The Tycoon Reluctant Bride

Why did you do that

*Chapter 12:*

The car ride was silent.

Too silent.

Damian stared straight ahead, jaw clenched. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel.

Me? I was still replaying what he said.

_"She has more integrity than this entire board combined."_

No one had ever defended me like that. Not even my own family.

"Why did you do that?" The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Damian didn’t look at me. "Do what?"

"Back there. With my uncle. With the board." I hugged my arms. "Rule #1 says keep it professional. You didn’t have to..."

He slammed the brakes at a red light and finally turned to me.

His eyes were dark. Angry. But not at me.

"They don’t get to talk to you like that," he said. Low. Dangerous.

"Contract or not, you’re Mrs. Adeleke. And I protect what’s mine."

My breath caught.

_What’s mine._

Rule #4: No personal attachment.

Rule #7: No falling in love.

But when he looked at me like that, all I could think was:

How am I supposed to not fall for the man who just burned his entire board for me?

The light turned green.

He pulled away.

And I realized the most dangerous part of this contract...

wasn’t the 7 rules.

It was him.