"If Moore knows what you found, you won't be safe in your apartment," Justin continued. "You think I'm overreacting? Fine. But at least be smart enough to realize that staying alone tonight isn't an option." Katie hated that he was right. Hated that he could see through her defenses so easily. But she wasn't reckless. She nodded once, shifting her gaze out the window. "Fine. But don't get any ideas."

Justin smirked. "I'll try to control myself." Katie rolled her eyes, but she couldn't ignore the way her pulse quickened. Damn him.

The Penthouse

Justin's penthouse was exactly what she had expected-sleek, modern, and so infuriatingly him.

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city skyline, the living room was all black leather and glass, and the kitchen looked like it had been ripped out of a Michelin-starred restaurant. She turned to face him as he set his keys down on the counter. "Let me guess-this place is just for show. You probably spend more time in your office than here." Justin smirked, unbuttoning the cuffs of his dress shirt. "You wound me, Valerie."

Katie crossed her arms, watching as he rolled up his sleeves. The movement was casual, but there was something about the way his forearms flexed that sent a dangerous heat through her veins. Focus, Valerie.

"Guest room is down the hall," he said, gesturing behind him. "Bathroom's stocked. You need anything, you let me know." Katie raised a brow. "What, no 'mi casa es su casa'?"Justin's lips quirked. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves." She snorted, but the tension from earlier still weighed on her chest. She wasn't naïve-just because she was here didn't mean the danger had passed. If anything, it had just begun.

Whiskey and Confessions. An hour later, Katie found herself in the kitchen, nursing a glass of whiskey. Justin leaned against the counter beside her, his own drink in hand. "You should get some sleep," he said, but there was no command in his tone-just quiet observation.

Katie sighed, swirling the amber liquid in her glass. "Not exactly the easiest thing to do after someone breaks into your office."

Justin was silent for a moment before he spoke. "You're handling this better than most people would." She let out a dry laugh. "You say that like I have a choice." "You do," he said, his voice softer than usual. "You could walk away from this, Valerie. You could pretend you never found those numbers and let me handle it."

She turned to look at him, meeting his gaze. "That's not who I am."

Something flickered in his eyes. Something dark and unreadable. "I know." The air between them felt heavier suddenly, the weight of the moment settling over them.

Katie exhaled. "You know, for someone who's supposed to be the CEO of this company, you've been awfully reluctant to take Moore down yourself." Justin's jaw tightened.

She narrowed her eyes. "You're holding something back." He didn't speak for a long time. Then, finally- "There's someone else involved." Katie's breath hitched. "Who?"

Justin hesitated. And that hesitation told her everything. "Justin." She stepped closer. "Who is it?" His fingers tightened around his glass. "Moore isn't acting alone. He's connected to someone bigger. Someone who has enough power to make this go away if we're not careful."

Her mind raced, piecing the puzzle together. "Are we talking political power? Corporate?"

Justin's gaze darkened. "Both." Her stomach twisted. "Jesus. How deep does this go?. Justin took a slow sip of his drink before setting it down. "Deep enough that if we take the wrong step, we won't just be risking our jobs."

Katie's heart pounded. He wasn't just talking about corporate fraud anymore. This was bigger. Much bigger. She met his gaze, her voice steady. "Then we take the right step." Justin studied her for a long moment. Then, almost imperceptibly, he nodded.

"We will."

A Warning They Couldn't Ignore

The sound of shattering glass snapped them both out of the moment. Katie's instincts kicked in instantly-she dropped her glass, spinning toward the window.

The entire penthouse went silent.

Then-Another crash. A second later, Justin moved. "Katie-get down!" Before she could react, he grabbed her, pulling her against him as the window nearest to them exploded inward. Glass rained down, the night air slicing through the penthouse like a blade. Katie's pulse thundered. Someone had shot at them. Justin pulled her behind the kitchen island, his body shielding hers completely. "Stay down," he ordered, his voice ice-cold. Her breath came in sharp bursts, but she wasn't panicking. She was furious. "Tell me you have a gun in this place," she hissed.

Justin didn't answer. He was already pulling something from the drawer nearest to them-a handgun, sleek and lethal. Of course he had a gun. "Stay here," he said again, his tone brooking no argument. Katie grabbed his wrist before he could move. "Like hell I'm sitting this one out." Their eyes met. For a split second, something unspoken passed between them.

Then, reluctantly, Justin nodded. Together, they moved-silent, lethal, ready for whatever the hell came next.

This wasn't just a warning. This was a declaration of war. And Katie , Valerie didn't lose wars.