Biker's Temptation

CHAPTER ONE: A NIGHT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING Elena Hayes had three rules for surviving life. Never trust a stranger. Never borrow money she couldn't repay. And never get involved with a man who looked like trouble. Unfortunately, trouble was about to become the most unforgettable man she had ever met. Rain poured over the city as Elena hurried along the pavement, clutching her handbag beneath her coat. Her phone battery was almost dead, her shoes were soaked, and the last bus had disappeared around the corner ten minutes earlier. "Perfect," she muttered. "Just perfect." She had spent the entire day working at a small restaurant, hoping to earn enough money to pay her overdue rent. Instead, her manager had informed her that the restaurant was cutting staff. Elena was now unemployed, exhausted, and one step away from losing the little room she called home. All she wanted was to get somewhere dry. Then she heard the motorcycles. Several powerful bikes roared down the street, their headlights cutting through the rain. People hurried out of their way as the riders approached a private club across the road. Elena stepped beneath a shop awning. She had no interest in dangerous men or their expensive toys. Unfortunately, one of those men noticed her. A tall man in a black leather jacket climbed off his motorcycle. His dark hair was wet from the rain, and his expression was so serious that even the other riders seemed careful around him. He removed his helmet and glanced toward Elena. Their eyes met. For a moment, neither moved. Then he walked toward her. "Are you waiting for someone?" he asked. "No." "Then why are you standing here?" "Because the rain doesn't ask permission before falling." His lips almost formed a smile. "You're not afraid of strangers, are you?" "I am. That's why I don't talk to them for long." She stepped away, but he moved aside to let her pass. "Alexi Cross," he said. Elena didn't stop. "Congratulations." This time, he actually smiled. Nobody spoke to Alexi Cross that way. In certain circles, his name alone was enough to end an argument. He owned several businesses, commanded the loyalty of powerful people, and had enemies who would celebrate his downfall. Yet this young woman had dismissed him as if he were an ordinary stranger. He watched her disappear into the rain. "Find out who she is," he told his assistant, Marcus. Marcus raised an eyebrow. "You want me to investigate a woman who just insulted you?" Alexi put his helmet back on. "I want to know why she looks like someone I've been searching for." --- CHAPTER TWO: AN UNEXPECTED OFFER The following morning, Elena arrived at a small café to meet her landlord. She had hoped to negotiate a few extra days before paying her rent. Instead, he placed a final notice on the table. "Three days, Elena. After that, I need the room back." "I understand. Please, just give me a little more time." "I've already given you time." He left before she could answer. Elena stared at the notice, fighting the urge to cry. She had no family she could comfortably ask for help, and the few friends she had were struggling with their own problems. A shadow fell across the table. "Bad morning?" She looked up. Alexi Cross stood beside her, dressed in a dark shirt and tailored trousers. Without the motorcycle jacket, he looked even more intimidating. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "Having coffee." "Then enjoy it somewhere else." He sat opposite her. "I have a job opening." Elena laughed without humour. "Of course you do." "My personal assistant resigned yesterday. I need someone organized, intelligent, and capable of keeping confidential information private." "And you thought of me?" "I thought of you because you didn't pretend to like me last night." "That isn't a qualification." "Honesty is harder to find than you think." He placed a business card on the table. The salary printed on the accompanying offer was more than Elena expected to earn in several months. She looked at him suspiciously. "What's the catch?" "You'll work for me. You'll follow reasonable security rules, keep business information confidential, and receive a fair salary." "And what do you get?" "A competent assistant." "Nothing else?" His gaze held hers. "That depends on what you mean." Elena immediately pushed the offer back. "I'm not interested in whatever game you're playing." For the first time, Alexi's expression hardened. "Take the offer or leave it. I don't beg people to work for me." "Good. Because I don't beg men to hire me." She stood and walked away. Alexi watched her go, fascinated by a woman who appeared to fear poverty more than she feared him. Then his phone rang. Marcus's voice came through immediately. "Alexi, I found something about Elena Hayes." "What?" "Her father's name was Michael Hayes." Alexi went completely still. Michael Hayes. The man connected to the betrayal that had destroyed Alexi's family years ago. "Are you certain?" he asked. "Absolutely." Alexi looked toward the café entrance where Elena had disappeared. "Keep digging," he ordered. "And don't let her know we're investigating." Because if Elena Hayes was truly Michael Hayes's daughter, her appearance in his life might not have been an accident. It might have been the beginning of a carefully planned revenge. --- CHAPTER THREE: THE WARNING That evening, Elena returned to her rented room and found an envelope beneath the door. Her name was written across the front. Inside was a single photograph. It showed her father standing beside a younger Alexi Cross. Elena's hands began to tremble. Her father had died when she was young, and her mother had refused to discuss the circumstances surrounding his final years. Whenever Elena asked questions, her mother changed the subject. On the back of the photograph, someone had written: "STAY AWAY FROM ALEXI CROSS IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH." Elena read the sentence several times. Who had sent it? And why did her father know Alexi? Her phone rang, startling her. An unknown number appeared on the screen. "Hello?" A disguised voice answered. "You have no idea who that man really is." "Who is this?" "Ask him what happened to your father." The call ended. Elena stared at the photograph, her mind racing. The next morning, she would have to make a decision. She could accept Alexi's job and search for answers, or stay away from him and continue living with questions that had haunted her family for years. Outside, a motorcycle engine roared through the quiet street. Elena moved to the window. Across the road, Alexi Cross sat on his black motorcycle, looking directly at her building. Then his phone lit up. He read the message and his expression changed. "SHE HAS THE PHOTOGRAPH. THE PAST IS COMING BACK." Alexi looked up at Elena's window. For the first time in years, he felt genuine fear. Someone knew the truth. And they had just brought Elena Hayes into a war she didn't understand.