Chapter five

A Dangerous Attraction

The moment Adrian and Claire stepped back into Blackwood Tower, the facade of the perfect, lovestruck couple crumbled.

Claire yanked her hand from Adrian’s grasp, kicking off her heels as the penthouse door clicked shut behind them. The moment her bare feet met the cool marble, she let out an irritated sigh.

“You could have warned me that Liam and Ava would be at that restaurant.”

Adrian, unbothered, shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it lazily onto the sleek leather couch. He moved with deliberate ease, like nothing in the world could ever truly touch him.

“And ruin the surprise?” His voice held a thread of amusement.

Claire turned to glare at him. “That wasn’t a surprise.” She folded her arms. “That was war.”

Adrian’s smirk deepened as he poured himself a glass of whiskey from the bar. “Exactly.”

Claire exhaled sharply, pacing across the room. The city lights cast fragmented reflections on the polished floor, but she barely noticed.

“Liam looked ready to kill you,” she muttered.

Adrian swirled the amber liquid in his glass, watching her with undisguised amusement. “Jealousy is an ugly thing.”

She shot him a sharp look. “And Ava?”

His smirk faded slightly. “She’s calculating. She’s not worried about you—she’s worried about me.”

Claire frowned. “And why is that?”

Adrian leaned against the bar, his gaze dark and unreadable. “Because she knows I don’t lose.”

The words sent a chill through her, but not out of fear.

Adrian wasn’t just powerful—he was dangerous. Unshakable. The kind of man people either feared or worshipped.

And Ava Donovan was smart enough to recognize that.

For the first time, Claire considered that maybe Adrian had more at stake than he let on.

But before she could press further, he spoke again.

“Enough about them.” He set his glass down, stepping toward her. Too close. “Let’s talk about you.”

Claire lifted an eyebrow. “What about me?”

Adrian’s gaze flickered down to her bare feet, then back up to meet her eyes. “You played your role well today.”

Something about the way he said it—low, deliberate, approving—sent an unfamiliar heat through her.

She forced a smirk. “Years of pretending to be the perfect fiancée. Like I said—I’ve had practice.”

Adrian tilted his head, considering her. “You’re different now.”

She frowned. “Different how?”

He stepped closer, closing the space between them. “Before, you were soft. Now?” His gaze assessed her, lingering just long enough to make her uneasy. “You’re sharp.”

Claire swallowed. Damn him.

He was doing it again—studying her, seeing too much.

She rolled her eyes. “Well, three years in prison does that to a person.”

Adrian’s smirk faded slightly. “It shouldn’t have happened.”

Something in his tone made her pause. “What do you mean?”

His gaze darkened, but he stepped back. “Nothing.”

Liar.

Claire clenched her jaw. She didn’t have the patience for Adrian’s cryptic half-truths.

“Whatever,” she muttered, brushing past him. “I’m going to bed.”

But just as she reached the hallway, his voice stopped her.

“Claire.”

She turned—and in an instant, he was in front of her.

Her back hit the wall, her breath catching as Adrian caged her in, his hands braced on either side of her.

Her pulse skipped.

He wasn’t touching her, but he didn’t have to.

His presence alone was enough to burn.

Adrian’s gaze locked onto hers, dark and unreadable. “Be careful.”

She swallowed. “Of what?”

His eyes flickered to her lips before snapping back up. “Of thinking you can outplay me.”

Claire inhaled sharply, her nails digging into her palms.

He was testing her. Daring her.

And God helped her—she wanted to play.

But instead, she lifted her chin. “Then you should be careful too, Blackwood.”

Adrian smirked, his gaze flickering with something dangerous.

Then, he stepped away.

“Goodnight, Claire.”

And just like that, he was gone.

Leaving her breathless.

And completely unravelled.

The Next Morning

Claire woke up irritated.

Not because she had a contract marriage hanging over her head.

Not because she had to keep playing this game.

No.

She was irritated because she had spent the entire damn night thinking about Adrian Blackwood.

And that? That was dangerous.

By the time she stepped into the penthouse kitchen, Adrian was already there—reading the morning paper, looking infuriatingly calm and composed.

Like he hadn’t spent last night invading her space and making her question her sanity.

He barely acknowledged her as he sipped his coffee, dressed in yet another perfectly tailored suit.

Claire scowled. “You’re insufferable.”

Adrian smirked over the rim of his cup. “And yet, you’re still here.”

Her hands clenched into fists. “Unfortunately.”

Before Adrian could reply, his phone buzzed.

He glanced at the screen, his expression turning unreadable.

Then, he stood.

“We have a problem.”

Claire tensed. “What kind of problem?”

Adrian’s jaw ticked.

“Liam just made his first move.”

A Shift in the Game

Claire’s stomach tightened.

Liam never acted without reason. If he was making a move, it meant one thing—he wasn’t just angry. He was threatened.

“What did he do?” she asked.

Adrian exhaled sharply, his grip tightening around his phone. “He’s leveraging the media. Spreading rumours about our engagement.”

Claire scoffed. “Let me guess. He’s trying to make it seem like I’m using you for revenge?”

Adrian’s eyes darkened. “Worse.”

He turned his screen toward her.

The headline made her stomach drop.

CLAIRE DONOVAN: THE WOMAN WHO SEDUCED TWO POWERFUL MEN—BUT WHO IS SHE PLAYING?

A fresh wave of anger surged through her.

Liam was framing her as a manipulative social climber, painting her as a woman who jumped from one powerful man to another, using them both for her gain.

The subtle undertones of scandal and betrayal were meant to discredit her, to turn public opinion against her before she could fully establish herself in Adrian’s world.

It was calculated. Ruthless.

And it meant Liam was taking this fight seriously.

Claire’s jaw clenched. “That son of a—”

Adrian’s voice cut through her anger. “This is the first move, Claire.”

She met his gaze. “Then we counter.”

His lips curved slightly, approval flickering in his eyes.

“Good,” he murmured. “Then let’s remind Liam Carter who he’s dealing with.”

The game had officially changed.

And Claire?

She was more than ready to play.