Page 96 of Forged

“That doesn’t mean access to the estate.”

“It means proximity,” she replies calmly. “And proximity can turn into opportunity.”

The call grows quiet again as we study each other through the screen.

Finally, she speaks. “Gabriel, you understand the stakes of this assignment, right?”

Her tone remains even, but the words that follow send a chill down my spine.

“You’ve always been very good at separating work from emotion,” she continues.

I sit straighter in my chair. “And if the situation becomes complicated?”

Sera’s gaze doesn’t waver. “Then you remember why you accepted the job in the first place. And remember if you don’t succeed, I’ll distribute the emails to people who can make your life hell.”

The silence that follows stretches for several seconds before she reaches toward her keyboard.

“Keep me updated,” she says. “And remember, Mr. Santori, the Blackwater Key is your focus.”

The screen flickers as the connection drops and the office falls quiet again.

The doorto the penthouse opens and Lars steps inside, tall and broad-shouldered in a dark suit that fits him with effortless precision. The knot of his tie has loosened slightly, the top button of his shirt open, suggesting a long day. Behind him one of the security men lingers before the elevator doors close again.

Lars’ eyes brighten when he sees me and a sweet smile forms on his lips. There is always a moment when he looks at me like that, when the rest of the world fades into the background for a heartbeat before everything returns. The tension from the day eases from his shoulders as he crosses the living room.

“You’ve been busy,” I say, pushing away from the counter.

He reaches me a second later and the kiss he gives me is almost heartbreaking. It’s gentle and slow, his hand sliding around my waist while the other lifts to cradle the back of my neck. The warmth of his mouth sends a quiet rush of heat through me. The kiss carries relief, his muscles loosening beneath my hands. When he pulls back, his forehead brushes mine for a moment before he exhales.

“Long day,” he says.

I run my hand lightly down the front of his jacket, smoothing the fabric over his chest. “Did you win?”

His eyes brighten with amusement. “I usually do.”

That confidence should probably annoy me. Instead, it makes me smile.

I step back just enough to look at him properly. “Do you want a drink?”

“Later,” he says.

His hand remains at my waist for another second before he lets it fall, his eyes studying me with the quiet focus I’ve learned to recognize over the past few weeks.

Then he says something that makes my brows lift. “Get ready.”

I blink at him. “For what?”

Lars moves toward the kitchen island, loosening his tie the rest of the way before he sets his phone and keys on the counter. There is a lightness to him when he looks back at me.

“We’re having dinner.”

“That doesn’t explain the sudden urgency.”

His gaze holds mine for a moment longer before he answers. “With Gabriel.”

For a second I simply stare at him. Then a smile begins to spread across my face.

“Tonight?”