Jax didn't sleep.
He sat in the soundproof service lounge for another hour, staring at the contact details on his tablet. Aria Thorne. Shareholder. Vance Global Investments. The name felt like a threat, sharp and precise, just like her movements. He was still tipsy, his body humming with the raw intensity of the last few hours.
Mind thought: She is a damn lie. She crashed my party, used me, and she's tied to the takeover. Was she scouting? Was this a calculated move to disarm me?
He dressed, his bespoke clothes suddenly feeling like an uncomfortable cage. He walked back into the main suite. Rhys and Nick were sprawled on separate couches, asleep, looking much younger than their superstar personas. Talia was gone.
Jax found Kellan Frost, the main vocalist, standing by the panoramic window, nursing a glass of water and watching the city wake up. Kellan was the most observant of the group, quiet but sharp.
"Couldn't sleep, Jax?" Kellan asked, his voice low.
"Adrenaline crash," Jax lied easily, running a hand over his tired face. "Too much champagne."
Kellan turned, his expression thoughtful. Maybe. Or maybe the interruption.
Jax stiffened. The crazy ex? Security handled it.
"Not her." Kellan took a slow sip. "The woman who got rid of her. The one you cornered for a moment before she vanished into the staff hall. She wasn't ordinary. She moved like she was in a different world than the rest of us. I thought I saw her enter the service hall with you, then leave alone ten minutes later.
Jax shrugged, feigning boredom. A fan trying to sneak a backstage pass. Happens every night. You're overthinking it.
Kellan raised an eyebrow, his gaze steady. I don't overthink fans. I write songs about them. But that woman… she was pure ice and heat. She didn't look like she wanted a pass. She looked like she wanted a fight. Who was she?
Jax forced a casual shrug. A guest of Talia Hayes. A business friend of hers. She was signed in. Nothing to worry about.
Kellan let it go, but the curiosity hung in the air. Jax knew the memory of the mysterious, lethal woman was now planted in his bandmate's mind.
Meanwhile, Aria and Talia were in a taxi, speeding back to Talia's condo. Talia was buzzing with giddy excitement, completely oblivious to Aria's internal storm.
"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" Talia whispered, shaking Aria's arm. I was asleep for five minutes! Did you actually talk to them? Did you see Nick? I'm going to frame my memory of Nick's smile forever!
Aria pulled her arm free, rubbing her temple. "Talia, I need you to be quiet."
"Quiet? But you spoke to Jax Ryland! He looked right at you! Was he as hot up close as he is on stage? Because I need to know if I should quit my job and become a full-time professional stalker.
Aria snapped. I didn't talk to him. I removed a threat. And I did not exchange anything. I have a major business meeting today, Talia. I need to focus.
A meeting with Elias? Boring. You need to focus on romance!" Talia sighed dramatically. Honestly, I don't know why you even bother with that shareholder stuff. You have more money than God. You should be using your vacation time for fun. It's Elias's company, not yours. You're only there because you're a mercenary.
Mind thought: Talia is too loud. She almost gave away everything just now.
"I am an investor, Talia. It's called diversifying," Aria corrected sharply, trying to reel her back in. And you know, I don't work for Elias's company. We only partner for specific missions.
"Yeah, yeah. Shareholder, mercenary, whatever. Just admit that Jax Ryland is exactly the distraction you needed after that awful cheating ex. Talia winked. "He looked at you like he wanted to eat you alive."
Aria ignored the comment, but the image of Jax's dark, hungry eyes was burned into her memory. She knew she had to leave the city immediately after this meeting. Jax Ryland was a complication she could not afford.
Later that morning, at 10 AM, the conference room at the Zenith Records headquarters was silent, tense, and bathed in unforgiving morning light.
Jax was dressed in a sharp, slate-gray suit. He looked professional, lethal, and entirely alert. He sat at the center of the table, flanked by Kellan, Nick, and Rhys. Silas Trent, the manager, sat next to him, his face a mask of shrewd caution.
At the head of the table sat Damian Reed, the smooth corporate CEO of Zenith. He adjusted his tie, ready to chair the meeting.
The doors opened.
"Good morning, gentlemen," Damian said, standing up. "Please welcome Mr. Elias Vance, CEO of Vance Global Investments. And his associate."
Elias Vance walked in first, tall, powerful, and possessing the calm, predatory aura Jax recognized.
Then, she walked in.
Aria was wearing a sharp, tailored black suit that somehow managed to be both entirely professional and utterly captivating. Her hair was pulled back into a severe, high ponytail, and her eyes, normally expressive, were now cold and devoid of all emotion. She moved with that same dangerous grace, that perfect balance of a weapon.
Elias introduced her formally. Damian, Silas. Allow me to introduce my sister, Aria Thorne. She is a trusted shareholder in Vance Global and is here only to observe the financial viability of this acquisition.
Mind thought: Sister. Not blood, but close enough to be her handler. She is his eyes and ears. She slept with me to gain information. The possibility hit Jax like a physical blow. The vulnerability he had felt last night, the shared moment of truth, instantly became a calculated lie.
Jax stood, forcing a polite, cold smile onto his face. He met her gaze, his dark eyes challenging her.
"Ms. Thorne, Jax said, his voice flat, professional. He ignored Damian and spoke directly to her. It's a pleasure to meet you. You have a very… distinct presence.
Aria did not flinch. She did not even give a flicker of recognition. Her eyes swept over his face, as if she were looking at a stranger—a CEO, a rival, nothing more.
"Mr. Ryland, Aria replied, her voice perfectly neutral, cool, and professional. I am just a passenger here. Please, proceed.
She sat down silently, directly across the table from him.
Kellan leaned in, his voice a low whisper to Jax. Wait. That's her, isn't it? The woman from the club. The one who moved like that.
Jax gave a minute, warning shake of his head. Keep quiet.
Nick looked confused, whispering to Rhys. What woman? Did I miss something hot?
Jax ignored them all. He focused entirely on Aria. He had to break the mask.
Damian cleared his throat, directing the agenda. Jax, please begin with your presentation on Zenith's creative projections. Elias needs to understand the vision.
Jax began, talking about the passion, the risk, and the control Aether had fought for. He spoke about how they built the company on artistic and financial independence.
While he spoke, his eyes kept returning to Aria. She stared back, her expression unreadable. She was studying him, but not with lust. With cold, professional intensity.
He needed to see her break.
Jax paused, letting the silence draw out. He addressed Elias, but his words were locked on Aria.
"Mr. Vance, your acquisition terms are strong. But Aether built this company on loyalty and trust. It is the foundation of our music. We are the majority shareholders, and we want partners, not silent owners. If your passive shareholders don't truly believe in the vision, this deal won't work. It will dissolve our core.
He watched Aria closely. Did the word trust make her flinch?
Aria finally moved. She lifted a pen and simply tapped it once, sharply, on the polished wood table. It was a single, precise metallic sound.
Elias Vance intercepted the moment. Jax, I guarantee my partners are deeply invested in success. My sister, Aria, is a shrewd business executive. Her presence here simply assures me that the value of the acquisition is sound. She is a fiercely loyal partner to me.
Aria said nothing, but her eyes held Jax's. There was a challenge there, a cold, hard promise.
Mind thought: She is a spy. She planned this.
Jax ended the meeting abruptly, his mind racing. He couldn't sign until he understood Aria Thorne. As the executives filed out, Jax intercepted Aria just outside the door, blocking her path. He leaned down, his voice dangerously low, meant only for her ears.
"Last night, you were honest with your body, Ms. Thorne," Jax whispered, his eyes blazing. Today, you lie with your face. You were a trespasser in my private space, and now you're a rival in my company. Which role is the real job?
Aria didn't move, her eyes wide, cold, and entirely focused on his. She didn't deny anything. She just gave him a tiny, chilling smile, the smile of a soldier who holds all the cards.
"You're the producer, Ryland," she whispered back, the sound barely audible. You control the beat. I control the battlefield."
She stepped past him and walked away, leaving Jax alone, suddenly fearing the true depth of the war she had just declared.
The confrontation is set! Jax knows he can't trust her, but he can't walk away either.