Taken By The Tycoon

Grace remained on the balcony of the massive ballroom, the event's noise barely reaching her ears as she peered out at the city lights below. Her fingers tightened around the champagne flute in her hand, but her gaze stayed riveted on the entryway. She sensed the heat rising in her chest and the weight of tonight's choice straining against her ribs.

So this is it.

Her heartbeat quickened. The gala was her idea, a chance to break the five-year silence, and now she was ready to do something that would truly change everything. No more hiding. Tonight, Lucas Stone would finally know what it felt like to lose everything.

"Grace," a voice interrupted her thoughts, soft but insistent.

She turned to find Henry Lawson, her fiancé, standing just a few feet away, his eyes studying her with an unreadable expression. He was tall, sharply dressed, and wore that perfect smile that was both comforting and manipulative.

"Are you certain concerning this?" Henry's tone was relaxed, but Grace understood him well enough to notice the little trembling in his tone. He was not asking because he was concerned; he was asking because things were about to get personal.

Grace forced a smile, the practiced mask slipping back into place. "It's time. I need to do this."

Henry stepped closer, his presence imposing. "You're sure? Lucas will be... unpredictable. He's not someone you can just-"

"I'm not seeking your views," she interrupted him, a little harsher than she wanted. "This is my battle."

He didn't respond immediately, just nodded, his jaw tight. There was a flicker of something dark in his eyes, but Grace didn't dwell on it. Not now. The final piece of her strategy had finally fallen into place.

"Okay," he replied, his voice tense. "But remember, Grace, we do this together. You're not doing this alone."

She cast a glance over her shoulder toward the ballroom entrance. Among the pomp and splendor of the evening, was Lucas, his tall frame casting a shadow at the far end of the room. His eyes met hers from across the room, and for a moment, she felt the familiar pang of something-anger, hurt, and maybe even a trace of regret. But she couldn't afford that now.

This was no longer about him. This was about her.

"Don't worry about me, Henry," Grace said coolly, before turning back to face the crowd. "I've got this."

As the announcement began and Grace prepared to make her entrance onto the stage, she stepped into the crowd, weaving through guests. Suddenly, a hand caught her wrist, warm and firm. She turned sharply, her eyes meeting Lucas's.

"Grace," he said, his voice low but commanding, pulling her slightly to the side. His stormy gray-blue eyes searched hers with a ferocity that made her breath catch.

"Lucas," she muttered, her tone harsher than she wanted, but it was all she could muster.

His grasp lessened, but his hand remained on her wrist. "Five years, Grace. You've avoided me for five years, and now you're here, making this announcement?"

Her throat tightened, her composure slipping. "Let go of me, Lucas. You have no right."

"I have every right," he countered, his voice a quiet storm. "You're standing here, about to announce something that's a lie. I need to know why."

Grace's chest heaved, her pulse racing as Lucas leaned in slightly, his scent-clean and sharp-wrapping around her.

"It's not your concern," she managed, though her voice was a whisper.

"It is," he said, softer now, his free hand brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. The touch was delicate, painfully familiar, and it reawakened something she thought she'd buried long ago.

"You cannot afford to do this," she replied, her voice shaking.

"You still feel it," Lucas whispered, his face close to hers and his lips only inches away.

"Tell me I'm wrong, Grace. Tell me you don't feel anything."

For a moment, the world around them faded. The ballroom, the crowd, even Henry-it all disappeared. Her breath hitched as Lucas's hand slid to her cheek, his thumb brushing against her skin.

And then he kissed her.

It wasn't soft or tentative; it was raw and consuming, a clash of anger, longing, and heartbreak. Grace froze, her hands coming up to push him away, but the heat of his lips, the intensity of his touch, held her captive.

For one wild, reckless moment, she let herself respond, her body betraying her resolve as she leaned into him.

Then reality slammed back, and she shoved him away, her chest heaving.

"This changes nothing," she hissed, her voice shaking.

"It changes everything," Lucas said, his voice ragged, his eyes locked on hers.

Her heart pounded as she stepped back, shaking her head. "You'll see how wrong you are."

Without saying another word, she turned and walked to the stage, her determination bolstering.

The announcement had already begun as they entered the platform, the lights darkening and everyone's focus moving to them. Grace kept her head up, her heart racing but her expression serene.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," the host began, his voice echoing across the hall. "Tonight, we have very special announcement from one of New York's finest socialites-Grace Harrow."

The crowd was focused on her, but Grace could only see Lucas. The seriousness in his speech, the way his jaw clinched as if he were struggling to hold onto his control. It felt almost too easy.

"Grace, the floor is yours," the host continued, gesturing to her.

Grace stepped forward, taking the microphone from the host. "Thank you." Her voice was steady, clear. "I'd like to publicly declare my engagement... to Henry Lawson."

A wave of surprise swept across the room. She could hear a few gasps, see the flashes of confusion. But she didn't falter. She held the microphone firm, urging herself not to look at Lucas, but she could feel his attention as if it were tangible.

Lucas' stare was frigid and incomprehensible. But there was something else behind it-something deeper. And for a moment, Grace felt a flicker of doubt.

But no. She shook it off. This is your moment, Grace. Do not back down.

"Yes," she said, her voice rising above the whispers in the room. "I'm getting married to Henry, the man who stuck with me when nobody else would." She shot a glance at Henry, who smiled back at her, the perfect partner in crime.

But as she finished her sentence, her eyes slid back to Lucas. He was no longer standing still. He was moving toward her, a storm building in his eyes.

He reached the stage, his hand clenching at his side as he met her gaze. "Grace, you are making a mistake," he responded, his tone stiff and controlled. "You have no clue what you're doing."

The audience had become silent as they witnessed this dramatic incident unfold in front of them. Grace could feel their eyes, the weight of the moment pressing down on her.

"No," she said, her tone rigid and her chin up. "You're not sure what you did. You humiliated me, Lucas. You left me at the altar. You never listened. And now? Now, you think you can stop me? I'm reclaiming what you took from me."

A strange sensation-perhaps pain-crossed his face, but it faded as quickly as it appeared. His jaw tightened, and his eyes flashed with wrath.

"You really think this is going to ease the pain?" he asked, his tone extremely low. "You think marrying him is going to fix what you destroyed?"

Grace didn't flinch. "What I destroyed?" She laughed bitterly. "You're still blaming me for something I didn't do. You never bothered to hear my side, Lucas. You just assumed. You never cared about the truth, did you?"

His hands were now at his sides, fists grasped so tight that his knuckles were white. "You-"

"Enough," Grace interrupted him, backing off the microphone. "It's over, Lucas. You're not my problem anymore."

Without looking back, she turned to Henry, who was waiting for her with his hand out. She embraced it, but the weight of Lucas's gaze lingered in her chest.

They departed the stage, the audience rumbling with whispers. As Henry accompanied her away, Grace couldn't ignore the feeling that something was wrong.

As they departed the ballroom, Grace's phone was ringing. She pulled it from her purse, barely glancing at the screen before her heart quickened.

"We need to talk. Now."

Her stomach tightened. She knew who it was. He hadn't left. He was still here, and he wanted answers.

"Grace?" Henry's voice shattered her thoughts, but she barely heard him.

She was already placing her phone back in her bag. "Nothing. Just a work thing."

Henry didn't buy it, but he didn't push. Instead, he led her outside, where a sleek black limo awaited them. The cool breeze struck Grace like a slap, but she didn't sense it. All she could think about was the message on her phone. Lucas was coming for her.

But this time, she was not going to hide.

Grace's phone buzzed again as they slid into the limousine. A new message. "I'm coming for you, Grace."

Her hand was shaking slightly while she read it. She had no clue what Lucas's next move would be, but she knew one thing for certain.

Lucas Stone was about to change everything once again.

The limo trip seemed like a gradual dive into unrest. Grace's pulse raised as the streets of Washington dimmed and familiar landmarks became cloudy in her surroundings. She couldn't shake the sense that she was being monitored even while the city outside continued to bustle, unconscious of the approaching storm.

She sat opposite to Henry, her fists clasped in her lap, but her thoughts were a thousand miles away-on one person, and only one: Lucas. His words rang in her head, a cool, silent promise that he would come for her. I will get you, Grace.

She felt her heart race at the prospect, and for the first time in five years, she felt an instinctive pull of panic. But it wasn't dread of him anymore. It was the fear of what he might do now that the past was no longer just a shadow-it was back, alive and demanding answers.

"Grace," Henry's voice cut through her thoughts, low and coaxing. "What's going on with you?

You're... off."

Grace forced herself to look at him, masking the storm behind her eyes. "It's nothing," she said, trying to keep her voice steady, but even she could hear the hesitation in it. "Just... a lot going on."

Henry lifted his eyebrow, evidently doubtful. "You understand we could just leave everything behind, Grace. We could go anywhere, start fresh. Forget about Lucas. Forget about everything."

Grace blinked at him, momentarily stunned by the suggestion. A life with Henry had never been her dream. Sure, he was charming, a means to an end. But love? That wasn't why they were

together. Not really. He was a pawn in her game. But she had to admit, there was something almost... tempting in his offer.

But she knew better.

"No," she replied as she shook her head. "We're doing this, Henry. We're finishing what we started."

Henry stopped pressing her any further, and for a few seconds, they sat in remaining silent as the limo wind its way through the downtown streets. Their tension was apparent, but Grace couldn't focus on it right now. The text had changed everything. She had no clue how Lucas would handle this, but she believed it would not be pretty.

The limousine drew to a halt before an elegant hotel in the center of the city. Henry moved in to give Grace a short peck on the cheek, his grin lovely but hollow. "I'll meet you inside. You should get some rest before tomorrow."

Grace nodded unconsciously as she stepped out of the limo into the cool night air. She examined the silent neighborhood, with her instincts super active. She had nearly convinced herself that she was secure when she heard the familiar sound of footsteps behind her.

Her heart skipped. She swung around, but before she could respond, muscular hands seized her arms and pulled her back into the darkness.

"Let me go!" Grace yelled, fighting against the hold, but it was ineffective. The man holding her was too strong.

"Grace," a voice growled into her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

Her breath halted in her throat. It was Lucas.

Before she could speak again, his palm clamped over her lips, silencing her. Her gaze met his, and for a brief time, she saw something in them-a combination of rage, sorrow, and something more. Something she couldn't quite name.

He didn't say anything; he simply dragged her into the basement, his hold hard and unwavering. She strained, kicking her heels off as her pulse raced. But his hold only tightened, his strength overpowering hers.

"Lucas, stop!" Grace finally managed to shout, though her voice was muffled by his hand.

He ignored her, pushing her through a building's back door and into a black SUV parked by the curb. When the door slammed shut, he turned to face her with a dead glare.

Grace's heart was racing in her ears, but she forced herself to meet his look. "What do you think you're doing?" You can't just take me-"

"I can do whatever I want," Lucas cut in, his voice low and lethal. "You don't get to play tricks with me anymore, Grace."

Her breath seized, and her throat stiffened. "What is this?" "What do you seek from me?"

"What do you need from me?"

He didn't say anything straight immediately, instead gazing at her with the same concentration, as if he was measuring her every word and movement. Then he said, his voice full of hate.

"You think you can just march back into my life after five years, trying to bring down everything I've established, and I'll simply allow it happen?" He drew closer, his face just slightly away from hers. "You think you can escape with this, with what you've put through?"

Grace recoiled slightly, her heart pounding. She had known he would be angry, but this? This was different. His stare was raw, filled with agony that she had never seen before.

"I didn't do anything to you, Lucas," she replied, her voice shaking, something she loathed.

"You were lied to. You've spent all this time pursuing ghosts."

"Don't act like you didn't have a hand in it," he growled, his jaw clenched. "You ruined everything, Grace. You ruined me."

Grace's throat stiffened with the allegation. She wanted to yell at him, recollecting him of all he had her through, how he had dismissed her without a second thought. But now was not the time for it. She had to stay calm.

"Let me go," she said instead, her voice cold and steely. "I'm not your prisoner."

He didn't let go. Instead, he took a step closer, his breath hot against her skin. "You're not going anywhere, Grace. Not until we finish this."

Before she was able to reply, the SUV surged, its engine hollering into life. The sound of tires screeching across the pavement filled her ears as the truck sped down the street, dragging her more distant from all she knew.

The dark city lights flashed past as the SUV sped farther into the unknown.

Grace's mind raced, the walls of the vehicle closing in on her. Where was he taking her? What was his plan?

Lucas didn't look at her again, his focus ahead, eyes locked on the road.

But when the car turned a steep bend, Grace's heart skipped a beat. She noticed a familiar face in the rearview mirror-one she had never anticipated to see.

It was Henry.

And he was following them.

The SUV drove down the dim streets, the engine rumbling under them, as Grace's thoughts raced. She couldn't help but look in the rearview mirror every few seconds, hoping-praying-that she was mistaken. But there it was again. Henry's car. Tailgating them like a shadow in the night.

Her stomach curled into clusters. What's he doing?

"Lucas," she eventually said, her voice shaking, but resolute. "You are making a mistake." "You have no clue of what you are doing."

Lucas focused on the road; his mouth closed. He did not answer, not even a flash of recognition.

The tension in the air was heavy, like a storm about to erupt. Grace did not want to exhibit her worry, nor did she want him to know how disturbed she was by Henry's appearance. But she couldn't ignore it. Not when the man she was supposed to be using for her revenge was so close, so dangerously close.

Lucas's voice broke through the silence, harsh and cold. "Do not try to bargain yourself out of this", Grace. Do you think I am unaware of what you have been doing? "You are not the only one who has been playing a game."

Grace's heart skipped a beat after hearing his remarks. She opened her mouth to argue, but he interrupted her before she could.

"Don't think this is just about you and me." "This is more than that," he said, pressing his hold on the steering wheel.

Grace gulped hard, attempting to make sense of what he said. "What do you mean, bigger than that?"

He glanced at her for the first time since they began this wild journey, his gaze piercing and cruel. "Your fiancé, Henry, is not the man you believe he is. And your family's involvement in this? It's far deeper than just a simple betrayal. It's a goddamn conspiracy."

Grace stumbled, stunned by the sheer confidence in his voice. "What are you talking about?"

"Henry has nothing to do with this."

"Oh, he does have everything to do with this," Lucas replied, sounding disdainful. "Do you think he's the saint he claims to be? He's using you, Grace. He's leveraging your need for vengeance to obtain exactly what he wants-your name, your family's influence, and all you've built."

The word hit her like an arrow to the heart. She gazed at him, too astonished to respond, as the gravity of his allegation set in. "You're lying."

"I'm not lying," Lucas said, his tone hardening. "I've known for months. And if you are too blind to recognize it, then you are the one who has been deceived."

Her thoughts were filled with perplexity and doubt. How could she be so trustful? Henry was supposed to be the answer to her pain. The man who would help her take down Lucas and prove that she wasn't the one at fault. But now... now everything she'd believed was crashing down around her.

The SUV jerked as Lucas made a sharp turn, cutting through the streets with practiced ease. Grace clung to her seat, trying to steady herself as she processed the bombshell Lucas had just dropped.

"But why would he do that? Why would he go this far?" she asked, trying to piece everything together.

Lucas's jaw tightened again, his eyes darkening. "Because he wants a similar thing to everyone else does. Power. Control. And he'll do anything to obtain it, and it includes abandoning you."

Grace's thoughts raced. It wasn't enough, but the jigsaw pieces were beginning to fit together. Not yet. She needed answers, but more importantly, she needed to know whether she could rely on Lucas again-if they could ever re-establish their relationship.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" she said, her tone warming despite herself. "Why did you abandon me to contend with all of this alone?"

Lucas's expression eased slightly. "Because I wasn't certain who I could rely upon. Five years ago, you made it obvious that you did not want me. You cared less regarding the true story. So I had to approach it in a specific way. I had to be assured I was correct about you before explaining to you any of this."

Grace's throat stiffened as his words touched her more forcefully than she expected. She never wanted to acknowledge it, but she believed he was correct. She had cut him off when he needed her the most. She'd made her decisions, and now they were coming back to hound her.

Just as she was poised to start talking again, the SUV came to a sudden halt, pulling both of them forward in their seats.

"What the hell-?" Grace began, but Lucas's voice cut her off, urgent and low.

"Stay down," he ordered, his eyes darting to the side.

Through the tinted windows, Grace saw it-the flash of headlights. It was Henry. He had caught up with them. The hunt was on, and it wasn't all about her anymore.

"Get out of the car," Lucas said, his tone low and forceful.

"What?!" Grace gasped, turning to him, her confusion evident.

"Do it. Now."

Lucas opened the door and dragged her out, his grasp solid around her hand as he took her to the back of a tiny alleyway. Grace's heartbeat pounded as adrenaline elevated, flowed through her bloodstream. This was it. This was really happening.

Henry's car came to a halt only a few feet away, and Grace's breath hitched in her throat as she watched him jump out, his face infuriated.

"You think you can run, Grace? You think you can do this to me?" Henry's voice was like ice, and the menace in his eyes was unmistakable.

Grace stepped back instinctively, but Lucas moved in front of her, standing his ground as he stared down at Henry.

"I'm not running anywhere, Henry," Lucas said, his voice full of authority. "But you are."

Henry sneered, his lips curling into a smile. "You think you can stop me? You think you've won?"

Lucas didn't answer. Instead, he reached under his jacket and drew out a pistol, its cool metal shining in the low light.

Grace's breath caught. This was real. This was happening.

Henry's sneer faltered, but he did not withdraw. He stood firm, his eyes narrowing. "You wouldn't dare."

"I would," Lucas said, his voice calm but deadly. "Now get in your car and leave."

A tight quietness lingered in the air, heavy with danger. Grace could feel her pulse beating in her ears, and her body was still in position.

Henry paused, his gaze shifting between Lucas and the pistol before turning away with a grumble.

As Henry hopped into his car and drove away, the excitement slowly faded, leaving Grace standing there, breathless and terrified.

"Are you okay?" Lucas asked, his voice soft but concerned as he turned to her.

Grace nodded with her throat tight. But she was unable to eradicate her belief that the most awful thing was still to come.

Grace's phone rumbled in her pocket as they paused in the alleyway to collect their breath. Her hands trembled as she struggled to remove them.

It was a message from Henry.

"We both know you're not done with me, Grace. I know things about you, things you haven't told Lucas."

Grace's stomach dropped. She looked at Lucas, but before she could speak, his eyes clouded.

"What is it?" he inquired, his tone soft.

Grace hesitated. But there was no turning back now.

She showed him the message.