LOGIN"Well, the money belonged to the clients""You're one weird man, Mr Banks" he kiss my lips and returns to his seat. "At fifteen, my father leveraged his network to admit me into university early. I was surrounded by over-pompous, excessively wealthy legacy heirs: children of diplomats and tech magnates who spent their allowances on high-grade narcotics, illegal racing, and alcohol. They consistently found themselves in volatile legal positions or dangerous neighborhoods.""So you provided them with bodyguards.""I provided them with absolute discretion and physical extraction teams," Banks corrects, his eyes gleaming with a cold brilliance. "I charged exorbitant retainers to keep their parents from discovering their vices. The business stabilized within three years, before I completed my undergraduate degrees at nineteen." I look at him, completely captivated by the ruthless efficiency of his timeline. "Nineteen? Banks, most people are barely deciding on a major at that age.""I do
The man lowers his head, bowing slightly toward the desk. "I apologize, sir.""You currently manage two high-end villas in Manchester," Banks states, his voice perfectly level, devoid of any shouting, yet vibrating with an intense, terrifying force. A voice draws back my attention after an hour long tiring talks I consider jargons. Don't blame me. "What if we liquidate those two private properties... and your kidneys?" A suffocating silence descends upon the room. "My apologies, Mr. Wellington," the man pleads, his posture completely bowed even though he appears to be at least a decade older than the man sitting beside me."Is this the quality of strategy I am compensating you for?" Banks rebukes, his eyes narrowing into the room. "To offer me a tactical solution that requires sacrificing a sovereign asset generating over hundred million annually?" The executives collectively shift in their seats, their gazes dropping to their respective keyboards. No one dares to breathe."I pro
ELEANOR POV"Who on earth built this place?" The question escapes my lips as a pure rhetorical sigh. The architecture is staggeringly gorgeous—the exterior is massive and wide, framed by heavily reinforced, specialized ballistic glass that slide open electronically without a sound the moment our proximity registers. I try to glance back through the pane, but the surface is a complete void."The glass is structurally treated to prevent external monitoring or surveillance of our primary clients as they cross the threshold," Banks explains smoothly."They could simply compromise the CCTV network, you know," I counter, tilting my neck to look at him.Banks places his palm against the small of my lower back, guiding me directly into an elevator bank. A male and female operative materialize from the shadows, attempting to follow us into the cabin, but Banks offers a sharp, dismissive wave of his hand, which stops them in their tracks. We're alone. "They cannot compromise the grid because t
"I love you, Banks. Even with all of these overbearing, dictatorial tendencies." "I love you as well, Anor." "I overheard your communication with Carlton this morning," I note softly, shifting the topic. "Okay." He moves his palm to the crack between my ass cheeks and my resolve fade slightly. But I need to say this. "He stated his security networks cannot locate the digital root of the initial viral rumor." "The source will be neutralized before the month ends." "Until the end of the month... can we just..." He stops moving. My eyes lock onto his, his breathing stalling as the words catch in my throat. I swallow hard, unable to complete the sentence. "You are definitely not suggesting a break-up," he states, his voice turning dangerously low. "I'm not." "A wise decision." He pushes two fingers straight into me, I grip his shoulder, fighting the urge to get turned on when we should be making a decision. "There are days you get more wet than this, Anor" He goes knuckles deep
"State your father’s legal name," Banks commands softly. "Clement... Clement Windstone!" Banks offers a single, clinical nod and releases his grip, the force sending the teenager stumbling onto the floorboards. "Banks!" I lower myself instinctively to offer the boy a hand, but his friends aggressively push my arm away."Contact legal," Banks speaks into his device, completely ignoring the children. "Charge the Windstone enterprise with every regulatory infraction and corporate violation currently accessible within our database. Dissolve their credit lines by morning." I lift myself up, snatching the phone directly from his palm. "He is just a child, Banks!" "He is twenty-four months away from legal adulthood." I collect my Visa from the counter. "Let us leave. Please." We walk the remaining distance to the armored vehicle, the air inside the cabin instantly turning thick as Banks continues executing operational tracking directives on every individual present at the cafe. "You
ELEANOR POV "They must be completely shameless," someone whispers behind us, the words cutting through the low hum of the boutique café. Banks sneers, his massive frame instantly shifting toward the source of the sound, but I quickly loop my fingers through his wrist to anchor him. They are just teenagers... high schoolers huddled over iced coffees. "Let it be. It doesn't matter," I murmur. "Of course it matters. Who raised them to be so utterly uncouth?" A sudden burst of laughter escapes my throat. I don't even know why, but hearing him describe modern teenagers as 'uncouth' is entirely absurd. "It is not hilarious, Eleanor." "The situation isn't," I agree, trying to suppress the smile breaking across my face. "But you calling high schoolers 'uncouth' is hysterical." I look at them again and realise the blazing red outfit as the same with Zara's uniform. "Card or cash, please?" the barista requests, looking nervously between us. Banks slides his matte-black Amex Centurio
BANKS POVShe hasn't changed. I shouldn't even expect her to. Montana has always been a manipulative soul. I just never expected her to come for Eleanor or use her brother. Who currently takes a step out of my grip, but I tighten my hold on her waist. Her focus remains locked entirely on her brothe
I stare at him, my heart thumping wildly against my ribs. He simply raises a glass of whiskey toward me in a silent toast. My mind briefly flashes to the kiss from earlier when he pours himself a drink. I force my eyes forward, my gaze sweeping across the crowded room until it finds sequin fabric
“I’m sure he has something along the lines of causing problems so he can solve them, making the president look like a puppy while he gets praised for being smart.” She ease out completely without hiccuping.I look at the VP That’s true. I’m part of t
Banks pulls out the empty chair beside me.“Mr. Banks!” they echo and I jump up.They're all looking at him as if taking that seat is an abomination.There’s no high table here; just a round table and laptops. Its screen displaying stock markets, political m







