Chapter 7 Tangled In Darkness

Lyra's POV

I couldn't shake his words.

"Adrian's not done with you, Lyra. He'll come for you. And when he does... it won't end well."

I hated that I was letting Adrian get to me, but more than that,I hated how much space Leo was taking up in my thoughts.

He wasn't just a problem. He was a complication I couldn't afford.

Every time I was near him, my body betrayed me, reacting in ways I couldn't control. The heat of his gaze lingered long after he walked away, and the memory of his touch had a way of curling around my mind, refusing to let go.

I didn't want to be pulled into whatever dark orbit surrounded Leo Weston.

But there was no denying it. I was already in.

I should have been afraid of him. And maybe I was.

But the scariest part? I wasn't sure it was for the right reasons.

I let out a frustrated breath and turned away from the mirror. I wasn't some naive girl. Leo didn't care about me beyond what I could offer him. I was here for Mira. That was it.

That was all it was supposed to be.

I reached for the door, intending to leave my room and clear my head. But before I could even brush the handle, it creaked open.

I froze.

That overwhelming presence filled the room before I even turned around.

Leo.

I swallowed hard, my grip tightening on the doorknob as I faced him. He stepped inside without hesitation, his broad shoulders nearly filling the doorway. The door shut behind him, clicking softly into place.

My stomach clenched.

"Sir," I said quickly, keeping my voice level even as my pulse raced. "What are you doing here?"

His eyes darkened, and he took a slow step forward. "I told you not to call me that."

I hesitated, the weight of his words sinking into my chest. "You're my employer. I feel it's It's appropriate."

His jaw ticked, his hands flexing at his sides. "Not with me. Say my name, Lyra."

His voice was low, almost a warning.

I shouldn't have listened. I should have drawn a line right then and there, cause when you forget the formalities you begin to forget other things. But the way he looked at me made my mind go blank, like he had already erased the boundaries between us.

"Okay Leo," I whispered.

His lips twitched, but there was nothing soft about it.

"Good," he murmured.

I straightened, gripping the edge of the dresser behind me. "Why are you in my room?" I asked, forcing my voice to stay steady.

He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he let his gaze drift over me, slow and deliberate, like he was trying to unravel something about me that I didn't even understand myself.

I resisted the urge to shift under his stare.

Finally, he said, "We need to talk."

I lifted my chin. "If this is another warning about Adrian, I don't need it. I already know he's back, I know I need to stay away from him."

His gaze sharpened. "This isn't just about Adrian. You're caught between something bigger than you realize."

My skin prickled.

"You keep saying that," I said, my voice firm. "But what I don't understand is why you care so much. I work for you, Leo. That's it. So why are you so involved in my life?"

Silence.

Thick, heavy silence.

I could hear the ticking of the clock on the far wall, the uneven rhythm of my own breath.

Leo's jaw clenched slightly, but his voice was steady. "Because you don't understand what kind of man Adrian is."

I let out a sharp breath. "You think I don't know him? I know exactly who he is. I spent years trying to keep him out of my life, and now he's back. But I don't need you to be my guard dog."

His eyes flickered, something dangerous flashing behind them. "You think this is about me protecting you?"

"Isn't it?" I challenged. "Why else would you be here? Why else would you care who I talk to?"

He took another step closer, and suddenly, the room felt smaller.

"This isn't just about who you talk to," he murmured. "It's about who wants you."

My stomach twisted.

What the hell does that mean?

"You're in my house, in my world," he continued, his voice low, rough. "That makes you mine."

I flinched at the word. "I only work for you. I'm not yours, Leo. "

His hand lifted, brushing lightly against my arm, his touch leaving heat in its wake. I sucked in a breath, my pulse hammering.

"Not yet," he said. "But you will be."

I stiffened.

This was insane. This whole conversation was insane.

He was my boss. A man I had known for barely any time at all,a man that was suspected to be involved with the mafia,and yet here he was, acting like he had some claim over me. Like I belonged to him.

And the worst part?

Some dark, twisted part of me wanted to understand why.

"Do you even hear yourself?" I said, my voice shaking with something between frustration and disbelief. "You hired me, Leo. I take care of Mira. That's it. There is no this."

His eyes flickered, but he didn't step back.

"You think you can just stay out of this?" he asked, his voice softer now, but no less dangerous. "You think Adrian is going to let you walk away?"

I swallowed hard.

Leo exhaled, his breath warm against my skin. "You don't see it yet, but you will," he murmured. "You need my protection."

I jerked back, creating space between us. "I don't need anything from you," I said, my voice sharper than I intended.

His lips twitched, like he found my resistance amusing. "No?"

I clenched my jaw. "No."

His hand moved faster than I expected, curling around my waist, pulling me close. My breath hitched, my hands flying to his chest instinctively, but he didn't let go.

"You don't need me?" he murmured, his voice just above a whisper.

I should have pushed him away. Should have done something to remind him that this was not okay.

But I froze.

Because the way he looked at me made my stomach tighten, my head spin.

I hated him for it.

"This is a mistake," I whispered.

Leo's lips brushed against my jaw, a barely-there touch that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Maybe," he admitted, his voice raw. "But it's one you're already making."

And then he kissed me.

The moment his lips crashed against mine, my mind went blank.

It was heat, fire, something primal that I wasn't prepared for. His grip tightened on my waist, pulling me flush against him, and I hated how easy it was to melt into him, how my body reacted without my permission.

I gasped, gripping his shirt, desperate for something to hold onto.

I should have stopped this.

But I didn't.

His hands slid up my back, fingers tangling in my hair, deepening the kiss until all I could feel was him.

When he finally pulled away, his breathing was uneven, his eyes darker than I'd ever seen them.

"You belong to me now," he murmured.

Something inside me snapped.

I shoved against his chest, pushing myself away, my breath ragged. "No, I don't," I snapped. "I don't belong to anyone."

Leo smirked, running his tongue over his lower lip. "Keep telling yourself that."

I glared at him, my whole body trembling. "You're insane."

He exhaled, stepping back toward the door. "Stay away from Blackwood," he said, his voice back to that cold, commanding tone. "Because if he takes what's mine..."

He let the threat hang in the air before turning and disappearing down the hall.

I stood there, my heart hammering, my hands shaking.

What the hell had just happened?

I just made the biggest mistake of my life

And worse,why the hell did I want to let it happen again?