Satisfied no one had seen, he smirked.“And dress up.I like my women looking pretty.”
Then he turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing in her ears long after he was gone.
Lexie clung to the side of her car, her breath coming in shallow bursts.Pain throbbed through her cheek, but it was the collision of humiliation and disbelief that left her unsteady.
“He hit me.”
The thought slammed through her again and again, like a wave crashing against a cliff.No one had ever hit her before.Not like this.Not with such cold, deliberate cruelty.She had imagined she’d fight back, scream, claw—but instead, she was rooted to the spot, shaking.
Her fingers stayed pressed to her cheek, ice against fire.She’d expected a slap to sting, but she hadn’t expected it to sink under her skin, to make her feel…dirty.
The slimy bastard had blackmailed her, slapped her, and now—God help her—he wanted her to play dress-up and smile at his side like some trophy.
The sheer gall of it burned in her chest, a rush of heat that chased away the numbness.But anger tangled with something colder, sharper.Fear.
Why?Why now?
Enzo wasn’t high up in Max’s organization—he was a nobody.A smarmy, second-rate thug who puffed himself up with intimidation because his ego was as flimsy as his reputation.But this…this wasn’t random.This felt calculated.As if he’d been setting the trap for months.
Her pulse spiked.Max.
Her chest tightened at the thought of him—of what he would do if he saw her on another man’s arm after almost a year.She had only known him for a couple of months before she’d walked away, convinced she could keep herself from being swallowed whole by his world.But in that short time, she’d glimpsed the part of him people feared—the ice-edged, ruthless force that had built an empire from nothing.
And she had glimpsed something else too.
The Max she’d known in the quiet moments hadn’t been cold.He’d been warm.Gentle.Passionate in ways that had wrecked her defenses.
The memory of his sweet kisses warred with the chilling image of what he might do if he believed she belonged to someone else.
Her cheek pulsed under her palm.Her mind felt like a pinball machine—bouncing between fury, shame, and the creeping dread that she’d just been maneuvered into a game she didn’t understand.
Chapter 2
Assoonassherushed into her small home, Lexie collapsed to her knees, the weight of her emotions pressing down like a heavy storm cloud.The familiar comfort of her modest space offered no solace, only amplifying the ache in her chest.Max.Max Diatras—the only man who had managed to steal her heart, only to shatter it.Her tote bag slid from her shoulder, slumping onto the floor beside her, forgotten.She clenched her fists, fighting for control, but it was useless.It had been useless for the past year.No matter how hard she tried, the tidal wave of memories always overwhelmed her.
They came now, relentless and vivid, unfolding in her mind like an old film she couldn’t stop.She could almost hear the soft murmur of jazz music, the clink of glasses, and the low hum of conversation from that night.The air had been warm, laced with the scent of the sea, and the party—hosted in a grand house overlooking Puget Sound—had felt like stepping into another world.The kind of place where old money mingled with new, where everyone seemed polished and perfect.
“It’ll be fun,” Tessa, her best friend, had said, all enthusiasm and confidence as she adjusted Lexie’s curls and handed her a pair of heels.“You need to get out of the house, meet people.Maybe even flirt a little.”
Flirting had been the last thing on Lexie’s mind.Between teaching at the inner-city school and managing her life on a shoestring budget, the thought of rubbing shoulders with Seattle’s elite felt more like an obligation than an opportunity.But as she stepped into the sprawling, softly lit living room that night, she’d felt something shift.It wasn’t the room—though the decor was undeniably stunning—it was him.
Max.
Her eyes had found him almost immediately, as if drawn by some invisible force.He stood near the bar, dressed in a perfectly tailored charcoal-gray suit that hugged his broad shoulders and trim waist.His dark hair gleamed under the chandelier, and his striking, deep-set eyes swept the room with an intensity that made her breath catch.He exuded authority, a kind of primal dominance that made people unconsciously step aside as he moved.And then those eyes had landed on her.
The world seemed to melt away, the bustling party fading into the background as their eyes locked.He smiled, a subtle curve of his lips that sent warmth rushing to her cheeks.Lexie felt self-conscious in her modest cocktail dress, wondering if she belonged in a room filled with people who exuded wealth and sophistication.Then he moved toward her, weaving through the crowd with an effortless grace that made her pulse quicken.
“Hi,” he said, his voice deep and smooth, with a hint of an accent she couldn’t quite place.There was a commanding quality to his tone, as if he was used to giving orders and having them obeyed.“I’m Max.”
“Lexie,” she replied, her voice almost breathless as she shook his outstretched hand.His touch was firm but warm, grounding her in the moment.His handshake lingered just a little longer than necessary, his gaze unwavering, as though he was assessing her—and liking what he saw.
They started with the usual pleasantries—how she knew the host, what she did for work, where she was from.Lexie felt herself relaxing as they talked, his easy charm and genuine interest drawing her in.She told him about her students, her passion for teaching, and her love for the quirky little cottage she’d made her own.Max listened attentively, his dark eyes never leaving hers, and when he spoke about his work—logistics and shipping, he’d explained vaguely—there was a quiet confidence in his tone that she found captivating.Every word he spoke carried weight, as if he was used to being the center of attention and having people hang on his every syllable.
The conversation flowed effortlessly, and Lexie found herself laughing at his dry wit and the way he seemed to read her thoughts before she voiced them.She’d forgotten about the party, about Tessa, about everything but the man standing before her.Max had a way of making her feel like she was the only person in the room, his presence magnetic and almost overwhelming.And then, like a cold splash of water, Tessa reappeared, grabbing Lexie’s arm in a near-panic.
“We have to go,” Tessa whispered urgently, glancing over her shoulder.“My ex is here.I can’t… I just can’t.”
Lexie turned back to Max, her heart sinking.She didn’t want to leave, didn’t want this moment to end so abruptly.He must have seen it in her eyes because he leaned in, his voice low and commanding.
