Chapter Five

Chapter Five: One Rule at a Time

Monday morning felt heavier than usual.

Harper walked into Wolfe Industries with her head high and her heart bracing. After that dinner with Easton, something had shifted between them. It wasn’t just the way he looked at her now—or how she looked at him. It was the air around them. Tighter. Loaded. Like any moment could set the whole thing on fire.

And she wasn’t sure she wanted to stop it anymore.

Her heels clicked across the marble floor. She gave a polite smile to the front desk, nodded at security, and kept moving like she had it all under control.

But inside?

She was a mess.

When she got to the top floor, his office door was already open. She saw him standing by the window, phone pressed to his ear, suit jacket hanging on the back of his chair.

Sharp jaw. Rolled sleeves. Hair still damp from the shower.

Stop looking, she told herself.

She stepped into her own workspace just outside his office and sat down at her desk. A folder was already waiting for her—labeled “CONFIDENTIAL” in his writing.

Her stomach fluttered.

Easton didn’t leave things for her. He gave orders. Sharp, cold ones. Not folders. Not anything personal.

She opened it.

Inside was a short note.

Harper—read this first. I want your thoughts before the noon meeting. No yes\-men answers. Be honest. —E.

She read it twice.

And smiled.

Not because it was sweet. It wasn’t. It was direct, borderline demanding, and still all business.

But he’d asked for her thoughts.

Her thoughts.

And that meant more than she wanted to admit.

⸻

By eleven-fifty, she was in the boardroom, file in hand, nerves dancing under her skin.

The meeting was with a new luxury tech company Easton wanted to partner with. Big money. Big risks. Big headlines. Everyone in the room wore a suit that cost more than her rent.

Easton walked in last, his eyes brushing over hers for a split second. Just long enough to make her breath catch.

Then the meeting began.

People talked. Pitched. Promised things.

Harper watched and listened. Took notes. Waited for her turn.

When it came, Easton surprised everyone.

“I want Harper to weigh in on this,” he said, looking right at her. “She’s got a better read on public perception than most of you.”

Silence.

All eyes turned to her.

Harper sat straighter. Flipped open the file. And spoke.

She didn’t stutter. She didn’t shrink. She pointed out what worked, what didn’t, and what the market would love. She gave numbers, proof, and ideas.

And when she finished, the head of the tech company gave a slow nod.

“That’s sharp,” he said.

Easton just smiled. “Told you.”

Harper’s cheeks warmed, but she kept her cool.

The meeting ended. People left. Easton stayed behind, sipping from a glass of water, watching her pack up her notes.

“Nice work,” he said.

“You expected anything less?”

A small smirk tugged at his mouth. “Not even a little.”

She moved toward the door. He didn’t.

Instead, he said, “I meant what I said at dinner. I want this to be more than just me handing you orders.”

She paused. “So I’m more than your assistant now?”

He stepped closer. “You always were.”

The tension hit again—hot and heavy and hard to breathe through.

“I’m not looking to play games, Easton.”

“Neither am I.”

She studied him. “Then what are we doing?”

His voice was low. “You tell me.”

She should’ve walked away. Said something sharp. Set another boundary.

But she didn’t.

Instead, she leaned in just enough to make his eyes drop to her lips.

“I work by rules,” she whispered.

He didn’t blink. “Give me one.”

Her voice was steady. “Don’t touch me unless you mean it.”

A muscle jumped in his jaw. His eyes burned into hers.

And then she walked out.

On her terms.

⸻

Back at her desk, Harper couldn’t stop shaking.

Not from fear.

From adrenaline. From power. From the thrill of standing her ground and watching him feel it.

And deep down, she knew…

She’d just changed the game.

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