Contracted to the Billionaire.

The low hum of New York City traffic filled the air as Mia Brooks locked up her flower shop for the night. The scent of roses and lilies still clung to her fingertips, a stark contrast to the suffocating weight of the debt hanging over her head. She pulled her coat tighter against the chilly autumn breeze and let out a long breath.

Tomorrow, the bank would officially repossess Bloom & Ivy.

The reality settled like a stone in her stomach. She had tried everything-discounts, promotions, even begging her landlord for an extension-but nothing had worked. The bills had piled too high, the debts too deep. All she had left was a handful of wilted daisies and an eviction notice.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket.

Unknown Number.

Mia hesitated before answering. "Hello?"

A smooth, commanding voice met her ear. "Mia Brooks?"

Her grip on the phone tightened. "Who's asking?"

"I'm calling on behalf of Xavier Harrington. He wishes to meet with you. Tonight."

Mia nearly tripped over her own feet. Xavier Harrington? The Xavier Harrington? The billionaire tech mogul whose name was practically engraved on half the skyscrapers in Manhattan? Why the hell would someone like him want to meet her?

She swallowed. "There must be a mistake. I don't-"

"No mistake." The voice remained impassive. "Mr. Harrington will see you in one hour. I'll send a car."

The line went dead before she could protest.

Mia stared at her phone in disbelief.

This had to be a prank. Or a scam. Or something equally absurd. But a flicker of curiosity wormed its way through her skepticism. She had nothing left to lose-what was one mysterious meeting compared to the ruin already looming over her?

An hour later, she found herself stepping into the sleek interior of a black Bentley.

The driver didn't say a word as the city blurred past in streaks of neon and steel. Mia's fingers curled into fists in her lap, her mind racing through every worst-case scenario.

By the time they pulled up in front of a towering glass skyscraper, her pulse was a hammer against her ribs.

The elevator ride to the penthouse felt endless. The doors slid open to reveal a breathtaking office-floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the glittering city, a sleek mahogany desk, and walls lined with books that looked untouched. The air smelled of expensive leather and something darker-power.

And then she saw him.

Xavier Harrington stood by the window, his back to her. The city lights cast long shadows over his broad frame, the sharp cut of his tailored suit doing nothing to soften the intensity that radiated from him. When he finally turned, Mia's breath caught.

He was gorgeous-all chiseled angles and dark intensity. But what stole her attention was the scar that slashed down his left cheek, a mark that only added to his air of untouchable authority. His icy blue eyes locked onto her, assessing, calculating.

"Mia Brooks." His voice was rich, smooth, but laced with something unreadable.

Mia lifted her chin. "That's me. And you are?"

The corner of his mouth twitched, not quite a smile. "You know exactly who I am."

She crossed her arms. "I know of you. I don't know why I'm here."

Xavier studied her for a long moment before gesturing toward the chair in front of his desk. "Sit."

Mia hesitated, then sank into the plush leather, keeping her posture rigid.

"You own Bloom & Ivy," Xavier said, settling into his own chair.

Her stomach twisted. "Not for much longer."

"I know." He steepled his fingers. "Which is why I'm making you an offer."

Mia frowned. "An offer?"

His gaze didn't waver. "Marry me."

Silence.

Mia blinked. Did he just say...

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Xavier's expression remained unreadable. "A marriage. In name only. A contract between us."

Mia let out a sharp laugh. "You can't be serious."

"I don't joke."

Her heart hammered. "Why the hell would you want to marry me?"

Xavier leaned back in his chair, watching her. "I need a wife. You need money. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement."

Mia gaped at him. "You need a wife? You're a billionaire. I'm sure women are lining up for the job."

His jaw tightened. "This isn't about love. It's about business. I'm finalizing a deal that requires me to present the image of stability. Investors prefer men with a family."

She shook her head, still trying to process. "And you picked me why?"

"You have no ties to my world. No ulterior motives. You're drowning in debt, which means you have incentive to uphold the contract."

Mia let out a breathless laugh. "So you want a desperate woman."

"I want a woman who understands the terms."

She stared at him, searching for any sign of amusement. But Xavier Harrington didn't look like a man who ever joked.

"I'd pay off your debts," he continued. "Settle your financial problems. And when the contract ends, you'll walk away with a generous settlement."

Mia's pulse pounded. The logical part of her screamed to run. This was insane. This was dangerous. But then she thought about her shop, her mother's legacy slipping through her fingers.

And she thought about what it would mean to be free.

Still, she forced herself to keep her voice steady. "And what do you expect from me in return?"

Xavier's blue eyes darkened.

"You'll be my wife. In public. You'll attend events, play the role." He paused, letting the weight of his next words settle between them. "And in private, you'll belong to me."

Mia's breath caught.

His meaning was crystal clear.

He wasn't just asking for a contract marriage.

He was demanding everything.

Mia's fingers curled around the armrests of the chair, her nails digging into the soft leather. Her heart pounded so hard she swore he could hear it.

She leaned forward, her voice sharp. "Let me get this straight. You want me to marry you, pretend to be your perfect wife, and-what?-share your bed whenever you feel like it?"

Xavier didn't even blink. "Yes."

Her stomach flipped. The sheer audacity of this man. The arrogance.

She let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head. "You're unbelievable."

His expression didn't change. "I prefer efficient."

Mia narrowed her eyes. "And what happens if I say no?"

Xavier's lips twitched, not quite a smirk, but close. "Then you walk out of here, return to your failing shop, and wait for the bank to take everything from you. Within a month, you'll be drowning in legal fees. By Christmas, you'll be homeless."

Her jaw clenched.

Bastard.

She hated that he was right. Hated that he knew it.

"I don't need saving," she bit out.

"I'm not offering to save you." Xavier's voice was smooth, deliberate. "I'm offering you an opportunity. A solution to your problems. And in return, you'll solve one of mine."

Mia swallowed hard. "And what if I say yes? What's stopping you from tossing me aside when you get bored?"

Xavier leaned forward, resting his forearms on the desk. The air between them grew charged, the space feeling impossibly small.

"I don't get bored, Mia." His voice was lower now, almost dangerous. "I keep what belongs to me."

A shiver ran down her spine.

God, why did his voice have to do that to her?

She forced herself to focus, to breathe past the sudden heat curling in her stomach. "I'm not an object. I don't belong to anyone."

Xavier studied her for a long moment before standing. He walked around the desk, his presence towering over her. Mia fought the urge to shrink back as he placed his hands on the armrests, caging her in.

"I don't expect obedience, Mia," he murmured, his voice like velvet over steel. "I expect loyalty. And in return, I'll give you the kind of security you've never had."

She hated how close he was. Hated how her pulse betrayed her, how her breath hitched at the scent of his expensive cologne-dark, rich, intoxicating.

She lifted her chin. "And what about love?"

Xavier's gaze darkened.

"Love," he said, his voice utterly void of emotion, "is not part of this arrangement."

Of course it wasn't.

Mia should have expected that. A man like Xavier Harrington didn't do love. He did control. Power. Possession.

But so help her, some reckless part of her wanted to push him.

Wanted to see if he could feel anything at all.

Instead, she exhaled slowly. "And how long would this arrangement last?"

"One year."

A muscle ticked in her jaw. "And after that?"

"You'll walk away with enough money to start over."

Mia stared at him, searching for cracks in his perfectly controlled mask. She found none.

This was pure business to him. A transaction.

And yet, beneath all that cold calculation, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more.

Something hidden.

Something dangerous.

Her pulse thrummed as she considered the impossible choice in front of her.

Say no, and she lost everything.

Say yes... and she risked losing herself to a man who didn't believe in love.

Xavier straightened, as if sensing her hesitation. "I need an answer, Mia."

Her throat was dry. "Do I at least get to see the contract before I decide?"

His lips curved slightly, the closest thing to amusement she'd seen from him.

"Smart," he murmured. "Yes, you'll see the contract. But understand this-once you sign, there's no turning back."

No turning back.

Mia's fingers trembled in her lap.

Everything inside her screamed that this was a terrible idea. A reckless, dangerous idea.

But then she thought about her mother's shop. The years of struggling, of barely keeping her head above water. The certainty of failure if she walked away.

And the terrifying, undeniable pull of the man standing before her.

She looked up at Xavier, meeting his gaze head-on.

"I'll think about it."

His eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "Don't take too long."

Mia stood, her legs trembling, though she refused to let him see it. The weight of his gaze, of the decision she'd just begun to face, pressed down on her like a thousand pounds. She turned toward the door, each step feeling heavier than the last. But when she reached for the handle, Xavier's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Mia," he called, his tone low, almost a command.

She paused but didn't turn around. Her breath caught in her throat. What now?

"I expect you to make a decision soon," he said, his voice firm, but this time there was something else underneath-something almost... intimate. "I don't like waiting."

A shiver ran down her spine. The undertone in his voice was impossible to ignore, and she was desperately trying not to acknowledge the magnetic pull she felt toward him.

She nodded, keeping her back to him. "I'll let you know."

The elevator ride down was an agonizing descent, every floor taking her further from him, but also from the mess her life had become. Her mind spun as she stepped into the chilled evening air.

She couldn't deny the opportunity he'd presented. The debts she'd been drowning in for months. The business she had poured every ounce of herself into, only for it to crumble at her feet. And now, here was an out.

A chance for everything to change.

But at what cost?

As she walked down the street, the city lights blurred around her, her mind still tangled in Xavier's offer. The idea of marrying him-living under his roof, playing the part of a dutiful wife-felt both like a prison and a salvation. She could feel the sting of his words echoing in her head. I keep what belongs to me.

She wasn't sure if she was more afraid of the idea of being his or the realization that she was tempted by it.

Her phone buzzed again.

It was a message from her best friend, Kara.

Kara: Are you okay? I haven't heard from you all day.

Mia's fingers hovered over the screen. She considered telling Kara about the insane offer, about the billion-dollar solution to her problems, but she couldn't. Kara would never understand.

She typed a quick reply instead: I'm fine. Just thinking about everything.

There was a pause before Kara responded.

Kara: Don't think too long. I've never seen you this stressed, Mia. You need a break.

A small laugh escaped her lips as she shoved the phone back into her pocket. A break. She didn't have the luxury of a break. But maybe-just maybe-Xavier Harrington could be the break she desperately needed.

The following days were a blur of frantic decision-making. Mia couldn't shake the thought of his proposal. Every time she walked past her shop, her heart twisted at the sight of the fading sign, the empty windows. She'd been on the edge of losing everything for so long, and yet the thought of marrying Xavier felt like a step into an unknown world.

But the more she thought about it, the more his offer began to make sense.

By the time the evening rolled around again, she found herself standing at the same door to his penthouse, her heart pounding in her chest. This time, she wasn't just here to listen. She was here to make a choice.

The door opened before she could knock, and the same driver from before greeted her with a curt nod, guiding her into the elevator.

She stepped out into the same sleek office, the same unyielding presence of Xavier looming as he turned from the window to face her.

"You're here," he said, his tone clipped, like he'd been waiting for this moment to arrive.

"I've made my decision." Her voice trembled despite her best efforts to sound confident. She didn't know if she was more terrified of the deal she was about to enter, or of the man standing in front of her.

Xavier didn't move. His piercing gaze remained locked on hers, as if reading her every thought.

"Go on," he prompted, his voice low, a slight edge to it.

Mia inhaled deeply, pushing through the uncertainty. "I'll do it. I'll marry you."

There was a long silence. His expression didn't change, but the faintest glint of something-a victory, maybe-flashed in his eyes.

"And the terms are clear?"

She nodded. "No love, no emotional attachment. Just business." She swallowed, the words bitter on her tongue. "I'll play the part. Attend events. Do whatever it takes to make the marriage look real."

Xavier took a step forward, closing the distance between them. His presence was suffocating, powerful, almost too much.

"And in return?" His voice was quiet now, as though he wanted to hear it from her lips.

"In return..." Her breath caught as his eyes locked on hers, unblinking. "I'll take the money to pay off my debts. The security. And the life you've promised."

He stepped closer still, his body almost brushing against hers. She could feel the heat radiating off him, feel the pull of something she couldn't explain.

His hand reached up, grazing her cheek with a gentle touch, as if testing her resolve. "You understand the stakes, Mia. Once you sign, there's no turning back. You'll be mine in every sense of the word."

Mia's pulse skipped at his words, at the way his thumb traced along her jaw. She swallowed thickly. "I understand."

Xavier's gaze softened, just a fraction, before his voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Good."

The air between them crackled. He was so close, and yet, for the first time in their entire exchange, she didn't feel the need to push him away.

She was already in this. She was already his.