Chapter 5

Cassie wasn’t prepared for this. The air in the grand ballroom was thick with power and quiet competition, but nothing compared to the charged tension crackling between her and the man standing across the room.

Damon Turner.

Her one-night stand.

Her father’s biggest rival.

Her biggest problem.

Cassie’s breath caught in her throat as their eyes locked. Damon was watching her like a predator who had just spotted his prey, his sharp features unreadable, but his amusement was evident. He was toying with her, enjoying her discomfort.

Damn him.

She hadn’t known what to expect when she agreed to attend the Under 30 Gala, but it certainly wasn’t running into the man she had paid to disappear from her life.

A slow smirk tugged at Damon’s lips.

He knew.

Of course, he knew.

Cassie tightened her grip on her champagne flute, forcing herself to stay composed. She had faced boardrooms full of ruthless businessmen, navigated high-stakes negotiations, and built a reputation as one of the fiercest young executives in the industry.

She would not let Damon Turner rattle her.

But damn, he looked good.

Dressed in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, he exuded confidence, power, and a level of sophistication that made every other man in the room look like amateurs. His dark hair was styled in that effortlessly sexy way, his sharp jawline accentuated by the dim lighting, and his piercing blue eyes held the kind of arrogance that came with being a billionaire who was used to getting exactly what he wanted.

Cassie hated that she found it attractive.

She turned away, pretending he didn’t exist.

But she could feel him moving.

Closer.

The men around her were still talking about the SCB deal, oblivious to the silent battle happening between her and Damon.

Until—

“Miss Monroe.”

That voice. Deep, smooth, and laced with amusement.

Cassie took a slow breath before turning around. “Mr. Turner.”

A ghost of a smirk played on his lips.

Damn him again.

“Didn’t expect to see you here,” one of the men in their circle commented, clearly intrigued by Damon’s presence. “You don’t usually attend these things.”

Damon shrugged, his gaze never leaving Cassie. “I make exceptions for interesting nights.”

Cassie’s jaw clenched.

She knew exactly what he was doing.

“Oh?” Mr. Sealey raised a brow. “Are you two acquainted?”

Cassie opened her mouth, ready to shut this down, but Damon beat her to it.

“In a way.”

Her fingers tightened around her glass.

This bastard was enjoying himself.

Cassie forced a neutral smile. “We’ve crossed paths before.”

“In business?” another man asked.

Cassie was about to say yes because technically, that was true but Damon, once again, had other plans.

“Something like that,” he murmured, tilting his head slightly.

Cassie could strangle him.

She refused to let him have the last word. “If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, I have other matters to attend to.”

She turned to leave, but Damon’s voice stopped her cold.

“Running away, Cassie?”

Her breath caught.

Slowly, she turned back to him, meeting his gaze head-on. “I wasn’t aware we were having a conversation, Mr. Turner.”

Damon chuckled, his expression relaxed, confident. “No? You just seemed a little eager to leave.”

Cassie gave him a polite smile. “I prefer not to waste my time.”

Damon stepped closer, and the other men in the group exchanged amused glances, sensing the undercurrent of tension between them.

Cassie didn’t move. She wouldn’t back down.

“Tell me, Miss Monroe,” Damon said, his voice lower now, intimate, meant just for her. “Are we pretending it never happened?”

Cassie’s stomach tightened.

She hated how good he was at this. At making her feel out of control.

Her father’s voice echoed in her head.

"Damon Turner is ruthless, Cassie. He’ll destroy us if he gets the chance."

She had told herself she would never let emotions interfere with business. And yet, here she was, staring at the one man who could single-handedly ruin her career and her carefully built life.

Cassie lifted her chin. “I don’t see how it’s relevant.”

Damon’s smirk deepened. “Oh, I think it’s very relevant.”

Cassie refused to engage. “Enjoy your night, Mr. Turner.”

She turned and walked away, ignoring the way his gaze burned into her back.

Cassie stepped onto the balcony, inhaling the cool night air. Her heart was still racing, her body betraying her.

She shouldn’t let him get to her.

She wouldn’t.

Except she already had.

“Need some air?”

The deep voice sent a shiver down her spine.

She turned to see Damon leaning against the doorway, watching her with that same damn amused expression.

Cassie sighed. “Do you make it a habit to follow women around at events?”

Damon chuckled. “Only the interesting ones.”

She folded her arms. “Should I be flattered?”

He stepped closer, his gaze locked on hers. “Should I be offended that you tried to pay me off to leave?”

Cassie swallowed. “I thought you didn’t take it personally.”

“I don’t.” Damon’s voice was dangerously soft. “But I do find it fascinating.”

Cassie forced a casual shrug. “I didn’t see the point in dragging it out.”

Damon took another step closer.

Too close.

Close enough that she could smell his cologne, something rich and dark, something that made her pulse race.

Close enough that she remembered exactly what his hands felt like on her skin.

“I wonder,” Damon murmured, tilting his head slightly. “Did you think paying me off would make you forget?”

Cassie’s breath hitched.

His words were too sharp, too accurate.

She hated that he was right.

Damon studied her for a long moment, then sighed. “Relax, Cassie. I’m not here to ruin your night.”

She gave him a pointed look. “That’s exactly what a man who plans to ruin my night would say.”

Damon chuckled. “Fair.”

For a moment, there was silence between them.

Not awkward.

Just charged.

“This isn’t over, Cassie,” he said finally.

She didn’t respond.

Because deep down, she knew he was right.