4

Suddenly, blood rushes in my ears, drowning out Asher’s words as he continues speaking. “It’s unfortunate that you have such a low opinion of me. Let me change that. We’ll be spending a lot of time together as we finalize the contract.”

He’s the one! He’s the man who killed that person! My breath catches, and I forget to exhale. Asher squints at me, and an irrational fear grips me—that he’s somehow reading my thoughts.

As his hand drops to his side, I follow the movement down to his wrist. He watches me closely. Damn it… Does he recognize me from last night? I ran away as fast as I could…

He didn’t see my face… did he?

“Mr. Volkov is right, Camila,” Mom intervenes. “Let’s keep things civil. This will benefit all of us, even if it doesn’t seem that way now. It’s a chance for a fresh start. Please.”

“Listen to your mother,” he adds with a smirk. “Don’t let your personal desires get in the way of giving your mother the opportunity she deserves.”

“It doesn’t matter what I want,” I murmur. “Mom has already agreed to the deal.”

“I understand,” he acknowledges, “but I prefer everyone to leave a deal happy. Misgivings complicate matters. And I prefer that every deal concludes with both parties as friends. And in my experience, the path to friendship begins with a drink.”

Is he… asking me out? This guy has some nerve! Yet, his words intrigue me. He wants to convince me the deal is beneficial. That means there’s still a chance I can persuade him otherwise.

But can I trust this? I’m almost certain he’s the man I saw kill someone last night. I glance at my mother, silently pleading with her through my eyes.

She has no clue who he really is… or how dangerous he might be.

I’m being paranoid. He couldn’t have known I was there last night. He would’ve said something by now.

At the very least, having a drink might bring me closer to uncovering the truth about him. And if I can manage to convince him to back out of the deal, even better.

So, I give a curt nod. “Fine. Drinks under the guise of business. That’s all.”

“I didn’t realize there was anything more than business here,” he teases. “Or do you think I want something else from you?”

His smile only enhances his attractiveness, and a new wave of heat pools in my belly and creeps down my thighs. It’s unfair for someone this despicable to be so good-looking. It feels like a cruel joke; it must be.

“Where do you propose we meet?”

Asher runs his teeth lightly over his lower lip, as if suggesting how he might use them on me. But any allure he stirs in me fades when he speaks.

"Topher’s Lounge," he says, his smile changing. The playful sparkle in his eyes turns serious. "But we should leave before it gets too dark. Bad things happen there after midnight near the docks, especially to those who go where they shouldn't."

He offers his hand to me. Realizing I have no other option, I accept it. A jolt of electricity shoots through my arm and into my heart at the unexpected warmth of his grip. His smile holds me in place, but his eyes lack warmth.

Instead, they're predatory and dangerous. His pupils dilate slightly as our hands remain clasped, and I see myself reflected in their deep darkness—like a gazelle caught by a hungry lion's gaze on the savannah.

And in that moment, I realize I'm in trouble.