The Devil's Contract

chapter- 6 The Enemy at the Table

​Julian didn't flinch, but the anger flaring in his dark eyes was unmistakable. The tension between the two cousins was a live wire, ready to ignite the entire marble lobby into a warzone.

​"Always so protective, Lucian," Julian sneered, pulling his hand back the second Lucian released his grip. Julian massaged his reddened wrist, his eyes burning with hatred. "You act like you own the city."

​"I don't act," Lucian replied coolly, smoothing down his lapels. "I do."

​Marcus Vance stepped between the young men, clearing his throat loudly to catch the attention of the surrounding board members and lingering security.

​"Save the posturing for the boardroom, gentlemen," Marcus said, his voice dripping with venomous diplomacy. "The press is waiting in the auditorium upstairs. They want to see the future CEO of Vance Global and his... new acquisition."

​Marcus glanced at Sienna, his icy eyes assessing her like a piece of cheap real estate. "I hope she knows what she’s getting into. Vance men don't make good husbands, my dear. We tend to bury our wives."

​Sienna felt a surge of hot anger break through her fear. She stepped out from behind Lucian’s shoulder, holding Marcus’s gaze with unflinching defiance.

​"Then it’s a good thing I know how to handle shovel work, Mr. Vance," Sienna said, her voice clear and ringing through the silent lobby.

​A brief, stunned silence fell over the group. Julian let out a sharp bark of laughter, while Marcus’s face darkened in anger.

​Beside her, Sienna felt Lucian’s body shift. She looked up and caught the faintest trace of a smirk touching his lips—a look of pure, dark pride.

​"Upstairs," Lucian ordered, taking Sienna’s hand in his, his large fingers intertwining with hers in a display of possessive unity that felt entirely too real.

​The grand auditorium on the top floor was packed with over two hundred journalists, corporate investors, and board members. The room buzzed with loud chatter until the heavy double doors opened and Lucian walked in with Sienna on his arm.

​Camera flashes blinded Sienna instantly. Microphones were thrust toward them as they walked down the central aisle toward the mahogany stage.

​Lucian led her up the steps, guiding her to a seat beside the main podium. He stood before the bank of microphones, looking like a monarch addressing his subjects.

​"Ladies and gentlemen of the press," Lucian began, his deep, resonant voice filling the auditorium through the speakers. "There have been numerous rumors regarding the stability of Vance Global and the future of our upcoming acquisition. I am here today to set the record straight."

​He paused, his eyes sweeping over the crowd of reporters before turning back to look directly at Sienna.

​"Vance Global remains entirely under my control," Lucian declared, his voice firm and absolute. "And today, I am proud to announce that Miss Sienna Miller has accepted my proposal of marriage. Our wedding will take place before the end of the season."

​The room erupted into a frenzy of shouted questions and rapid camera shutters.

​"Mr. Vance! When did you meet?"

"Miss Miller, is this an arranged corporate alliance?"

"Lucian, how does the board feel about this sudden news?"

​Lucian held up a single hand, instantly silencing the room. "Miss Miller’s privacy is paramount. Any press outlet attempting to harass her, her family, or her personal life will face immediate legal action and total blacklisting from Vance Global affairs."

​He stepped away from the podium, reached down, and took Sienna’s hand, pulling her to her feet.

​The cameras flashed relentlessly as he pulled her close. In front of two hundred reporters and millions of viewers watching the live broadcast, Lucian leaned down.

​Sienna’s heart stopped. She expected a light, staged cheek kiss for the cameras.

​Instead, Lucian’s right hand moved to the back of her neck, his long fingers tangling in her auburn hair, tilting her face up. He brought his lips down onto hers in a deep, commanding, and fiercely possessive kiss.

​The kiss wasn't gentle. It was a claim. It tasted of expensive whiskey, cold dominance, and dark promises.

​Sienna’s mind went entirely blank. Her knees felt weak, her fingers clutching instinctively at the lapels of his grey suit to keep herself upright. The roar of the crowd and the flashing lights faded into background noise, replaced entirely by the thunderous beat of her own heart and the heat of his mouth against hers.

​When he finally pulled back, his dark obsidian eyes were dark with a sudden, dangerous hunger. His thumb brushed over her swollen lower lip, wiping away a trace of her lipstick.

​"Remember your place, little bird," he whispered low enough that only she could hear, his breath warm against her mouth. "You're mine now."