She froze, her feet rooted to the marble floor as she slowly lifted her eyes from the ground.This is it,she thought, tugging at the ridiculously low neckline of her dress in a futile attempt to reclaim some sense of modesty.Unfortunately, that only made things worse, pulling the already short hemline higher.Panic flared as her hand darted to the back of the dress, desperately praying she hadn’t just exposed her white cotton panties to the crowd.Her cheeks burned at the thought of the onlookers—most likely judging, whispering, and wondering why Max Diatras, of all people, was speaking toher.
“Max,” she managed to reply, her voice steadier than she felt, though it carried an unmistakable tremor.She willed herself to ignore the absurd dress and focus instead on summoning some measure of composure.Poise comes from within,she reminded herself firmly.Not from what you’re wearing.
So she straightened her spine and wrapped her dignity around herself like armor.Then, slowly, she looked up into the face of the man she’d avoided for a year—the man she had once adored with every piece of her fractured heart.
And there he was.
Max.His presence hit her like a tidal wave.He was as devastatingly handsome as ever, perhaps even more so.His tall, commanding frame was impeccably dressed in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit that hinted at the power coiled beneath his composed exterior.The crisp white shirt beneath the jacket and the dark tie that complemented his outfit only served to enhance the sharp planes of his face.His hair, dark and slightly tousled in a way that somehow looked both deliberate and effortless, added to his magnetic allure.But it was his eyes—those dark, penetrating eyes—that left her breathless.
They were locked on her, steady and unreadable, and Lexie felt as though he could see straight through her.Max wasn’t smiling, but he wasn’t frowning either.His expression was a mask of calm control, giving nothing away.He wasn’t the type to reveal anything in a setting like this—surrounded by people, with countless eyes on him.But Lexie remembered vividly what his face looked like when they were alone.
Oh, when they were alone…
His features would soften, then burn with raw emotion.She had seen need and lust flicker in his gaze, felt the heat and desire radiating from him when there was no one else to see.She had seen the intensity of the man beneath the polished exterior, and it was that memory—the passion, the connection—that made her knees feel weak now.
But this wasn’t the time to dwell on the past.Lexie pushed those thoughts aside, though her body betrayed her with a racing heart and trembling hands.She stood before him, painfully aware of how absurdly dressed she was, and yet unable to look away.Max’s gaze didn’t stray from her face, but she could feel the weight of it, as though he were cataloging every detail of her appearance, every nuance of her expression.
Chapter 4
“Max,”sherepeated,hervoice softer this time, almost a whisper.She couldn’t bring herself to say more.What else could she say when the man she’d tried so hard to forget stood before her, so infuriatingly composed, while she felt like a mess wrapped in pink satin?
“Are you having a good time?”Max asked, his deep voice deceptively calm as he extended his hand toward her.
Lexie hesitated, the tension between them so thick she could feel it pressing down on her shoulders.She had no choice but to accept his hand, but the instant his fingers closed around hers, she regretted it.His grip was firm, unyielding, and it felt like he wasn’t just holding her hand but claiming her.It was an illusion, of course, but it left her breathless all the same.His hand was so much larger than hers, enveloping it in a way that was both comforting and imprisoning.
Her heart fluttered against her ribs, betraying her composure as memories she had no business indulging in came flooding back.Memories of the way he’d touched her, how his hands had held her with a different kind of intent—demanding and possessive but filled with a heat that had made the rest of the world melt away.Memories of his body hovering over hers, his dark eyes locking with hers, silently commanding her to give him everything she had, everything she was.
“No,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.Her pulse hammered wildly, her emotions a chaotic swirl.She wasn’t even sure what question she was answering—his spoken one, his unspoken one, or perhaps the one she’d been asking herself.No, I can’t have Max.No, I can’t step into this world again.No, I can’t want him.Or maybe… all of the above.
His lips curved into something that might have passed for a smile if it wasn’t so cold, so cutting.His dark eyes bored into hers, and the hostility simmering just beneath the surface of his expression made her stomach twist.
“I didn’t know that you were seeing anyone,” he said, his tone conversational—too casual, like a knife wrapped in velvet.But his jaw clenched slightly, the muscle ticking with suppressed tension, and the hardness in his eyes made her feel like she was standing on the edge of a precipice.
Lexie felt his grip on her hand tighten ever so slightly, as if daring her to lie.The intensity in his gaze left her feeling exposed, vulnerable in a way that had nothing to do with the ridiculous pink satin dress that barely covered her.She glanced over her shoulder at Enzo, her body tensing as though she could feel Max’s fury burning hotter with every passing second.
“I’m not,” she said softly, the words slipping out in a rush.She hated how defensive she sounded, but there was no denying the truth.
Max’s lips pressed into a thin line, and when he spoke again, his words were measured, deliberate, and razor-sharp.“And yet, you’ve arrived at my friend’s engagement party, on another man’s arm, dressed in… almost nothing.”
The accusation hung heavy in the air, slicing through her composure like a blade.Her cheeks flushed with heat, the humiliation of the situation wrapping around her like a noose.He didn’t raise his voice—he didn’t need to.The weight of his disapproval was suffocating enough.
Lexie opened her mouth to respond, but her voice caught in her throat.What could she possibly say?That Enzo wasn’t her date, but her blackmailer?That she hadn’t chosen this dress but had been forced into it?That she’d never wanted to be here in the first place?The truth felt too complicated to explain in the middle of a crowded room under Max’s unforgiving gaze.
Instead, she met his eyes again, desperate to find something in them that wasn’t anger.But all she saw was a silent storm brewing—a dangerous mix of hurt, betrayal, and something far darker.She couldn’t tell if he was angrier at her or himself, but the intensity of it left her feeling like the ground beneath her feet was about to crumble.
Lexie’s cheeks flared with humiliation, the heat radiating from her face almost as unbearable as Max’s piercing gaze.“You know I didn’t choose this dress,” she hissed under her breath, regretting the words the moment they left her lips.Her heart jumped as she realized how close she was to spilling too much.Quickly, she glanced over at Enzo again, who was still lingering across the ballroom, but before she could do anything else, strong fingers caught her chin.
Max’s grip wasn’t rough, but it was firm—unyielding in a way that left no room for resistance.He tilted her face toward him with an effortless precision that made her pulse race.At first, Lexie had no idea what he was doing, but then his dark eyes narrowed, focusing on her cheek.His thumb grazed the tender spot where Enzo had slapped her earlier, the lightest touch sending a jolt of shame and anger through her.
Lexie tried to pull away, but Max didn’t let go.His gaze darkened further, his features hardening as he slowly, deliberately shifted his attention to her arm.His fingers moved down to touch the angry red marks left by Enzo’s earlier pinching.The evidence of what she’d endured, so plainly visible, made her throat tighten.
Max straightened slightly, his expression turning cold as he glanced over at Enzo, preening like the fool he was.The man was completely oblivious to the storm brewing across the room, tugging at the waistband of his ill-fitting slacks with a smug grin plastered across his face.His eagerness to impress Max was written all over him, his smarmy demeanor making Lexie’s skin crawl.
“He did this to you?”Max asked, his tone calm—too calm.There was a deadly edge beneath the conversational veneer, a quiet but unmistakable warning that sent a chill down Lexie’s spine.She could tell he was holding back, waiting for her answer to determine what his next step would be.
Lexie’s chest tightened as panic and shame warred within her.“Max, I should…” she began, her voice faltering as she tried to look away, but his grip on her chin prevented her.
“Lexie,” he interrupted, his voice low and filled with restrained power, “if you are in trouble, you need only ask for help.”His dark eyes softened briefly, just enough to let her see the patience behind his fury.He released her chin but didn’t step back, his presence still looming over her, protective yet unyielding.“You know I’ll handle it.All you have to do is say the word.”
