So if there were any similarities between us and Cassius and Sarah, they would be purely superficial. But that wouldn’tmatter to Cassius. He’d mock me nonstop for following in his footsteps. It wouldn’t be the first time.
“I made a deal with the journalist, Cassius,” I said, framing it as much as I could in business terms. “I promised her she could call me at any point to go on record. And in return, we’d get the favorable coverage we seek and the unfavorable coverage we need of the Morrils.”
Cassius just stared me down for what felt like a good minute, undoubtedly parsing through what I’d said. Of all of us, his stare unnerved me the most. Lucas didn’t have much of a stare, and though Dante’s was hard, it was hot-red, not subtle. Cassius had a way of gradually unraveling you, an icy glare that could cause even the hottest of tempers to calm down and succumb to his will.
“I have no doubt that’s the deal that you struck,” Cassius said. “I want to know what the journalist thought she struck. You know how the good ones are, Adrian. They will make it clear matters are on their terms, they’ll be professional, and so on. The weak ones succumb or trade sex for interviews. But the good ones? So tell me, Adrian. What deal did she make?”
“This is a professional deal, Adrian. That means that if we talk after sunset, we do so for business, not personal matters. I also make no promises that I will only write good things about you. The more I learn about you, the more leads I get, the more I will have to study the underbelly of the Vale family.”
Parts of the conversation, so fresh in my mind, echoed loudly in my head. Fuck. Cassius might just be right. The deal I thought I had procured might not be the deal I actually get in the end.
“She made a deal that was professional and fair,” I simply said. “You have nothing to worry about, Cassius.”
“I would agree, except I saw how you two interacted. I was in your shoes mere months ago, Adrian. I know how the game is played.”
Oh, fuck me.
Of course Cassius would keep a bit of information like that until everything was said and done. He was a Vale, after all; he knew better than to reveal critical information until it could be used as leverage.
“The way you looked at her, and even the way she looked at you, I know you want to fuck her,” Cassius continued. “And I have no issues with that. Who you fuck is your business and yours alone. But Adrian, do me a favor and be very careful. There’s a reason women have been used as spies throughout the years, and it’s because a man fucked senseless will give up everything.”
“What are you implying?” I growled, taking a step toward Cassius. “And are you really one to talk?”
Cassius snorted and smirked.
“I may have made a few mistakes along the way,” he said. “You would probably argue that my still being with her is a mistake in its own right. You would be wrong, but you could argue that. However, the worst that Sarah would ever do to me was tell her fellow artist friends or paint a picture demonstrating me to be a demon. Creative and hurtful, but also easily denied. You know how artists work. They can never do anything literally. It’s too boring for them.”
Cassius took a step forward himself. We were now all but chest to chest, staring each other down.
“A journalist is different, Adrian,” he warned. “It’s their job to tell the full truth, to be literal in their writing and to show everything in its full form. If you hurt her, or if you do anything to break her heart? We will all burn as a result. I’m not saying be scared around her. I’m not saying cower in fear of journalists. We didn’t get this far without having some bad press. But there’s a difference between being criticized for being too rich or negotiating terms too favorable to us versus breaking a woman’sheart. Fuck over a city? That’s bad press. Fuck over one woman? That’s an asshole.”
I swallowed. He wasn’t wrong. Delilah had also made it very clear that she had firm boundaries, and the thing I’d learned long ago was that while women with strong boundaries were some of the best lays once those boundaries came down, trying to force those boundaries down could lead to some terrible consequences.
“I suppose if there is a way to have a happily ever after, why the fuck not?” Cassius said with a sarcastic laugh. “But Delilah is a friend of Sarah’s. I see how she operates not just as a friend, but as a journalist. The only happily ever after you’ll get with her is a good clip to tear down the Morrils. Tread. Carefully. Adrian.”
Without waiting for me to respond, Cassius turned around and walked back to the door. I was pissed. Pissed that he was right; pissed that I couldn’t help but still want to fuck Delilah; pissed that Cassius was getting the last word.
And then, as if to rub salt into the wound, he paused at the door, turned, and smirked.
“She’s still out there, you know,” Cassius said. “The auction has another three hours to go. I’d hate to think that your first impression to her is you talk once and run away. Surely, you can be around her and handle yourself.”
Motherfucker.
Cassius smirked and left. I nearly punched the wall in frustration, pulling my punch back only at the last second.
That fucker, I swore. One of the few people who could truly get under my skin.
But gradually, I got a grip of myself. Gradually, I told myself I’d deal with his annoying ass later.
I had an auction to be present for, dressed to the highest level possible, and a journalist to be near.
I had a job to do, and no Vale ever did their job poorly.
Especially if it happened to involve a beautiful woman.
CHAPTER 4
Delilah
