It was a command, wrapped in the smooth, authoritative tone of a man used to getting what he wanted.Ava was tempted to resist, to refuse, to walk out of the room just on principle.But she knew that look in his eyes.It was the same look he always gave her—the one that dared her to challenge him, to make her fight him for control.And as much as she hated it, something about that look made her feet move forward.
She lifted her chin, her pride intact, and walked over to the chair in front of his desk.She deliberately kept a foot of space between them.“We arenotgetting married,” she corrected, her voice strong, but inside, she was trembling with something she didn’t want to admit.She sat down quickly, her gaze flickering to the food before her.But before she could say another word, Luca’s hand slid along her arm, his touch gentle but firm.
It wasn’t sexual, not yet.But her body reacted immediately, a wave of warmth flooding through her, as if every nerve ending had come alive.This man.His touch.It awakened parts of her that had been neglected for far too long.
“You’re having problems with Riko Tanaka,” Luca began.He poured coffee from a silver urn into their cups, his movements fluid and practiced.“He’s head of the Gerikyuu gang.They tried breaking into the Seattle scene, but my friend, Max Diatras, pushed them out.They’ve been sniffing around the edges of my territory lately.”
Ava’s eyes widened as the realization hit her.“That’s alarming, but doesn’t answer the question of why a Japanese gang is terrorizing me.”
Luca placed several waffles on her plate, the golden brown squares steaming softly.He then offered the carafe of warm maple syrup, the sweet scent filling the air.As he did, his eyes lingered on her for a moment, scanning her face as if evaluating her every thought.
“I don’t know the specifics of their plan.So far, they’ve merely been a nuisance.I’ve been swatting them away,” he continued, pouring the syrup with deliberate care.“But it looks like I’ll need to take a more direct approach.”
“But…still, why are they focusing on me, Luca?”
Luca carefully laid several layers of lox over a plain bagel, the delicate slices arranged with mathematical precision.He glanced at Ava, nodding toward her waffles, silently urging her to eat.The warm, buttery scent of the waffles filled the air, but Ava’s mind was too clouded with questions to focus on the food.Her stomach twisted in knots, the mix of frustration and confusion making it difficult to think clearly.
“I suspect that they figured out there’s something between us,” Luca continued calmly.“Tanaka is presumably targeting you to send me a message.”
Ava froze, her eyes wide.“But… we’re not together!”Her voice cracked slightly with urgency.The idea was absurd—why would someone go after her when the real target was Luca?She was just a business owner, trying to make a name for herself in the city.
Luca didn’t seem fazed.“We are now,” he pointed out, his voice smooth and matter-of-fact.He set the bagel down, taking a sip of his coffee as he regarded her with a steady, calculating gaze.“We’ve been circling each other for months now.But it’s time.You need protection, and I need a wife.”
Ava’s breath caught in her throat, and she stiffened, offended by his audacity.“So, what?I’m just supposed to acquiesce?”Her question came out sharper than she intended, her irritation growing with every passing second.
Luca shrugged, as if the matter were settled in his mind.“You can try to get rid of Tanaka on your own, if you’d prefer, Ava.But the last time Tanaka tried to invade someone’s territory, he burned down the businesses of his targets.That was in Seattle.My friend had to push Tanaka out and rebuild the businesses that were destroyed.”He paused, his eyes locking onto hers with unrelenting intensity.“But I suspect that you’d rather avoid such a hiccup to your business.”
The weight of his words sank deep into Ava’s chest, her stomach churning at the thought of losing everything she’d worked so hard for.She swallowed, a lump of terror almost choking her.The image of her precious building being reduced to ash flashed before her eyes.She’d been devastated last week when she’d seen the graffiti scrawled across the sidewalk and the side of her building.The slashed tires had been an unexpected expense, but she had covered replacement tires for her staff.Today’s issue with the industrial plugs hadn’t cost her anything except lost productivity, but her budget was razor-thin.Every disruption hurt.
“Luca, I make excellent-quality basics,” she began, her voice tight with emotion.“My clothes are simple, but well made.My distribution network is expanding, and every step of this process has been tough.I don’t want to lose my business to a turf battle between you and some Japanese thug.”She set her coffee cup down on the table beside her untouched waffles, the food irrelevant at the moment.She couldn’t stomach it right now.“However, I won’t be forced into a wedding either.”
She shifted impatiently in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest.“We don’t even like each other!We can’t get married.It’s absolutely ridiculous.”
Her protest hung in the air between them.She felt her chest rise and fall with every breath, a mixture of disbelief and frustration building inside her.She couldn’t understand why Luca seemed so certain that this was the only path forward.They weren’t even close to being in a relationship, let alone ready for marriage.Yet here he was, with all his power, his plans, and his ridiculous assumptions about what she needed.
Luca leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving hers, as if her objections were merely a minor inconvenience.Ava couldn’t deny the strength of his presence, the way it filled the room and made it impossible for her to look away.But despite her attraction to him—despite the way his mere proximity made her pulse quicken—she refused to be steamrolled.
She had worked too hard to build her life, her business, and her independence to let anyone dictate her future.
Luca considered several options, is eyes conveying his solution.As his gaze moved lower, Ava immediately understood what was running through his mind.Immediately, she felt a rush of heat course through her.Her breasts tingled; her nipples tightened in response to the weight of his eyes.It was as if he could see straight through her, and the thought alone made her pulse quicken.When his eyes lifted, meeting hers with that knowing gleam, she knew he was fully aware of the effect his gaze had on her.
“Stop it!”she hissed, her voice straining as she grabbed her coffee cup, using it to hide the evidence of her growing arousal, hoping the gesture would distract him, even though she knew it was futile.
“We’ll be–”
Ava scowled at him.“If you tell me one more time that we’re going to be married, I’ll walk out of here and risk whatever the Yakuza is going to do to me,” she snapped, her jaw tight with anger and resentment, but her heart was racing too fast to be completely sure of her own resolve.She was furious—furious at the audacity of his assumption, but also undeniably shaken by how her body had reacted.
Luca paused, his expression unreadable for a moment.Then he gave a slow nod.“Fine,” he said.His tone remained calm, almost too calm.“It’s up to you, if you want my help,” he added, with a certain finality.“Your choice.”
Something inside Ava relaxed slightly at his words, as if a small weight had been lifted.But just as quickly, the tension returned, making her stomach tighten all over again.“If I want your help, then I have to...?”
“Marry me.Yes.Those are my terms.”
Ava narrowed her eyes, her lips curling into a scowl.“I read an amusing article about a guy in Seattle who offered those terms to a woman recently.”
Luca smirked, a spark of amusement in his eyes.“It wasn’t recent.It was over a year ago.Max and Lexie are expecting their first child soon.”He winked at her playfully, grabbing a grape and popping it into his mouth.“Seemed like a good plan.It’s certainly worked out for them.”
Ava started to rise from her seat, and then paused, a flash of doubt crossing her face.“How bad is Tanaka?”
