“Yes?”
“Take whatever time you need today. Your health comes first.”
The silence stretched long enough that he wondered if she had heard him. When she finally responded, her voice carried a note of surprise that made his chest tight.
“Thank you. That’s... very considerate.”
Considerate.As though basic human decency was unexpected rather than standard. The thought sparked an uncomfortable question about what kind of treatment she had received in her previous experiences—or perhaps what kind of men her social circle had accustomed her to expecting.
The line went quiet, leaving him alone with thoughts that refused to settle and a mate bond that grew stronger with every interaction.
This was supposed to be simple. Hire an assistant. Maintain professional distance. Focus on the Lexington project and the dozen other deals that required his attention.
Instead, he found himself wondering what had caused her distress, whether she was eating properly, if the stress of a newjob was affecting her health. Protective instincts he had spent years suppressing roared to life.
Get control of yourself.
An hour later, restlessness clawed at Leander’s chest like a caged animal. He had attempted to focus on quarterly projections, reviewed blueprints twice without absorbing a single detail, and found himself staring at his phone more often than his computer screen. The carefully structured routine that usually anchored his thoughts felt inadequate against the storm Camille had unleashed in his mind.
This is ridiculous.
He pressed the intercom with more force than necessary.
“Travis, my office. Now.”
His cousin appeared within minutes, his eyes already narrowed with curiosity. Travis sat in the chair across from his desk with practiced ease, crossing one ankle over his knee.
“Let me guess,” Travis began, amusement threading through his voice. “You’re about to ask me something about Camille while pretending it’s routine business.”
Leander’s jaw clenched. “What’s your assessment? Any red flags I should know about?”
“Direct as always.” Travis leaned back, studying him with the kind of scrutiny that had made him invaluable. “She’s sharp, eager, and honestly overqualified for the position. Organized to a fault, which you’ll appreciate. No concerns on my end.”
The response should have satisfied him, but instead it only sharpened his focus. “Did she mention anyone during orientation? Previous connections or social obligations?”
Travis blinked, clearly puzzled by the specificity. “Should she have? She was professional, asked intelligent questions about company protocols and project timelines. Why would she volunteer personal information on her first day?”
I need to know who else is circling her.
The possessive thought struck him with uncomfortable force. Leander forced his expression to remain neutral.
“She had an odd reaction when she mentioned Damian’s name during the schedule review.”
Understanding flickered across Travis’s features, followed immediately by a smirk that made Leander’s lion pace.
“Ah.” Travis’s tone carried the satisfaction of solving a puzzle. “Same social circles, his ruthless charm, her family’s connections. Probably had a fling. Seems plausible.”
The casual suggestion hit Leander like a slap. Heat flared through his chest, primitive and violent, his lion surging forward with territorial fury that caught him completely off guard. The image of Damian’s hands on Camille, his mouth against her throat, his calculated seduction dismantling her carefully maintained composure?—
Mine.
The word roared through his consciousness with such force that his vision darkened at the edges. Only years of practiced control kept him from standing, from pacing, from doing something that would reveal the depth of his reaction to Travis’s knowing gaze.
“Maybe,” Leander managed, his voice steady despite the storm beneath it.
Travis’s eyebrows rose slightly, clearly noting the tension radiating from his cousin despite his attempt at indifference.
“Leander—”
