Justin stepped into the room, the weight of Madam Laurent’s gaze instantly locking him in place. Warm, but with a sharpness that could slice through steel if it wanted to.
"Justin," she greeted him smoothly, voice like silk, but that look—that damn stern look—told him she was in control.
"Madam Laurent," he nodded, trying not to let his gaze linger too long on her curves, though it was like a magnetic pull. She was dressed for battle, and he was the one losing.
She turned slightly to her daughter, Sasha, who was leaning against the doorway. The warmth in Madam Laurent’s eyes flickered, and for a second, her stern tone resurfaced. "Sasha, help Mr. Justin get while I prepare dinner. And address him properly," she added, her eyes narrowing just enough to make the command clear.
Sasha rolled her eyes in that way that made it clear she thought she was way too grown to follow these kinds of rules. "Yeah, yeah. I heard you."
Justin sighed, eyes rolling just a bit. She’d never listen. But that was half the charm of her.
Madam Laurent looked at her daughter with a resigned sigh, but not without affection. "I’m serious, Sasha."
Sasha shot a cheeky grin at her mother. "Don’t worry, I’ll be all formal and stuff," she teased. But Justin could see the playful defiance in her eyes. Sasha never was one to follow any rules.
Mada Laurent wasn’t done yet. "I’ll handle dinner. Make sure Justin is comfortable," she said, already walking toward the kitchen downstairs, those curves swaying effortlessly in that form-fitting skirt.
He couldn’t help but watch, but he had to admit, it was hard to keep his head straight with a view like that.
Sasha, however, was much more focused on herself. She approached Justin with a knowing smile. "You want my help?" she asked casually, flicking her hair over her shoulder.
Justin smirked. "Always," he replied, but before he could get more into it, Selena walked closer.
"Hey, can you make sothing else for dinner?" Selena asked, her voice casual but that unmistakable glint in her eyes hinting at sothing more. "I’m seriously starving. Like, don’t even get started."
She leaned in to Mada Laurent, speaking in that way she always did when she was in the mood to joke around.
Mada Laurent, already used to her now second boss’s insistent requests, rely gave a slight chuckle and raised an eyebrow. "What are you craving, Selena?" the two were closer as far as Justin knew.
Selena bit her lip in that way that always made Justin feel like sothing was about to go down. "How about sushi? But like, the good stuff. You know, with the fancy rolls and the... unagi," she said, voice dripping with hunger but also sothing else.
Mada Laurent nodded as she made her way into the kitchen. "Unagi, it is then."
Sasha sighed dramatically, glancing at Justin. "Damn. Auntie Selena always gets her way, huh?" she muttered, she too called Selena auntie, that how it has been since she and Justin were young.
"Hell yeah she does," Justin laughed, a little too much admiration in his tone. "But it’s hard to argue with that..." he trailed off as his eyes unintentionally lingered on Madam Laurent.
"Yeah, I know what you an," Sasha said with a smirk. "And she only bend with mom in the picture. Mom... wow. She has so kind of weird, uh, power over everyone. Even ."
Just then, Mada Laurent looked over her shoulder with a raised brow, eyeing both of them. "You two go ahead. I’ll be in the kitchen prepping, and Sasha don’t make repeat myself."
Justin and Sasha shared a brief glance before Justin raised a brow. "You think we can to be alone for long?"
Sasha let out a playful sigh. "Oh, I know what you’re thinking... just don’t make it too obvious, okay?" She shot him a teasing look as she led him to his bedroom at the very end. Behind them, Selena and Madam Laurent exchanged a quiet look, both of them standing a little straighter, like they already knew what was coming.
"How long do you think before those two can’t keep away from their own desire?" Selena asked, her voice low and knowing.
Madam Laurent sighed deeply, glancing after the pair. "Not long. It never is."
Selena grinned, glancing toward Mada Laurent, who seed like she had seen it all before. "Damn, you really know them, huh?"
"More than you and those two realize," Madam Laurent said, her tone soft but full of unspoken history. Then, almost like she couldn’t resist a last bit of wisdom, she added, "And when it cos to Justin, well... he won’t be able to fight it much longer."
And for once, Mada Laurent was damn right.
Because if there was one thing Justin knew for sure—it was that when it ca to Mada Laurent and Sasha, he wasn’t the one in control anymore.
Mada Laurent sighed as she made her way down the stairs, her heels clicking softly against the polished wood.
Would Sasha be able to resist if Justin decided to make a move on her?
She already knew the answer. Hell no.
Her daughter had been in love with Justin since she was five. And Justin? She had seen the shift in him too—right around fifteen. That awkward, stumbling stage when teenage boys start looking at girls differently, when innocent friendship turns into sothing more.
But they hadn’t rushed it. Thank God.
Laurent had sighed in relief, year after year, watching them carefully tread that invisible line. It wasn’t that she didn’t want her daughter with Justin—truthfully, there wasn’t a man better suited for Sasha. But it was just... complicated.
And if Laurent was really honest with herself, painfully honest, she’d admit sothing else.
She understood why Sasha liked him.
Because damn.
Justin had always been handso and a perfect man she could wish for her own daughter, but tonight? Tonight he looked like a full-course al, and her eyes had been opened to sothing else. It was a problem.
She shook her head, dismissing those ridiculous thoughts. Nope. Not happening. With a final exhale, she slipped into the kitchen, where she belonged, ready to prepare dinner.
Justin. Selena. The whole family. Even before his parents passed, they had only ever eaten food made by Laurent and her daughter.
Because, honestly? It was the best.
anwhile upstairs, sothing was cooking up...
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