Power Games

Clara's POV

The private elevator descended smoothly into Nathan Chen's secret underground facility. His hand rested possessively on my lower back, the heat of his touch burning through the silk of my dress. The kiss we'd shared in his penthouse still lingered on my lips, an unwanted distraction from the gravity of my situation.

"Impressed?" His voice held that arrogant edge that had made lesser men crumble in boardrooms across Manhattan.

I forced myself to remain calm despite his proximity. "It takes more than a few hidden tunnels to impress me, Mr. Chen."

"Nathan." His fingers tightened slightly on my waist. "And somehow, I doubt that's true. You've been watching me for months, haven't you, Clara?"

My heart skipped. In my previous life, I'd never known Nathan had noticed me before Alexander's betrayal. "I don't know what you mean."

The elevator stopped, opening into a luxuriously appointed bunker that looked more like a five-star hotel suite. Nathan guided me inside, his touch both