Selene had barely settled at her desk when her phone buzzed again.
Lucian: Dinner. Tonight. Don't make me come get you.
A jolt of excitement shot through her, but she pushed it down. Lucian was dangerous, not just because of his power, but because he always got what he wanted.
Before she could even think of a reply, another message popped up.
Ethan: Did he text you?
She hesitated, her fingers hovering over the screen.
Selene had never been the type to let anyone control her. But this wasn't just about attraction anymore.
This was a battle.
And she was stuck between two men who refused to back down.
Instead of answering, she put her phone away and focused on work.
But as the day dragged on, she felt their presence everywhere, Lucian's intense stares from across the office, Ethan's watchful gaze when he thought she wasn't looking.
By the time she clocked out, she was exhausted.
So when she stepped outside to call a car home, the last thing she expected was a sleek black Rolls-Royce pulling up beside her.
The tinted window slid down.
Lucian Blackwood.
"Get in," he said, his voice smooth and confident.
Selene folded her arms. "You just assumed I'd say yes?"
Lucian smirked. "No, but I was ready to chase you."
The way he said it sent a shiver through her.
Bold. Ruthless. Unapologetic.
That was Lucian Blackwood.
Selene sighed, knowing she should walk away.
But she didn't.
With a resigned shake of her head, she opened the door and slipped inside.
Lucian's dark eyes swept over her, approval flashing in them. "Good girl."
She turned to him sharply. "I'm not your girl."
Lucian chuckled. "Not yet."
Her heart pounded as the car pulled away.
Deep down, she knew, this night would change everything.
They arrived at La Vellum, an exclusive five-star restaurant that catered only to the ultra-wealthy.
A private table was already waiting, tucked in a dimly lit corner, luxurious, secluded, intimate.
Selene didn't miss the way the staff scrambled to please Lucian, the way he carried power like a second skin.
"You do this often?" she asked, unfolding her napkin.
Lucian's lips twitched. "Take women to dinner? Or make people bend to my will?"
She rolled her eyes. "Both."
His dark gaze locked onto hers. "Not as often as you think."
The way he said it sent warmth curling through her stomach.
She cleared her throat. "Why am I here, Lucian?"
He leaned back, swirling the bourbon in his glass. "I like you, Selene. And I don't like many people."
She raised a brow. "That's not exactly a reason to take your employee to dinner."
His smirk deepened. "It is when I don't intend to be just your boss."
Her breath caught.
The game was no longer subtle.
Lucian Blackwood wasn't asking. He was claiming.
But before she could respond, a familiar voice cut through the air.
"Well, isn't this cozy?"
Selene turned, her stomach tightening.
Ethan.
He stood at their table, looking just as powerful, just as dangerous as his brother.
His piercing gaze met hers before flicking to Lucian. "You really don't know when to stop, do you?"
Lucian smirked. "And you don't know when to mind your own business."
Ethan's jaw clenched. "Selene's not one of your acquisitions."
The air crackled with tension.
Selene's pulse pounded.
"I can make my own decisions," she said, keeping her voice steady.
For a second, Ethan's expression softened, but then he turned his glare back to Lucian.
Lucian picked up his drink, took a slow sip, and set it down, his smirk turning razor-sharp.
"Then make one, sweetheart." His voice was low, full of challenge. "Me or him?"
Selene's breath hitched.
Both men stared at her, waiting.
And she knew….no matter what choice she made…
She was bound to lose.
Selene gripped the stem of her wine glass a little too tightly, her heart hammering in her chest.
Lucian leaned back in his chair, completely at ease, while Ethan stood stiff, his jaw clenched. The tension between them was thick, like a brewing storm.
She could feel their eyes on her, watching, waiting.
Me or him?
The thought sent a chill down her spine. But it wasn't that simple.
These weren't just any men.
They were Blackwoods.
Choosing one meant making an enemy of the other.
Selene placed her glass down carefully, keeping her voice steady. "I don't belong to either of you."
Lucian smirked. "Not yet."
Ethan scoffed, stepping closer. "She's not a prize, Lucian. And I don't need to play games to get what I want."
Lucian's jaw tensed, though his smirk didn't fade. His eyes, however, darkened. "Oh, little brother, you might want to rethink that. Because from where I'm sitting, you're already losing."
Selene's stomach twisted as the air crackled between them.
Two brothers.
Two powerful men.
Both wanting her.
And neither willing to step aside.
The weight of their attention pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe.
She had to leave.
Pushing back her chair, she stood. "I'm going home."
Lucian lifted a brow. "I'll take you."
Ethan took a step forward. "No, I will."
Selene let out a sharp breath, frustration mixing with something more dangerous, something she wasn't ready to name. "I can get home just fine on my own."
Lucian's eyes gleamed. "You sure about that, sweetheart?"
She ignored him, grabbed her clutch, and walked straight out of La Vellum. The night air was crisp, cooling the heat on her skin.
She had barely made it to the sidewalk when a sleek black Lamborghini pulled up beside her.
The window rolled down.
Lucian.
"Get in, Selene."
Before she could respond, another car pulled up.
Sleek. Black. Ethan's Aston Martin.
Ethan leaned over from the driver's seat, his dark gaze locked onto hers. "You don't have to go with him."
Selene stood frozen on the sidewalk.
Two powerful men.
Two sets of piercing eyes.
Both waiting.
Both daring her to choose.
Her pulse pounded.
No matter what she did, she wouldn't walk away from this untouched.
And deep down, she knew….
This was just the beginning.