PROLOGUE
Prologue
The city was drowning in rain. Wind howled between steel towers, and droplets slid down the skyscraper windows like forgotten tears. Below, life bustled in blurs of headlights and umbrellas, but up high in the glass walled sanctuary of Blackwood Enterprises time stood still.
Ashton Blackwood stared out into the storm from his penthouse office, unmoved by the chaos outside. He stood like a statue: tall, precise, perfectly dressed in a black three piece suit. His jawline, sharp as his business deals, was clenched in thought. His whiskey sat untouched on the table. Not because he didn’t want it, but because something else stirred beneath the surface tonight. Something... unfamiliar.
Behind him, the elevator chimed.
He turned slowly, his dark gaze narrowing as the doors slid open.
She stepped in like a whisper of danger.
Selene Montaire.
Drenched in rain and mystery, her presence instantly shifted the air. A black silk dress hugged her curves, made sheer in places by the downpour. Her hair, slick with water, fell over one shoulder in tousled waves. Raindrops clung to her skin, catching the warm amber light like jewels.
She looked like temptation. And she knew it.
“You’re early,” Ashton said, voice low and controlled.
“I couldn’t wait,” she replied, letting her coat fall to the floor without a glance. Her heels clicked as she walked toward him, slow, unhurried. Calculated.
He didn’t move, but his eyes followed every step.
Selene stopped a breath away from him. “I heard a little rumor,” she whispered. “You’re looking for a bride.”
He arched an eyebrow. “And you think you qualify?”
“I know I do.” Her voice was smooth, seductive each word laced with heat. “I’m beautiful, discreet, obedient... when it benefits me. But most importantly, I don’t need anything from you except your name.”
He tilted his head. “And what do I get in return?”
Selene smiled. “A perfect wife for show. Someone your grandfather would approve of. No messy emotions. No expectations. Just a deal.”
“Is that what this is? A transaction?” he asked, studying her face.
She stepped closer, her fingers brushing the edge of his jacket. “Everything in your world is a transaction, Mr. Blackwood. I'm simply playing by your rules.”
The heat between them thickened. He could smell her jasmine, musk, and rain. She was dangerous. Too calm. Too willing. Yet there was something about her that intrigued him.
She slowly climbed onto the armrest of his leather chair, her legs crossing in a deliberately teasing position. The hem of her dress slid up, revealing smooth skin and the edge of a thigh high lace garter.
He swallowed hard.
She leaned in, her lips hovering near his ear. “You need a bride before your grandfather’s time runs out. Let me be her.”
His voice came out husky. “You think seduction will get you a ring?”
“No.” Her fingers slipped inside his lapel. “I think logic will. You need someone fast. I’m convenient. And I don’t come with messy history at least not on paper.”
Ashton’s jaw tightened. “You’re too smooth for a woman with nothing to hide.”
“And you’re too smart to pretend you don’t want me.”
Silence stretched between them. Then, he gripped her waist and pulled her onto his lap, his lips brushing her neck with dangerous restraint. Her breath caught in her throat.
“Say it again,” he murmured.
“What?”
“That you want to be my bride.”
She tilted her face toward his. “I want to be your bride.”
His lips captured hers fierce, hungry. It wasn’t romantic. It was fire. Frustration. Lust. A silent dare. She kissed him back with equal passion, threading her fingers through his hair as his hand slid up her back, pulling her closer.
Their bodies molded together, heat rising, restraint unraveling.
Selene gasped when his mouth found her collarbone, trailing kisses downward. Her mission blurred in the haze of his touch. Her heartbeat pounded not from fear, but from desire. She was supposed to be in control. She was supposed to seduce him for intel, not for this.
But she felt it.
The electricity. The connection.
When he pulled back, his eyes were darker, his breathing ragged. “You’re a beautiful liar,” he said.
“And you’re a dangerous man,” she replied softly.
He chuckled darkly. “Perfect match.”
She placed her hand on his chest, steadying herself. “So... do we have a deal?”
He studied her face flawlessly, unreadable, yet mesmerizing. After a moment, he spoke. “I’ll tell my grandfather I’ve chosen my bride. He doesn’t need to know the terms.”
“And what are they?”
“No love. No public announcement. You play the role. You stay out of my way.”
“And in private?” she asked, eyes teasing.
“In private...” he leaned in again, brushing his lips across hers, “…you’ll be mine.”
Selene smiled, masking the tremor in her chest. “Deal.”
But as he poured himself a drink, turning his back to her, her expression changed. Her smile faded. And in its place… silence.
She adjusted her dress, picked up her coat, and walked to the elevator. But before stepping inside, she glanced back watching him, memorizing him.
He didn’t know her real name.
He didn’t know her mission.
He didn’t know she was there to betray him.
And worst of all?
He didn’t know that tonight…
She had already started to fall.
