Page 172 of I See You

Harper blinked, genuinely surprised. "That’s cute."

He paused his typing, lifting his eyes to hers. "Cute is for puppies, love," he said smoothly, his tone laced with confidence, but not cockiness.

Hassan, standing nearby, cut his eyes between them, his jaw already tightening. "Y’all done?"

"Relax," Harper said, waving him off. "Just being polite."

Still, her gaze lingered on Von like she couldn’t help it. "Thanks again,Avoni," she said, voice low and sincere.

Von gave her a nod, smirk tugging at his lips. "Anytime."

He watched her as she walked out with Roman, her presence still lingering in the room like perfume.

Hassan shot him a look sharp enough to kill, but Von just turned back to the screens. Back to business. No words. No emotion. Just silence.

The house was spotless again. No trace. No evidence. No witnesses. Just like it never happened.

???

(ONE week later)

Sevyn sat at her desk, bathed in the soft glow of morningsunlight streaming through her office window. Her skin glistened, her expression calm—but inside, her body still pulsed with the aftershocks of the morning. Hassan had woken her up like she was his favorite meal, tongue deep between her thighs, devouring her like she was the only thing that mattered. Then after fucking her senseless, he’d rubbed her down, slow and intentional, easing every knot in her back until her limbs melted into his sheets. And when she tried toget dressed for work? He made that feel like a sin. The way he tugged at her waist, pulled her back into the bed, kissing her skin like he couldn’t let go... It took everything in her not to call in sick and stay buried in his world for just one more hour.

He was different now. Or maybe this was always who he was beneath the coldness, beneath the blood and scars and pain. The same man who once stormed into her office all ice and fury, who she'd seen take a man’s life without blinking—he was now the man who kissed her shoulders in the morning, who whispered against her skin, who held her like she was something soft in his hard world.

And she missed him already.

She tried to shake him from her thoughts, focusing on her client’s file, but her mind drifted again—to the way he moaned her name,the way he looked at her like he saw her soul and wanted to protect it. She’d been in love before—or thought she had. Braxton had given her theillusionofsafety.ButHassan?Hassanmadeherfeelwanted. Seen.Craved.

Her office phone rang, pulling her out of her daze. She clicked the receiver, adjusting her posture. Micah’s bubbly voice spilled through the speaker.

“Sevyn, your man is here to visit you!” Her brows furrowed.Your man?

Before Sevyn could correct her, Micah added, “I just sent him back,” then hung up with a cheerful click.

Sevyn’s stomach flipped.

Hassanwouldjustwalkin—notcaringtocheckinwithMicah.

Something was off.

Then came the knock. One that was too light. Too familiar.

Her eyes snapped to the door just as it opened—and her whole body tensed.

Braxton stepped inside like he owned the space, like months hadn’t passed since he broke her heart and betrayed her trust. The arrogance still lived in his eyes, that smug tilt of his lips acting like he had every right to be here. And it hit her—Micah didn’t know they had broken up. To her, Braxton was still "the man.”

Sevyn leaned back slowly, her expression hardening, heart racing. ThewarmthHassanhadpouredintoherthatmorning—the softness, the safety, the love—was quickly burning off in the presence ofthemanwhoonceshatteredher.Andforthefirsttimesincetheir breakup, Sevyn didn’t feel pain at the sight of Braxton.

She felt disgust. “Hey, Sevyn.”

Braxton’s voice was smooth, but the smirk tugging at his lips faltered the moment he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. His eyes roamed over her—slow and greedy—taking in the black slim-fit pantsuit that hugged her in all the right places. The blazer dipped just low enough to tease cleavage, classy but commanding, paired with black Louboutins that gave her height and power. Her curls were slicked into a tight bun, her cheekbones high, her skin glowing like peace itself had kissed her.

And it pissed him off.

He didn’t even have to guess why she was glowing—he knew. He’d been watching Hassan. Watching her. The photos he had burned in his back pocket: Sevyn laughing with Hassan at lunch, walking out of his car, the two of them looking... like something he’d never given her. Whole. Untouchable. Happy.

“What are you doing here, Braxton?” Sevyn’s voice cut clean through the silence. She stood now, leaning against her desk, arms folded with no warmth in her tone. “I’m working.”

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