"After the way they treated you?"His brow arched.
“My need to make rent doesn’t care about how I’m treated,” I reminded him.“I’m a single mom in New York.I don’t have many options right now.”
Nash studied my face intensely."You have kids?"he asked.
A strange cocktail of resignation flickered through me.Not like I thought Nash Nightingale was interested in me in any significant way, but the way he asked the question reminded me of the gulf between single mothers and a healthy dating life."I do.Just one.Her name is Mia.”
Confusion crossed his face.“Did you have her when we…”
“No.I found out I was pregnant with her pretty much right after….all that.”I didn’t know how else to summarize that one-night stand that had rocked my world four years ago.“She’s not yours, in case you were wondering.”
Nash nodded and seemed to consider his words carefully."Clara, I have a proposition for you."
Here it comes.Whatever wealthy men like Nash Nightingale wanted from women like me, it probably wasn't anything I wanted to hear.He must have sensed my discomfort because he quickly added, “Nothing like what that fucker Sampson offered, I promise.”
"I'm listening," I said warily.
"I don’t want to talk here."Nash glanced around at the busy street."Would you be willing to come to my office?We could talk privately."
I laughed.“Let me guess.You want me to be a drug mule.”
Nash’s lips quirked into an amused smile.“Wrong.”
“Then what else could you not talk about on the street?”
"This is a…financial opportunity.A legitimate one," he added quickly, as if he could sense my suspicion.“But I want privacy.Discretion.So will you humor me and come to a more secure location?”
I hesitated.Going anywhere alone with Nash Nightingale felt dangerous—not because I was afraid he'd hurt me, but because I was afraid of how he made me feel.Even standing here on a busy Manhattan sidewalk, I could feel the pull of attraction that had gotten me into trouble four years ago.
But I was also desperate.And if there was even a chance he was offering real work, I needed to look into it.
"Okay," I said."But I need to leave to pick up my daughter in an hour."
"That won't be a problem."Nash pulled out his phone."I'll have my driver bring the car around.Once we’re done, he can take you wherever you need to go."
"Your driver?"
“Yeah.”Over Nash’s shoulder, I saw a sleek black SUV pull up to the curb.That’s when I realized what he meant.Somehow, I’d forgotten how wealthy this man was.Nobody in my sphere had a driver.Hell, most of us didn’t even own cars.
"After you,” Nash said, pulling open the back door.I peered inside.It all looked normal—well, what I assumed normal was for a probable billionaire.The driver turned and gave me a nod.
I slid into the backseat, trying not to gawk at the butter-soft leather and the fact that Nash Nightingale had an actual chauffeur.Nash settled beside me, and I was immediately transported back to that night four years ago—the heat of his body next to mine, the scent of his cologne, the way he looked at me like I was the only woman in the world.
“Marco, meet Clara.Clara, Marco.”
"Hi, Marco.Where we off to today?"I asked, immediately kicking myself for sounding like the over-eager kid experiencing luxury for the first time in a bad nineties movie.“Just kidding.I know where we’re going.How are you?”
“I’m great, Clara, thanks for asking.”He smiled softly as he navigated the SUV into the slow-moving traffic.“How about you?”
“Just fine,” I said, shifting away from Nash.We weren’t touching, but I could feel the heat pouring off of him, like my body was attuned only to him.
Nash turned to face me."Clara, are you happy with your life right now?"
The question landed like a surprise punch in the face.I didn’t know how to answer.Sure, I had a quick two-letter word ready on my tongue, but I wanted to weigh my options.What was he after?Why the fuck did he care enough to show up at Elite Events looking for me, after our strange and brief history?
“I…I feel like I could say both yes and no,” I stammered.
"Thinking about the job situation, the financial stress, raising a kid maybe on your own, maybe with help…" Nash searched my face, pinning me to my spot.“I just want to make sure I’m not overstepping.”
