THE BILLIONAIRE’S BARGAIN

CHAPTER 6: THE LUNCH

The French place on Fifth Avenue had white tablecloths and prices that made Maya's stomach hurt.

Derek Tanaka had ordered for both of them. Wine she couldn't pronounce. A salad with ingredients she'd never heard of. He sat across from her, smiling like they were old friends, and Maya felt like a mouse in a room full of cats.

"So," Derek said, swirling his wine. "How did Julian convince you to do this?"

Maya's fork paused halfway to her mouth. "Do what?"

"Play the part. The doting fiancée." Derek leaned forward. "Come on, Maya. I know Julian. He doesn't do spontaneous. He doesn't do love. He does contracts and acquisitions. So what's in yours? Money? A building? A shiny new life?"

Maya set her fork down. "I'm not sure what you're asking."

"I'm asking," Derek said, his voice dropping to something almost gentle, "if you know who you're living with."

"I know enough."

"You know he's rich. Powerful. Cold." Derek took a sip of wine. "But do you know he hasn't spoken to his father in five years? Not since his mother's funeral. Do you know he blames himself for her death? That he hasn't driven a car since he was sixteen?"

Maya's chest tightened. "That's not"

"His mother was sick. Cancer. Julian was sixteen, driving her to a hospital appointment. Fell asleep at the wheel. Accident. She died two days later." Derek's eyes were unreadable. "His father watched him sign the papers to take her off life support. Then he watched Julian walk out of the hospital and never come home."

Maya's hands were shaking. She thought of Julian at 3 AM. The piano. The way he said family like it was a curse.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked.

"Because Julian is my business partner. Or he will be. And I need to know if you're going to break him or fix him before the merger closes." Derek reached across the table. His hand covered hers. "You're either the best thing that's ever happened to him, or the worst. I can't tell which."

Maya pulled her hand back. "I'm not a thing that happens to people. I'm a person. And Julian's past is his to tell, not yours."

Derek smiled. "Defensive. Interesting."

"I'm not—"

"She's not defensive," a voice said from behind her. "She's angry. And you should be terrified."

Maya turned.

Julian stood at the table. Still in last night's wrinkled suit. Hair wild. Eyes dark. He looked like he'd run the twenty blocks from Tribeca.

"Julian," Derek said, not surprised. "Join us."

"Get up," Julian said to Maya. Not a request.

"Julian, we were just"

"Now."

Maya stood. Julian's hand found the small of her back, burning through her blue dress. He didn't look at Derek. Not once.

"Don't contact her again," Julian said to his future business partner. "Don't look at her. Don't think about her. Or the merger dies today."

Derek raised his hands. "Easy, Julian. I was just getting to know my future sister-in-law."

"You're not my brother. And she's not your anything." Julian's voice was ice. "Stay away from her."

He turned Maya toward the door. His grip was firm. Almost too firm. She could feel the tremor in his fingers.

"Julian," she whispered. "You're hurting me."

He let go instantly. Like she'd burned him. "I'm sorry. I" He looked at his hand like it belonged to someone else. "I shouldn't have come."

"Why did you?"

Julian's jaw worked. They stood on the sidewalk, Fifth Avenue rushing around them. He looked at her,really looked at her and something in his expression cracked.

"Because I saw the reservation," he said quietly. "And I couldn't breathe."

Maya's heart stopped. "What?"

"I couldn't breathe, Maya. Knowing you were in a room with him. Smiling at him. Listening to him." Julian's hands were in fists at his sides. "I know I have no right. I know this is a contract. But the idea of you choosing someone else even for lunch made me want to burn the city down."

Maya stared at him. The billionaire who didn't feel things. The machine who didn't want things.

"Let's go home," she said softly.

Julian blinked. "Home?"

"The penthouse. You need sleep. And I need..." She didn't know what she needed. "I need to understand why you look like you're falling apart."

Julian didn't move. Then, slowly, he reached for her hand. Interlaced their fingers. The touch was tentative. Fragile. Nothing like the man who'd stormed into a restaurant.

"Okay," he said. "Home."

They walked to the car together. Julian didn't let go of her hand. Not once.

And for the first time since signing the contract, Maya didn't want to let go either.