Chapter 2 The Devil's Deal

"You have five seconds to tell me why I shouldn't let my men kill you right now and take back what you stole, little thief."

Kayden's voice is a low, lethal rumble, and his grip on my wrist is like a vice. His dark eyes are completely devoid of warmth, promising a painful death.

I have exactly five seconds. I don't waste them begging.

I lean across the marble table, closing the distance between us until my face is inches from his. The scent of his expensive cologne and pure danger washes over me.

"Because if I don't walk out of this lounge in the next ten minutes," I whisper, my voice ice-cold, "my automated server releases every dirty secret on that drive to Interpol. You'll lose your empire, your freedom, and your life."

Kayden freezes. The lethal pressure on my wrist vanishes, but he doesn't let go. His eyes narrow as he recalculates. I am no longer just a desperate, crying heiress. I am a threat.

"You're bluffing," he says, though the certainty is gone from his voice.

"Am I?" I arch an eyebrow. "Do you really want to gamble your trillion-dollar empire on my honesty?"

A slow, wicked smile spreads across his lips. It is the smile of a predator who just found a fascinating new toy. He leans back, swirling the amber whiskey in his glass.

"Alright, little thief. What do you want?"

"I want my father to live," I say, my voice shaking with a mix of rage and fear. "Faisal is planning to poison his insulin. I want Faisal destroyed, and I want him to suffer. You have the power to do that."

Kayden studies me, his gaze trailing slowly over my ruined dress and my defiant face. "Faisal has been skimming millions from my underground operations for years. I want his network dismantled, and I want to absorb the remnants into my own. To do that, I need a legitimate corporate front. I need your father's company."

My breath hitches. He wants a hostile takeover.

"And what do I get?" I ask.

"Protection. You, your father, and that drive will be moved to my penthouse tonight. My security will be your shadow. But make no mistake, Amira. Until Faisal is in the ground, you belong to me. You are my collateral."

The possessive edge in his voice sends a dangerous shiver down my spine. I should refuse. But I am out of options.

"Fine," I breathe. "We have a deal."

Kayden finally releases my wrist. He pulls a sleek black phone from his pocket and types a quick message. "My driver is pulling around. We leave now."

He stands up, throwing a stack of cash on the table, and offers me his hand. I take it, letting him pull me to my feet. The physical contact sends a spark of electricity up my arm, but I push the feeling down. This is business.

We walk out of the lounge, and the paparazzi go crazy. The camera flashes are blinding, and the reporters scream my name, asking why I am holding hands with my fiancé's uncle. Kayden ignores them, his security team creating a path to the black Bugatti parked at the curb.

He opens the door for me, and I slide into the leather seat. Kayden gets in beside me, and the car pulls away from the curb, speeding into the night.

The adrenaline is finally fading, and my hands begin to shake. I pull my phone out of my clutch, wondering if I should turn it back on.

The moment the screen lights up, it begins to buzz violently. I have fifteen missed calls from Hassan, my driver. My stomach drops. Hassan never calls me this many times.

Before I can call him back, a news alert flashes across the top of my screen.

BREAKING NEWS: MASSIVE EXPLOSION ROCKS THE AL-SABAH ESTATE.

My blood runs cold. I tap the notification, my hands trembling. A live video feed loads. My childhood home, the massive mansion I left less than an hour ago, is engulfed in a raging inferno. Flames are shooting hundreds of feet into the air, and thick black smoke is blotting out the city lights.

"Kayden," I whisper, my voice completely gone.

He looks at me, his dark eyes dropping to the screen. His jaw tightens.

"My father," I gasp, the tears finally breaking free. "He's still inside the mansion. Faisal blew it up. He's killing him right now."

Kayden doesn't hesitate. He leans forward and barks at his driver.

"Forget the penthouse. Get us to the Al-Sabah estate. Now!"

The Bugatti's engine roars as the driver floors the gas pedal. We tear through the streets of Dubai, the city lights blurring into a frantic smear. My heart is hammering so hard I feel like I'm going to be sick.

We are still three blocks away when the second explosion hits.

The shockwave is so powerful it rattles the windows of the Bugatti. I scream, covering my ears as the sky turns a blinding, apocalyptic orange.

We screech to a halt in front of the estate. The iron gates have been blown off their hinges. The mansion is a towering wall of fire.

And standing in the driveway, holding a remote detonator and surrounded by armed men, is Faisal.

He is looking directly at the Bugatti. He knew we would come.

Kayden pulls a gun from his holster, his eyes blazing with pure, lethal fury.

"Stay in the car," Kayden growls, reaching for the door handle.

"No," I say, grabbing his arm. "He's my father. I'm going in there."

The moment the car doors open, Faisal raises the remote.

"Welcome to the funeral, Uncle," Faisal yells over the roar of the flames, his face twisted into a manic grin. "You're both just in time to burn."