Chapter 5

　　Surprise flashed across Lucian's face when their eyes met. He set down his glass.

　　Beside him, Vivienne clung to him tighter as though she belonged to his chest. With his eyes still fixed on Jade, he whispered to Vivienne,

　　"Did you ask her to come here?"

　　Vivienne shook her head.

　　Following Lucian's gaze, Chadwick asked, "You two know each other?"

　　Vivienne answered. "She's another secretary of Mr. Ashford's."

　　"Now she's even more interesting," Chadwick repeated. He turned and stared at her. "Come here."

　　Jade instantly stepped backward. "I'm sorry, Mr Harrington. Someone is waiting for me outside."

　　Her refusal caused him to frown. He sat beside Lucian and brought a glass of wine to his lips.  "Who's that?"

　　"A friend."

　　"Tell them you're not coming."

　　She twisted her fingers behind her back and forced her chin to lift. "I really have to go."

　　His frown deepened. "It's just a mere friend. I said…"

　　"It's my boyfriend."

　　Silence fell over the room for a brief moment  before Chadwick let out a low chuckle.

　　"A boyfriend. Is your boyfriend more important than your job?" Then he turned to Lucian. " Mr Ashford, our company just entered into a partnership that benefits you the most. Surely you do not mind giving me an employee to celebrate this partnership."

　　Jade flinched. Her eyes darted from Chadwick to Lucian, who had his hand around Vivienne's back as he resumed sipping from his glass of wine.

　　He wouldn't give her away, right? He wouldn't.

　　But his next words caused her knees to weaken.

　　"I don't. Suit yourself."

　　Then she watched as he looked at Vivienne and caressed her hair. She bunched the hem of her gown tightly, her chest rising and falling violently.

　　"Come here now."

　　She dragged her feet toward them, and Chadwick pulled her to sit between Lucian and himself. Her body stiffened when he immediately circled his hand around her waist and pulled her closer.

　　"The moment I saw you tonight, I knew you were going to be a good fuck. Don't be shy, what's your favorite sex position?"

　　Jade jumped slightly when his other hand fell on her thigh. He ran his fingers through her skin, slowly pushing upward.

　　"I do not have one."

　　"You don't? You're even more interesting than I thought."

　　She tried to push his hands away, only for him to grip her thigh tightly and push his fingers further. She looked at Lucian for help, but he wasn't looking at them. Instead, he picked a napkin and wiped the corners of Vivienne's mouth with it. Her stomach sank.

　　Chadwick rang a waiter who quickly hurried toward him.

　　"A spicy margarita for the lady," he said.

　　The waiter disappeared and in no time returned with the order. He held the drink to her lips.

　　"Drink."

　　Jade bit the insides of her cheek as he watched her keenly. If she didn't drink and he got offended, the consequences might fall on the partnership. Taking the glass, in one swift move, she brought the drink to her mouth and gulped.

　　Fire raced down her throat immediately, and her tongue tingled so fiercely she recoiled, but she forced every drop down. God, it burned.

　　"Good girl." One hand wrapped tightly around her waist, he returned his other hand to her mid-thigh. All the while, Lucian still didn't spare them a single glance. Not even when she coughed.

　　When his fingers grazed her inner thigh, a wave of anger washed over her.

　　She'd had enough.

　　Jade shoved his hands off her and stomped her heels against his feet before she sprang up from the chair. Her hands closed over her mouth.

　　"Sorry I stepped on you…Mr Harrington, I feel unwell."

　　Without another word, she hurried out of the lounge and into the restroom. Bending over the wash basin, Jade splashed water on her face and let out a deep breath. When the door of the restroom opened, she swiveled sharply, her eyes widening when a tall figure strolled in and closed the door behind him.

　　"Mr Ashford, this seems to be the ladies' restroom, " she glared at Lucian.

　　Lucian expelled a breath, and then he grabbed her arms and turned her to face him.

　　"Since when do you have a boyfriend? Do you go about inventing boyfriends now?"

　　"Inventing?"

　　His hold on her tightened, and his brows drew into a tighter line. "Don't mess with me, Jade."

　　Jade rolled her eyes and tugged her arm off his hold. "What is it to you?" She snapped. "Our contract never stated that I was forbidden from seeing other men. We're just sexual, not exclusive.

　　Lucian scrubbed a hand over his jaw and laughed under his breath. Then his expression turned glacial.

　　"Is that why you've been avoiding me?"

　　"I've been busy." She stepped back nervously, but he suddenly pulled her into his arms.

　　"What kind of secretary keeps hiding from her boss?"

　　"The kind you're apparently replacing." Jade tried to struggle, but Lucian's hand stayed firmly locked around her waist. "I think Vivienne can handle my job just fine."

　　"You think I'm interested in Vivienne…?" Jade felt the hand at her waist grow warm against her skin.

　　"Whatever. I just want to focus on my work."

　　"And flirting with Chadwick is part of that work?" His voice dropped, softer now.

　　Flirting?

　　When Chadwick was harassing her, he had turned a blind eye, and now he was standing here calling it flirting.

　　"What is it to you? Didn't you hand me over to him just for your deal? Lucian, I'm your…"

　　The words stopped in her throat.

　　His what?

　　His secretary. His lover. Something he reached for when convenient and discarded when something mattered more.

　　Lucian seemed to see right through her thoughts.

　　"You know what you are to me." His voice was almost lazy with certainty. "So why have you been difficult?"

　　Jade said nothing.

　　His thumb traced a slow circle at her waist. "Ask me nicely, and I'll handle Chadwick."

　　She turned her face away.

　　Jade knew that she had no guarantee he would actually choose her over the deal.

　　She had too much pride left to hand it over on the possibility that this time might be different.

　　"I don't need your protect…"

　　She had barely finished her words before Lucian pushed her into a tiny restroom stall, the door swinging shut behind them as his leather shoes caught it closed.

　　"You know," Lucian said, something that looked remarkably like amusement moving through his eyes, "You are extraordinarily stubborn. Think it through. This is your last chance."

　　"I believe I've already given you my answer."

　　As the distance closed, Lucian could catch the faint scent on her skin. He had tasted her before, yet seeing her still unraveled his control.

　　His tall figure loomed over her, and then a heated, urgent kiss crashed hard against her lips.

　　She instantly placed her hands on his chest and tried to push him off, but he grabbed both hands and held them above her head.

　　When she turned her head away from him, he chased her lips and caught them again like a starved man.

　　"Jade?"

　　A voice called from outside as loud footsteps echoed through the entire restroom.