Lucian

The sound of my first name on Lexi's lips hit me like an electric bolt.

No one in this building had ever called me anything but “Mr. Cross” or “sir.” Hell, my own board members trembled when they had to address me directly. But here stood this infuriating woman in her red dress that made my mouth go dry, calling me Lucian like she had every right in the world.

“Did you just call me Lucian?” I repeated, my voice dropping to that dangerous tone that usually made grown men piss themselves.

But Lexi lifted her chin higher, those whiskey eyes blazing with defiance. “That's your name, isn't it?”

Gregory cleared his throat behind me, probably sensing the tension crackling between us like live wire. The smart bastard excused himself with a mumbled “I'll check on those reports, sir.” and practically sprinted toward the elevator.

Coward.

I stepped closer to Lexi, close enough to catch that citrus scent that had been driving me insane for weeks. “You work for me,” I said slowly, deliberately. “That means you show me respect.”

She laughed. She actually laughed. The sound was rich and genuine and completely unexpected. “Respect? You just insulted my clothes and acted like a caveman because I talked to Gregory. What exactly have you done to earn my respect, Lucian?”

There it was again. My name falling from those lips like honey laced with poison.

The therapist's words echoed in my head. “You're falling in love.”

I scoffed. Love? That's impossible. Not with this disrespectful brat.

I circled her slowly, like a predator stalking prey. “You want to know what I've done? I've given you access to my world. I've paid you more money than you've ever seen. I've shown you sides of myself that no other journalist has witnessed.”

She turned with me, refusing to be intimidated. “And you've been a condescending ass about all of it.”

“Maybe,” I admitted, stopping directly in front of her. “But you're still here.”

“Because I signed a contract.” She hissed.

“Bullshit.” I leaned closer until our faces were inches apart. “You're here because you're curious about me. You want to know what makes me tick. What secrets I'm hiding.”

Her breath hitched, but she didn't back down. “The only secret I care about is why everyone seems terrified of you, but you haven't actually done anything threatening.”

Smart girl. Too smart for her own good.

My phone buzzed with an incoming call. Victor Kane's name flashed on the screen, and every muscle in my body tensed. I'd been expecting this call, but not in front of Lexi.

I hissed, declining the call.

But Victor wasn't the type to be ignored. The phone immediately buzzed again.

Lexi's eyes narrowed as she watched my expression harden. “Who's Victor Kane?”

Ice flooded my veins. “How do you know that name?”

“It's displayed on your phone screen, genius.” She rolled her eyes, gesturing to the device still buzzing in my hand. “But the way you just went white as a sheet suggests he's more than a business associate.”

I turned away from her, finally answering the call. “What do you want, Victor?” My voice stern.

His gravelly laugh filled the speaker. “Is that any way to greet an old friend, Cross? I hear you've been playing house with a little journalist.”

My blood pressure spiked. He has been watching me?

“Stay away from her,” I warned, my voice dropping low.

“Oh, I don't think so. See, I've been doing some digging on your little journalist. And I must say, she has a fascinating family history.” He scoffed. “Father with gambling debts, mother dead from cancer they couldn't afford to treat properly. Makes a girl desperate, doesn't it?”

I glanced back at Lexi, who was pretending not to eavesdrop while clearly hanging on every word.

“What do you want?” I repeated.

“You know what I want. What I've always wanted. The Meridian files. Give them to me, and your little pet reporter stays safe.”

The line went dead.

Lexi was staring at me now, looking uninterested. “Who was that?” She asked like I owe her an explanation.

I pocketed the phone, my mind racing through contingencies. Victor Kane is a business partner turned enemy who knew things about my grandfather's past that could destroy everything I'd built.

“No one important,” I lied.

“Don't.” She stepped closer, and I caught that citrus scent again. “Don't lie to me. I heard him mention my family.”

Fuck.

I ran a hand through my hair, pacing to the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city. My city. Every banners had my pictures on them. Every paper, magazines had my pictures.

“My grandfather wasn't always the saint I make him out to be,” I said finally, not turning around. “He made deals with dangerous people. Collected information on powerful men. Insurance policies, he called them.”

“Blackmail,” Lexi said quietly.

“Among other things.” I faced her again. “When he died, I inherited more than just money and businesses. I inherited enemies.”

"And Victor Kane is one of them." She nodded.

"The worst of them." I moved back toward her. "He wants files that could bring down half of Washington and most of Wall Street. Information my father gathered and hid before he died."

Lexi's eyes widened. "Do you have them?"

I almost smiled at her directness. Any other person would have danced around the question, afraid of the implications. But not Lexi. She wanted the truth.

“Yes.”

She absorbed this, processing the implications. "And he threatened me to get to you."

“Yes.” My brows furrowed.

“Because he thinks you care about me.” Her gaze narrowed.

The words hung in the air between us, loaded with meaning. Because the truth was, Victor was right. Somewhere along the way, this infuriating woman had wormed her way under my skin. The thought of anyone hurting her made me want to burn the world down.

"Do you?" she asked softly. "Care about me?"

I stared into those amber eyes, seeing vulnerability she rarely let show. The therapist's words echoed again. “You're falling in love.”

Maybe I was. Maybe I had been since the moment she stumbled into me at that charity gala, all fire and fury in her cheap dress.

But admitting that would change everything. Would make her a target. Would complicate the careful walls I'd built around my heart.

"I care about not getting sued if something happens to you on my watch," I said instead.

The hurt that flashed across her face was like a physical blow.

"Right." She stepped back, wrapping her arms around herself. "Of course."

My phone buzzed with a text. A photo of Lexi walking into the building this morning, a red crosshair photoshopped over her face.

Game on, the message read.

I deleted it before she could see, but the damage was done. Victor had made his move, and now everything had changed.

"I'm increasing your security detail," I said abruptly.

"What? Why?" She snapped.

“Because you're in danger now. Because of me.” I said.

And because the thought of losing her was becoming unbearable.