Chapter 48 By midday Tuesday, I'm one stiff comment away from ending someone's bloodline. The office is a symphony of all the things I loathe: phones ringing, people breathing too loudly, and Griffin humming under his breath like he doesn't value his life. I try to focus on the quarterly reports spread out in front of me. Revenue's up, so the shareholders are happy. And our growth projections are record-breaking. It should thrill me. It always has before. Now, though, I can only think about how Harley's hair smelled when she fell asleep against me. The soft little sounds she made. And the way she mumbled my name like it was a secret she didn't even know she was keeping. 1 push the papers away with a growl, the veins in my forearm flexing. Griffin pokes his head into my office with a file folder tucked under his arm and a saintly expression plastered on his face. I have the updated contracts for…" *Shut the door," 1 snap at him. He blinks once, then twice, then obeys. When the door clicks shut behind him, I stand-and it's slow, controlled, and predatory. Griffin watches me warily, as if he knows what's coming "Her number," 1 bite out. "Give it to me." He doesn't even have to ask who I mean. Of course, he doesn't. He was there. He saw everything Griffin , the loyal bastard that he is, treads carefully. "Sir , with all due respect…you asked us to remove all personal details unless they're voluntarily given. It's our privacy protocol. Remember?" I step around the desk towards him, my temper coiling tighter with every step. "I'm revising that protocol," I say silkily and dangerously. "Right fucking now." Griffin sighs under his breath like a man confronting an inevitable fate, before calmly saying, "You're not thinking clearly, sir ." "I'm thinking more clearly than I have in centuries, " I snarl at him, pinning him with a glare that could turn headstones to dust. A beat of silence passes between us. Then a breath. And finally, a decision. Slowly, Griffin reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small notebook. Not his company phone. Not his company tablet. A handwritten damn notebook. Of course. He's too smart to keep Harley's details anywhere that could be traced. Another reason he's the best PA in the goddamn country. He flips it open, finds the page he's looking for, and then tears it out neatly, before walking forward and setting the paper on the small conference table off to the side without a word-no apology or explanation. Just the information I've been craving like a dying man craves air . Harley's name. Her mobile number. And un address. The bookstore-her bookstore. I sture at it for one second longer than I should. "You're a dead man if she gets angry about this," Griffin says under his breath, but there's no real heat behind it. Only a slight, knowing smile, he doesn't even bother to hide. Smartass. 1/2 Chapter 48 1 pocket the piece of paper and grab my jacket. "Mike ," 1 bark into my phone as I stride from my office, "Car, downstairs, now ." Twenty minutes later, I'm in the back of my SUV, tapping my fingers against my knee like a psychopath as Mike expertly weaves through downtown traffic. He doesn't ask where we're going, because he already knows. It's written in my every clipped answer, and every tension-coiled silence radiating off me like a thunderstorm. Still, halfway through the ride, he glances at me in the rearview mirror and asks, low and even, "You sure about this, boss?" dust any I grind my molars together, expecting them to become dust any second. "No." Another few seconds of silence pass , then Mike mutters, almost to himself, "Sometimes, the wrong thing feels right first." Chapter Comments POST COMMENT NOW SHARE In the English-dubbed series "Burning Between Us" by CrushReel, a life-changing encounter in Wesley Lowe's hotel room shook Alaya's world seven years ago. This unexpected meeting resulted in the birth of twins, but tragedy struck when her father took one child, leaving a void in her heart. As the story unfolds, themes of love, loss, and resilience intertwine with the complexities of family dynamics and the allure of the billionaire CEO world. Set in a modern mansion backdrop, this ongoing romance delves into the sweet yet tumultuous journey of navigating relationships amidst wealth and power struggles. What sets "Burning Between Us" apart is its poignant exploration of emotional depth within the glamorous facade of billionaire romance. Readers are drawn into a web of secrets, passion, and second chances as Alaya grapples with her past while facing an uncertain future. Dive into this captivating narrative that seamlessly blends modernity with classic romance tropes. Discover the allure of CrushReel's storytelling prowess as you immerse yourself in this gripping tale, available to read online at CrushReel for those seeking an escape into the world of love and intrigue.