Bound By Fire

The next morning, the air in the office felt charged, as if everyone was waiting for something to happen. Kian couldn't tell if the tension was real or if he was just projecting his own unease. He had spent the night tossing and turning, Adrian's text playing on repeat in his mind.

Be careful, Kian. I mean it.

He had told himself to ignore it, to chalk it up to Adrian's controlling tendencies, but deep down, the warning lingered. Adrian wasn't the kind of person to waste words, especially not on something trivial.

Kian sat at his desk, staring blankly at his computer screen. The Rowland campaign was finally complete, and with the client presentation scheduled for later that afternoon, there wasn't much left to do. He should've felt relieved, but instead, his mind was a storm of unanswered questions.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching his cubicle. He looked up to see Marcus leaning casually against the wall, holding two coffees again.

"Morning," Marcus said with his usual easy smile, holding out one of the cups.

Kian hesitated, his unease bubbling to the surface. "You really don't have to keep doing this."

Marcus shrugged, setting the cup on Kian's desk anyway. "It's just coffee, Kian. Don't overthink it."

Kian forced a small smile, though his nerves were already fraying. "Thanks."

Marcus took a sip of his own coffee, his green eyes sharp as they studied Kian. "You look like you didn't sleep much. Everything okay?"

Kian tensed, unsure how much to share. "Just busy. The campaign's been a lot."

Marcus nodded, his expression understanding. "Makes sense. You've been carrying the weight of this thing from the start."

Kian shifted uncomfortably, unsure how to respond. Before he could say anything, Marcus leaned in slightly, lowering his voice.

"Listen, I wanted to ask you something," Marcus said, his tone casual but laced with curiosity. "What's the deal with Blackwell?"

Kian's stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"

Marcus shrugged again, though there was a flicker of something calculated in his expression. "I mean, he's... intense. Always watching, always calculating. Doesn't it get exhausting working so closely with someone like that?"

Kian frowned, his defenses immediately rising. "He's demanding, sure, but he gets results. That's just how he is."

"Maybe," Marcus said, tilting his head thoughtfully. "But don't you think it's a little... much? The way he hovers over you, like he's got some kind of personal stake in everything you do?"

Kian's jaw tightened. "He's my boss. That's his job."

Marcus raised his hands in mock surrender. "Fair enough. I just think it's interesting, that's all."

Kian's mind raced as Marcus straightened and took another sip of his coffee. Was this what Adrian had been warning him about? Marcus's seemingly harmless curiosity felt heavier now, as if there was more beneath the surface than he was letting on.

"Well," Marcus said, breaking the silence, "I'll let you get back to it. Good luck with the presentation later."

Kian watched as Marcus walked away, his chest tight with unease.

---

The presentation went off without a hitch. The clients were impressed, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and Kian felt a surge of pride as Adrian wrapped up the meeting with his signature confidence.

But even as the team celebrated back in the office, Kian couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Adrian had been unusually quiet during the post-presentation debrief, his sharp eyes occasionally darting toward Marcus, who stood at the edge of the group, chatting with a few colleagues.

When the meeting finally ended and the others began filtering out of the conference room, Adrian called Kian over.

"Stay for a moment," Adrian said, his tone calm but firm.

Kian nodded, lingering by the table as the last of their coworkers left. Marcus glanced back briefly before stepping out, his expression unreadable.

Once they were alone, Adrian turned to Kian, his gray eyes piercing. "How are you feeling about today?"

Kian frowned. "Good. The presentation went well."

Adrian nodded slowly, his gaze steady. "It did. You handled yourself well."

Kian blinked, caught off guard by the rare compliment. "Thanks."

Adrian leaned against the table, his expression softening slightly. "But I need you to stay sharp, Kian. Things are shifting, and I don't want you to get caught off guard."

Kian's stomach twisted. "Are we back to talking about Marcus?"

Adrian's jaw tightened, but he didn't deny it. "I know you think I'm being paranoid, but I've seen his type before. He's not here to make friends, and he's certainly not here to help you."

Kian crossed his arms, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "You keep saying that, but you haven't given me a single reason to believe it. What are you so afraid of?"

Adrian's eyes darkened, his voice dropping. "I'm not afraid, Kian. I'm cautious. There's a difference."

The tension between them crackled like static, the air in the room growing heavier. Kian wanted to push back, to demand answers, but the look in Adrian's eyes stopped him.

"I'm not asking you to trust me blindly," Adrian said finally, his voice quieter now. "I'm asking you to be careful. That's all."

Kian's chest tightened, his mind a storm of conflicting emotions. He hated how much Adrian's protectiveness affected him, how it left him feeling both smothered and strangely reassured.

"I'll think about it," Kian said reluctantly.

Adrian nodded, his expression unreadable. "That's all I ask."

---

Later that evening, as Kian sat in his apartment, nursing a glass of wine and trying to unwind, his phone buzzed with a new message.

---

Marcus Calloway:

Hey, Kian. Great work on the presentation today. Drinks soon?

---

Kian stared at the message, his chest tightening. He wanted to believe Marcus's intentions were harmless, but Adrian's warnings echoed in his mind, louder than ever.

Be careful who you trust.

With a shaky breath, Kian set his phone down, the unanswered message glaring up at him like a question he didn't know how to answer.