Chapter 4

The Rolls Royce glided smoothly into the brightly lit underground garage of The Penthouse.

The driver opened the door. Hayes stepped out first. Jocelyn wrapped the cashmere towel tightly around her shoulders and followed, her soaked heels squishing with every step.

They walked into the private elevator. The high-speed ascent made Jocelyn's stomach drop. She shivered, her teeth chattering from the cold and the adrenaline.

The doors chimed and opened directly into the top-floor apartment. Lightning flashed outside the massive windows, illuminating the dark, modern furniture.

Hayes peeled off his ruined suit jacket and tossed it to the butler. "Take her to the guest room. Make sure she showers," he ordered. His tone left no room for argument.

The butler led Jocelyn to a massive marble bathroom. She stood under the scalding hot water, scrubbing the mud and the humiliation off her skin until it turned red.

When she stepped out, she realized there were no women's clothes. The only thing resting on the counter was a crisp, white men's dress shirt.

Jocelyn took a deep breath. She put it on. The hem barely covered her upper thighs. She rolled up the sleeves and walked out into the massive, empty living room.

Hayes was sitting on the leather sofa. He held a glass of whiskey over ice in one hand. A tablet rested on his lap, displaying real-time stock data.

He heard her footsteps and looked up. His eyes slowly dragged down her bare legs, lingering on the curves hidden beneath his shirt. His Adam's apple bobbed once.

Jocelyn walked over and sat on the sofa opposite him. She kept her posture straight. "I want a long-term alliance."

Hayes let out a short, mocking breath. He set his whiskey down on the glass table. "You have nothing to negotiate with except your body."

Jocelyn smiled. It was a cold, sharp smile. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "Check the M&A department's accounts for the last quarter. The numbers don't match."

Hayes's fingers stopped tapping the tablet. His gaze sharpened into blades. He stared at the woman sitting in front of him.

"Cam is embezzling company funds," Jocelyn stated clearly. "And as his shadow analyst, I have every single piece of proof. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. I've been backing up his files for three years. I have a complete log of his illegal insider trading, corporate espionage, and every dirty kickback he's taken. I have enough to send him and half his cronies to federal prison."

The air in the room grew heavy. The pressure radiating from Hayes was suffocating. "Why are you selling out your fiancé?"

Pure venom flashed in Jocelyn's eyes. "I want him destroyed. And you want to clean house. We both win."

The room fell dead silent. Only the sound of the rain lashing against the glass could be heard. Hayes studied her face, evaluating her like a high-stakes investment.

Suddenly, he leaned forward. His hand shot out and gripped her chin. His fingers pressed hard into her jaw.

"Making a deal with the devil comes with a price," he warned, his voice a low scrape. "Are you ready to be my plaything?"

Jocelyn didn't blink. She stared straight into his dark eyes. "I don't care about the price. Just give me the power."

A flash of dark approval and extreme possessiveness crossed Hayes's face. He let go of her chin. His thumb brushed slowly across her bottom lip.

"I will protect you," he declared coldly. "I will give you the power you want. Until I get bored."

The contract was sealed. Jocelyn's tense muscles relaxed for a fraction of a second.

Hayes didn't give her time to breathe. He grabbed her waist and yanked her forward. Jocelyn tumbled onto his lap, straddling his hard thighs. Two buttons on the white shirt popped open.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck. He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the body wash mixed with his own cedar cologne.

Jocelyn froze for a second. Then, she wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, playing her part in this game of power and lust.

His mouth moved from her neck to her lips. The kiss was frantic, demanding, and completely overwhelming. Jocelyn's logic short-circuited.

The tablet was knocked off his lap. It hit the thick rug with a dull thud, the stock numbers glowing in the dark.

Lightning tore across the sky outside, illuminating their tangled bodies on the sofa. The taboo fire exploded in the middle of the storm.

As her mind went blank, Jocelyn knew one thing for sure: she had just secured the sharpest knife to stab her enemies.