Lexi

Lucian hung up the call, staring at me like I was some kind of enemy.

“What?” I asked, crossing my arms defensively.

“Can I see your phone?” He asked, stepping closer.

“No,” I shook my head, stepping away. “You can't just go through my phone without giving me a good reason.”

His brows furrowed, and for a split second, I saw anger flash through his eyes.

“Were you recording our conversations?”

“No,” I answered, “matter of fact, my phone is dead.”

He let out a sigh, his tense expression relaxing slightly.

“Can we go now?” I asked, eager to get out of there before he decided to interrogate me further.

But Mia, being Mia, had to open her big mouth. “Wait, didn't you just get a text from work like five minutes ago? How is your phone dead?”

I wanted to strangle her. Lucian's eyes immediately snapped back to me, that suspicious look returning with vengeance.

“Interesting,” he said, his voice dangerously quiet. “Care to explain that?”

“It... it died right after,” I stammered, mentally cursing Mia's terrible timing.

“Show me,” he demanded, extending his hand.

“I don't have to show you anything,” I said, but even I could hear the guilt in my voice.

Lucian took another step forward, and I instinctively backed up until I hit the wall. He placed one hand against the wall beside my head, effectively trapping me.

“Lexi,” he said, his voice low and controlled, “I'm going to ask you one more time. Were you recording our conversation?”

The smart thing would have been to lie. To deny everything and hope he couldn't prove it. But looking into his eyes, seeing the hurt underneath the anger, I found myself telling the truth.

“Yes,” I whispered.

Mia made a small squeaking sound from the couch. “Oh shit.”

Lucian closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, his expression was completely unreadable.

“Everything?” he asked.

“Everything.” I confirmed, lifting my chin defiantly. “All of our conversations.”

“You recorded everything?” His voice was dangerously quiet.

“I'm a journalist, Lucian. It's what I do.”

He pushed away from the wall and walked to the center of the room, running his hands through his hair. “Do you have any idea what you've just done?”

Why is he so worked up? I only recorded it, I haven't sent it to my boss yet.

“I've done my job,” I said, moving away from the wall. “I've documented the truth.”

“The truth?” He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “You think you know the truth?”

“I know what I heard. I know what you admitted to.”

“And what would you have done?” His voice rose. “Let him keep destroying lives? Let him hurt you?”

“I would have found another way,” I whispered.

“There was no other way!” He shouted, his composure finally cracking. “Kane was untouchable.”

“So you decided to handle it yourself? Then that doesn't make you any different from him.”

“I decided to protect what mattered to me!” He snapped.

The words hung in the air between us, and I saw the moment he realized what he'd said. His face went carefully blank.

“What matters to you?” I asked softly, hating myself for the hope that crept into my voice.

“My business interests,” he said quickly. “My reputation. My associates.”

“Bullshit,” I said.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. That's bullshit, and we both know it.”

Mia was watching us like a tennis match, her head turning back and forth between us.

“You didn't do this for your business,” I continued. “You did this for me. Because Kane threatened me specifically.”

“Don't flatter yourself," he said coldly. "You're a means to an end. Nothing more."

The words stung, even though I knew he was lying. "Fine. Then you won't mind if I publish the story."

His face went white. "Lexi..."

"You just said I was nothing more than a means to an end. So my publishing this story shouldn't bother you at all."

"That story will destroy more than just me," he said quietly. "The people who work for me, the businesses that depend on my investments, the employees who have families to feed. They'll all suffer."

I wavered for a moment, but then steeled myself. Finally I got something on him. I knew he played dirty. Every billionaire has shitty things they do.

"That's not my problem," I said, pulling out my phone. "The public deserves to know the truth about Lucian Cross."

"Wait," he said, holding up a hand. "What do you want?"

"What do I want?"

"Everyone wants something. Money, power, revenge. What do you want?"

I considered the question. What did I want? I wanted my father's medical bills paid. I wanted to stop worrying about creditors calling every day. But more than that, I wanted to believe that people like Lucian Cross couldn't just do whatever they wanted without consequences.

"I want you to prove you're better than this," I said finally.

He blinked. "What?"

"I want you to show me that there's more to you than just power and control."

"Power and control?” He chuckled. “You don't know me, Lexi. Stop assuming I'm like every other billionaire you see.”

I tsked, not concerned about his rant. All billionaires are the same.

"I publish everything. Tonight."

He was quiet for a long moment, studying my face like he was trying to read my mind.

"If I agree? What happens to the story?"

"I sit on it. For six months. Give you time to prove you're a good man."

"And after six months?"

"After six months, if you've actually proven yourself, maybe the story gets buried permanently. But if you haven't..." I shrugged. "Then the world learns the truth about Lucian Cross."

"You're blackmailing me."

"I prefer to think of it as an incentive for good behavior."

Mia finally spoke up. "You two are both completely insane."

Lucian walked to the window, staring out at the city lights. "You realize what you're asking me to do?"

"I'm asking you to be better.”

He was quiet for so long I started to think he wasn't going to answer. Then he pulled out his phone.

"Marcus," he said when the call connected. "Cancel the media suppression. Let them run whatever story they want about Kane... Yes, I'm sure... Because I have a new plan."

He hung up and looked at me.

"Fine. You have a deal. Six months. But I have conditions."

"What conditions?"

“Our current arrangement continues. You keep attending events with me, working closely until you finally get the truth.”

Why is he so bothered about me finding out who he truly is?

I thought about it. Spending six months working closely with Lucian Cross while secretly monitoring his activities sounded like a special kind of torture. It also sounded like the story of a lifetime.

"Deal," I said, extending my hand.

He took it, his grip warm and firm. "Partners?"

"Strictly professional partners."

Mia stood up. "Okay, now I'm really leaving. You two need to work out your weird sexual tension without an audience."

"It's not sexual tension!" I protested.

"It's definitely sexual tension," Lucian said with that infuriating smirk.

"I hate you," I muttered.

"I know," he said, still holding my hand. "But you're going to work with me anyway."

"Only because I need the money."

"Keep telling yourself that."

I yanked my hand away and headed for the door. "I'm going home. I'll see you tomorrow."

I was almost to the elevator when Mia caught up with me.

"Lex, wait up!"

I held the elevator door for her. "What?"

"Are you sure about this? Working with him for six months?"

I pressed the button for the lobby. "Honestly? No. But I need the money.”

“What if you end up falling for him?” She smiled.

"I won't." I shook my head.

"But if you do?"

The elevator reached the lobby, and the doors slid open.

“It will never happen. I hate his guts.” My rows furrowed.

We stepped out into the cool night air, and my phone buzzed. It was a text from Lucian.

“Your first assignment is tomorrow night. Hope you have something appropriate to wear to the Governor's gala. - L.C.”

I stared at the message, then at Mia who stared at my phone.

“The Governor's gala?” Mia's eyes went wide. “Lex, that's black-tie. Like, ridiculously fancy black-tie.”

I looked down at my jeans and sneakers, then back at the penthouse building where Lucian was probably watching us from his window.

“I'm so screwed.”