THE PRICE OF BEING HIS

Chapter two Andrea's POVThe whole room turns at once.Security stops moving, the host straightens, and every whispered conversation around me dies when everyone heard that voice.I turn slowly, and the first thing I notice is that he isn’t looking at the broken pieces on the floor, or the host, or any of the people staring… he’s looking directly at me. My throat tightens, and I look away quickly because there’s something in his gaze that feels like it can see straight through everything I spent months building.The host clears his throat and says, “Sir, this piece comes from a private European collection. It really isn’t something that can just be…”“I said add it to my account, Gerald.” The man doesn’t raise his voice or look away, and that’s exactly what makes Gerald stop mid-sentence and nod like a man who knows better than to argue.“Of course,” Gerald says tightly. And just like that, it’s over. Staff appear to clean the mess, the crowd drifts back to their drinks and chatter,

Chapter fourAndrea’s POV“Welcome, Miss Vale. We’ve been expecting you.”The duplex penthouse at Tristan Hale’s estate is even more imposing than I imagined. The long drive out of the city had been two hours of nerves and anticipation, every mile counting down to this moment. I had tried to focus on anything other than my racing heartbeat, but it didn’t work. Nothing could distract me from the knowledge that I was walking into a life I wasn’t sure I was ready for.His housekeeper meets me at the entrance. She moves with sharp efficiency, and something in the way she carries herself suggests Tristan’s standards run deep.“I’m Claire,” she says with a small, polite smile. “I’ll be taking care of you while you’re here.” Without waiting for a response, she takes my box and instructs me to leave it with the maids downstairs. No arguments allowed.The elevator opens directly into the penthouse. I step out and pause, unsure whether to breathe or collapse. The space is enormous, grand, and ex

Chapter six Andrea’s POVHis lips crash against mine, hard and sure. The kiss is nothing like the soft ones I imagined in my head for my first one. It is demanding. His hand stays firm behind my neck, holding me exactly where he wants me. My hands stay cold at my sides, but I do not pull away. I cannot. This is what I signed up for.Tristan presses closer until my back hits the wall. The red lingerie feels too thin between us. His body is warm and solid, and I feel every inch of him. He breaks the kiss just enough to look down at me. His grey eyes are dark now, but still cold.“Bed,” he says, voice low.Before I can move, he lifts me. My feet leave the floor. In two strides he drops me onto the big bed. The mattress bounces under me. I lie there, heart pounding, staring up at him as he stands over me.He reaches for his shirt and tears it open. Buttons scatter across the floor with sharp little clicks. The sound makes me flinch. His chest is broad, muscles tight under smooth skin. He

Chapter EightAndrea’s POV“What if the maids walk in on… us?”The words tumble out of me in a stammer before I can stop them. I am sitting on the edge of the dining table now, robe already loosened, heart hammering so loud it echoes in my ears. My legs feel shaky even though I am not standing anymore.Tristan does not even blink. He stands between my knees, tall and sure in that sharp dark suit, and says, “They won’t.”His voice is calm, like he has done this a hundred times and nothing can surprise him. I swallow hard and glance around the huge room. Sunlight pours through the tall windows. The table feels cold under my thighs. “We can just go to the bedroom,” I whisper. “It would be more comfortable…”He looks at his watch, the expensive one that catches the light, and cuts me off. “Are you going to do it or not?”The question hangs there. Fear spikes through me again. One wrong move and I am back in that tiny apartment with the overdue bills and Ethan’s coughs. I nod fast, too sca

Chapter TenTristan's POV “Where are we on the growth projections for the next quarter?” I say, settling into the chair at the head of the long mahogany table.The boardroom door clicks shut behind me and the projector hums to life, casting its cold blue light across the faces of my twelve department heads. They sit straighter at once, laptops open, notepads ready. The faint scent of fresh coffee hangs in the air but does nothing to hide the tension. Good. A little fear keeps everyone sharp.Cartwright, head of strategy, clears his throat and clicks the remote. “Mr. Hale, we are looking at a solid twenty-two percent increase if we secure the major infrastructure contract. The rival firms are bidding aggressively on this one. Their proposals undercut us by nearly nineteen percent on labor and materials, and they are promising completion six weeks ahead of our timeline.”I lean back, eyes narrowing at the slides. “Nineteen percent. Interesting. And what brilliant counter are we offeri