The room sank into a tense rhythm. He worked in silence across from her, pen gliding over documents, the scratch of ink and the occasional click of his phone the only sounds. She tried to focus on numbers, on spreadsheets, but her hands shook too much, the keys clacking unevenly beneath her fingers. Every so often, she felt his eyes on her, deliberate and unreadable, and it made her stomach twist tighter.
The door opened without warning.
Luna swept inside, perfume preceding her, a tray balanced neatly in her hands. Two cups of steaming coffee sat beside a small plate of pastries, everything arranged as if she had rehearsed the presentation.
"You busy?" she asked lightly, setting the tray on the corner of his desk. Her tone was edged with possession, as though she wasn't asking a question but reminding him she had the right to walk in whenever she pleased.
Mark leaned back in his chair, his expression barely shifting, "Never too busy for you."
Lilly's fingers froze on the keyboard. Her chest tightened, but she forced herself to look at the screen as if the lines of numbers could shield her.
Only when Luna's smirk flicked in her direction did Lilly realize the performance wasn't just for Mark. It was for her.
"Well, then," Luna said smoothly. She extended her hand, palm up, "You look tense. Want me to help you with something?"
Mark's lips curved in something too subtle to be called a smile. He caught her hand, lifted it, and kissed her palm with deliberate slowness.
The sound of Lilly's typing grew louder, harsher, each keystroke betraying the storm inside her.
Luna circled behind him, fingers slipping onto his shoulders with practiced ease, "You work too hard," she murmured, kneading into his muscles, her voice a mix of intimacy and mockery, "Let me take care of you."
Mark closed his eyes, leaning back slightly into her touch, though not enough to look vulnerable. Just enough to look indulgent.
Lilly's throat ached with unsaid words. She told herself it was disgust, that she hated being in the room for this spectacle, but the truth was uglier. She hated how much it hurt. She hated the jealousy clawing at her chest.
Mark's eyes opened again, and for a brief, deliberate second, they found hers. His expression didn't soften. If anything, it sharpened, its satisfaction gleaming there like a blade. He knew exactly what he was doing.
Luna bent lower, whispering into his ear, but her gaze slid to Lilly, smug and challenging. He's mine, her eyes said. He chose me.
Heat burned in Lilly's face. Her chest rose and fell too quickly, anger and humiliation twisting together until she could hardly breathe. She dropped her gaze to the laptop, but the screen blurred. The numbers swam meaninglessly.
Luna's hand drifted lower, sliding over his chest as though to claim him in front of her, "Take a break," she teased, her voice warm and intimate, "You deserve it."
Mark didn't pull away. He lifted her hand again, pressing another kiss to her skin before answering, "Maybe later."
That was it.
Lilly's chair scraped loudly against the floor as she shoved it back. Both heads turned toward her, but she didn't falter. She stacked her files with shaking hands and forced the words out, each one clipped and cold.
"I'll finish this report from my desk."
Luna smirked, victory lighting her eyes. Mark said nothing, his expression unreadable, though the faintest curve of satisfaction lingered at his mouth.
And before Lilly could take a step, Mark's voice cut through the air, low and absolute, "No. You'll finish it here."
Lilly froze, her fingers tightening on the edge of the laptop. She lifted her gaze slowly, finding his eyes locked on hers, dark and steady, leaving no room for refusal.
The smirk slipped slightly from Luna's face, though she recovered quickly, masking it with a too-sweet smile as she lowered herself onto the armrest of Mark's chair. Mark didn't so much as glance at her; his attention never wavered from Lilly.
"Sit back down, Miss Levine," he said, the authority in his tone making her stomach twist, "You don't get to choose where you work when I've already decided."