I was so fucking tired. With the jet lag, the overnighters, and especially the constant worrying about Phoenix, I'd barely gotten any sleep this past week. My phone was glued to my hands all day, every day, waiting for a text, a call, anything, really... 

On a road trip. Connor and I are taking care of him. Don't worry, we'll be back by Wednesday's meeting.

That was the only message I'd received by Idir, not-so-subtly telling me to stop blowing up his phone. I couldn't help it; I was worried as hell. Not just about Phoenix and his health, but also about the fact that he hadn't said a thing. Not a single word.

Last time he'd gone on a road trip, he'd at least texted me to make sure I didn't worry.

This time, I hadn't deserved that honor, it seemed.

"Michael, do you need me for this? I was here this morning already," Liam grumbled, taking a long drag from his vape pen. The cloud of artificial cherry scents made me scrunch my nose, and I shot him a glare. I fucking hated seeing his face here, hated that I had to see him not once, but twice today. After this morning's supervisor meeting, we were now waiting for Michael to start the official team business.

Team business meant everyone had to be here.

Everyone, including Phoenix. So far, there was no sight of him or Idir, though.

"Just a minute," Michael said, rolling his eyes at Liam. He glanced at his expensive watch, the sunlight reflecting right into my eyes. I squinted in annoyance, rubbing my eyelids just as I heard the door opening behind me.

It took a second to adjust my sight, the blindness slowly evaporating along with the fog Liam had created. But then I saw him.

Phoenix entered the room, Idir right on his heels. I blinked a few times, trying to sharpen my view, and also trying to understand he was really here. Phoenix was really right in front of me, dressed in all black and looking ready to fight a war.

To my surprise, he didn't take a seat next to Idir, who now approached the rest of Phoenix's team. Instead, he moved further into the room, came to a stop next to Michael, and gave him a quick hug. The two shared a few hushed words, while all I could do was stare at the exchange, until Michael turned back around to face the room, and with it the few dozen Azure employees.

"Okay, everyone. Phoenix requested to say a few words to all of you. Shut up and listen."

I would've laughed at his brazenness if it wasn't for the way Phoenix stood next to him, taller than I'd ever seen him and with determination imprinted in every fiber of his being. He cleared his throat as Michael took a seat next to him, casually waving his hand around to make Phoenix continue.

"I'll make this quick." Phoenix caught up with Michael's request. His gaze flicked around the room, taking in every single employee with a stare I had never seen in him before; he oozed power and confidence, the fire in his eyes leaving no room for interpretation.

"Most of you have heard of the media shit storm that's come my way, with Williams and his filthy hands all up in our business."

The majority of employees nodded, some of them ashamed. Phoenix glanced around the room once more, his eyes zeroing on everyone but me. Watching how he purposefully avoided my usual spot just a couple of feet away from him — close to Michael — really fucking hurt. I hadn't seen him in a week, and all I wanted to do was pull him into my arms, but he didn't even register my presence.

"Most of you also know about my mother." His gaze now flicked to Liam, who sat there like a smug little child. I could practically see the daggers flying in his direction, Phoenix's stare as lethal as he was.

But then he glanced down at the table, at a pile of papers right in front of him. I narrowed my eyes at the stack, and then glanced over at Idir, who shot me a look that told me to be patient.

Great. 'Cause I was so good at that.

"Most of you also know about Florence and me." That statement ripped me out of my thoughts and forced my attention back to Phoenix, who still hadn't looked at me. He emanated power and confidence as he stared back at the few dozen employees in the room who'd broken into hushed chatter, his voice practically booming through the room. "Does any one of you have anything to say to me, or her, about that?" He nodded his head in my direction, not averting his gaze.

I couldn't help but watch him, wondering where exactly he was going with this. What was his endgame?

A statement from the other side of the room made me look away, though. "Yeah, I do, actually." It was Jonathan who'd spoken up, Liam's right-hand man and the guy I'd kicked out of the gym so many months ago. "Why should we care about whatever the fuck it is you're doing behind closed doors?"

Huh. Not what I'd expected.

"Great question," Phoenix retorted, sliding the stack of papers across the table. Idir grabbed onto it and handed one to each person.

My eyes instantly flew to the top of my sheet.

Non-Disclosure Agreement

What the hell?

I skimmed over the page, trying to make sense of the words. I didn't make it far, though, because I stopped at the letterhead to the right, naming the lawyer who'd drawn this up.

Amara.

What?

Fuck. My head hurt.

"This agreement concerns anyone working with Florence or me," Phoenix spoke loud and clear, his presence tall and intimidating in the room. "Since I'm number one driver, and Florence practically leads this entire damn team... That includes all of you." Hushed chatter broke out in the room, but Phoenix shut it down before it could evolve. "I know many of you are confused, but this is a simple addendum to the contract all of you have already signed. It makes sure none of the personal issues discussed in the works of this team make it out into the public. This goes for both my business and yours. We're protecting each other with this."

Most people simply nodded, not seeming to bother much about yet another confidentiality agreement. It was all this sport was about, after all.

"What does that mean?" Jonathan asked, looking utterly confused.

Phoenix stood up straight, flicking a pen between his fingers, letting it dance the way he'd always done. "What it means, Jonathan, is that you all better stop talking crap about my business. What it means is that I will hunt each and everyone of you down if I see Florence's name or mine in any of those tabloids. That includes our families, friends, and anyone who deserves that protection." He leaned forward on the desk, his pen slamming on the table. "What it means is I will not stand for any of the disrespect this team has received in the past weeks. Cross me, and you'll regret it."

Silence. Wide eyes stared at each other, disbelief written on everyone's faces.

That wasn't the Phoenix these people knew. Yeah, he'd been brash and arrogant, and maybe a little rude at times. But Phoenix had never exerted his power this way, had never stood in front of all those guys and threatened their careers and lives.

"Wait, so I can't tell anyone about the shit that happens here?" The voice made me glance in Liam's direction. It took a second to realize it wasn't Liam who'd spoken, though. It was Jonathan, who sat right next to him. "That's bullshit!"

Phoenix raised a brow at him. "First, you're not allowed to talk about anything happening here, in general. That's how this industry works. Second, we all profit from this agreement. None of what I know about any of you all will make it out of this room. And believe me, I know a lot." His words were a threat, delivered with precision and sharpness that sliced straight through the thick tension in the room.

The charged energy almost made me dizzy, and I watched how Jonathan swallowed a few times, his eyes then flicking back to the paper in front of him.

This discussion was over.

"Wait, what? You can't stop me from talking about this shitty ass job," Liam now chimed in, taking another drag of his vape pen.

With the weaponized stare Phoenix was now focusing on Liam, I fully expected him to jump over that table and punch him right in the face. The daggers he'd been shooting in his direction evolved into genuine, teflon-coated bullets, aiming straight at Drexler's ugly head.

I braced myself to intercept Phoenix on his way to Liam, but to my surprise... He didn't move. Instead, a grin curled on Phoenix's lips. It was a grin so mischievous that I practically fell back in my chair, astonishment now making me watch the interaction with wide eyes.

"I take it you haven't realized you're the only one not holding one of those agreements in your hands, right?"

"What?" Liam glanced at his hands and then at the rest of us, eyes wandering across the table. "Well, no, but I won't sign, anyway."

"Good, 'cause I'm not asking you to." Phoenix was as calm as the sea, his gaze flicking to Jonathan. "Are you signing or not?"

Jonathan glanced from Liam to Phoenix, then to me, questions written all over his face. This conversation was way out of his league.

"Um... I guess?" he said, sounding like he was doubting himself.

"Great." Phoenix shoved the pen in his direction, waiting until Jonathan had signed his name on the dotted line. The second the pen met the table, Phoenix shot him a smirk. "Congratulations, you just got promoted."

"What?!" Liam jumped from his seat. "You can't promote him. That'd mean he gets my job!"

"Nice observation skills, Drexler. You're fired."

For the nth time today, silence surrounded us. All eyes were set on Liam, who now stared at Phoenix in disbelief.

"You're a driver. You can't fire me," he said, sounding as privileged as he was.

"Well..." Phoenix glanced down at Michael, who had a content smile on his face.

"What?" our boss asked, as if he hadn't just witnessed the most outrageous meeting in the history of this team.

"Liam says I can't fire him," Phoenix explained.

"Oh." Michael nodded, leaning back in his chair before glancing at Liam. "Well, I can. You're fired. Bye-bye. Auf Wiedersehen. Adieu, oder wie auch immer," he muttered, nonchalantly waving his hand around.

Liam was already out of his seat, shouting profanities through the entire room. "Michael! You're a grownup! Think about what you're doing!"

"And you're a child, Liam. That's all you are." Michael shrugged, the casualness in his statements almost comical.

Liam seethed, his glare flicking from Michael to Phoenix. I wouldn't have been surprised if steam had come out of his ears, honestly.

Or, rather, vape clouds.

"I'll destroy you!" Liam yelled, pointing a finger at Phoenix.

"Go ahead and try." Phoenix smirked, standing up straight. "Don't forget who I'm related to, though. Or do you want me to go into detail about your close friendship with Sebastian Williams?"

Liam blinked a few times. "You don't know anything!"

"I know more than you ever feared I could, Drexler. Now leave before I make you."

Something about the way he spoke was so threatening, I could feel how some others in the room wanted to bolt out the door. The energy in here was charged with a danger that was so unlike anything I'd ever seen in Phoenix, that I couldn't help but stare at him.

He watched how Liam muttered a response and then finally left, the door slamming shut behind him. The sigh leaving Phoenix's throat could be felt even from where I was sitting, relief washing over me like a warm blanket.

"Alright, anyone else who wants to discuss this?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Good." Phoenix turned to Idir. "Make sure they all have signed before Michael adjourns the meeting."

"Will do, brother."

"Thanks." He directed his gaze at the rest of the room now, his eyes more sincere than before. "And thank every one of you for being so loyal. It really means a lot."

Our team muttered a quiet response, each employee voicing their own gratitude or astonishment for whatever the hell it was that had just transpired here. I was in a daze, watching how everyone signed the contracts, chatting with their neighbors.

"Florence, you coming?" The voice ripped me out of my stare, and I braced myself to finally meet Phoenix's gaze. But instead, he was already at the door, his back turned to me.

With my heart thundering in my chest, I gathered my papers, wallet, and phone, pressing them hard against my chest as I followed Phoenix out of the room. He didn't say a word, didn't look back to see if I was behind him — he simply led me through the paddock, down the hallway and into the offices.

By the time we'd arrived at my office door, I was a mess. My palms were sweaty, my fingers shaky, and my character somewhere in the puddle of awe that'd built from Phoenix's behavior. Why couldn't he just look at me?

The key card slipped between my fingers a couple of times, nervousness and a little fear making me tremble. Phoenix picked up the card when it fell the third time, swiftly opening the door with a beep. He stormed inside, waiting behind the door until I'd entered, then pushed it shut.

The click announcing our solitude made me gulp — every nerve in my body was working in overdrive, a dangerous mix of anticipation and fear bubbling in the pit of my stomach.

It took every ounce of strength I had left in me to look up at him, to expect my heart to explode from the simplest glance he shot me. But before I could even turn my back away from the door, I was pressed right against it, Phoenix's muscular hands caging me in against the solid wood. My eyes closed upon impact, but I smelled his familiar scent, felt his breath travel down my neck as he inhaled deeply.

"Look at me," he said, his voice gently commanding.

I swallowed hard, trying to make the lump in my throat disappear. My heart hammered in my chest as I gathered all the courage I had left to tip my chin up and look at him, bracing myself for his steely gaze.

But when I opened my eyes, I was met with one thing and one thing only:

Love.

Phoenix's green eyes glimmered with warmth and admiration, a complete one-eighty from what I'd seen minutes before. He cupped my face with his rough fingers, his thumbs stroking my cheek. My heart bled when he glanced at his hands, his gaze turning soft and worried. The contact of his firm grip on my wet skin made me shudder, and I took a deep breath, trying to savor this moment, until I realized...

Wait, was I crying?

I blinked a few times, feeling the heaviness of my lashes as more drops fell on my skin.

Phoenix's worry turned into utter panic as he wiped my cheeks, the saltiness stinging my skin. "What's wrong? I'm sorry. Tell me what's wrong, please."

What was wrong? I didn't even know anymore. My emotions were all over the place — from his silence over the past week, his behavior at the office today, to the way he just looked at me at that moment; with a vulnerability and love I felt deep in my bones, too. It was all there, all explained with a single look.

"You couldn't even look at me," I choked out. "You've been away for a week and all I wanted to do was to see you, feel you, be with you... And you couldn't even look at me."

"Florence..." He breathed, resting his forehead against mine.

"Being away from you was torture, and then you don't even—" I stopped myself, fearing to slip into a panic. My entire body trembled from emotion, and I tried to take deep, rhythmic breaths to calm myself. But for the first time since I'd learned this technique, it didn't work.

"I know. I'm sorry," Phoenix choked out, moving so he could look at me. His stormy gaze calmed me in an instant, and I found myself just watching the flecks in his green irises, soothing my troubled soul with his chaos. "It was unfair to just leave like that, I know that. I just... It was too much, Flo. I'm not invincible."

With one hand pressing my belongings to my chest, I used the other to run my fingers through his scruffy jaw. The tightness in my chest eased with every inch of him I had under my fingertips. Never in my life had I expected his absence to matter so much to me. Never in my life had I thought I could crave a man's mere attention so intensely. I'd always prided myself on being independent and strong. I still was — probably even much more than before — but I'd opened my heart for him. He owned it now, had the power to make me lose control, much more elaborately than he probably even realized.

"I couldn't look at you because I knew I'd lose my focus the second I set my eyes on you, Flo. I couldn't look at you because I was well aware you'd have every shred of my attention, because that's what you deserve. So I'm sorry for leaving, but I won't apologize for knowing you're the axis my entire world shifts around."

His words took my breath away, even more than the love in his eyes could. It was all too much; too much emotion, too much longing, too much of us.

"I'm sorry too." It was the only thing I knew to say. "For everything. I should've talked to you, should've never kept it from you in the first place. I was... I was just so scared."

"Scared of what?"

I'd had enough time on my own to answer that question.

"Scared of losing you," I whispered. My heart ached from the mere thought, and I sucked in a shaky breath, watching how my fingers crossed his beard. "I was terrified, thought I've fucked it all up, and then you didn't even look at me today and I just, I thought—"

Phoenix tapped up my chin, his fiery gaze silencing me.

"You didn't think I'd leave you, did you?" he asked, and I bit my lip to keep myself quiet.

I knew he wouldn't. I prayed he wouldn't. But there was that sliver of doubt that came rushing back to me, that told me history would repeat itself, and this time I was the one being sent away. It was terrifying — never in my life had I doubted my beliefs that much.

"I told you, Florence Lucia Nyx." Phoenix kissed my nose, his voice as soft as his touch. "I'm not going anywhere. You might be goddess of the night, but you've taught me to read braille with the stars. I'll find my way back to you, again and again."

Another wave of tears stung in my eyes, and I swallowed hard to keep myself steady. "I love you." It was all I knew to say — the essence of who I was.

"I love you, too."

"Good," I breathed, a mountain of relief now falling off my shoulders. My body was still shaking, the heaviness of this moment, along with the desire burning in my veins, creating a potion that was as dark as the night. "Can you please kiss me now? I'm—"

He didn't even let me finish. In one swift motion, his lips were on mine, sending my belongings to the ground. All the gentle love confessions and constellations of our stars vanished the second we made contact, his body heat smashing straight into me.

Phoenix hoisted me up and pushed me against the door, making me forget all about where and who I was. All I could do was wrap my legs around his waist, gasping from the collision of our bodies, from the firm possessiveness of his touch.

Uncensored desire burned through my fingertips as I pulled him closer, my fingers digging into his back. Lust tainted his tongue as he deepened the kiss, exploring every inch of my mouth like he'd memorized it years ago. My heart hammered so violently in my chest — I was sure he could feel just how exhilarated I was, just how much I'd missed him, his touch, and everything that he was.

"Fuck. I missed you." He spoke my mind, reaching to my left to lock the door.

"Phoenix," I groaned, already sensing what he was planning to do. This was still my office, after all.

"Fuck them." He read my mind, kissing me so deeply that I forgot my own name for a damn second. "Nothing can stop me from doing what I know you want me to do right now."

Proving his point, he let his lips wander over my jaw, my neck, my collarbone, until they were finally right between my breasts. His teeth grazed over the skin my Azure polo shirt exposed, leaving a scorching trail of passion in its wake.

"Fuck..." I swallowed hard, holding on to him for dear life.

He continued his attack on my senses, his kisses running along every exposed inch of skin he could find. "This needs to go," he muttered, tugging at the hem of my shirt. His fingers skimmed my naked skin as he pulled it over my head, the sudden touch making me giggle. Phoenix froze the second my shirt met the floor, my amusement still echoing through the room.

"What?" I asked, tugging at his shirt and disposing of it the same way he did. It landed on the ground, the sound making me focus back on the man holding me upright.

And as we looked at each other just then, half naked and exposed, I, too, stopped breathing.

Because Phoenix was so damn stunning, I really ceased to believe I existed in the same timeline as him, yet alone had the honor of being in his arms, experiencing his touch. The way he stared at me drove me insane — practically undressing every inch of my body with a single bat of his eyelashes.

Heat pooled between my legs, and I squirmed in his arms, gasping for air. The only place I could find it was with him, and so I kissed him again, rough, determined, possessively.

"Door or desk?" His whisper brushed over my lips, but I was nowhere near sane enough to make a decision like that. All I could do was deepen the kiss, and apparently, that was answer enough.

Because a split second later, Phoenix tightened his grip around my thighs and carried me to the desk. I bathed in the taste of his tongue as he set me on the hard surface, moaned when his fingers traced their way down my stomach and into my shorts, sending jolting sparks through my veins with every inch he'd uncovered.

We were a mess of entangled limbs, of fire and devotion, all curling up into a ball of heat that now traveled down my body. With hasty fingers, I unbuckled his belt, the mere sound making my skin tingle in anticipation. Phoenix followed the movement, his hands coming around my wrist as soon as we were both undressed and needy.

He put my hands above my head, making me lean backward and on the desk, which was overflowing with work. Untangling myself from his grasp, I swiped the documents to the ground, the sound of paper hitting the tile floor now reverberating through the room.

Phoenix stood in silence, watching until I'd laid down back on the desk, his eyes wide and glimmering with lust. I was fully at his mercy, lying in front of him, begging him to take me.

"Kinky," he quipped, knowing as well as I did that I'd never disrespected my work.

Well, guess there was a first for everything.

"Anything for you," I whispered, surprising myself with how out of breath I was. Phoenix jumped on instantly, his body aligning with mine as he leaned down to kiss me again, short and rough.

"You have to be quiet." He ran one hand down my body, letting two fingers dip between my legs.

"I thought you wouldn't let them stop you." I practically moaned the words, biting my bottom lip as he pushed two fingers into me.

"Fuck, you're so wet..." he hushed, spreading the pleasure over my center. "And no, I won't let them stop me, but they don't deserve to hear you, either. That's my privilege." He pushed into me again, and as if to prove my point, silenced me with a kiss the second a moan bubbled in my throat.

It was infuriating, how much he knew exactly where to touch me to make me squirm, how the simplest contact of our bodies made me crave so much more.

"I don't know if I can do that," I admitted, breathing out. My body was on fire; every inch of me listening to the slightest move he made.

Phoenix kissed my neck, removing his fingers from my center, painfully slowly. "You can do anything you set your mind to, Florence Nyx." His breath was hot on my skin, and I could feel him aligning himself at my center.

Thank fuck for that IUD I'd gotten weeks ago.

"I don't know if that's—" Phoenix pushed himself into me, and before I could even feel the cry leaving my throat, shut me up with a kiss that made my head spin. He swallowed my pleas, held my disapproval right between his fingertips on my wrist. I almost winced from the possessiveness he exerted on me, the closeness of his body making it hard to breathe. But the second I felt him halt, felt how he wanted to make sure I was okay, I kissed him back, roughly and with a passion that hopefully told him I was on board.

I trusted him.

Never in my life had I given up this much power to anyone, and never in my life had I seen Phoenix this determined, this sharp. He was right here with me, listening to our bodies, giving them exactly what we needed with every thrust of his hips. The passion driving into me made me see stars, and I dug my finger into his back as I closed my eyes, needing his body beneath my fingertips as a compass.

With one hand in my hair, and the other pushing my stomach closer to him, he had me exactly where he wanted me: at his mercy. He didn't ease into it, he didn't ask for permission — he just took what he wanted, claimed what he knew was already his.

"Look at me," he said, kissing me again. The second he left my lips, I abided, staring up at his hooded eyes. He was subliminally sexy like that; sweaty, fervent, and so damn stormy that I practically felt how he turned my entire world upside down.

The sight was too much for me to bear; I felt myself creeping closer and closer to insanity; the journey making me close my eyes once more. Instantly, Phoenix slowed his movements, his thrusts now painfully slow.

"Don't stop," I whined, not knowing where to release all that passion burning inside me. But Phoenix didn't listen — this was his lesson to teach me. He'd claimed his life back, had regained control over everything he was. He was teaching me I was a part of him.

"Look at me, and I won't," he said, his voice as dark as the ocean and commanding like a God.

And even though every inch of me wanted to fight him, wanted to prove how I wouldn't listen to anyone... I was at his mercy. I was physically unable to keep my eyes shut, my entire body forcing me to look at him, to give him what he craved.

The second I did, he delivered. His gaze was so damn stormy that my stomach erupted in hot, sinful lightning when he pushed into me again, unabashedly rough.

"Fuck," I yelped, biting my lip. I desperately needed him to kiss me, desperately needed him to keep me from moaning out his name for everyone to hear. But the look in his eyes told me he wouldn't; it told me he wanted to watch me, wanted me to watch him.

So that's all I could do, and it was the sexiest fucking thing I'd ever done. At one point, I had to bite my arm to stop the cries from bubbling to the surface, the mere look on his face when he gave me the ultimate pleasure bringing me to edge and back, multiple times. I was high on all sorts of endorphins, seeing entire galaxies of stars with the first two orgasms.

To my surprise, he didn't slow when I closed my eyes to come down from my second high. He kept going, stopping me at the brink of insanity and pushing me even further, testing the limits. With every stroke of him inside me, with every hushed profanity coming from his lips, I approached sinful madness.

"Phoenix, please, I can't—" I begged, but he silenced me with a kiss that sent me straight over the edge. He swallowed my orgasm, held me tightly as I felt his release, our fingers digging into each other's skin. The burn of his touch somehow prolonged the experience, my lungs unable to catch up with my heart. "Fuck." I inhaled deeply, pulling him into me.

Phoenix hid his face in the crook of my neck, his shaky breath cooling my skin. "Holy shit," he shuddered, placing gentle kisses on my neck. We stayed like that for a few seconds, embracing the moment. "Are you okay?" he finally asked, gently pushing himself off me.

I nodded, still too clouded to form a coherent sentence. All I could do was stare at this now so gentle man, the gentleness in his touch when he brushed a lock of hair out of my face seeming too unreal after what'd just transpired.

"Are you?" I asked, cupping his jaw.

"More than." He kissed the palm of my hand with a smile that took my breath away, the sincerity in his eyes warming my heart.

I couldn't help but stare at him, studying every inch of this magnificent being. All fears, all doubts, all insignificant worries disappeared into thin air when he held me in his arms, when he looked at me like I was his world.

"I love you." I'd bring all the stars down to earth if that's what it took to keep him with me, to convince him the world was as much his as it was mine.

The beam on his lips stole my heart, and it soared even more when he uttered his next words. "I love you, too, Florence. To the moon and back."

Because that was all that mattered, all that made sense in this world.

Our souls, our bodies, our every cell sharing a love that wasn't made for earth. It was a love made to survive entire universes of our existence.

And I'd love him in each and every one of them.

Author's Note

Hey, folks!

Phew, this one was... A lot. Emotional, steamy, dramatic. All we need, right? Hah.

Hope you enjoyed it. I hate to say it, but we're nearing the end slowly. Tying together loose ends and adding a few fun chapters now, but it's the finishing sprint!

Again, thank you all for your support.

Lots of love as always to all of you. Stay safe.

xx Jane