EREX

"Alright Callie, could you send me the files on that warehouse in downtown Chicago?"

I slid into my seat, sipping on the coffee I got from Emile's while the buzz of the department filled me with a sense of familiarity.

"On it."

I flashed her a smile as I passed by her cubicle that was a little separate from the rest of us.

Callie, one of my three team members, was our intelligence analyst. The woman was quick on her feet and had an even sharper mind. Since my team was the best in the Chicago branch, I had the pleasure of working with her for the past three years since she was transferred here.

"Did you see her, Rex?" Finn slid his swivel chair towards me, eyes twinkling.

The question instantly reminded me of a pair of multi-color eyes I'd never before seen. I shook my head, distorting the disturbingly attractive image of my gorgeous neighbour I'd had merely two encounters with.

But I couldn't deny that she knew how to make an impression. Deadly beauty paired with a sharp tongue, she spelled out trouble.

I rose a nonchalant brow, "Who?" I didn't spare him a glance as I catalogued the new data Callie just sent over. Besides, Finn would talk even if I wasn't interested.

"The new addition to the office. Not sure which team she's assigned to but hot-damn she's a banger." He whistled low.

Someone hit Finn with a file and I saw Zeke slide into his own seat. "Don't objectify her." Then he paused sheepishly, "But yeah she's gonna turn the office upside down for a bit. Guarantee."

Finn gave him a droll look. I snickered. Callie walked over to our group and Finn cursed. "Damnit, why's Callie coming over?"

"Because she's a part of the team?" Zeke drawled.

Callie would give Finn a piece of her mind if she got wind of his interest in a co-worker. In other words, jealousy would be coming out to play. And Finn very much liked his handsome face to stay intact even if he kept acting like he didn't know how Callie felt.

I closed the spreadsheet and leaned back in my chair, looking at my team as they gathered. Folding my arms over my chest, I saw how every other team was gathering too.

"Maddox wanted every team to gather. Something about an introduction and an addition to the department. Someone new is coming." Her opening line was like usual, to the point as she gave Finn a condescending once over. "Don't act like a horn-dog because she's a female."

Finn blinked innocently. "Who? Me??" He looked away, "I would never."

Zeke and I met each other's eyes and snorted in amusement. Even Callie rolled her eyes.

I was a bit curious now though. Our department had a few openings and my own team needed a forensic photographer since our guy had to relocate. It'd been almost a month and posed difficulties having to put triple the workload on a different team's photographer.

Out of the 12 teams here, 6 each had a forensic photographer and data analyst. But they also had to manage the other 6 team's work.

"Let's see." I nudged towards the entrance to the office where Maddox had just entered. "Boss is here."

"And so is she." A dreamy sigh escaped Finn and then he grunted when Callie stepped on his foot.

Shaking my head at their amusing but childish antics, I followed the line of sight and looked at a very familiar figure. My eyes trailed up her black wedge heels to the tailored pantsuit she was wearing. Her curves were still fully wielded like a weapon and every male gazed at her appreciatively. The picture of professionalism with a camera strung around her neck, my breath-taking neighbour stood with a pleasant smile in front of the whole room.

"Everyone, this is Kaya Skeats. She's a forensic photographer." Maddox started. Kaya waved the camera in a playful manner as if to emphasise Maddox's words. "She'll be joining Team Alpha for the foreseeable future."

Attention flew towards us as Finn cleared his throat but my eyes stayed glued to Kaya. Her golden hair was up in a tight high ponytail that men would very much like to wrap around their hands while indulging in sinful acts.

Kaya's eyes swept over us, pausing for no more than an extra second on me before moving on.

Was she going to act like we didn't know each other? Workplace fraternising is frowned upon, true but friends and neighbours still pass. However, she seemed good at ignoring my presence.

Probably because she was still not over our first meeting. My bad.

"She came here straight from Arizona so do make her feel welcome. I'm sure you'll all do well." The man with the bushy beard spoke to her in hushed whispers and then gave a rare smile before dismissing everyone.

It was a quick and short affair because life moved fairly fast in the Chicago FBI's violent crimes department.

"Well, aren't we lucky." Zeke murmured and Finn rubbed his hands together, grinning in that charming way of his as he watched Kaya approach us. But Callie levelled him with such a threatening look that his grin was wiped off his face in a second.

"You know her." Zeke's statement wasn't out of the blue. He was very observant and not as much of a talker as Finn. Plus, I knew I hadn't said much regarding this topic at all. "And you're not surprised about this development."

They all turned to look at me then.

"Maddox dropped a hint a couple days ago that we might get our photographer soon. I haven't got her files though." I divulged and they all nodded in understanding.

"Hi, I'm told this is Team Alpha and my reporting spot?" With a good natured smile, Kaya stopped in front of us and inquired.

We all stood up and Zeke offered her a hand. "You're in the right place, yeah." They shook hands. "I'm Zeke Walters."

"Pleasure to meet you." Then her eyes turned to Finn who eagerly offered his hand.

One that was intercepted by Callie's. "Hi. I'm Callie Samson. The Data Analyst. I hope we get along." Her smile was stretched a little too thin as she gave Kaya a once over meant to intimidate.

A knowing chuckle escaped the beauty. "I'm glad to be a part of this team. I hope we can all be good friends." If I wasn't mistaken, she subtly emphasised the word 'friends' when speaking.

Callie's hostility went down a few notches and Zeke coughed. I suppose Kaya was trying to put Callie at ease. With a nod towards Finn, she acknowledged his presence as he introduced himself with a sad looking smile, "Finn Greenly."

When she finally gave me the attention, I realised the corners of my lips were already tilted upwards.

The full force of her gaze hit me square in the chest like the very first time. Her eyes were such a stunning shade, people could get lost trying to identify each color in the distinct rings of her irises.

I walked ahead until I was close enough and then gave her a small smile. "Erex Di Castillo. Team Leader." I didn't bother taking my hands out of my pockets and neither did she attempt to even act like she was waiting for some formal introduction.

"Pleased to work with you."

"We haven't started yet, Miss Skeats." I tilted my chin at the rest of them, "You guys go ahead and start working on the warehouse tip-off. I'll show Miss Skeats where she'll be staying."

With murmured consents of "Yes Sir." they all scattered like dandelions stalks in the wind. It didn't go unnoticed by me as we walked a short distance together that Kaya was already receiving male attention.

Sometimes, I wanted to realign the very DNA of the male species so they wouldn't act like disgusting pigs jumping hoola-hoops at the slightest hint of a beautiful female gracing their presence.

I strived not to be such a pig but sometimes, women like Kaya Skeats came into your life and tempted you with curves that wars might have been waged because of.

I couldn't even blame them. She was just so...so...show-stopping.

Silence formed between us as she didn't try to speak to me, holding onto a plastic smile even when I stopped at her desk. "Here you are. Not too far from me actually." I leaned my hip against the wooden cubicle as she surveyed the place with a clinical eye.

"I see. Thank you."

"That wasn't a dismissal, was it?" I asked, amusement in my tone.

She finally looked up, dropping her purse on the desk. "I do have to work after all. And if these files are any indication..." I glanced over at the pile of work files on her table. "I have a lot of stuff to catch up on."

A pleasant dismissal. Again.

My eyebrow twitched.

"Are you really going to pretend you don't know me?" I was genuinely curious.

Not that I was desperate to form human connection, but the way Kaya was treating me just didn't sit right with me. Even though she was an official, my walls were up. My guard wouldn't go down around this weapon of a woman. Her beauty alone could disarm entire armies and that truly wasn't an exaggeration.

I could smile and be amused all I wanted. I could laugh it off. I wasn't a robot but I kept my distance. And it hadn't even been 3 days since Kaya Skeats barged into my life but I was already thinking about her multi-color blue-green-grey eyes more than I liked to admit.

"Hmm." She slid into her seat, powering up the computer. "I didn't pretend that I didn't know you, Mr Castillo."

"Firstly, stop calling me Mr Castillo. Makes me feel old. Everyone just calls me Rex."

"I see." She folded her arms across her chest in a languid manner. Like she had nothing else to do.

I held up a second finger, "And two, I'm your direct superior. You should treat me with respect."

"Respect you haven't personally earned yet, but yes of course." She mused, blinking up at me innocently.

I shrugged unapologetically. "Did you know who I was? That we'd be working together?" I questioned with a sharp smile.

"No. I had an idea after the confrontation outside Emilie's, of course. Considering everyone knew you were an FBI Agent. But I wasn't sure."

I still didn't feel convinced but I let it drop. "So we'll be sharing a workplace and be neighbours? Almost feels scripted."

She gave me the stink eye. "You can let your conspiracy theories run wild as long as they're helpful and not bothering me. Oh and also maybe if they're credible instead of spinning twists on genuine coincidences"

I think I could deal with her vitriol and sass and stink eyes but that fake as fuck plastic smile and dismissive behavior grated on my nerves.

I raised my hands in a motion of surrender, "Alright. I understand."

Kaya went ahead and grabbed a file off the pile, starting to sift through it and ignoring me.

I kept staring at her for two minutes as people walked by and phones rang but to no avail. I sighed forlornly. "Are you still mad? We can't have that in the workplace."

"I'm replying and entertaining your nonsense, aren't I?" She looked at me from the corner of her eyes.

"Yeah with a very stiff deposition and a stink eye." I snickered.

"Oh, so you noticed. Good."

"Hard not to." I turned to face her funny. "Don't you think you're exaggerating the incident? I apologised, we should make some headway."

It wasn't a matter of pride for me, not truly. It was the fact that we'd be in each other's spaces a lot and having a strained relationship would affect the work environment as well as efficiency. And also because something about her adamant refusal to forgive me made me want to chip away at that resolve of hers and come out victorious.

"They say first impressions are last impressions, Erex. I believe in it." She met my eyes briefly.

"That's a skewed perception. I believe you should double check." Then I paused and leaned down a bit, "Was last night's challenge an honest one?"

"It wasn't a challenge." She flipped a page before looking up at me from under her long dark lashes. Her plump lips were still painted that red-pink shade from the first time I opened my door to her stunning face.

My voice was lower than I'd expected it to come out, "Was it a proposition then?" Not that I'd take her up on it. Pleasure was an entirely different ball game and I hardly indulged in it.

Her answering chuckle made me feel like a naïve kid. I straightened back up as her eyes gave me a full perusal, a smirk on her lips and then her head tilted contemplatively.

"You don't seem like such a catch that I'd proposition you after the second time we rudely crossed paths." She breezily stated.

"Proud much?"

"Not more than you."

I huffed amusedly as I pushed away from her desk, a little ire peaking out as I tried not to let her graceful spitfire mess with my head.

"I still feel like there's bad blood between us." I rumbled.

Kaya's eyes flicked up to meet mine and that pretty mouth opened again to no doubt spit vitriol but I cut her off, "But I'm not the jerk you've apparently painted me as in your head. And I'll earn that forgiveness of yours one way or other, Kaya." I promised, my blue eyes glinting.

Kaya swiveled in her chair, the file on her lap as she sat cross legged and in a total power pose. She looked like a woman in power. With a cutting smile on her face, she purred.

"Do your worst, Team Leader Erex."

A/N

What do you guys think of the heat between Kaya and Erex? The way Kaya has made Erex act already? Is it natural flowing or does it seem forced? I'd appreciate your feedback.

How is it panning out? Do we like the group dynamics? I introduced new characters and here's to hoping y'all are interested in reading more lol.

I'm doing updates twice a week so please do read. It makes me a little sad each time I see low views and hardly any votes. But anyways, I really hope you enjoy the chapter and don't forget to vote and comment please!

Each piece if feedback makes me want to write more and I need that motivation haha. Well take care, till next time then!

~Skyler