Chapter 2 The Devil's Offer

~ Lila ~

I hesitated for a moment.

The sleek black car sat idling in front of me, its imposing presence and tinted windows concealing whatever threats might be lurking inside. Damon Blackwood lounged in the back seat, one arm draped casually over the leather, his gaze fixed on me with an intensity that was hard to read. The city buzzed around us-cabs honking, rain shimmering on the asphalt, and pedestrians lost in their own thoughts.

Behind me, I could hear the pounding footsteps of the men from the alley drawing closer.

I had mere seconds to make a choice.

Swallowing my fear, I slid into the car.

The door slammed shut behind me, sealing me in with the devil himself.

Damon remained silent for a moment. The car lurched forward, merging into the late-night traffic as if we weren't escaping a crime scene. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of leather and expensive cologne, but underneath it all, I caught a whiff of something else-power, danger, control.

I forced myself to take a breath. "What the hell is going on?"

Damon turned to me, his piercing blue eyes examining me as if I were a puzzle he already had the answer to. "That's what I was going to ask you."

I scoffed. "You've got to be kidding. Two men just tried to kill me over some missing drive, and now I'm in your car. That's either an incredible coincidence, or you know exactly what's going on."

His lips curled into a smirk that wasn't quite a smile. "I don't believe in coincidences."

Neither did I.

Silence hung heavily between us, thick with all the things we weren't saying. I had done my homework on Damon Blackwood-self-made billionaire, tech mogul, and a man so private that even his own employees preferred to share whispers over facts. Some claimed he built his empire on secrets, while others suggested he eliminated anyone who got too close.

And yet, I had been so eager for my exclusive interview, so desperate to make a name for myself as a journalist.

Like an absolute fool, I had walked right into a trap.

I crossed my arms, forcing myself to look unfazed. "So what's your angle? Am I supposed to be thankful that you 'rescued' me?"

Damon tilted his head slightly, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes at my defiance. "That depends."

"On what?"

"On whether you actually stole the drive."

I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling up. "For the last time, I don't have it!"

A muscle in his jaw twitched, the first sign of a crack in his cool demeanor. He studied me for what felt like an eternity, weighing whether to trust my words. Then, with a resigned sigh, he reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

A flash drive.

My stomach plummeted.

"Recognize this?" he asked, holding it up between two fingers.

I swallowed hard. "No."

"Interesting," he said, his tone thoughtful. "Because it was in your purse."

I froze, my mind racing back through the last few hours. I remembered arriving at Blackwood Tower, sitting across from Damon in his penthouse office, feeling the weight of his gaze as he answered my questions with chilling precision. After our interview, I had gone to the rooftop bar downstairs, ordered a drink-

And then... nothing.

A cold realization washed over me. Someone had set me up.

I shook my head, desperation creeping into my voice. "I swear, I didn't take it. I don't even know what's on it."

Damon's gaze darkened as he studied me. Then, unexpectedly, he leaned in closer, closing the gap between us. My breath caught as the air thickened with tension.

"Then we have a problem, Lila," he murmured. "Because someone wanted you to take the fall."

A chill ran down my spine.

The car came to a halt in front of the imposing building. Blackwood penthouse, its glass facade gleaming in the light. My heart raced.

"You're coming with me," Damon declared, his tone leaving no room for debate.

I felt a surge of indignation. "Excuse me?"

"You want answers?" He pointed at the flash drive. "Then you stick with me until we uncover who's really in charge."

I paused, torn. The rational part of my mind was screaming that this was a terrible idea. Damon Blackwood was definitely not someone to trust.

But logic didn't account for the fact that I had been set up. That two men had nearly taken my life tonight.

I was already in the lion's den. Now, I had to figure out how to navigate it.

I squared my shoulders. "Fine. But don't think for a second that I'm your prisoner."

Damon chuckled. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it."

As I trailed behind him into the building, an unsettling thought lingered in my mind: I might have just struck a deal with the devil.