A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

Sienna Carter had never stepped foot inside a building so intimidating. The towering glass structure of Cross Industries loomed over the city skyline, a symbol of power, wealth, and everything that had always been out of her reach.

She wasn’t supposed to be here.

Yet, desperation had a way of making people do things they never imagined.

Clutching the folder in her hands, she took a slow, measured breath before stepping past the polished marble entrance. The cool air inside the building sent a shiver down her spine, or maybe that was just her nerves. She wasn’t sure anymore.

The receptionist, a woman dressed in an immaculate navy-blue suit, barely glanced up before pressing a button on her desk.

“He’s expecting you,” she said, her voice smooth and efficient.

Sienna swallowed hard. There was no turning back now.

The elevator ride to the top floor was eerily silent, and with each passing second, she felt her pulse quicken. What kind of man agreed to a deal like this? She had read about Damien Cross his ruthless business strategies, his ability to destroy competitors with a single move, his refusal to let emotions interfere with business.

But this wasn’t business.

Not in the traditional sense.

When the doors slid open with a quiet chime, she stepped into a space that looked more like a penthouse than an office. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the city below, casting long shadows across sleek furniture. The air smelled like expensive leather, aged whiskey, and something distinctly masculine.

Then, she saw him.

Damien Cross stood near the window, his broad shoulders framed by the golden light of the setting sun. Even from a distance, there was something about him that commanded attention the way he held himself, the quiet intensity in the way he gazed out over his empire.

He didn’t turn right away.

For a moment, she considered walking back into the elevator, pretending this meeting had never happened. But then, slowly, he turned, and her breath caught in her throat.

God help her.

The photos in the magazines hadn’t done him justice.

Damien Cross was breathtaking in the most dangerous way.

Tall. Impossibly well-dressed. Every inch of him exuded power. His dark hair was perfectly styled, not a strand out of place, and his storm-gray eyes were locked onto her with unnerving precision.

Sienna suddenly felt small, insignificant under his gaze.

He didn’t speak right away. He simply watched her, studying her as if she were some puzzle he was deciding whether or not to solve.

Finally, he spoke.

“Sienna Carter.”

Her name sounded different in his voice. Deeper. He said it like he already knew everything about her, as if she were a piece on his chessboard he was already planning to move.

She swallowed hard. “Mr. Cross.”

He took a step forward, and suddenly, the space between them felt too small.

“You know why you’re here,” he said. It wasn’t a question.

She nodded, gripping the folder tighter.

He reached for it, his fingers brushing against hers. The contact sent an unexpected jolt through her, but she forced herself to stay still. He had that effect calculated, controlled, effortlessly dominant.

Opening the folder, he skimmed the documents before looking up.

“You’re willing to do this?”

Sienna’s heart pounded in her chest. She wasn’t sure what terrified her more the fact that she needed this deal, or the fact that some part of her wanted to say yes for reasons that had nothing to do with money.

She forced herself to meet his gaze. “Yes.”

A slow, knowing smirk spread across his face.

“Then let’s begin.”

But Sienna had the distinct feeling that this was the moment her life changed forever.