Cecilia's POV

The elevator lurched sharply and then stopped dead between the 17th and 18th floors. The main lights flickered and died, leaving only the dim amber emergency glow. My back pressed against the wall, feeling the cool metal on my skin as silence reigned. I was trapped here with Marcus Vale — the tall, quietly commanding head of building security. The man whose intense gaze had followed me through the lobby for months.

He stood a few feet away, calm and composed in his black shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing powerful forearms. The small space suddenly felt far too intimate and I could smell the faint trace...