Location: Conference Room,Umbra Operations HQ,Dallas, Texas, USA
Time: 10:30 am
Shit.This woman's going to ruin me.She lowered her gaze and took another delicate sip of the latte, the aroma blooming gently across her tongue.
Part of her wanted to laugh,His effort was so obvious, so intense, so unapologetically bold.
But at the same time…a quiet flicker of something warmer stirred beneath the surface.To be held in someone's thoughts, To be held in his thoughts, by the Commander of Umbra Operations, no less, Honestly? It didn't feel too bad, not at all.
She settled gracefully into the seat beside him, setting the latte down on a nearby coaster with practiced care.
Her fingers moved deftly across the keyboard as she opened her laptop, every motion composed, precise, unmistakably professional.
Her eyes remained on the screen, voice calm and clear, slipping seamlessly back into that crisp, corporate cadence.
Lyra: "Commander, my team is ready for the virtual session. Shall we have Umbra's department leaders join us now?"
Arthur blinked, forcing his thoughts, still spinning around her, to refocus. Right. His team.He needed them.
After all, someone had to keep this meeting on track while he was doing his absolute best not to be completely distracted by her.
He let out a quiet sigh and gave a slight nod, of course he knew. His subordinates had been dying for an excuse to join this meeting, just to catch a glimpse of the infamous CFO from Wind Core.
"Of course, darling." His tone was casual, but the smirk tugging at his lips betrayed him. "I can guarantee, they've all been waiting for my go-ahead."Even as he said it, his gaze drifted back to her, again. That little itch in his chest refused to be ignored.
Truth was, he had zero interest in this meeting. His entire brain was occupied with one thought:How do I buy more time with her?
So he feigned nonchalance, masked the eagerness behind a lazy drawl, and asked, far too innocently:"Other than this meeting… Any plans today?" Then, lips curling just enough to be dangerous, "Or the whole day just for me?"
He made it sound offhanded. But the hope buried in his voice? Undeniable.Practically dripping between the words.
Lyra glanced at him, her tone smooth as ever:"This is the only formal meeting on my schedule for this trip. Fly back on Monday." "The next few days, I plan to take it slow,maybe explore the city a little."
She paused, eyes steady, lips gently curved."If today's meeting goes smoothly of course."
Then, as if tossing in a final courtesy, she added with a knowing smile:"Otherwise, if the Umbra team has any additional needs, I'll do my best to accommodate."
Damn.He nearly laughed out loud. Three whole days?The woman he hadn't stopped thinking about since the first moment she said his name, was staying in his city, on his turf?
He loved it! Truly.
Arthur reeled his expression back in with visible effort, barely holding down the grin itching to spread across his face.
With the smooth restraint of a man who knew how to savor good news, he gave a slow, deliberate nod."Sounds like a perfect plan, darling." His eyes gleamed as they met hers."Though… I have a feeling my team and I might just 'develop' a few new meeting needs."
He let the words settle, then chuckled low and warm. "I'm not letting you get away that easily."
She gave him a polite smile, her voice calm and professional. "Commander, as you wish.If you could provide the Wi-Fi login, I'll bring my team into the video conference now." Arthur nearly let out a growl.
Goddamn it.
That tone, so crisp, so composed, so flawlessly formal,it was lethal. Where the hell did the girl from last night go?
The one who asked for a caramel latte like a flirtatious dare?The one who teased him about being single and wished him sweet dreams? Now she was back in full C-suite form,WindCore's CFO, all grace and command.
He didn't say a word about it, just chuckled under his breath, the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement.
The interest in his eyes, however, was impossible to hide.He pulled out his phone, typed with practiced ease, and sent her the conference room Wi-Fi password. "Here you go, darling."
He leaned in a little, voice dipping low, rough velvet wrapped in flirtation. "If you ever need a different kind of password… I'll make sure you get it."
As she checked the message, he picked up the internal line and called his staff, alerting the tech team and department heads to join the meeting.
But as he spoke, his eyes were still on her, watching the way she focused, the way her fingers moved across her laptop, the line of her jaw as she worked.
Christ, he thought, how the hell does she look this good even when she's all business?A few minutes later, the conference room screen lit up.
Umbra's team was already in position,finance, operations, tech, intel.Every one of them broad-shouldered, tight-jawed, and unmistakably dangerous. The kind of men you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley,or even a brightly lit one.
But the moment the video feed from WindCore went live, he nearly choked on his coffee. Across the screen,Lyra's team appeared.
All women.And not just any women.Each one carried herself with the kind of quiet authority that screamed elite. Composed, sharp-eyed, and terrifyingly competent.
He couldn't stop the low laugh that escaped his throat. Leaning in close, voice low and warm in her ear, he murmured:
"Darlin'... is this your version of Umbra Operations?"
Lyra rose gracefully from her seat, offering a poised handshake to each of the Umbra executives seated at the table.Once the screen projection was confirmed.
She cast a calm glance toward Arthur, cool, professional, and unmistakably in control. Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried, steady and sharp, like a blade slipping silk:"Shall we begin?"
"Good morning, gentlemen. I'm Lyra Jar, Chief Financial Officer of WindCore Holdings."She offered a slight nod, her tone gentle yet impeccably structured.
"I believe many of you have seen my name in previous correspondence. Thank you for your cooperation and support during the early stages of our collaboration."
"My core team members will now present further details regarding our potential partnership." She tapped the screen lightly. The projection shifted seamlessly behind her.
"On the left is Colonel Jenny Fan, Lead Systems Designer at Windstorm , our intelligent weapons lab.She oversees Umbra's custom-configured K9 units, assault-grade mechanical wolves, and three categories of dual-purpose UAVs.Jenny is currently active-duty, and all her work aligns with PLA procurement standards."
"In the middle is Dr. Fay Tang, Director of Wind Eye , our intelligence and data analysis division. As a gesture of sincerity, Wind Eye will provide three rounds of precision satellite tracking through the BDS commercial network for every Windstorm unit purchased by Umbra in this order Only, along with full-spectrum information recovery and translation support."
"To the right is Major Mulan Chou, Lead Researcher at Wind Source , our biomedical development lab.She'll address any inquiries regarding the five classes of Hallucinogenic antidotes and Metabolizable biotoxins included in our proposal.
Please note, all products comply with international law, are naturally derived, and carry no biological warfare risk , ensuring Umbra remains clear of any legal or ethical concern."
"As for myself," Lyra's fingers withdrew from the screen as her gaze lifted to meet Arthur's directly,"you'll find working with me on the financial front… efficient.
All transactions, whether above board or otherwise, can be executed at your discretion.
Simply name your preferred currency, and the rest will be managed by me and Windchain , our integrated blockchain and decentralised finance system."
She resumed her seat, voice clipped and clean, her smile smooth but unmistakably assured."Now, Commander, it's your turn."
He listened to her entire introduction with a smile tugging at his lips, admiration and adrenaline nearly spilling from his chest.
Damn.He was falling hard and fast for this woman.
Lyra hadn't just brought an impressive team,sharp, composed, seamless in synergy, She delivered her pitch with a precision so flawless, it felt almost provocative.
Every word hit its mark. Every transition was a controlled strike.
He'd rarely seen a negotiation open like this, and certainly never from across his own table. But here she was, turning his conference room into her stage, effortlessly.
He smiled, lips curling with something deeper than amusement. It was the kind of smile born from bone-deep respect,
And the quiet thrill of watching a worthy opponent make her first move with elegance and bite.
He gave a small nod, then gestured to the screen and his team with a cool ease that didn't quite mask the heat behind it.
"Brilliant, darlin'. Fucking brilliant."His voice was slow, deliberate, almost savoring her every syllable.
"Alright."He straightened just slightly in his chair, that half-smile still lingering. "Now it's my turn. Let me introduce you to my people.Hopefully, they'll look at least halfway worthy of standing across from yours."
He turned to his right and gestured toward the man sitting with stiff posture and an air of corporate rigidity.
"This is Seg Richard Parker, my Chief of Finance. Possibly the most boring name in the entire company, but don't let that fool you.He can trace and lock any dirty dollar within 48 hours.
If you're planning to try your blockchain poker with him… I'd recommend not bluffing. Btw, everyone in my team is battlefield ready, even from finance."
Then he inclined his head toward the man on his left, broad-shouldered, sharp-eyed, every inch a soldier."Captain Marcus Johnson, head of Tactical Operations. If you're ever looking to field-test your equipment with live ops, he's your guy. Doesn't talk much, moves faster than words."
Finally, he pointed to the only man not in uniform, wearing a fitted black tee and thin-rimmed glasses, looking like he belonged at a hacker summit, not a battlefield.
"And this is Major Jason Smith,Technical Operations Lead.He rarely speaks, but his code usually knows what you want before you do… Assuming you haven't pissed him off."
Then, almost unconsciously, his gaze drifted back to Lyra.It wasn't flirtation, not exactly.It was something deeper, gentle, deliberate, and laced with a restrained kind of reverence.
"So, darlin'. Those are my cards."
"Let's hope the hand we're playing lives up to the way you walked into this room."
He paused.
Then, so softly it nearly contradicted everything the world knew about the ruthless Commander of Umbra Operations,"Ladies,Welcome to Umbra."