THE GAME BEGINS
617 Words
Ava
“This is a terrible idea,” Ava muttered under her breath as she followed Lena into the towering Lancaster Enterprises building.
Lena, ever the fearless one, smirked. “Oh, come on. Where’s your sense of adventure?”
Ava shot her a glare. “Adventure? We’re walking into the den of a man who could ruin my life with a signature.”
Lena shrugged. "That's why we're here. You want to know why your dad is making this deal? Damien Lancaster can tell you why."
Ava sighed, folding her arms across her chest. She had to admit, Lena was correct. If she needed to have control over what was going on with her, she needed to know.
But there was one teensy problem.
Do you have an appointment?" the receptionist asked, barely looking at them.
Lena smiled sweetly. "Not exactly, but I'm sure Mr. Lancaster won't mind if he catches sight of us."
The receptionist's eyebrow shot up. "Mr. Lancaster doesn't see walk-ins."
Ava was about to suggest that they wait when a low, husky voice cut through the air.
"Let them in."
Ava turned around, her stomach churning as she met Damien Lancaster's piercing eyes.
He leaned against the doorway of his office, hands in his pockets, exuding his typical quiet authority. There was something unreadable on his face—mild humor, but a flicker of curiosity as well.
Lena nudged Ava. "Well, that was easy."
Ava swallowed hard. Too easy.
---
Within Damien's Office
The office was exactly what she had expected—minimalist, sleek, and daunting. Floor-to-ceiling windows looked out over the city, and a dark mahogany desk commanded the center of the room, demanding attention.
Damien sat on the edge of it, watching them. "To what do I owe this surprise visit?"
Lena didn't mince words. "We need answers."
Damien raised a brow. "Do we?"
Ava stepped forward, not catching the way his eyes lingered on her. "Why did my father approach you with this offer?"
Damien's head tilted to the side slightly, as if weighing his response. "That's a question for your father, not me."
Ava's fists clenched. "Don't play games with me."
Something flashed in his eyes. "I don't play games, Ava. I win them."
The roughness in his tone made her shiver, but she would not be intimidated.
Lena, feeling the tension, leaned forward. "So what do you get out of this? A business merger? A convenient wife?"
Damien's smile was not so high, however. "I don't require a wife. And I don't require forcing one into marriage either."
Ava's chest tightened. "Then what do you want?"
He spent a long moment looking at her before he spoke. "You."
The atmosphere around them shifted. Ava's heart was racing, but she wasn't going to back down. "For business or for something else?"
Damien's smirk increased. "You'll find out in due time.".
Lena crossed her arms. "Vagueness isn't going to work, Lancaster."
Damien's gaze flicked to Lena, sizing her up, before he stepped back from the desk and walked over to Ava.
"I'll tell you this," he breathed, standing precariously close. "Your father made a mistake coming to me. And now you're caught up in something more than a business deal."
Ava's breath caught. "What does that mean?"
His jaw tightened. "It means you have to be cautious about whom you trust."
Her heart pounded. There was a warning in his tone, but something else, too—a strand of protection.
Lena, ever the skeptic, raised an eyebrow. "And what? We're just supposed to take your word for it?"
Damien glanced at her before refocusing on Ava. "No. But you will."
Ava hated that a part of her already did.
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- Writer
