Lexy sat at the upscale bar, her red dress clinging to every curve, her lipstick bold enough to be a warning. The dim lighting cast shadows over the polished marble, the scent of expensive whiskey lingering in the air.
Michael was late.
Good. Let him think she was waiting for him.
In reality, she was setting the stage.
She took a slow sip of her drink, eyes scanning the room. James was nearby, watching from a distance, his presence invisible but lethal.
They weren't just playing along anymore.
They were hunting.
Michael's Mistake
When he finally arrived, Michael slid into the seat across from her, his gaze dragging over her like he owned her.
Lexy smiled the kind of smile that hid knives.
"You look stunning," he murmured, his voice low, intimate.
She leaned in slightly, her tone dripping with false sweetness. "You wanted to talk?"
Michael smirked. "Oh, I want more than that."
She let the moment stretch, let him believe he was in control.
Then she tilted her head. "Tell me, Michael… how much is silence really worth to you?"
His smirk faltered, just for a second. "Excuse me?"
Lexy took another sip, her voice smooth. Dangerous. "You've done your homework on me. But did you really think I wouldn't do mine on you?"
Michael tensed.
Got you.
She slid her phone across the table. The screen showed documents. Records. Financial inconsistencies.
Michael's own secrets, laid bare.
His expression darkened. "Where did you get this?"
Lexy leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper. "The same way you got yours. You're not the only one who knows how to play dirty."
The Tables Turn
Michael exhaled sharply, his confidence cracking.
James was watching from the bar, his fingers wrapped around his glass, tension coiled in every muscle.
Lexy could feel the shift the power tilting in her favor.
Michael's jaw clenched. "What do you want?"
Lexy smiled. The real kind, this time.
"Simple," she murmured. "You disappear. You delete everything. You will never speak my name again."
Michael exhaled through his nose, his grip tightening on the table.
He was trapped.
And he knew it.