Chapter 2 A Deal

Gillian's breath caught in her throat, and she froze, not daring to make a sound.

Next to her, Luke's lips twisted into a sly, knowing smile.

Outside, Ashton's suspicion sharpened. The cough had sounded just like Gillian's-there was no mistaking it.

And this was the men's room. If she was here, what could she possibly be doing?

Driven by suspicion, Ashton began kicking open each stall door, his voice rising with impatience. "Come out! Is that you in there? What are you doing here?"

One after another, the doors flew open.

Inside the last stall, Gillian fumbled to fix her dress, panic rising, but Luke's grip stayed firm, holding her close.

He leaned in, his mouth grazing her ear, voice a mocking whisper. "What's the matter? Didn't you just have all the courage in the world?"

His warm breath sent shivers down her spine, her thoughts dissolving into frantic fear.

The footsteps closed in. If Ashton discovered her here, everything would come crashing down-her engagement, her family's last hope, her entire reputation.

While Gillian tried to steady her nerves, a loud crash sounded as Ashton slammed his foot into their stall door.

Finding it locked, he pounded on it again, his face thunderous. "Who's in there? Open up-now!"

Gillian's whole body shook, her heart pounding so hard it hurt.

Luke reached for the latch, making a show of opening the door.

Reality crashed over Gillian as she lunged for Luke's arm, whispering desperately, "Don't open it!"

Her voice broke as she pleaded, trying to keep her tears in check. "Please-don't let Ashton see. I'll do whatever you want. Just help me."

Luke arched a brow, clearly enjoying her distress. "Anything at all?"

Fighting back sobs, Gillian nodded, her eyes shining with humiliation.

"That's more like it." Luke's tone was almost gentle as he brushed a kiss against her damp cheek, his gaze laced with mischief. "It's a simple deal, really. You become mine-whenever I want you, you'll come running. That's the price."

Shock widened Gillian's eyes. The idea was unthinkable-how could he demand this, especially being Ashton's own cousin?

She instinctively wanted to refuse, but the sound of another violent kick against the stall door sent her panic spiraling.

With her heart thundering, she blurted out, "Fine. I'll do it. Just please-don't let him find out."

Luke smiled, satisfied. "Good. We have an understanding."

But just then, the stall door flew open with a jarring crash.

Gillian's whole body went rigid, certain that everything was about to unravel.

But before she could react, Luke slipped his jacket over her head, shielding her face from view.

Ashton's startled voice filled the cramped space. "Luke?"

"How dare you!" Luke's reply was icy, every word brimming with authority. "You've got some nerve barging in here."

"S-sorry, Luke-I didn't realize you were here. I just... I thought I heard something, and I was looking for my fiancee..." Ashton stammered, a nervous sweat breaking out across his brow.

He had always been uneasy around Luke. Now, faced with his elder cousin's cold glare, his knees nearly gave out.

"Maybe focus on keeping an eye on your own fiancee, instead of interfering in my affairs," Luke scoffed, positioning himself in front of Gillian, who stayed hidden under his coat. "Now get out."

There was no mistaking the warning in his voice. Ashton didn't dare to argue-he made a quick, clumsy exit.

He never would have imagined his usually distant cousin would pull a stunt like this at a family gathering. What sort of woman, he wondered, could get under Luke's skin this way?

Suspicion never crossed his mind that it could be Gillian-surely, she'd never have the nerve and everything.

Beneath the protective cover of Luke's jacket, Gillian barely dared to breathe.

Only after Ashton's footsteps faded did she finally gather herself, scrambling to pull on her scattered clothes, desperate to make an escape.

Before she could slip away, Luke caught her by the wrist and pulled her into his arms, his voice rich with playful mockery. "Leaving already? Didn't even say thank you, you little ingrate."

She bit down hard on her lip, voice still unsteady. "What more do you want from me?"

Luke leaned in, his tone dark and smooth. "Now that we've struck a deal, shouldn't you at least show a little gratitude?"

Gillian's entire body tensed, but she steeled herself and pressed a soft, fleeting kiss to his lips.

He seemed amused, finally letting her go. With a satisfied smirk, he straightened his clothes and sauntered out of the stall.

Gillian wasted no time cleaning herself up and smoothing her dress. When she was certain no one was watching, she darted out and slipped quietly into the nearest lounge.

Almost at once, her phone rang-Ashton's name on the screen. His voice was sharp with annoyance. "Where have you been? Do you know how long I've been looking? This is my family's party-you're not the Brown princess here, so stop acting like one. I told you to stay by my side and toast the guests, but you disappeared."

"I'm sorry, Ashton," Gillian replied smoothly, a practiced apology on her lips. "I must've had too much to drink and fell asleep in the lounge. It won't happen again."

He didn't seem suspicious-just irritated. His tone was clipped as he ordered her to come downstairs immediately.

Unable to settle her nerves, Gillian made her way downstairs and obediently took her place beside Ashton, ready to say whatever it took to smooth things over. But before she could speak, her attention snapped to the sight of Ashton and Luke's grandfather, Kenneth Moore, his voice booming with anger as he chastised Luke in front of everyone.

Gillian froze where she stood.

"You're growing more out of control by the day! We have guests waiting, and you can't even be bothered to make an appearance? This is a family party, Luke-have some respect!" Kenneth's sharp gaze swept over Luke, and then paused, his frown deepening as he spotted the marks on his neck. "What's that? Did you get tangled up with some woman?"

Luke simply lowered his eyes, his tone cool and dismissive. "Just having a little fun, that's all."

Kenneth let out an exasperated sigh, his frustration mounting. "Fun-always fun! How long do you expect me to keep waiting for you to grow up?"

Turning to Ashton and Gillian, Kenneth's tone shifted, loaded with expectation. "You refuse to take charge of the company or settle down. Look at Ashton-he's three years younger than you, already engaged, and his fiancee actually knows how to behave in public! But you? All you do is waste time with god-knows-who."

Luke's gaze flickered over to Gillian, a slow, mischievous smile spreading across his face. "Ashton's fiancee is certainly... remarkable."