Star Umbrella Corporation Headquarters.
Beyond the high-grade bulletproof glass, Manhattan’s sunlight spilled over Potts’s white couture suit.
The private elevator went straight to the top floor, Linus’s large hand remaining wrapped around Potts’s slender wrist with no intention of letting go.
The elevator doors opened.
A highly futuristic holographic projection corridor came into view.
Potts’s steps were slightly clumsy in her high heels.
Linus’s presence was so overbearing that she couldn’t summon her usual swift and decisive demeanor.
The two walked into the spacious, well-lit CEO’s office.
Linus turned around immediately, his towering frame pressing forward, forcing Potts back toward a large leather sofa.
The back of Potts’s knees hit the edge of the sofa, making her lose her balance and sink into it.
Linus knelt with one leg on the edge of the sofa, his hands bracing on either side of Potts’s body, trapping her completely.
“Boss…
we’re in the office.”
Potts’s breathing was shallow as she turned her head away, not daring to look into his aggressively dark eyes.
Linus lowered his head, his nose brushing past Potts’s cheek as his warm breath fanned over her sensitive ear.
Opening his mouth, he unhesitatingly took her rounded earlobe in and gently nibbled.
“What about the office?”
Linus’s voice was low and husky as his fingers slipped off the Hermès silk scarf around her neck.
“Every square inch of floor tiles here belongs to me.
And you belong to me, too.”
Potts tensed, placing her hands against Linus’s hard chest, her voice incredibly soft and pleading.
“Don’t bite…
it’ll leave a mark.”
Linus released her earlobe, his thumb sliding firmly across her red lips, smudging her lipstick slightly.
“Leaving a mark is exactly what I want.
I want you to remember that from now on, no one but me is allowed to tell you what to do.”
Potts bit her lower lip, her cheeks burning hot.
This intense possessiveness was a lethal poison to a career woman like her, who had fought alone for so many years.
*Ding.*
The private, encrypted communicator on the desk rang.
Linus straightened up, casually adjusted his shirt collar, and walked over to the desk to press the answer button.
Betty’s languid voice came through.
“Boss, the show is starting.”
A holographic screen expanded in mid-air.
On screen, Tony Stark’s villa was in complete disarray.
Tony collapsed on the sofa, looking deathly pale and completely defenseless.
Obadiah Stane was holding a sonic paralysis device, pressing it behind Tony’s ear.
Tony opened his mouth in agony, yet no sound could escape.
Obadiah sneered, reaching in to forcefully rip the glowing arc reactor out of Tony’s chest.
“You see, Tony?
This is your truly greatest legacy to the world.”
Holding the reactor, Obadiah strode out of the villa.
The screen went dark.
Potts sat on the sofa, her hands clasped tightly, her palms drenched in cold sweat.
She looked at Linus, her lips moving slightly, but she didn’t know what to say.
“Pained for him?”
Linus walked back to her side and pinched her chin, forcing her to look up.
Potts shook her head, her voice trembling.
“I just think he got what he deserved.
He gave his trust to Obadiah, yet drove away the one who was loyal.”
Linus chuckled, his fingers sliding to the back of her neck to gently knead it.
“That’s a good girl.
Remember, from the moment you walked out of that house, whether that waste lives or dies has nothing to do with you.”
Right then, the building’s emergency alarm blared abruptly.
Harsh red lights flashed frantically outside the office.
A synthetic female voice announced the situation.
[Warning: Unidentified armed intrusion detected.
Security systems are offline.]
Terrified, Potts jumped up, only to be pulled securely into Linus’s embrace.
Linus shielded Potts, taking two steps back.
“Now that Obadiah has the reactor, his next step is to eliminate all witnesses and potential threats.”
“The old bastard is quite bold, daring to make a move on my people.”
The heavy wooden door of the office was blown open by an external directional charge.
Wood splinters flew in all directions.
Three fully armed mercenaries rushed in, carrying assault rifles.
Wearing tactical masks, their movements were highly professional as they pointed their weapons directly at Linus and Potts.
Potts whimpered, tightly clutching Linus’s shirt as she shrank behind his broad chest.
Linus lowered his head, pressing his lips to the crown of Potts’s head.
“Close your eyes, baby.
The next scene isn’t for children.”
Potts obediently closed her eyes tightly, even holding her breath.
The mercenaries pulled their triggers.
Gunfire roared.
Bullets poured out.
Linus had no intention of dodging at all.
Protecting Potts behind him with one arm, he grabbed a metal coat rack nearby with his other hand.
The bullets struck Linus’s pure black Vibranium suit without leaving even a scratch, crumpling into useless scrap metal before clattering to the floor.
The mercenaries stopped firing, their gun barrels smoking.
Linus swung the metal coat rack with one hand and hurled it directly at the nearest mercenary.
Empowered by his explosive brute strength, the coat rack struck the man’s chest like a cannonball.
With the sickening sound of cracking bones, the mercenary was sent flying backward, shattering the corridor’s glass.
His fate remained unknown.
The remaining two turned their guns toward him.
Linus took a long stride, crossing the three-meter distance instantly to close the gap.
His left hand clamped onto one man’s wrist, twisting it hard to force the rifle out of his grip.
His right hand balled into a fist, striking the side of the mercenary’s neck.
Under the heavy impact, the mercenary rolled his eyes back and collapsed limply to the ground.
The last mercenary drew a military combat knife from his outer thigh, holding it in a reverse grip as he thrust it toward Linus’s throat.
Linus tilted his head to dodge the blade.
His hand shot out to squeeze the man’s throat, lifting the burly mercenary into the air with one hand.
The suffocation caused the mercenary to struggle frantically, kicking his legs wildly.
Linus expressionlessly increased the force in his hand, his fingers tightening.
With the snap of a crushing trachea, he casually tossed the lifeless killer onto the floor.
The entire process had taken less than ten seconds.
The entire office fell silent.
…
Linus pulled a wet wipe from the desk, slowly cleaning his fingers.
He walked over to the sofa, looking at the still-shivering Potts.
Potts kept her eyes shut tight, teardrops clinging to her eyelashes, making her appear incredibly fragile.
Linus threw the wipe away and bent down to scoop her up in a bridal carry.
His voice returned to its deep, magnetic, and seductive tone.
“Don’t be afraid.
The trash has been cleared out.”
Potts opened her eyes, deliberately looking away from the gruesome scene on the floor, and wrapped her arms tightly around Linus’s neck.
She buried her face in his neck, inhaling the reassuring scent of his woody cologne while her body still trembled slightly.
Carrying her over, Linus sat down in the undamaged lounge area, placing Potts astride his sturdy thighs.
Linus’s large hand caressed Potts’s back, soothing her with gentle strokes.
“Scared?”
Potts nodded, her eyes rimmed with red.
“They were sent by Obadiah to silence us…”
“With me here, even if the sky falls, it won’t touch you.”
Linus cupped the back of her head and captured her red lips in a kiss.
This kiss was gentle and lingering, filled with a comforting warmth.
Potts’s tense nerves slowly unwound under the kiss, and she obediently parted her lips to welcome his deep intrusion.
After a long while, their lips parted.
Her face flushed, Potts rested panting against Linus’s chest.
“You were…
amazing just now.
You aren’t even afraid of bullets.”
Linus chuckled, tracing circles on her slender waist with his fingers.
“This is nothing.
Once you finish working for me, I have even more impressive skills to show you.
Care to try?”
How could Potts not understand the double entendre?
With her ears burning, she balled her hands into fists and lightly tapped Linus’s chest.
“Don’t joke about such things…
we’re still at the office.”
Linus took a playful bite of her chin.
“Who’s joking?
This is what adults call communication.”
Just then, the holographic projection on the half-destroyed desk automatically reconnected.
The surveillance footage of Tony’s villa continued to play.
In the footage, Tony crawled painfully toward his basement and shattered a glass display case.
He pulled out his old, first-generation arc reactor and forced it back into his chest.
Drenched in sweat, he could barely even stand.
Then, the scene switched to Sector 1 of the Stark Industries manufacturing plant.
A giant mechanical monster, standing three meters tall and fully covered in heavy armor, crashed through the factory gates and onto the street.
It was the Iron Monger piloted by Obadiah.
The Iron Monger opened fire with full force, crushing a police car flat under its foot.
Its shoulder-mounted Gatling gun fired wildly, sending screams echoing down the street.
Wearing his unfinished Mark Armor, Tony stumbled through the air, trying to stop the Iron Monger.
But because he was using the old reactor, his power was critically low.
The Iron Monger pinned him to the ground with one hand, brutally pummeling him.
Heavy metallic crashes reverberated through the office speakers.
Looking at Tony on the screen, who was practically being beaten into scrap metal, Potts bit her lip hard.
A decade of history made it impossible for her to watch this man die.
The Iron Monger raised its heavy mechanical arm, preparing to deliver a fatal blow directly to Tony’s head.
With tears welling in her eyes, Potts turned to wrap her arms around Linus’s neck, her voice laced with clear pleading.
“Linus…”
Potts begged with reddened eyes.
“Can you save him, please?
He’s my former boss…
I don’t want to watch him die like this.”