Chapter 1 — Seven Days
The glass shattered against the marble floor, sending sharp fragments skittering across the polished surface.
Amara Collins froze, her heart hammering. One wrong move, one hesitation, and…
The man standing across the room didn’t flinch. Lucas Reed’s dark eyes were fixed on her like a predator sizing up his prey. The shadows in the penthouse only made him look more dangerous—more untouchable.
“You’re bold,” he said, his voice low, dangerous, and smooth as silk. “Bold doesn’t save lives—or families.”
Amara swallowed. Her fingers trembled, but she forced them to steady, brushing imaginary dust from her designer blouse.
“I didn’t come here to save anyone,” she said, keeping her voice even. “I came here to negotiate.”
Lucas arched an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. A slow, sharp smile tugged at one corner of his lips. “Negotiate? That’s rich coming from someone who just walked into my office uninvited… and survived.”
Amara’s pulse quickened. She knew the stakes. Lucas Reed wasn’t just a billionaire—he was the heir to a mafia empire that spanned continents. He was ruthless, feared, and perfectly capable of destroying anyone who crossed him.
Yet here she was.
Because she had no choice.
“You have seven days,” he said suddenly, his tone flat but heavy with intent. “Seven days to convince me that keeping you close won’t ruin everything I’ve built. After that… I decide.”
Amara blinked. Seven days. Not forever. Not enough to truly win his trust. But enough to survive—or die trying.
“I’ll make it worth your time,” she said quietly, meeting his gaze.
Lucas studied her for a long moment, the air between them charged with unspoken threats and electricity. Finally, he nodded, almost imperceptibly. “Good. Because you’re not the type I tolerate mistakes from. And trust me… mistakes with me can be very expensive.”
Amara’s stomach twisted, but she kept her composure. She had faced danger before—but never like this. Never someone who could crush her world with a single word.
A low growl of laughter escaped him, soft, dangerous. “Don’t think charm or beauty will save you. You’ll need brains… cunning… and perhaps a little luck. Seven days. That’s all you get.”
The sound of the city outside the penthouse faded as Amara’s mind raced. Seven days to survive Lucas Reed… seven days to make him care… seven days to prove that she was more than just another woman to be used and discarded.
And in that countdown, the first spark of something unexpected flickered between them—an undeniable tension, sharp as a knife, that neither money nor danger could hide.
Amara took a deep breath, forcing herself to stand taller.
Seven days. She would win. Or she would fall.
But she wasn’t about to lose without a fight.
