BOUND BY SHADOWS

The low hum of Milan's car filled the silence as they drove through the city. The darkened skyline reflected off the tinted windows, a quiet witness to the storm brewing inside Chloe's mind.

She had just watched him punish a traitor without flinching, without revealing the conflict waging beneath her skin. And now, as they arrived at his penthouse, she knew the night wasn't over.

Milan didn't speak as he poured himself a drink, his movements precise, calculated. He finally turned, holding out a second glass to her. "You handled yourself well tonight."

Chloe accepted it, fingers grazing his as she took a sip. The warmth of the liquor did nothing to settle her nerves. "Did you doubt me?" she asked, her voice smooth despite the tightness in her chest.

"I always doubt." He leaned against the counter, watching her over the rim of his glass. "But you're proving to be full of surprises."

She held his gaze, knowing he was still testing her. "And what's my next surprise?"

A slow smirk tugged at his lips. "You're going to do something for me."

Chloe expected this, but that didn't stop the cold dread that coiled inside her. "What kind of something?"

Milan set his drink down and walked toward her, stopping just close enough to brush against her when he spoke. "There's a journalist asking the wrong questions. You'll find out what he knows and make sure he forgets it."

Chloe's heart thudded. He was pulling her deeper, forcing her to play both sides. She should refuse—find a way to stall. But if she hesitated, he'd sense it.

So she tilted her chin up. "How close do you want me to get?"

His eyes darkened, his fingers trailing up her arm before resting at the base of her throat. "As close as you need to."

Her pulse betrayed her, beating against his touch. He was testing more than her loyalty—he was testing her control, her ability to stay in character.

But then his thumb brushed along her jaw, and something shifted. The game blurred. His grip tightened just slightly, enough to make her breath hitch. "You like this," he murmured, his lips dangerously close.

Chloe's mind screamed at her to step back, to remember who she was. But the heat between them was undeniable. He was a threat, a man she was meant to bring down—but right now, he was also the fire she couldn't resist stepping into.

Her fingers found his shirt, gripping the fabric as she whispered, "And if I do?"

Milan exhaled slowly, his nose grazing hers. For a moment, she thought he'd finally lose control, finally close the distance between them.

But instead, he smirked. "Then I suppose you'll do just fine on this mission."

And just like that, he pulled away, leaving her standing there, breathless and cursing herself.

Because she wasn't sure who had won this round.