The late afternoon sunlight cast long shadows across the penthouse as Theo paced the living room, a restless energy coursing through him. His usual confidence had been chipped away by the events of the last 24 hours—the threats, the security breaches, and now the brooding presence of Marcus Cain.

Marcus stood by the elevator, inspecting the control panel with a small device in his hand. He hadn’t spoken in ten minutes, and the silence grated on Theo’s nerves.

“You always this quiet?” Theo asked, breaking the stillness.

Marcus didn’t glance up. “You already asked me that.”

“Did I?” Theo smirked. “Guess I’m not used to the strong, silent type.”

“I’m not here to entertain you,” Marcus replied, his voice even.

Theo rolled his eyes, striding toward the kitchen. “Clearly. I don’t suppose you take requests?”

Marcus turned to face him, his sharp gaze cutting through the room. “Depends. Are you requesting a security upgrade or a babysitter?”

Theo laughed, pouring himself a glass of whiskey from the decanter on the counter. “Touché. Fine, Mr. Bodyguard. Let’s hear it. What’s the plan to ‘keep me alive’?”

Marcus stepped closer, his movements deliberate. “First, we’re locking this place down. New locks, new cameras, and a dedicated surveillance team monitoring the perimeter. Second, you’re staying out of public for the time being. No unnecessary trips, no galas, no late-night excursions.”

Theo raised his glass, his expression turning wry. “And what’s step three? Bubble wrap?”

Marcus ignored the sarcasm. “Step three is taking these threats seriously. You’ve been targeted, and they’re not bluffing. Until we know who’s behind this, every move you make could put you at risk.”

Theo studied him over the rim of his glass. “And here I thought you were just here for the scenery.”

Marcus’s jaw tightened. “You think this is a joke, Montgomery? Because I don’t.”

The tension in the room thickened. Theo set his glass down, leaning casually against the counter. “Alright, Cain. I get it. You’re the big, bad protector. But let me explain something to you. I built this company from the ground up. I’ve faced lawsuits, hostile takeovers, and scandals. You think a few anonymous threats are going to scare me?”

“They should,” Marcus said bluntly.

Theo bristled, his smile fading. “Excuse me?”

“They should scare you,” Marcus repeated, stepping closer. “These aren’t lawsuits or PR scandals. These are people who want you dead. And if you keep acting like you’re untouchable, they’re going to succeed.”

For a moment, Theo said nothing. Marcus’s words cut deeper than he wanted to admit, but he wasn’t about to show it.

“Well,” Theo said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, “thank you for the motivational speech. Very uplifting.”

Marcus’s expression didn’t change. “My job isn’t to make you feel better. It’s to keep you breathing. If you don’t like it, fire me.”

Theo opened his mouth to respond, but the sound of the elevator chime cut him off.

Both men turned toward the doors as they slid open. Rebecca stepped out, holding a folder and looking frazzled.

“Sorry to interrupt,” she said, glancing nervously between them. “I have the preliminary report from IT.”

Marcus gestured for her to continue.

Rebecca handed the folder to Theo, who flipped it open. “We’ve identified a pattern in the threats,” she explained. “They’re all originating from devices using military-grade encryption. Whoever’s behind this has resources—and they know what they’re doing.”

Theo frowned, scanning the report. “Any leads on where it’s coming from?”

“Not yet,” Rebecca admitted. “But the team is working around the clock. They think they might have a breakthrough soon.”

“‘Soon’ isn’t good enough,” Marcus said, his tone sharp. “We need actionable intel now. Every second we waste gives them an edge.”

Rebecca shifted uncomfortably. “We’re doing everything we can.”

Marcus didn’t respond, his attention shifting back to Theo. “If they’re using military-grade encryption, they’re more organized than we thought. This isn’t some lone hacker in a basement. This is a coordinated operation.”

Theo closed the folder with a sigh. “Great. So, what? We just wait for them to show up at my door?”

“No,” Marcus said. “We stay ahead of them. I’m assigning a team to monitor your offices and your key personnel. Anyone who’s even remotely connected to Orion needs protection.”

Theo smirked. “Including me, I assume?”

Marcus’s gaze was steady. “Especially you.”

Rebecca cleared her throat, glancing at her watch. “I should get back to the office. There’s a meeting with the legal team in an hour.”

Theo waved her off. “Go. And tell IT I want an update by the end of the day.”

Rebecca nodded and hurried back to the elevator, leaving Theo and Marcus alone again.

Theo turned back to his glass of whiskey, swirling the liquid idly. “You’re awfully intense, Cain. Don’t you ever smile?”

Marcus’s expression didn’t waver. “Not on the job.”

Theo chuckled. “How tragic. Maybe I’ll make it my mission to change that.”

“Your mission,” Marcus said, stepping closer, “is to stay alive. Leave everything else to me.”

Theo tilted his head, studying the man in front of him. “Alright, Mr. Cain. Let’s see if you’re as good as you say you are.”

Marcus’s lips twitched in the faintest hint of a smirk. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving Theo with the unsettling feeling that, for once, he wasn’t the one in control.