Lila stormed out of Kane Enterprises, her heels striking the polished marble floors like gunfire. She refused to let Jaxon see how rattled she was. That smug, arrogant bastard thought he could buy her off with a deal that reeked of manipulation? He had another thing coming.
The city's skyline loomed through the glass doors as she stepped onto the curb, inhaling deeply to calm her nerves. But it was useless. Her skin still buzzed from their encounter, a lingering static charge from the way his dark eyes had locked onto hers.
She shook herself. Get a grip, Carter. He's the enemy.
Her phone vibrated, snapping her back to reality. A text from her best friend and business partner, Zoe Matthews:
Zoe: Babe, where are you? The drinks are getting lonely without you.
Lila exhaled, a smirk playing on her lips. If anyone could take her mind off Jaxon Kane, it was Zoe.
Lila: On my way. Order something strong.
With that, she hailed a cab and headed to their favorite rooftop bar, a sleek lounge perched atop one of the city's trendiest hotels. The moment she stepped onto the terrace, she spotted Zoe waving from a plush booth, two martinis already waiting.
"I swear, I could hear your angry footsteps from three blocks away," Zoe teased as Lila slid into the seat across from her. "Let me guess—Jaxon Kane?"
Lila groaned, reaching for her drink. "That insufferable man. He tried to bribe me."
Zoe gasped dramatically. "With money, power, or his sinfully good looks?"
Lila scowled, though her stomach betrayed her by twisting at the memory of his smirk. "All of the above."
Zoe wiggled her brows. "And?"
"And nothing! I told him to go to hell."
"Good for you, babe." Zoe clinked her glass against Lila's. "But let's be honest, you're thinking about him, aren't you?"
Lila took a long sip before admitting, "I hate him."
"But do you hate him, or do you hate that you might be a little turned on?"
Lila sputtered, nearly choking on her drink. "Zoe!"
"Oh, come on." Zoe leaned in, eyes gleaming with mischief. "A hot, powerful man challenging you at every turn? Sounds like foreplay to me."
Lila groaned, covering her face. "You're the worst."
"I'm the best," Zoe corrected. "And you, my dear, are in dangerous territory."
Lila sighed, swirling her drink. "It's not happening, Zoe. I won't let it."
But even as she said it, she felt the weight of Jaxon's gaze still lingering on her skin.
Meanwhile, across town, Jaxon sat in the dim glow of his penthouse office, nursing a glass of bourbon. He should've been reviewing contracts or finalizing the next steps of the development project. Instead, his mind was consumed by her.
Lila Carter.
He smirked, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. She was fire, all sharp edges and fierce loyalty. He hadn't expected their little battle to excite him so much.
A knock at his door pulled him from his thoughts. His right-hand man, Ethan Blake, stepped inside, holding up a tablet. "You've got a problem."
Jaxon raised a brow. "When don't I?"
Ethan slid the tablet across the desk. The headline on the screen made Jaxon's smirk widen.
"Jaxon Kane Seen With Stunning Brunette—Rivalry or Romance?"
The photo beneath it, taken at just the right angle, made it look like he and Lila had been in some intimate, charged moment instead of locked in a battle of wills.
"Well, well," Jaxon mused, leaning back in his chair. "Looks like the city has decided we're lovers instead of enemies."
Ethan folded his arms. "Do you want this cleaned up?"
Jaxon tapped his fingers against the desk. "No. Let them speculate."
Ethan gave him a long look. "You're playing with fire."
Jaxon's smirk deepened. "I always do."
The next morning, Lila was halfway through her second cup of coffee when her office door burst open.
"Did you see this?" Zoe stormed in, her phone thrust forward.
Lila blinked at the screen. The same headline. The same picture.
Her jaw clenched. "That bastard."
Zoe grinned. "Oh, babe. This is war."
As if on cue, her phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number:
Jaxon: If you wanted to be in the headlines with me, darling, you could've just asked.
Lila's fingers tightened around her phone. Oh, it's war, alright.
Game on.
Later that evening, Lila found herself standing in front of an upscale gala, invitation clutched in one hand, sheer determination in the other. If Jaxon Kane wanted to play games, she would show him exactly how it was done.
Draped in a crimson dress that hugged her curves, she strode into the ballroom, ignoring the curious glances sent her way. Her goal was singular: Find Jaxon. Outplay him at his own game.
She spotted him near the bar, exuding effortless confidence in his tailored black suit. The moment his eyes landed on her, something dark flickered in them—something that made heat coil low in her belly.
"Lila," he drawled, his gaze flickering down her figure. "Crashing my party?"
She smirked, tilting her head. "You started this. I'm just finishing it."
Jaxon stepped closer, his voice low. "You think you can beat me at this game?"
Lila leaned in, letting her lips barely brush against his ear. "I don't think, Kane. I know."
The tension between them sizzled, a live wire crackling in the space they occupied. This was no longer just business. No longer just a battle.
This was war.
And neither of them planned on losing.
To be continued...