Chapter 4: Unraveling Control

Maya couldn't remember the last time she had felt so unsettled. Her mind raced, playing back the moments from breakfast earlier that morning. Sebastian had been unnervingly calm, too composed, as though everything was already in his control. And yet, there had been something in his eyes—something she hadn't quite been able to decipher. It made her uneasy in a way she hadn't expected.

As she sat at her desk now, the soft hum of the office around her seemed distant. She was alone, but the echoes of their conversation still clung to the air. "We both have something to lose, don't we?"

His words had been a warning. A challenge. And Maya knew that by accepting it, she had stepped into territory that was far more dangerous than she had originally anticipated.

---

Sebastian had watched her leave the restaurant, his gaze lingering on her figure, his thoughts churning. He had known, deep down, that she wasn't just a businesswoman. She was a force—sharp, dangerous, and undeniably driven. But the way she'd looked at him, as though she could see into him, unraveling the layers he'd worked so hard to build...

He had underestimated her.

But in the quiet moments after their conversation, the edges of his frustration began to give way to something else. Something more primal. The attraction he felt for her—no, the obsession—was growing stronger by the hour, like a fire he couldn't douse. He could see it now, the game she was playing, and it was intoxicating.

But he couldn't let it control him. Not again. Not after the chaos his family had left in their wake.

---

That afternoon, Maya received an email from Sebastian's office. It was a simple invitation to a meeting at the St. Louis penthouse, the very one she had seen only in passing—a space that seemed too grand to belong to any man but him.

She stared at the message for a long moment. She had been avoiding him. She had been playing her cards close, trying to keep her distance, but this invitation—it was a challenge. And no matter how much she told herself that she wasn't going to let him have that kind of power over her, she knew that she had no choice but to accept.

Maya wasn't one to back down from anything. If this was how the game was going to be played, then so be it.

---

Sebastian stood by the window of his penthouse, his gaze fixed on the skyline as night settled over the city. The lights flickered like stars below, but his thoughts were a storm—wild and chaotic, threatening to break free. He hadn't expected Maya to agree to come. He had sent the invitation expecting resistance, even reluctance, but there she was, walking into his domain as if she belonged.

Her entrance was smooth, effortless, just like everything she did. She was dressed in a simple black dress, one that fit her curves perfectly, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders. She was poised, every step deliberate. But there was something in her eyes tonight—something he hadn't seen before. There was a crack in her mask, a flicker of vulnerability.

So she's human, after all, he thought, watching her with a mix of fascination and hunger.

"Maya," he greeted, his voice low but with an edge that hadn't been there before. "I wasn't sure you'd show."

She tilted her head slightly, a playful yet guarded smile curling on her lips. "You don't know me as well as you think, Sebastian."

He watched as she took in the room, her sharp eyes assessing everything, the way she moved as though she was measuring the very air in the room. He couldn't decide whether he was impressed or frustrated.

"You've made yourself comfortable," she remarked, her voice smooth but tinged with something else. Was it sarcasm? A subtle jab? It was hard to tell, but it was clear she was testing him.

"I like to think that I create comfort wherever I go," he replied, his gaze unwavering.

Maya's eyes flickered for a moment before she caught herself. "A little too comfortable, perhaps?"

Sebastian let out a soft chuckle, the sound dark and intimate. "Maybe. But we're not here to talk about comfort, are we?"

---

She had no intention of letting him lead this conversation, but as the minutes stretched on, Maya felt the pressure build. His presence was overwhelming in a way that she hadn't expected. He was relentless, each question coming faster than the last, each look probing deeper into her psyche.

Sebastian wasn't just trying to get information out of her—he was trying to break her. And for a brief moment, she wondered if that was what he truly wanted. To unravel her.

He leaned in, his breath warm against her skin. "Why are you really here, Maya? You've never been straightforward with me. But I'm starting to see the cracks in your armor."

His words cut through her like a blade. She straightened, her posture defensive, but her mind was spinning. He was right. She had been playing a game all along, but now the stakes were higher, and she wasn't sure if she had control anymore.

"I'm here because I want what's mine," she said, her voice steady, but beneath it, there was a tremor—a hint of uncertainty that she couldn't quite hide.

Sebastian didn't flinch. He leaned closer, his face inches from hers. "And what exactly is that, Maya?"

She met his gaze, refusing to look away. She had been lying to herself for so long. But in this moment, with him standing so close, she couldn't pretend anymore.

"What's mine," she repeated, her voice almost a whisper, "is your family's empire."

His eyes widened, just slightly, but she caught it.

He hadn't expected that.

"Revenge," he murmured, more to himself than to her, as if trying to process the full weight of her words.

"Yes," she said, taking a step back, the distance between them growing. "But not just for the sake of it. For the blood your father spilled."

Sebastian's face hardened, and for the first time, Maya saw the mask crack—the rage beneath the surface. "You think you can just waltz in here and take it from me?" he demanded, his voice cold, furious.

"I think I already have," she shot back, her voice sharp with finality.

There it was—her declaration, the line in the sand. She had made her move. And now, there was no turning back.

---

The rest of the evening passed in silence as Sebastian stared out at the city lights, lost in thought. Maya's words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. She had told him everything he needed to know, and now, the only question that remained was whether he would play along or destroy everything before she could take it.

But there was something else—something beneath the layers of anger, something unspoken, a raw desire simmering between them that neither of them could ignore.

And that... was the dangerous part.