THE KNIGHTS DEBT

THE LION’S DEN

​Le Sel was the kind of restaurant that didn't have prices on the menu. It was tucked away in a cobblestone alleyway, marked only by a heavy oak door and a silent valet. Inside, the lighting was so dim it felt like a secret, and the air smelled like expensive wine and old money.

​Xavier didn't lead me by the hand. He placed his hand firmly on the small of my back, his palm warm through the thin silk of my dress. It was a possessive gesture, a "hands-off" sign to every man in the room who turned to stare as we walked past.

​"Deep breaths, Jade," he whispered, his breath hot against my ear. "Your heart is beating so fast I can feel it against my hand. Slow it down. You’re supposed to be comfortable here."

​"I'm about to lie to a man who could have me erased from the census," I hissed back, keeping my smile fixed and fake. "Forgive me if I’m a little tense."

​"He’s just a man," Xavier said, though his jaw tightened. "A man with a lot of ego and a very short temper. Just follow my lead."

​We were led to a private booth in the far back, shielded by velvet curtains. Sitting there, nursing a glass of scotch, was Arthur Knight.

​He looked like an older, colder version of Xavier. His hair was silver, his suit was even more expensive, and his eyes were like two pieces of flint. He didn't stand up when we arrived. He just looked us up and down like he was inspecting a delivery that might be late.

​"You're five minutes behind schedule, Xavier," Arthur said. His voice was like gravel.

​"The traffic was difficult, Father," Xavier replied, sliding into the booth and pulling me down next to him. He didn't let go of me. He kept his arm draped over the back of the seat, his fingers grazing my shoulder. "This is Jade Emery. My fiancée."

​Arthur’s gaze shifted to me. It felt like being scanned by a security laser. He didn't offer a hand. He didn't even nod.

​"Emery," Arthur repeated. "I ran the name. There are no Emerys in the social register. No Emerys on the board of any major firm. You aren't from the city, are you, girl?"

​I felt a flash of heat in my chest. I’ve dealt with arrogant professors and condescending lab directors, but this man treated me like I was a stray cat that had wandered into his dining room.

​"I'm from right here, Mr. Knight," I said, my voice clearer than I expected. "I just don't spend much time in 'registers.' I find they’re usually full of people who haven't done much besides inherit their last names."

​Beside me, I felt Xavier go perfectly still.

​Arthur’s eyebrows shot up. For a second, I thought he was going to call the waiters to throw me out. Then, a slow, grim smile touched his lips.

​"She has a mouth on her," Arthur noted, looking at Xavier. "Most of your 'friends' usually spend the first ten minutes stammering and apologizing for the weather. Why a microbiology student, Xavier? Planning on opening a pharmaceutical wing?"

​"I like her mind, Father," Xavier said, his voice smooth as silk. He reached over and took my hand, interlacing our fingers on top of the white tablecloth. "She’s the first person I’ve met who isn't impressed by the Knight bank account. It’s refreshing."

​"It’s a liability," Arthur snapped. "A CEO needs a partner who understands the stakes. Someone who knows how to navigate a gala, not someone who spends her nights looking at bacteria."

​"I think navigating a board of directors is a lot like looking at bacteria, Mr. Knight," I interrupted, taking a sip of the water the waiter had just poured. "You just have to figure out which ones are infectious and which ones are just taking up space."

​Xavier’s grip on my hand tightened, not in a warning, but in a squeeze of genuine amusement. I looked at him, and for a split second, the act disappeared. He looked at me with something that wasn't boredom or strategy. It was a look of pure, unadulterated pride.

​The dinner was a battlefield. Arthur grilled me on everything, my childhood (I lied and said it was 'quiet and academic'), my goals (I stayed honest about my degree), and my feelings for Xavier.

​"And when did he propose?" Arthur asked, leaning forward, his eyes narrowed. "Xavier isn't exactly the romantic type. I assumed he’d just buy a ring and leave it on a nightstand."

​I looked at Xavier. He was watching me, waiting to see if I’d trip up.

​"It was at the library," I said, the lie sliding off my tongue with terrifying ease. "It was late, and I was stressed about a lab report. He showed up with coffee and a book I’d been looking for. He didn't make a big scene. He just sat down, looked at me, and said he couldn't imagine his life without someone who challenged him every single day."

​I turned back to Arthur. "He was incredibly annoying about it, actually. But that’s Xavier. He doesn't take 'no' for an answer."

​Xavier didn't miss a beat. He leaned in and kissed my temple, his lips lingering there a second longer than necessary. "I told you I was a strategist, Father. I knew I had to lock her down before she realized she was too good for me."

​Arthur watched us for a long time. The tension was so thick I could almost taste it. Finally, he leaned back and finished his scotch.

​"We'll see," Arthur said. "The Anniversary Gala is in three weeks. If you’re still together by then, and if you can handle the press, I’ll reconsider the cousin’s promotion. But if I catch even a hint that this is some sort of... arrangement... I’ll ruin both of you. Do I make myself clear?"

​"Perfectly," Xavier said, his voice cold.

​The rest of the meal passed in a blur of expensive steak I couldn't taste and wine that felt like lead in my stomach. When we finally stepped back out into the cool night air, I felt like I’d just survived a car wreck.

​Xavier led me to the SUV, but he didn't get in immediately. He turned to me, his back against the car door, his eyes dark.

​"You were incredible," he said.

​"I was a liar," I corrected, leaning against the car for support. My legs felt like jelly. "I hated every second of it."

​"You handled him better than I ever have," Xavier said, stepping closer. He reached out, his thumb brushing a stray hair away from my face. "The bacteria comment? I thought he was going to have a stroke."

​"He’s a horrible man, Xavier."

​"He is," Xavier agreed quietly. "But he’s my father. And for the first time in my life, he looked at me like I might actually be capable of making a good decision."

​He was standing too close. The smell of his cologne, the heat of the night, and the adrenaline of the dinner were all swirling together. I looked up at him, and the sarcasm I usually used as a shield was gone.

​"Don't get used to it," I whispered. "I'm still leaving in thirty days."

​Xavier didn't pull away. He leaned down, his forehead almost touching mine. "Thirty days is a long time, Jade. A lot can happen in a month."

​"Like what?"

​"Like me realizing I don't want to let my 'social shield' go."

​Before I could respond, he opened the car door for me. As I slid into the leather seat, I looked at the diamond on my finger. It was sparkling under the streetlights, beautiful and fake.

​Just like the girl I was pretending to be.

​But as the car pulled away, I realized the scariest part of the night wasn't Arthur Knight. It was the fact that for a few minutes in that restaurant, I hadn't been pretending at all.