Chapter Four.

Elara gulped as she too, took a step backward.

"No. I don't need Roman's help either. I told you–I will handle this myself."

"Handle it yourself?" Killian’s dark chuckle was devoid of humor. He took another step forward, "Every second you waste standing here playing the proud martyr, the Feds are freezing your assets. Time is a luxury you don't possess, Elara. By morning, you won't even have a roof over your head, let alone a battle strategy."

Elara kept retreating until the wall behind her halted her.. She was trapped.

Killian closed the remaining distance instantly, looming over her so closely.

He leaned down, tilting his head until his face were inches from hers.

Elara’s breath caught, her chest heaving... He was too close, his scent completely intoxicating and terrifying all at once.

"So..." Killian whispered, "Let me help you, Elara."

She forced her mind to stay firm. She knew how the elite operated. No one did favors for free, especially not a man like him.

"What do you want in return?" she whispered tightly, "Men like you don't just offer help out of the goodness of their hearts. What's the price?"

Killian’s gaze dropped to her lips, lingering there for a second, before looking back to her blue eyes. Slowly, he stood up straight.

"Nothing."

Elara blinked

"What?" she whispered, searching his face..

Killian didn't explain, but he turned and went to pick up the designer bag, turned back around, and walked right back into her space.

"Change.." he commanded, holding the bag out to her.

"Why are you doing this?" she demanded, "My family has no partnership with your firm. We have no deals with you. And you claim you want nothing in return?"

Killian’s eyes darkened into a deep abyss. "What I want is already in my grasp, Miss Elara.." he murmured, "Therefore, I require nothing from you."

Elara’s brows furrowed, her head tilting in complete confusion.

What I want is already in my grasp? The riddle made her stomach turn with an unexplainable unease.

But then she pictured her father’s broken smile as the Feds dragged him away in handcuffs. She had no cards left to play.

She was entirely at the mercy of the most dangerous man in the city.

Swallowing her pride, she reached out and took the silk handles of the bag from his grip.

"Thank you.." she whispered tightly.

She walked toward the door he had pointed to earlier. Killian didn't move an inch, his intense gaze watching her, until she opened the door, stepped inside, and closed it shut behind her.

The moment the lock snapped into place, Killian Vane shattered.

He lifted his hands in front of his face. His palms were visibly shaking, the adrenaline of having her so close.

He drove his fingers through his dark hair, ruffling it, before dragging his hands hard down his face, stripping away the cold mask he had just been wearing.

"Elara..." he mumbled, his voice thick with a strange, deep yearning. "Your father couldn't hide you for long, I see."

He dropped his hands, his eyes instantly hardening, as he looked toward the bathroom door.

I will break your entire world, Elara. Then, I’ll force you to live in the one you actually deserve...a world where the only thing left for you to rely on is me.

A few minutes later, the door opened up.

Elara stepped back into the roon, letting out a quiet, self conscious sigh.

The dress Killian had provided was different from her engagement gown.

It was entirely modest too, long sleeved and high necked, covering literally every inch of her upper body before flowing down to her knees in a flare.

The moment she walked further, she locked eyes with Killian. He was back in his armchair, waiting. She quickly averted her gaze, her hands nervously smoothing the fabric down her thighs to break the sudden tension.

"Um... thank you for this.." she muttered, clearing her throat to steady her voice. "It fits perfectly. I’ll make sure to return it to you as soon as I can."

Killian didn't answer.

He just sat there, his eyes scanning her from head to toe, the way the fabric hugged her waist and the way her hair fell over her shoulders.

The stillness of his gaze made Elara feel awkward..

Then, he stood up, she noticed he was now on long black coat.

Elara’s eyes involuntarily followed his towering frame as he walked to her side, closing the distance between them. She blinked, her pulse spiking as he stopped barely an inch away from her.

Before she could even ask what he was doing, Killian leaned down, his face dipping close to the crook of her neck. He inhaled deeply, his chest expanding as he took in her scent.

Elara’s eyes went wide. She slapped a hand against his solid chest, shoving herself two steps backward, and glared at him in disgust.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she snapped.

Killian didn't look remorseful at all. He slowly straightened to his full height, his features relaxing into a look of satisfaction.

"Better.." he whispered, utterly unbothered by her anger. "His scent is off you."

His scent? Roman? She stared at him, her mind spinning in complete disbelief.

Was this man completely out of his mind?

"Let's go.." Killian commanded, turning on his heel without waiting for her reply.

He walked toward the elevator, his long coat billowing behind him.

The reality of her father's arrest crashed back into her thoughts.

Swallowing her confusion, she gripped the edges of her new dress and followed him.

The doors slid shut, as it began its smooth, silent descent.

Elara stood a step behind him, her gaze involuntarily drifting upward.

From this angle, she could see the profile of his jawline and the rigid straightness of his shoulders.

Even from the side, his expression was carved from stern, unreadable, and utterly unyielding.

Does a man like him truly expect nothing in return for saving my father? she wondered bitterly. Or am I just walking into a much larger trap?

"You can take a picture, Miss Elara. It will last longer." Killian mockingly said.

He didn't turn his head, merely cutting his eyes to the side to catch her reflection in the mirrored wall.

Heat instantly flooded Elara’s cheeks. Embarrassed at being caught staring, she quickly cleared her throat, snapped her head up, and fixed her eyes elsewhere.

Before the embarrassment could even settle, her phone buzzed. The screen lit up in her palm, she looked down, and her stomach instantly twisted into anger.

Roman.

Stupid, pathetic prick.. she cursed inwardly, her thumb hovering over the screen.

Killian didn't miss a beat. His gaze flicked downward, his eyes easily catching the flashing name on her screen.

A muscle ticked in Killian’s jaw, his expression darkening, before he rested his gaze back to the elevator doors ahead.