Chapter 5

Maxwell Reed shut his eyes tightly as he held his head. The party had been stressful and he wished to take a quiet nap. He wished he could get home early amidst the heavy downpour.

" President, the old Madam called again reminding you to come to the ancestral home..."

Max felt his head on the verge of splitting in two. He knew exactly what his grandmother was planning. Still, he wasn't in the mood for her tantrums again.

He ignored the driver's words to pick his assistant's call. After a second, the air around the car seemed to freeze and at the same time the car suddenly came to a stop.

Maxwell Reed's eyes narrowed as the tyres screeched loudly.

He was about to spit fire and brimstone when his eyes caught the delicate figure in front of the car. He held his breath, unsure of his eyesight.

He muttered to himself a name he had grown to dream of every night.

" Sir, she..."

His voice held no negotiation except an underlying torrent of emotions," Open the door."

The smart old driver, dressed in a crisp, tailored suit, swiftly exited the vehicle and opened the rear door. A long, designer-clad leg emerged, followed by the rest of the man.

His aura swept away the chilly air of the rain with every frosty step he took. His eyes bore into a soaked Lexi, dangerous and cloudy.

Yet, Lexi was as completely unhinged except for a flicker of recognition with just a glimpse, that disappeared quickly.

" A painful death you are planning, woman. You could make use of the pharmacy instead," The man's cold voice rang through the stormy weather.

" Mr. Reed, do you care for a deal?"

Before Max could respond, his eyes caught Lexi's swaying figure making its way to the hard road. He quickly dashed forward, ignoring the rainfall on his expensive coat. He was able to catch the delicate woman before they both hit the ground.

He looked at Lexi and frowned. " You are burning up?"

He questioned no one but himself. Then he swiftly turned towards the driver while standing up with Lexi in his arms.

" Drive! To the mansion!"

Max brows were still furrowed as the car swerved towards his private residence, his heart thumping continuously as he stared at the woman who was in his arms.

She was freezing.

" What exactly happened to you, Lexi?" He murmured, brushing a strand of hair from the woman's delicate cheek.

Wasn't that bastard supposed to care for her?

In less than five minutes, he was carrying Lexi to a spacious room in his mansion. As he dropped her on the bed, he made an attempt to call the housekeeper but her slender hand drew him toward herself.

" Don't go..."

The voice was cracky, almost a whisper yet he just couldn't resist it. His head was telling him everything about tonight was wrong. Being with this woman was wrong.

Yet, he just couldn't let go.

His veins popped, his eyes darkened as the slender hand clung even tighter. Then he managed to whisper," I should call your husband."

Husband...that word came out of his mouth like a bitter pill. Like always, yet he was helpless when it came to Lexi.

The hand that held him became even tighter, as if those words triggered something inside of the woman.

" Don't..."

"Why?" Max asked, bringing Lexi's face to his own.

The woman's hands were soft... cloud-like, pillowy to touch and like petals of a rose. Strong underneath. That was the Lexi he knew before she got married two years ago.

Her voice cut through his thoughts," Let's make a deal, Max..."

" What kind of deal do you offer, Mrs. Blackwood?"

Lexi's blue eyes held no warmth as she bit her lips until it almost bled. He wasn't going to let Ethan get away with his betrayal and the only person who could help her was none other than her enemy, Maxwell Reed.

A billionaire not to be trifled with and an even greater enemy to Ethan. Someone who could help her slowly destroy him where it hurts deeply.

" I want him destroyed. Everything I helped him build. Destroyed until he goes back to who he should have been..."

Max swallowed hard, something else burning deep inside of him. He could already guess what happened tonight.

Lexi, deep inside, her heart was burning even more. Even if the price to be paid was her deal with the devil himself, she wasn't going to let Ethan go. Only one thing kept ringing in her head as she patiently waited for Max's response.

" Revenge..."

But at what cost?

Maxwell watched as the woman clung to him, his body reacting strongly. He cursed under his breath, pushing her away. Even if all he wanted to do was hold her tightly, he needed to control himself.

She was still a married woman.

As he pushed Lexi away, he saw a tinge of sadness in her eyes. She looked like a drowning little kitten, not the usual tigress he had known since high school.

" I can give you my body in exchange for what I want..." She breathed out, her fingers clasped tightly.

Max's vein popped at her words," I don't do married women, Lexi."

He expected her to understand, but she replied instead," Good. That makes it easier!"

He frowned," What do you mean?"

She snickered, getting out of the bed. She got closer to Max, her scent invading all his senses. Her body was the perfect model with the right curves and swelling. She was the campus belle back then in school until she fell hopelessly in love with Ethan Blackwood.

Max was trying to take his eyes off her when she spat out the words.

" Fortunately my husband is married to his childhood friend!"

The room was slowly freezing as Lexi casually tossed out the fact that her husband of two years just lied to her. Not just any betrayal but a lie that doesn't deserve forgiveness. That explained her sorry state earlier.

Maxwell Reed's eyes narrowed, his hands were itching to throw a punch at the bastard. But he controlled himself before looking at her again.

Then he spat out," I don't do casual flings. Once you get involved with me, I won't let go."

Lexi's expression remained unreadable.

He continued, his eyes filled with uncertainty," Do you dare?"

Lexi bit her lips hard, only for a second. With swiftness that Maxwell hadn't imagined, she crashed her lips into his. Her soft hands wrapped around his muscular body, not fully. Her lips continued to explore his mouth, like an amateur.

Maxander's body was on fire as Lexi continued ravaging his lips.

After a few seconds of kissing, Maxwell gently drew her away from him." Are you sure about this?"

Anger flashed through Lexi's eyes, as if he was stopping her from taking her favourite candy. The hunger in her eyes was insatiable, as if she was just trying to take off steam after her husband's betrayal.

That wasn't what Maxwell wanted. He wanted her to want him.

" Aren't you man enough down there?"

Maxwell let out a groan, provoked and with that he carried her swiftly to bed. He ravaged her lips, collarbone and every part of her body until she was shaking and begging him to f*ck her.

And just when he wanted to go further, a scream left her mouth while Maxwell stopped immediately. From the look on his face, Maxwell was shaken.

This wasn't what he had expected after two years!