Page 14 of Obey

Against all common sense, I said yes. I should’ve been alarmed by how tempting the offer sounded anyway.

The onboarding packet arrived an hour later in a glittering suite of PDFs. The benefits summary read like a love letter to wellness: catered lunches, therapy stipends, stock options, fitness stipends; yes, apparently there were two kinds.

Between the background check, the employment paperwork, and enough digital signatures to make my wrist ache, the days leading up to my start date had been a blur.

I wore one of my best pencil skirts, navy with the faintest chalk stripe, and a blouse the color of coconut cream. Trey insisted that I let him pay for a fresh blowout, because now I was a corporate baddie and there was no way I was showing up with messy ends. He’d even sent a note with the appointment: This is not about them, Sloane. It’s about you. Let that place know who’s boss.”

I kind of love my best friend.

“Ah! Fresh meat for the lions.” Jace’s gaze stays a beat too long before he looks away. “Relax. They don’t bite unless invited.”

He approaches, suit jacket hanging open, revealing a vest that hugs his torso like a second skin. His curls are slightly messy in a way that feels intentional, as if the man treats polish as a suggestion rather than a rule.

Before I can speak, he extends one of two coffee cups.

"Thank you, Mr. Narváez," I accept with practiced poise, my glossed lips curving slightly.

"Just Jace," he corrects, placing his cup on my desk with a theatrical flourish. "Unless you're into power dynamics, in which case we can negotiate my hourly rates."

He gestures toward my workstation. "Welcome to command central, where you'll see everything, and we'll see you. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?"

"Is that meant to reassure me?" I raise an eyebrow.

His smile widens, dimples making their guest star appearance, and damn if that doesn't make him even more attractive. I take a slow breath, trying to ignore the warmth spreading through my stomach. I've been here all of five minutes, and this man is already making it difficult to remember he's my boss.

"That depends entirely on whether you enjoy being watched as much as watching."

He guides me over to the office in the middle. With a casual flick of his fingers, the transparency shifts to frosted opacity, then back again.

"Privacy when we need it," Jace explains. "Transparency when we don't."

I take a sip of coffee. "How wonderfully professional."

"I have my moments." His grin suggests he's particularly proud of this one. "Come on. I'll show you around."

As we pass the executive offices, Jace taps the badge clipped to my blouse. "The fourteenth floor is where Nate, Elias and I live. On occasion you may see some of the other staff but not many people get unrestricted access up here, Sugar."

"How many is not many?"

"Department leads, board members, a handful of senior staff. And even they have restrictions. Business hours, approved meetings, but there are certain days when this floor is completely off-limits."

I glance at my badge. "And me?"

"You work directly for all three of us. Your access doesn't expire at five."

"Nathaniel agreed to that?"

Jace laughs. "You have no idea how much convincing that took."

First stop on the tour: a lounge where black velvet couches perch on gold legs like exotic cats. The bookshelves hold volumes with titles that make my cheeks warm. Less How to Close the Deal and more How to Make Them Beg for It.

Shaking my head, I turn and pause at the sight of a padlocked door with a gleaming handle at the back of the room. “What’s through there?” I ask, curiosity tugging at me harder than it probably should.

Jace’s grin flashes briefly before disappearing.

Okay. So definitely something illegal. Or expensive. Possibly both.

“Some secrets are earned, not given,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my ear. “And Nate decides what you’re ready to learn.”