Julian Knight's POV
The rooftop bar pulses with Manhattan's electric hum, neon lights casting shadows across the glass railing, but all I see is Scarlett Valenti. She glides in like a predator, her black silk dress a weapon, clinging to her curves,her full breasts, rounded hips, that perfect ass each step a calculated strike. The slit up her thigh flashes skin, and my blood surges, my control fraying at the edges. She's playing me again, just like last night, and I'm caught, a moth to her flame, hating how much I want to burn.
"Scarlett," I say, my voice rougher than I mean, betraying the heat her presence ignites. "You don't play fair."
She slides onto the stool beside me, her leg brushing mine, deliberate, her smirk sharp as a blade. "Fair's for losers, Julian," she purrs, leaning in, the plunge of her neckline drawing my eyes to the swell of her breasts. "You wanted to talk business. So talk."
I grip my whiskey, forcing my gaze to her face, but those emerald eyes are just as dangerous, glittering with challenge. She's a vision, her red hair cascading over one shoulder, lips scarlet and taunting. I want to wipe that smirk off her face, pull her close, feel those curves under my hands. Instead, I lean back, fighting for control.
"The tech specs," I say, my tone steady, but it's a lie—her presence is a current pulling me under. "They'll cut costs by fifteen percent. Your towers need them."
She tilts her head, hair spilling like fire, and I'm transfixed, my eyes tracing the curve of her neck, the way the silk hugs her hips. "My towers don't need anything," she says, her voice low, teasing, as she crosses her legs, the slit revealing a glimpse of thigh that makes my jaw clench. "But I'm curious, Knight. What's in it for me if I let you play hero?"
Her words are a dare, and I'm drowning in it, the air between us thick with tension. I lean closer, my breath brushing her cheek, my voice a growl. "You get me, Scarlett. All in."
Her eyes darken, a flicker of desire she can't hide, and it's a victory, small but intoxicating. She leans back, sipping her martini, the glass lingering at her lips, and I'm mesmerized by the way they curve, imagining them against mine. "Tempting," she says, her voice a sultry purr, the slit of her dress shifting higher as she moves. "But I don't trust a man who thinks he's got all the cards."
I smile, slow and dangerous, my eyes locked on hers, but they keep drifting to her breasts, her hips, the way she's weaponizing every inch of herself. "You'll see my hand soon enough," I say, my voice low, a promise I'm not sure I can keep. "But don't think you're the only one playing dirty."
She laughs, sharp and bright, tossing her hair, and I'm lost, my body reacting to every move the sway of her curves, the flash of skin. We talk numbers, designs, timelines but it's a charade. My mind's on her, the way she's got me twisted, her body a taunt I can't ignore. She's got the upper hand, and she knows it, wielding her beauty like a blade, cutting through my defenses.
But there's a shadow beneath her confidence, a glint in her eyes that says she's searching for something. Singapore. Veronica's warning last night "She's asking questions" hangs heavy. If Scarlett's digging, she's closer to the truth than I'd like.
Those offshore accounts, the investor I paid to keep quiet it's a past I can't outrun, and it could ruin us both. The waterfront deal, my empire, her trust. I should tell her, lay it bare, but the way she's looking at me now, all fire and seduction, makes me want to hold on to this moment, this game, just a little longer.
She stands, her dress shimmering, hips swaying as she heads for the railing, the city's lights framing her like a goddess. I follow, unable to resist, my eyes tracing every curve, every line. "Don't get too comfortable, Julian," she calls over her shoulder, her voice teasing but edged with steel. "I'm still running this show."
I stop beside her, close enough to feel her heat, my voice low. "Keep running, Scarlett. I'm right behind you."
Her smile is wicked, and as she turns away, her body a silhouette against the skyline, I know I'm in trouble. She's fire, I'm ice, and this game is about to consume us both. But I'm Julian Knight, and I don't lose not to her, not to my past. Tomorrow, I'll match her move for move, but tonight, I'm burning, and she's the spark.