June stared at Isaac, completely paralyzed. The words "Well disciplined" echoed in her brain, short-circuiting her thoughts. She forgot to fix her face into a scowl.
Isaac waves his hand dismissively at the head butler. "Take them upstairs to wash up. They are confined to their rooms until I say otherwise."
The boys shot June looks of pure venom before slumping their shoulders and following the butler up the grand staircase.
The hall emptied in seconds. Only June and Isaac remained, standing amidst the wreckage of the vase.
Isaac shrugged off his suit jacket and tossed it onto the back of the sofa. He reached up and slowly loosened his silk tie as he walked toward her.
The cold, detached CEO mask was gone. In its place was a raw, predatory energy that made the hair on June's arms stand up.
Her survival instinct kicked in. She took a step backward, but her spine hit the solid wood of the staircase banister. She was trapped.
Isaac closed the distance. He planted one large hand on the banister right beside her waist, caging her in.
He tilted his head down. His eyes roamed over her face, dissecting every micro-expression.
"You used to treat them like fragile glass just to play the role of the perfect, loving mother," Isaac said, his voice dropping an octave, vibrating with pressure."But today, you hit him. Tell me, June, what new script are you writing?"
June's heart slammed against her ribs. He knew. He knew she was acting differently. If he figured out she wasn't the real June, she was dead.
"Warning!" the system shrieked. "Identity compromise imminent. Execute 'Brainless Drama' defense protocol immediately!"
June clenched her jaw. She forced the panic out of her eyes and replaced it with a look of utter, bored annoyance.
She rolled her eyes dramatically and let out a loud huff. "A script? You give them too much credit."
She lifted her hand and poked her index finger hard against the solid muscle of his chest, trying to push him back. "They were giving me a headache, and I have a SPA appointment to get to."
Isaac didn't budge. Instead, his hand shot up and caught her finger. He wrapped his large palm around her hand, holding it flat against his chest.
His skin was burning hot. The heat seared through her skin, making her fingers tremble. She tried to yank her hand back, but his grip was iron.
Isaac's eyes darkened with a strange, dangerous amusement. "Is that so? You broke your carefully crafted image over a massage?"
He lifted his free hand. His long fingers reached toward her face. He gently caught a loose curl of hair that had fallen against her cheek and tucked it behind her ear.
The gesture was shockingly intimate. The rough pad of his thumb brushed against her sensitive earlobe. A violent shiver ripped through June's entire body.
Isaac leaned in closer, his lips hovering inches from her ear. His voice was a rough whisper. "You're acting very strange lately, June. So strange... it's almost a pleasant surprise."
The word "surprise" hit June like a physical blow. Her stomach dropped. This was bad. This was very, very bad.
Pure panic gave her a burst of adrenaline. She shoved both hands hard against his chest, breaking his hold.
She spun around and bolted up the stairs as fast as her heels would allow, her injured calf throbbing in sharp, stinging protest with every step she took, though she didn't stop.
She glanced over her shoulder, throwing out a desperate, defensive line. "Don't touch me! You ruined my hair!"
Isaac stood at the bottom of the stairs. He didn't chase her.
He slowly lifted the hand that had touched her hair. He rubbed his thumb and index finger together, a slow, deeply possessive smirk curving his lips.
June reached the second-floor landing and slammed her back against the wall. She gasped for air, her heart threatening to crack her ribs.
She closed her eyes in despair. Her stupid, shallow excuse hadn't fooled him at all. It had only made the predator more interested in the prey.
