CHAPTER 5 : THE DEVIL'S OFFER
803 Words
Salvador led me through the ballroom with the effortless grace of a man who owned every room he entered.
I had spent years perfecting the art of navigating high-end clients, but this—this was different.
Every pair of eyes that turned to us carried the weight of expectation. Salvador wasn’t just a wealthy man; he was a king in his empire. And tonight, by his side, I felt like I had unknowingly stepped into a game I didn’t understand.
He introduced me to CEOs, fashion moguls, casino owners—people who shaped Las Vegas from the shadows. Each handshake, each polite nod, felt like a transaction I didn’t know I was part of.
But through it all, I could feel it.
Andrew’s eyes.
Watching.
Tracking my every move from across the room.
The Tension Builds
“I have to admit, Paloma,” Salvador said smoothly as we stepped aside near the balcony. “I didn’t expect you to say yes.”
I met his gaze. “I almost didn’t.”
His lips curved into a knowing smile. “And yet, here you are.”
Something about the way he said it made my skin prickle. Like he had orchestrated my presence here before I had even made the choice myself.
I glanced at the people mingling inside, the glittering world Salvador belonged to. “You didn’t invite me just to network, did you?”
He chuckled, low and rich. “You’re perceptive.”
I said nothing.
He reached for a champagne flute from a passing waiter and held it out to me. I hesitated before accepting it.
“Tell me,” he mused, watching me over the rim of his glass. “What is it that you want, Paloma?”
The question caught me off guard.
“What do you mean?”
“In life. Your career. What is your end goal?”
I hesitated. I had always worked hard, always chased success, but no one had ever asked me to define it.
“I want my designs to be recognized,” I said honestly. “To be worn by people who appreciate the artistry.”
Salvador nodded as if he already knew the answer. “Then let me help you.”
I blinked. “What?”
He gestured toward the grand ballroom. “I have connections. The kind that could put your work in the hands of people who matter. People who will make your name known.”
It was the kind of offer most designers dreamed of.
Then why did it feel like a trap?
I swallowed. “And what do you get out of it?”
He smiled, slow and deliberate. “I like investing in talent.”
That wasn’t an answer.
But before I could press further, a presence loomed beside me.
Andrew.
His expression was neutral, but there was something taut in his posture. His gaze flickered to Salvador before settling on me.
“May I have a word?”
Salvador’s smile didn’t waver. If anything, it sharpened, as if he enjoyed the sudden tension.
“Of course,” he said smoothly. “Paloma, I’ll see you inside.”
He walked away, leaving a lingering weight in the air.
Andrew didn’t speak until Salvador was out of earshot.
“Are you okay?”
The question surprised me. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Andrew exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “I just—” He cut himself off, shaking his head. “Be careful with him.”
I frowned. “Why? What do you know?”
He hesitated, and for the first time, I saw conflict in his eyes.
“It’s not my place,” he finally said. But Salvador doesn’t do anything without a reason. He doesn’t just ‘invest’ in people out of generosity.”
I wanted to press him for more, but something told me he wouldn’t answer.
Instead, I studied his face. “Why do you care?”
Andrew’s jaw clenched slightly. “Because I do.”
The honesty in his voice made my breath hitch.
For a moment, we just stood there, the city lights of Las Vegas glowing behind us.
Then, before I could say anything, a voice interrupted.
“Andrew.”
Salvador.
Back so soon.
His gaze flickered between us, and though his expression remained pleasant, something dark simmered beneath the surface.
“I believe we have business to attend to,” he said to Andrew, though his eyes lingered on me.
Andrew’s posture stiffened. This wasn’t just an employer-employee relationship. There was something else here, something deeper.
Something dangerous.
I watched as Andrew nodded stiffly and followed Salvador back inside.
A feeling settled in my chest—one I couldn’t quite place.
But one thing was clear.
I had just stepped into something far bigger than myself.
- Writer
