His collateral

Chapter 22

"How could I learn any lesson, Mr. Black?" Elena sat up slowly, her back resting against the headboard as she crossed her arms. "It's all on you. If you hadn't shown up on time I might have learned a thing or two."

Lucien leaned back, watching her. A corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

She was fine. Absolutely fine. He had worried for nothing.

Earlier when he found her she had clung to his arms refusing to let go until he managed to calm her down. Now seeing her able to joke about it eased something in him he hadn't realized was still tight.

What if it hadn't raised his suspicion when he returned to their table and learned that she had suddenly gotten emotional after her ex-husband was mentioned and excused herself?

What if he hadn't figured out it was a plan to escape and moved immediately?

She would have been dead by now.

He had been so consumed by his own business that he hadn't paid attention to the news or kept any tabs on her ex-husband.

He never did with any of his debtors.

It was purely business. Track their location and move when they failed to pay up. He had no interest in whatever was happening in their private lives.

But what he had learned recently about Jason Dalton piqued something in him.

What kind of man was he exactly? And why had he pinned his company's collapse on her?

Long before their divorce the media had paraded them as the ultimate power couple. They had looked genuinely in love. What had actually gone wrong between them?

Lucien leaned forward, fingers intertwined. "How are you feeling?" He said, in a tone too soft for him to fully recognize as his own.

"I'm fine." She shrugged. "Don't worry. Two billion worth of human collateral is still in good shape."

He let out a deep chuckle. She had taken his words to heart.

But that didn't change the fact that he hadn't been lying.

Business would always be business to him. No emotions attached.

"Why did you pretend to be asleep earlier?"

"Who knows." She said, looking away. "I had a feeling you would say something nasty about me. You didn't fail to disappoint."

Lies.

She was embarrassed that she had been vulnerable in front of him. She had refused to meet his eyes since it happened, the same way she was avoiding his gaze right now.

"When did I ever say anything nasty about you?"

She scoffed. "I suppose one of the requirements of being a loan shark is the ability to feign ignorance. Who was it that was rambling about me not being trustworthy a little while ago?"

"I wasn't wrong though. Was I?"

She fell silent.

"You took advantage of Sara's empathy and seized the moment to escape."

She raised a brow. "Mr. Black. You didn't possibly think I would miss a chance like that, did you?"

"I would be shocked if you didn't, Elena." He replied, his tone laced with quiet amusement.

"Exactly. It would have been foolish of me to sit in a fancy restaurant eating steak and drinking wine and do nothing about it. I'm sorry I ruined your family time but I had to do what I had to do." She added, completely unapologetic.

Laughter escaped Lucien's lips. Loud and unrestrained. He stood, walking toward the bed at an unhurried pace.

"What are you doing?" Elena asked, her back pressing harder against the headboard. "I'll scream if you try anything. We aren't at your estate anymore. Don't think you can bully me and walk away free."

He scoffed. "Go ahead. Scream. Let's see how far your voice carries in a soundproofed room."

Her eyes widened. "The room is soundproofed?" She swallowed. "Hold on, Mr. Black." She climbed down from the bed quickly. Her feet caught in the bedsheet and she stumbled, pitching forward.

His hand shot out, catching her arm and pulling her toward him before she could fall. His other hand wrapped firmly around her waist.

They remained that way for a moment, neither moving, eyes locked on each other.

Lucien's eyes trailed to her lips without permission, tracing their shape slowly. He lifted his hand, reaching toward them in a daze before catching himself.

He cleared his throat. "You cut your hair quite short." He said, redirecting his hand to her hair instead, lifting a few strands. "Was this your disguise in case you succeeded in escaping tonight?"

Her eyes widened as though she had been caught. She pushed him away, running her fingers through her hair as she stepped back.

He felt the absence of her warmth.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. "You act like you can read every thought in my head." She said, walking back to the bed and sitting at its edge. "I wanted a change of hairstyle. Don't I have the freedom to do that?"

"Of course you do." He grinned, slipping a hand into his pocket. "But you've made it difficult for me to trust that any of your actions are without reason, Mrs. Dalton."

"Can you just pick one?"

Lucien frowned. "Pardon?"

"A name. Pick one and stick to it. One moment you're calling me Elena, the next you're being formal again. Isn't that exhausting?"

He walked back to his seat, grunting softly as he settled into it. "I could say the same for you."

"I have never addressed you informally. It has always been formal."

"That's true." He nodded thoughtfully. "But have you ever asked whether I wanted to be addressed that way?"

"I'm not obliged to. I chose to address you formally. I don't see a problem with that."

"Exactly." He smirked. "So do you see my point now? I can address you however I choose. You don't have a say in that."

She bit her lip, clearly offended. "Mr. Black, are you playing with my intelligence?"

"No. Simply stating facts." He replied, quietly delighted by her feistiness. "It goes both ways."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I'm not talking to you anymore." She climbed back into the bed, turned onto her side and pulled the blanket up over her head.

Lucien slipped his phone from his suit jacket. He had heard it beep earlier and ignored it. The moment the screen lit up his expression darkened.

"You don't need to worry about me trying to escape anymore." Her muffled voice drifted from beneath the blanket.

His eyes lifted from the screen. An unexpected development.

"What brought about this sudden change?" He asked, setting the phone face down on his knee. Hoping she hadn't caught the interest in his tone.

The blanket shifted and she sat up, pulling it down from her face. "Your estate is the safest place for me right now. Who knows how many other people Jason has swindled. I could run into any one of them if I leave." She paused. "But I need to know something."

"What?"

"What if Jason doesn't pay back your money in three months as agreed? Does that mean I have to stay with you forever?" The terror in her eyes was unmistakable.

Lucien's jaw tightened.

What exactly was she so afraid of?

He shifted in his seat, gaze fixed on her. "You don't need to worry about that."

"I need an answer. Not consolation."

His eyes darkened. "I'm not consoling you, Elena. No one." He paused, letting the words settle. "I mean no one runs away with my money and lives to tell the tale.”