The silence in Denzel's penthouse felt heavier now.
I stood near the marble island in the kitchen, arms crossed loosely over my chest as Denzel moved about with practiced ease. The faint hum of the espresso machine was the only sound between us. Outside, the city glowed through his towering windows—an empire built on glass and power, and right now, I was just a girl standing in the middle of it, unsure if I belonged.
He handed me a cup without looking at me. "Still warm."
"Thanks." My voice came out softer than I expected.
He leaned against the counter across from me, his tie gone, the top buttons of his shirt undone, sleeves pushed to his forearms. His gaze was unreadable, quiet but calculated, like he was trying to figure out how much of me he could keep without inviting chaos.
"You've been quiet since we got back," he said finally.
"I have a lot on my mind."
He nodded. "The assistant?"
"Among other things."
There was a pause. Then: "She won't speak to you again. I made that clear."
I sipped the espresso, the bitterness grounding me. "It's not just her, Denzel. It's everything. The trending hashtags, the assumptions about who I am, who I'm with. Jase's betrayal. The fact that someone I considered a friend wanted to humiliate me just because I didn't return her feelings."
I swallowed the tightness in my throat.
"I'm not even mad that she liked me," I admitted. "It's just... I never thought she'd try to break me like that. She saw me when I was vulnerable. And instead of protecting me, she weaponized it."
Denzel's gaze didn't falter. "You don't owe her guilt for that."
"I know. But it still hurts."
Another silence passed before I added, "And you. You're another storm I walk into every day knowing I'll never come out the same."
"I never lied to you," he said evenly.
"I know. But I still hoped." I met his gaze, voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe not for love, but for something more than protection."
He pushed away from the counter and walked to me. I could feel the shift in energy before he even touched me.
"Star." His voice dropped low, dangerous. "I told you. I don't believe in love. But I won't let anyone hurt you. And I'll never allow you to shout at me the way you did earlier."
My breath caught in my throat. "I didn't mean to—"
Before I could finish, he reached out and pulled me close, his hands gripping my waist with a firmness that tethered me in place. Then his mouth was on mine—no softness, no hesitation, just fire and command and a warning wrapped in the heat of his lips.
It was a kiss meant to silence, to remind me of who he was and who I had chosen to get involved with. It wasn't love. But it was possession.
He pulled back slightly, his breath hot against my skin. "I'll protect you. But don't ever raise your voice at me again."
I nodded, the electricity between us still sparking.
"I'm taking you home," he said curtly. "You need rest."
He didn't wait for a response. Within minutes, I was in his sleek black car, the city lights blurring past the tinted windows. The silence between us wasn't awkward—it was loaded. Me processing the night. Him simmering in something I couldn't name.
When he dropped me off at my apartment, he walked me to the door and brushed a kiss against my temple before stepping away. No words. No promises.
I closed the door behind me and sank to the floor, my heart an echo chamber of everything he wouldn't say.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through my blinds, warm and invasive. I lay on my bed, scrolling through my feed, the trending hashtags slowly dying down. The chaos was fading. But I knew it would always come back in waves.
A knock on my door broke the quiet.
"Come in," I called.
Zoey entered, sunglasses pushed to the top of her curls, iced coffee in hand. "Tell me you're alive."
"Barely."
She flopped onto my bed beside me, her grin wide. "I can't believe it. Jase had a crush on you?"
I groaned. "Can we not?"
"No, no, babe. We have to. Like, I always knew you were hot—but damn. Even the girls are falling."
I threw a pillow at her. "It's not funny. She humiliated me in front of the whole internet."
"But you survived. And you know what?" She grinned wickedly. "You're pretty. Of course Mr. CEO defended you. The man is obsessed."
"He is not obsessed."
"Oh please. He kissed you in front of the media, defied his PA, and probably canceled five meetings to drive you home in his blacked-out mafia car. You don't do all that for someone you're just protecting."
I smiled despite myself. "He said he doesn't believe in love."
Zoey shrugged. "So? People say that until they do. You're not exactly forgettable, Star. You're the kind of girl that walks into a room and shifts the axis."
I rolled onto my side, facing her. "Do you think I'm stupid for hoping he might change?"
"No," she said softly. "I think you're human. And in love. Which sucks. But it also makes you brave."
There was a knock at the door again, this time firmer. Zoey raised a brow. "Expecting someone?"
I frowned. "No."
I walked over and opened it.
Denzel stood there, in his tailored navy suit and crisp white shirt, no tie. He looked like sin dipped in ice and cut from silk.
He held out his hand. "Come with me."
I blinked. "Where?"
"A vacation. Somewhere private. Somewhere far. I've already arranged everything."
Zoey leaned over my shoulder. "Mr. CEO is stepping up."
I turned to him, heart racing. "Why now?"
He looked me in the eyes. "Because you need space. Because I need to breathe. And because if I keep seeing you in pain, I might burn down the whole damn city."
My breath hitched.
I stepped outside, closed the door behind me, and placed my hand in his.
Maybe this was another storm.
But I was already drenched.