BOUND BY OBSESSION

HERMIONE

The restaurant is packed, the scent of grilled seafood and spices filling the air as I slide into the booth. My friends—Lia, Isabelle, Seraphine, and Claire—are already halfway through a pitcher of sangria, and judging by their knowing smirks, I'm about to be interrogated.

"Finally!" Lia exclaims, flipping her sleek hair over her shoulder. "We were about to send a search party."

"I was working," I say, setting my bag down.

"Working… or getting flustered by your new billionaire boss?" Seraphine smirks over her wine glass.

I groan. "Not this again."

"Oh, absolutely this," Isabelle cuts in. "You dropped a bomb in our group chat—'Dylan Voss offered me a job.' Then radio silence. We need details, ma'am."

Claire, always the most level-headed, raises an eyebrow. "And don't try to downplay it. This man does not hire random people. He's strategic. If he picked you, there's a reason."

I roll my eyes, reaching for a breadstick. "Because I'm good at my job?"

"Uh-huh," Lia hums. "And totally not because he's obsessed with you."

I nearly choke. "What?!"

Seraphine grins. "Please. Have you seen the way he looks at you? And don't act like you didn't notice how intense he was at that party."

"He's intense with everyone."

"No, babe," Lia drawls. "There's intense, and then there's I'd burn down a city for you intensely. And that man? He's category five hurricane level obsessed."

I shake my head. "You're all reading too much into this."

Claire leans forward, tapping her manicured nails against her glass. "Okay, let's be rational. What exactly did he say when he offered you the job?"

I sigh, knowing there's no escaping this. "He said he's taking over Voss Enterprise next month and needs people he can trust. He also made it very clear that he had me researched before even considering me."

Seraphine whistles. "The man did his homework."

Lia grins. "Translation: He's been watching you."

"It's not like that," I argue. "He's just thorough."

Isabelle tilts her head. "Right. And does your thorough boss always invade your personal space like he did at the meeting?"

I open my mouth to argue but pause.

Because, honestly? Yes.

The way he stepped closer, the way his presence suffocated the room in the best and worst way possible—it wasn't just business.

And that's exactly what scares me.

Lia gasps. "Oh my God, look at her face. She's thinking about it!"

Seraphine nearly chokes on her drink, laughing. "We lost her, ladies. The man has already infiltrated her brain."

I grab a napkin and throw it at Lia. "Shut up."

She dodges it effortlessly, grinning. "Nope. I refuse. This is too good."

Claire, always the rational one, interjects. "Okay, okay. Let's take Dylan Voss out of the equation for a second. Do you even want this job?"

I exhaled, finally focusing on the real question. "Yes," I admit. "It's a huge opportunity. The salary is insane, and I'd have more control than I do now. But…"

"But?" Isabelle prompts.

"But working for him feels… dangerous."

Seraphine hums. "And that excites you."

"No!" I protest.

Lia leaned in, eyes sparkling. "Liar."

I groan, dropping my head onto the table. "I hate you all."

They burst into laughter—and despite my embarrassment, I find myself laughing, too.

Because for the first time since I met Dylan Voss, I don't feel alone in this chaos.