DANGEROUSLY YOURS MR.VALE

Chapter 1 Sienna's Pov “You’ve got two weeks, Sienna. Two weeks before my guys collected from your brother the hard way.” The voice on the phone was low and rough, the kind that didn’t need to shout to make your stomach drop. I gripped my cracked phone tighter, standing in the freezing rain outside a dingy coffee shop in lower Manhattan. “I’m working on it,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I just need more time. Please.” Roman Vescovi laughed once, short and mean. “Time’s expensive. Pay up or Noah pays. Your choice, journalist.” The line went dead. I shoved the phone in my coat pocket and leaned against the wet brick wall, heart hammering. Noah, my i***t little brother, had borrowed from the wrong people again. And now I was the one drowning in his mess. I wiped rain from my eyes and pushed through the door into the warm café. My editor had canceled our meeting, but I still needed caffeine if I was going to keep digging into the Vale family tonight. Their latest “charity” event was probably another tax dodge, and I was close to proving it. I ordered a black coffee and found a corner table. That’s when the man sat down across from me without asking. He wore a tailored black coat that probably cost more than my rent for a year. Dark hair, sharp jaw, eyes like winter steel. Damian Vale. Or at least, the man everyone called Damian Vale. “Miss Hart,” he said, voice smooth and controlled. “You’ve been asking questions about my company. A lot of them.” I froze with the cup halfway to my lips. “And you are?” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You know exactly who I am. Let’s not waste time on games.” I set the coffee down hard. “Fine. Your family moves money like it’s water, Mr. Vale. Dirty water. I’m going to prove it.” He leaned forward, elbows on the table. “You’re good. Persistent. But you’re also broke, scared, and your brother owes Roman Vescovi a fortune he can’t repay.” My blood turned cold. “How do you……..” “I make it my business to know things,” he cut in. “Here’s my offer. Marry me for one year. I clear Noah’s debt completely. You get protection, money, and access to whatever you think you’ll find inside my world. In return, you stop digging publicly and play the perfect wife in front of the cameras.” I laughed, but it came out shaky. “You’re insane. Why would I ever….” “Because if you don’t,” he said quietly, “your brother dies in the next ten days. And you’ll probably follow him soon after when Roman gets impatient.” The café noise faded. I stared at him, searching for the joke. There wasn’t one. I leaned in closer, keeping my voice low. “Wait, you’re serious? You just walked in here and you’re offering marriage like it’s a business deal? Who does that?” “Someone who gets what he wants,” he replied calmly. “And right now, I want you tied to me.” “Tied to you?” I whispered sharply. “I don’t even know you. I’ve been investigating your family for months. The shady contracts, the missing funds, the way Victor Vale buys politicians like they’re stocks. You expect me to believe this is some coincidence?” He tilted his head slightly. “It’s not a coincidence. I know you’ve been digging. I know about the article your editor killed last week. I know your landlord is about to evict you. And I know Noah took fifty thousand from Vescovi and lost it all in some stupid poker game.” My hands started shaking under the table. “How do you know all that? Have you been following me?” “Let’s call it thorough research,” he said. “Your brother called you crying two nights ago, didn’t he? Begging for help. Said the guys were outside his apartment.” I swallowed hard. “Stop. Just… stop. This is crazy. I’m not marrying some billionaire I don’t trust just because you dangle my brother’s life in front of me.” He didn’t blink. “Then Noah dies. Simple as that. Roman doesn’t play games. I can make one call and the debt disappears tonight. Or I can walk away and let you handle it alone. Your choice, Sienna.” I rubbed my temples, trying to think. “Even if I said yes, how would this work? We barely know each other. People would ask questions. The press would dig into it.” “I already have the story ready,” he said smoothly. “We met six months ago at a private event. Kept it quiet because of your job. Sparks flew, we fell fast. Now we’re making it official. The city loves a fairy tale. They won’t look too close if we sell it right.” I let out a bitter laugh. “A fairy tale? With you? You look at me like I’m a chess piece, not a person. What’s in it for you, really? You could pay off anyone’s debt. Why me?” He paused for a second, his eyes narrowing just a fraction. “Because you’re smart. You hate my family almost as much as I do. And having you close keeps you from exposing things I need hidden. For now.” “That’s not an answer,” I pressed. “You’re Damian Vale. You could marry any socialite in New York. Models, actresses, whoever. Why pick a broke journalist who’s trying to ruin you?” “Let’s just say you’re more useful than them,” he replied. “And I don’t like loose ends. You’re a loose end, Sienna. This way I control the narrative.” I stared at him, heart racing. “This is blackmail.” “Call it whatever helps you sleep at night,” he said. “But it’s also salvation for your brother. One year. After that, divorce, big settlement, Noah stays safe. You can go back to writing your articles if you still want to. Just not about me.” I looked down at my cold coffee, then back at him. “What if I say no right now? What happens?” He shrugged slightly. “I leave. You get another angry call from Roman tomorrow. Maybe they break Noah’s fingers first as a warning. Your choice.” The silence stretched between us. I thought about Noah—my only family left after our parents died. He was reckless, but he was all I had. I took a deep breath. “If I do this… I want it in writing. Legal papers. The debt cleared immediately. And I want access to some of your family’s records. Quietly.” He raised an eyebrow. “Negotiating now? Bold. Fine. You’ll get limited access. Enough to feel useful, not enough to burn everything down. We have a deal?” I swallowed hard. Saving Noah was the only thing that mattered. Everything else—my investigation, my pride—could wait. “Fine,” I said, voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll marry you.” He stood up smoothly. “Good. The papers will be ready tomorrow. Smile for the cameras, wife. The city is about to watch our love story.” He walked out, leaving me staring at my cold coffee. What the hell had I just agreed to?