Ryan's POV
Ryan sat in his office, the faint glow of the city lights filtering through the large windows, but his mind was elsewhere. Noah Thompson was becoming a problem, but Ryan couldn't deny the thrill that stirred inside him every time they crossed paths. The reporter's persistence, his refusal to back down, was both maddening and fascinating.
Ryan's hand hovered over the phone on his desk, his finger brushing the screen. A message from Leo flashed up, reminding him that the clock was ticking. The more Noah dug, the more dangerous it became. If the reporter got too close to the truth, it wouldn't just ruin Ryan—it would ruin everything.
But there was something about Noah. The way his eyes never wavered, the way his voice never faltered. Ryan hated it. And yet, he couldn't bring himself to make the first move to end it all. Not yet. He needed to know more about Noah.
The ringing of the doorbell interrupted his thoughts. Ryan's eyes narrowed as he looked toward the door. His security system didn't alert him to anyone coming, but it didn't matter. He knew who it was.
He opened the door, and there stood Noah, dressed in a black jacket and dark jeans. His expression was hard to read, but Ryan knew he had questions—questions that would lead to dangerous territory.
"Ryan," Noah said, his voice flat, but there was a hint of something beneath it—something challenging. "I need to talk to you."
Ryan leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. "About what?"
"About the murder. The one you think I don't know anything about." Noah's eyes locked onto his, daring him to lie. "You know I'm getting closer. And I know you're hiding something."
Ryan didn't flinch. "If you're not careful, you'll find things you won't be able to handle." His tone was cold, but beneath it, there was a thread of something else—something that wasn't entirely hostility.
Noah didn't back down. "Try me."
Ryan took a slow breath. "You're playing a dangerous game, Noah. But if you think you can handle it, then you're welcome to keep digging." He stepped aside, opening the door wider, offering a challenge in his own way. "Come in. But know this—you might not like what you find."
---
Noah's POV
Noah stepped into Ryan's office, his heart pounding in his chest. There was something suffocating about the space—something that felt like a trap. But he couldn't stop now. He couldn't walk away.
He had come here to confront Ryan. He had come here to expose the truth. But with every word Ryan spoke, every look he gave him, Noah was starting to question how much he really knew.
He had uncovered enough details to make a connection between Ryan and the murder, but the deeper he got, the more it seemed like there were layers he hadn't even begun to peel back. Noah knew he was stepping into a world much darker than he had imagined, but the pull to find the truth was stronger than ever.
"I'm not afraid of you, Ryan," Noah said, his voice steady despite the unease crawling up his spine. "I just want the truth."
Ryan's lips curled into a half-smile, but there was no warmth in it. "The truth?" He repeated the word like it was a joke. "The truth is dangerous, Noah. Some truths are meant to stay buried."
Noah wasn't going to back down now. "If you've got something to hide, you're going to have to face it eventually."
Ryan leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he studied Noah, the tension between them thickening. "You think you're ready for this world? Ready to uncover all the lies and corruption? What makes you think you can handle it?"
"I'm not afraid," Noah replied. "I never have been."
Ryan's gaze lingered on Noah, a spark of something dangerous flashing in his eyes. For a moment, the room seemed to close in around them, the air crackling with the intensity of their confrontation.
"I think you'll be surprised how much you can't handle," Ryan murmured, his voice low and dangerous. "But we'll see. You're not the first to dig into my business, Noah. And you won't be the last. But you'll learn soon enough—this game has rules."
---
Ryan's POV
Ryan sat back in his chair, his fingers drumming lightly on the armrest as Noah stood across from him, unwavering. There was something about this man that Ryan couldn't shake. Noah was too determined, too smart, and too stubborn.
But it was more than that. It was the way Noah never looked away, even when Ryan tried to intimidate him. The way he stood there like he belonged in this world, like he was a force to be reckoned with. Ryan didn't like it. He didn't like how it made him feel, how it made him want to test the boundaries between them.
Noah had already crossed a line by coming here, but there was more he needed to know. Ryan wasn't sure if it was because he wanted to push Noah away—or pull him closer.
"You should leave," Ryan said, his voice low. "This is your last warning."
Noah didn't flinch. "You think I'm scared of you?"
Ryan stood up, his expression hardening. "I think you're playing with fire. And when you get burned, don't say I didn't warn you."
Noah's jaw tightened, but his gaze didn't waver. "You're not going to stop me, Ryan."
Ryan took a step closer, his presence looming over Noah, sending a jolt of electricity through the room. "I'm not trying to stop you, Noah," he whispered, his voice dangerously soft. "I'm trying to teach you something."
---
Noah's POV
Noah didn't know what he expected when he walked into Ryan's office, but it sure as hell wasn't this. The tension between them was suffocating, and every time Ryan spoke, it felt like the walls were closing in.
Noah could feel it now, the dangerous pull between them. He knew he should walk away, that he should stop digging, but it was like a magnet was pulling him in. The closer he got to the truth, the more Ryan seemed to play these dangerous games with him.
But Noah wasn't going to back down. Not now. Not when he was this close.
Ryan was a puzzle. A puzzle Noah couldn't stop trying to solve.
Ryan took another step toward him, and Noah's heart skipped a beat.
"Don't get too comfortable," Ryan said, his eyes dark with something that sent a shiver down Noah's spine. "You might just get burned."
Noah took a deep breath and stood his ground. "I'm not afraid of you," he whispered.
But as Ryan closed the distance between them, Noah couldn't shake the feeling that he was in way over his head. The danger wasn't just in the case. It was in Ryan himself.
---