TAKEN BY THE MERCENARY

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.