A Little More - Ed Sheeran; Saturn - Sleeping At Last
---
Chapter Nine
Jeffrey had always enjoyed control. Whether in business, family, or the subtle push-and-pull of social circles, he liked dictating the rhythm of the game. But as he sat in his study the morning after dinner with Diane, staring at the untouched cup of espresso on his desk, he couldn't shake the sensation that someone else had managed to play him and that someone seemed to be Diane Dalton.
He leaned back in his chair, a walking seduction king, fingers drumming lightly on the armrest, and let out a short laugh at the thought. Diane, with her carefully pressed blazer, mind-blowing figure, steady gaze, and the way she carried herself like she owned any room she entered. She wasn't supposed to linger in his head. She was supposed to be another meeting, another interaction to file away neatly under business, politics, or strategy. Yet here she was, taking up space where few people ever lasted more than an hour.
And Damon had noticed.
The memory of his brother's warning to Diane played in Jeffrey's mind like an irritating echo. "Be careful where you place your heart." Subtle, deliberate, and irritatingly well-timed. Damon always did have a talent for inserting himself exactly where Jeffrey didn't want him.
"Thinking too hard this early?" Jason's voice interrupted from the doorway. The youngest brother strolled in without knocking, coffee mug in hand, shirt half-buttoned, his usual air of nonchalance filling the space.
Jeffrey didn't look up. "Don't you have a life?"
Jason grinned, dropping into the chair opposite. "Observing yours is my life. Besides, Damon said you're brooding, which means it must be good."
Jeffrey's jaw tightened, though his lips curled into a faint smile. "Of course Damon said that. He lives for commentary."
"Come on," Jason pressed. "You met Diane Dalton. The Diane Dalton. Fashion royalty, rumored ice queen. You've been circling her for weeks. And now? Now Damon swoops in and drops his little cryptic bombs. Tell me you didn't enjoy watching her squirm."
Jeffrey chuckled low in his throat. "She didn't squirm. That's the problem. She… absorbed it. Took it in. She's not easily rattled."
Jason raised a brow. "Which explains why you're rattled."
Jeffrey finally looked at his younger brother, his eyes narrowing in mock annoyance. "Careful, Jason. You're starting to sound like Damon."
Jason raised his hands in surrender but grinned knowingly. "Fine, fine. But admit it, Jeff. She's different."
Different. Yes. That was the word. Diane had looked at him as though she saw beyond the charm, beyond the calculated smiles, as though she knew there was a sharper edge beneath the polished exterior. And instead of backing away, she'd matched him. Controlled, poised, but undeniably curious. It had been years since someone had managed to intrigue him like that.
He stood and crossed to the window, gazing out over the sprawling city. From this vantage point, everything looked manageable, like pieces on a chessboard. But Diane… Diane wasn't a piece. She was a player, and that shifted the balance.
"Don't overthink it," Jason said casually, sipping his coffee. "She's probably just another smart girl who knows how to hold her ground. You'll charm her, she'll resist, and eventually one of you wins. Isn't that how it always goes?"
Jeffrey didn't answer immediately. Because deep down, he knew this wasn't going to be like it always was. Diane wasn't resisting for the sake of pride or pretense. She was calculating too, measuring him the same way he was measuring her.
And Damon… Damon had seen it. That was why he'd stepped in.
The door creaked open again, and as if summoned by thought, Damon appeared, crisp and composed as always. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes flicked briefly to Jeffrey before landing on Jason.
"Still stirring trouble?" Damon asked.
"Always," Jason said with a grin. "But don't worry, we're only dissecting Jeffrey's latest obsession."
Jeffrey's gaze sharpened. "Enough."
Damon didn't flinch. He stepped further into the room, hands clasped behind his back. "I only said what needed to be said. Diane isn't someone you can toy with, Jeffrey. She has her own empire. Her own strength. Treat her like a game, and you'll lose."
Jeffrey smirked faintly, though his pulse quickened. "You assume I intend to treat her like a game."
"Don't you?" Damon countered smoothly.
The silence stretched, heavy, before Jason broke it with a laugh. "Well, this is fun. Two wolves circling, one girl in the middle. I almost feel bad for her."
Jeffrey's gaze turned back to the city, though his voice was steady. "Don't. Diane doesn't need anyone to feel bad for her. She's sharper than you think. And she won't be in the middle… unless she chooses to be."
For once, Damon didn't argue. He simply studied his brother, as if trying to read the real intentions behind his words, before turning to leave. "Just remember, Jeff. Not every battle is worth winning."
When the door shut, Jeffrey exhaled slowly, his jaw tight. Damon's warning lingered, but it only fueled the fire in his chest.
Diane Dalton wasn't just another challenge. She was the first person in a long time who made him question whether he was leading the game — or finally being led.
And that, he thought with a thrill he couldn't quite suppress, made her worth every risk.
---