Chapter Thirteen

(Luca's POV)

The whiskey sat untouched before me, the amber liquid catching the light in sharp glints. I leaned back against the leather booth, one arm stretched along the backrest, eyes pinned to the entrance of the bar. We’d agreed to meet here—neutral ground. I don’t know if Damien still considered any place neutral where I was concerned, but we weren’t here to fight.

I told myself this was about business.

Lie.

I wanted to see Damien not because I missed him, but because I wanted to know how he treats her.

I am in love with her.

That realization had come with a quiet violence. At first, I resisted it—labeled it as lust or obsession, but none of that explained why I saw her in my sleep or why my heart dropped when I remembered she now has my brother’s name.

The door creaked open. Damien stepped in like he owned the world. I'm not surprised, my brother always has a way of walking into a room and sucking the air out of it. Same sleek suit, same detached expression. He scanned the room until his gaze landed on me.

He approached slowly, without urgency or hesitation. He sat down across from me without offering a greeting.

I smirked. “Glad to see your time management hasn’t improved.”

Damien signaled for a drink. “And you’re still allergic to small talk, I see.”

I shrugged. “Depends on the company.”

There was a pause, that old familiar silence stretching between us. Once upon a time, we had been close, before ambition turned us into rivals and betrayal became too thick to swallow.

“You said you wanted to talk?” Damien asked, resting his forearms on the table.

I reached into my jacket and pulled out a tablet, sliding it toward him. “New AI integration software. Streamlines operations for multinational corporations. I’ve got a prototype, the backing, and a few overseas partners. I want in on the Delacroix-Valenci expansion project.”

Damien’s eyes flickered to the screen, then to me. “You want to do business with me?”

I nodded. “This isn’t about us, it’s a smart partnership. You know I built Novatek from the ground up. I’m not offering you scraps. This could triple your firm’s reach in six months.”

He stared at me for a beat too long. “What do you get out of this?”

“A seat at the table.” I took a slow sip of my whiskey, even though it tasted like ash.

He didn’t react, not in the way I expected. Just a cool, clinical tilt of his head. “You’ve always had a flair for dramatics, Luca.”

“And you’ve always lacked the capacity for humility.”

A smirk touched the corner of his mouth. Not amusement, but acknowledgment.

He glanced back down at the tablet, flipping through the brief overview. “I’ll have my legal team look at this. It’s impressive.”

“I know.”

Silence again. We were two men on the edge of a war neither wanted to name.

I leaned back. “How’s married life?”

His eyes flicked up, unreadable. “Functional.”

“Functional?” I repeated, my chest tightening.

Damien shrugged. “We’re doing what’s expected of us. The merger is stable and the public is satisfied.”

“And Selena?” I said her name casually, careful not to sound too invested, though I felt every syllable burn on my tongue.

He reached for his drink and took a sip. “She’s…cooperative. A bit quiet. She keeps to herself but plays the role well.”

That made me clench my jaw. “You don’t love her.”

Damien didn’t even blink. “Love wasn’t part of the contract.”

Of course it wasn’t. Because for Damien, emotions were distractions and liabilities. And that’s how he sees Selena.

I fought the urge to slam my fist into the table.

“Does she seem… happy to you?” I asked carefully.

He narrowed his eyes. “Why the sudden interest?”

I forced a small laugh. “Just curious. She’s a beautiful woman. Would be a shame if you made her miserable.”

Damien’s expression sharpened. “You forget yourself, Luca.”

I met his gaze without flinching. “I remember everything.”

That hung in the air between us like a loaded gun.

He stood then, smoothing his blazer. “I’ll get back to you about the partnership. Don’t make me regret hearing you out.”

I stood too, matching his height. “I won’t.”

As he walked away, I clenched my fists at my sides. He doesn't deserve Selena. I wish I could tell him about that night in the cabin but telling him that could put Selena at risk.

I ran my fingers through my hair.

“Fuck.” I whispered.

I need to talk to Selena.