Chapter 1

Jocelyn pushed the heavy oak door of the lounge open just a fraction. The dim light from the wall sconce barely illuminated the room, but it was enough.

Her stomach dropped. The air vanished from her lungs.

Cam had Kiley pinned against the leather sofa. His hands were tangled in her blonde hair, his mouth moving aggressively against hers.

Kiley let out a soft, breathless moan. Cam chuckled, a dark, mocking sound that Jocelyn had heard a thousand times.

Jocelyn gripped the brass door handle. She squeezed it so hard her knuckles turned white. Her fingernails dug into her palms, the sharp pain grounding her as the room spun.

"I'll cancel the engagement," Cam murmured against Kiley's neck. "She's just a boring machine. All she knows is work."

A wave of nausea hit Jocelyn's throat. Her muscles coiled, screaming at her to push the door open and tear them apart.

Instead, she let out a slow, shaky breath. She took a half-step back.

The cold draft of the hallway hit her bare shoulders. She closed her eyes for two seconds. When she opened them, the vulnerability was completely gone. Her face settled into a mask of pure ice.

She turned away from the lounge. Her high heels sank into the thick carpet, making no sound as she walked toward the main banquet hall. Her mind raced, calculating every possible piece of leverage she had.

A waiter pushed the heavy double doors of the banquet hall open. The blinding light from the crystal chandeliers stabbed at her eyes. Jocelyn squinted, forcing her pupils to adjust.

The crowd naturally parted. Her gaze locked instantly on the man standing at the center of the room.

Hayes Cooper.

He was surrounded by Wall Street executives, but he looked completely detached. He swirled the champagne in his glass with a slow, deliberate motion. The oppressive aura radiating from him kept everyone at a safe distance.

Jocelyn's breathing slowed down.

A socialite in a red dress tried to approach him. Hayes didn't even speak. He just gave her a look so cold the woman physically recoiled and walked away.

Jocelyn's lips curved into a faint smirk. She had found her target. The most dangerous man in the room.

She grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter's tray. She bypassed the crowd, walking purposefully toward the quietest side exit, betting that a man like him would prefer the solitude to escape.

Hayes set his glass down and headed for the door. Jocelyn timed her steps perfectly. She stepped out from behind the pillar and crashed directly into his solid chest.

The champagne splashed across the lapel of his custom suit.

His bodyguards instantly moved forward. One of them shoved Jocelyn back roughly. She stumbled, her heel catching on the carpet.

Jocelyn faked a gasp. She looked up. Her eyes met his.

Hayes's dark eyes were devoid of any warmth. He looked down at the wet stain on his chest. His jaw clenched.

"Get lost," he said. His voice was a low, dangerous rumble.

Jocelyn's heart hammered against her ribs, but she didn't step back.

She pulled a silk handkerchief from her clutch and stepped into his personal space. She pressed her fingers against his chest, wiping the fabric. She could feel the rigid, tense muscles beneath his shirt.

Hayes's hand shot out. He clamped his fingers around her wrist. The grip was brutal, hard enough to bruise bone. His eyes darkened with a lethal warning.

Jocelyn rose onto her tiptoes. She leaned in until her lips were a breath away from his ear.

"I know the real numbers behind the merger," she whispered.

Hayes's pupils contracted. His fingers loosened just a fraction of an inch. His gaze swept over her face, sharp and calculating, like a radar scanning for a threat.

Jocelyn stared right back. Her eyes burned with reckless ambition.

Hayes let go of her wrist. He shot a cold, dismissive glance at the bodyguards who were stepping up to drag her away. "Stay put," he commanded softly, the absolute authority in his tone freezing them in their tracks. He turned and walked toward his private elevator.

Jocelyn rubbed her throbbing wrist. She didn't hesitate. She followed him.

The elevator doors were sliding shut. Jocelyn slipped through the narrow gap just in time.

The small space was instantly suffocating. The scent of cedar and expensive cologne wrapped around her throat.

Hayes didn't press the emergency stop. He didn't tell his guards to drag her out. He just stared at the metal doors.

Jocelyn exhaled slowly. She had won the first round.

The elevator pinged at the penthouse level. The doors opened to a dark hallway. Hayes stepped out, his long legs eating up the distance. Jocelyn followed close behind.

He swiped his keycard. The heavy door clicked open.

He didn't turn on the lights. The moment the door shut, he grabbed Jocelyn's jaw. He forced her head up in the dark.

"What do you want?" he demanded, his voice dropping an octave.

Jocelyn didn't flinch. "I want a backer. Someone who can crush Cam."

Hayes let out a short, harsh laugh. "You don't have enough chips to play at my table."

Jocelyn reached behind her back. She grabbed the zipper of her silk dress and pulled it down.

The fabric pooled at her feet. The cool air of the penthouse hit her bare skin.

Hayes's breathing hitched. The sound was loud in the quiet room. The coldness in his eyes vanished, replaced by a dark, consuming fire.

He slammed her against the door. His mouth crashed down on hers. It wasn't a gentle kiss. It was a punishment. It was possession.

Jocelyn gasped at the pain, but she kissed him back just as hard.

They stumbled through the dark, hitting the wall, knocking over a side table. Logic and reason were drowned out by pure adrenaline. Jocelyn dug her nails into his broad back.

The mattress dipped under their weight. Hayes's massive frame covered hers.

Jocelyn closed her eyes. The pain and the pleasure blurred together as she sealed the most insane contract of her life.