Chapter 5
670 Words
Sharks in Silk
The welcome dinner was held on the open-air terrace of the resort’s main hall, under a canopy of fairy lights that glowed against the tropical night. Soft music drifted from a string quartet. Waiters floated by with champagne and trays of delicate appetizers I couldn’t pronounce.
Everyone looked like they’d stepped out of a glossy magazine. Everyone except me, who still felt like a kid who’d wandered into the wrong movie set.
“Keep your chin up,” Liam murmured beside me as we entered. His hand rested lightly at the small of my back—too light to be intimate, too intentional to be accidental. “They can smell fear.”
“I’m not afraid,” I said.
“You should be,” he replied, smiling like we were discussing the weather.
---
We’d barely made it to our table when he appeared.
Tall, tanned, with a jawline that could cut glass and a smile that belonged on a predator. His suit was navy, perfectly tailored, and his eyes were the kind of sharp that made you want to check if your wallet was still in your pocket.
“Liam Kane,” he drawled. “I almost didn’t believe it when I heard you were married.” His gaze slid to me. “But here you are. And who might this vision be?”
“This is my wife, Aria,” Liam said evenly. “Aria, this is Victor Hale.”
The name clicked. Even I’d heard of him—venture capitalist, rumored arms dealer, and the kind of man whose business partners tended to vanish quietly.
---
Victor took my hand, brushing a kiss over my knuckles. His eyes never left mine. “Charmed. And tell me, Mrs. Kane… how much did Liam have to pay you to put up with him?”
I smiled sweetly. “Oh, he couldn’t afford my going rate. This is a charity project.”
Across the table, someone choked on their champagne. Liam’s mouth curved in the barest hint of approval.
Victor laughed, low and sharp. “You’ve got bite. I like that.”
“Careful,” Liam said, his voice smooth but laced with steel. “She bites hard.”
---
Dinner was a blur of veiled jabs and polite smiles. I could feel the tension humming between the two men, invisible but razor-sharp.
At one point, Victor leaned in, speaking low so only I could hear. “You seem clever enough to know Liam’s… reputation. You should ask yourself what’s in it for you, sweetheart. And whether it’s worth the cost.”
I met his gaze, forcing my voice to stay even. “Thanks for the advice. I’ll keep it in mind—right after I get financial tips from a man under three separate investigations.”
His smile didn’t waver, but his eyes went cold.
---
By dessert, I was exhausted from smiling and dodging conversational landmines. Liam stood abruptly, offering his hand to me. “We’re leaving.”
The moment we were outside, his grip on my hand tightened. “Don’t let him get to you,” he said, his voice low and uncharacteristically sharp. “Victor will use any weakness he can find.”
I tilted my head. “So you are worried about me.”
His gaze held mine for a beat too long. “I’m worried about keeping my wife alive for the duration of this marriage.”
Romantic.
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Back at the villa, I kicked off my heels and dropped onto the couch. “So… that was fun. Who’s Victor to you? Old enemy? Ex-business partner? Former roommate you forgot to return a security deposit to?”
Liam didn’t answer right away. He poured himself a drink, then finally said, “Victor’s dangerous. More dangerous than you realize.”
I studied him. For once, the easy arrogance was gone, replaced by something harder.
And that was when it hit me—this wasn’t just a business summit.
This was a battlefield.
- Writer
