Chapter 6
729 Words
Chapter Six
The steady hum of the engine vibrated through the sleek leather seats as Sophie sat in the back of Lucas Blackwell’s town car, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Outside the tinted windows, the city stretched past in a blur of streetlights and towering skyscrapers. But she barely noticed.
Her mind was elsewhere.
The worker’s warning echoed in her head.
Some things aren’t meant to be uncovered.
A chill ran down her spine—not from fear, but from the realization that she was onto something much bigger than she had anticipated. The weight of it settled in her chest, a mix of exhilaration and unease.
She stole a glance at Lucas.
He sat across from her, his posture relaxed, one hand resting against the cool leather while the other scrolled through his phone. His face was unreadable—calm, composed, utterly in control.
Like nothing could touch him.
But Sophie knew better now. There were cracks beneath that polished exterior. She’d seen the way he had stiffened, the brief flicker of tension in his jaw when she’d mentioned workers being hurt.
She was going to find those cracks. And then she was going to pry them wide open.
Clearing her throat, she broke the silence. “That worker back there—do you even know his name?”
Lucas didn’t look up. “I know all my employees, Miss Miller.”
Sophie scoffed. “Really? Because he had a lot to say about this project. About people getting hurt. About workers being paid off to stay quiet.”
That got his attention.
His gaze lifted from his phone, sharp and assessing. For a moment, the only sound between them was the low hum of the car moving through the city.
“And you believed him?” he asked, his voice smooth, measured.
Sophie leaned forward slightly. “I believe in following the truth. And right now, the truth isn’t looking great for you.”
Lucas exhaled slowly, setting his phone aside. He studied her with an intensity that sent an unspoken challenge crackling through the air.
“You’re quick to assume I’m the villain in your story,” he murmured.
She met his gaze without hesitation. “Then prove me wrong.”
The weight of those words hung between them, thick with meaning.
The city lights flickered past the window, illuminating the contours of his face—the sharp angles of his jaw, the way his dark eyes flickered with something unreadable.
Then, to her surprise, Lucas smirked.
“You really don’t back down, do you?”
Sophie folded her arms. “Not when I’m onto something.”
He let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head slightly. Amused. But not dismissive.
A long pause followed. Then, he shifted forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “There are things about my business you don’t understand yet, Sophie.” His voice was lower now, almost… deliberate. “But since you insist on digging, I have a proposition.”
Sophie arched a brow. “Another deal? You really love those, don’t you?”
Lucas ignored the jab. “Tomorrow, I’ll take you somewhere—off the record. A place that might change your perspective.”
Sophie narrowed her eyes. “And why would I agree to that?”
His expression didn’t change. “Because you’re curious,” he said simply. “And because you want the truth.”
Damn him.
She hated that he was right.
Her pulse quickened as she studied him, searching for deception, for some hidden angle. But if there was one, she couldn’t find it.
Still, this was Lucas Blackwell. Nothing he did was without purpose.
“Fine,” she said after a beat. “But if I find out you’re just trying to control the story—”
Lucas leaned in slightly, his voice smooth and confident. “You’ll do what you do best.” His eyes locked onto hers. “Expose me.”
Her throat tightened.
There was something dangerous about the way he said it. Not a threat. Not even a challenge. It was an invitation.
Sophie swallowed hard, gripping the strap of her bag as if it could ground her.
She had no idea what Lucas Blackwell was planning to show her.
But one thing was certain—she was about to step even deeper into his world.
- Writer
