Chapter Two: The Deal.
1116 Words
"Luca's firm got Meridian Publishing," said Thomas, so loud that others could hear. "Next week, we'll say Morgan Media and Devereaux Holdings are now partners."
And there it was. Why was her grandfather so happy? Just another move in his big game.
"Lucky us," Eliza said, keeping her voice neutral. "I must go now."
"But," Thomas said, "I was hoping you might show Luca the Egyptian collection? He wants to see it, and you know art well, right?"
She was trapped. Saying no would cause a stir, which Thomas knew she'd never want.
"Sure," she said, her voice bitter.
Thomas smiled, pleased with his small win. "Nice. Luca, we'll talk more tomorrow. Eliza, don’t forget our chat from this morning. Time’s running out."
He walked off, soon with a crowd around him, leaving Eliza with Devereaux in an odd quiet.
"The Egyptian collection?" Devereaux finally said.
"This way," she said, walking to the south wing.
As they walked, her heels were loud on the stone. She felt him close behind, his being too big for the space.
"Your grandfather wants to set us up," he said once they left the main room, his voice a bit loud in the now quiet spot.
Eliza stopped and turned to him. "Just to be clear, Mr. Devereaux, I don't want any part of my grandfather's plans."
"Luca," he corrected, calm even with her sharp tone. "And who's playing games? Maybe I just want to see old Egyptian artifacts."
"At a big event? When would a normal day be less busy?"
He just shrugged, smooth as always. "Maybe I wanted a quiet talk with the mysterious Eliza Morgan, who writes under a pen name rather than her real name with her family's firm."
She froze. "How do you...?"
"Know that E.M. Blake is you?" He smiled again, but it was shrewd now. "I'm good at my job. I dig up facts."
"My writing isn’t for sale," she said flatly.
"No?" He moved closer, his rich scent filling the air. "Everyone has a price, Eliza. You, too."
"You don't know me."
"I know your book was a hit for weeks. I know you've missed your next book’s due date twice. I know you live alone, love coffee, and give secretly to help kids read." His gaze held hers. "I know you're running from something big that others would die for."
Anger burned in her. "Is this how you work? Spying on people to... what? Win them over? Own them? What am I to you?"
"Interesting," he simply said. "You’re truly something, you know that."
Her phone rang in her purse. She pulled it out, then suddenly went pale as she read the text.
I've told the press about your new role at Morgan Media. The news about your engagement will follow soon. Don't let me down. - ™
Eliza's hand shook as she looked at the screen. That manipulative, bossy...
"Bad news?" asked Devereaux, cutting in.
She looked up, now seeing him in a new light. His showing up in her life, his connection to her grandfather, how much he cared... None of it was by chance.
"You're with him," she said, sure now. "This 'coincidental' meeting. He picked you, right?"
A mix of surprise on his face. "Picked me for what?"
She did not answer but gave him her phone, and the text was still there. He read it fast, with a poker face look on his face.
"I see," he said, handing back the phone to her. "An arranged marriage in this age. How old-timey."
"You think this is funny?" She tried to keep her voice down.
"On the contrary." He looked hard at her. "I see it's odd Thomas Morgan believes he can control you this way. It's funny how he thinks he can do the same with me."
"You work with him," she said.
"Work is work. Marriage is... much more." He moved his head a bit. "What will you do?"
His question took her by surprise. Others would have told her what they thought, tried to push her one way or another. No one just asked what she'd pick.
"I don't know," she was honest. "Three hundred million dollars could help a lot of kids read."
"And your own life? What's its price?"
The big question hung in the air between them. Before she could think of an answer, quick steps broke the quiet.
James Chen, the party host, came around the corner in a hurry. "There you are! Eliza, your grandfather wants you. He’s about to tell everyone something."
Her heart dropped. "Now?"
"The press is ready. It's about your new job at Morgan Media?"
Sure. Thomas was quick to lock in his win, leaving her with no smooth way out.
"I need to go," she said, more to herself than anyone.
"That way." Devereaux pointed to a hidden door near a big plant. "It leads to a back way on 81st Street."
Chen looked shocked. "But the tell..."
"Will have to wait," she cuts in. She eyed Devereaux with a mix of doubt and a desire to know. "Why are you helping me?"
A slow grin changed his face from just good-looking to something devastating. "Maybe I hate being a pawn any more than you do. Or maybe..."
"Maybe?"
"Maybe I like to hunt on my own." His words hinted at much, making her shiver a bit.
With one last deep look, Eliza went out the door, leaving the bright party and the man now bound to her in some way.
The night air hit her face, thick with coming rain. She hurried down the back way, her heels unsteady, the sounds of the party falling away. Her driver answered on the first ring and was set to meet her two streets down.
As she hid in the big building's shadow, she felt something build inside her—not quite sure, not quite bold, but something in the middle. A will.
Three hundred million dollars or her free life.
Her grandfather's ultimatum.
Luca Devereaux's wise grin.
The words of her unfinished novel were waiting on her laptop at home.
All leading to a choice she was not set to make.
Her car showed up, dark and sleek against the city lights. As she walked to it, her phone beeped. Unknown caller.
The best traps are the ones we set for ourselves. Breakfast tomorrow? - LD
Despite it all, she smiled a bit. How did he get her number? Just as he got all the other info on her, she guessed.
The car door opened. Safe. A way out. For tonight, at least.
Behind her, thunder filled the city sky, telling of a coming storm.
- Writer
