After Chloe Bennett's boyfriend dumbs her for her sister, she spirals into a wild night of clubbing and drinking, leading to a reckless one night stand with a man whose face she can't even recall. As the new CEO of her father's company, Chloe is thrust into a high stakes battle to secure a major deal. Her tasks seems manageable until she discovers that her main competitor is the very man from that unforgettable night. The charming and enigmatic city playboy who she later discovers to be her ex's uncle. What begins as a chance for revenge quickly becomes a tangled web of emotions as Chloe finds herself drawn to the man she's supposed to defeat?
Chapter 1 Prologue
Chloe Bennett tasted betrayal on her tongue. It wasn't the tequila. No. It wasn't the burn of the liquor sliding down her throat. That would have been much easier to handle. It was the sight of them-her sister, her ex-wrapped in each other's arms like she had never existed. The club pulsed around her, but she didn't hear the music. All she heard was the echo of his words, the ones that shattered her into nothing. Stabbing her like a blunt pocket knife failing to complete its job.
"It was always her, Chloe." she kept recalling those words, wondering how it could ever escape his lips. She should have known, the late-night calls he ignored, the way his gaze lingered a second too long whenever her sister entered the room. The tightness in his voice when he swore she was overthinking. It's funny how she convinced herself she was crazy, how he made her feel crazy, how she told herself to stop reading between the lines. But now the truth was a slap to the face, so sharp it left her breathless. She couldn't tell the difference between her tears and the tequila that's settling on her tongue. How could she be so stupid! Her fingers curled around her glass, nails biting into her palm. She buried her head in between her arms waiting for the alcohol to kick in. Screw love. Screw men. Tonight, she was done feeling. Done with the humiliation. Done being the fool. She just wanted to make it all go away, to forget this ever happened. Then she saw him. Tall. Sharp-jawed. A presence that swallowed the space around him. His aura was intimidating, one that pulled you in rather than chasing you away. The kind of man who didn't ask for attention - he commanded it. His suit was tailored to perfection, it screamed wealth, but it was the way he carried himself that made her breath stop. The man was controlled. Dangerous. The kind of danger that felt like a thrill. The kind of danger she thought she needed. But what was someone like him looking for in a place like this? Their eyes met from across the bar, his gaze - dark and unreadable holding hers. There was no confusion in his eyes, no hesitation. He seemed like he knew exactly what she wanted. He looked at her like he already knew her kind. The broken girls. The ones running from something. Finding solace in a few drinks and cigarettes. One look and Chloe knew-he was definitely a mistake. He was a way out. She smirked, tilting her head. Giving him a go-ahead. He didn't hesitate. Within seconds, he was in front of her, invading her space, his scent-clean, expensive, intoxicating-coiling around her. "You look like a woman who wants to forget," he murmured, his voice low and inviting. Chloe's smile didn't waver. "And you look like a man who doesn't ask questions." The atmosphere around her darkened, his presence was alluring, gripping, chilling. Chloe knew what she needed and he might just be it. A flicker of something dangerous crossed his face. Approval. Amusement. Heat. He set his glass down. Leaning towards her, his scent filling up her senses -rich, spicy and laced with something undeniably attractive. "Let's get out of here." Chloe gently let her glass down, she stared into his eyes giving a gentle nod of approval. No name. No second thoughts. No turning back.
Tonight, she wasn't the girl who got left behind. Tonight, she was the girl who made the mistake first. And in the morning, would she regret it?
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