Chapter 17

Waylon glanced up, his stare steady as a mountain stream. "I prefer peace and quiet when I'm negotiating.Is that going to be a problem?"

Alexia shook her head. "I have no objections to silence."

Her fingers moved to peel away the black mask,unveiling features that turned heads for all the right reasons. Dark hair spilled around her shoulders, and with every subtle movement, the scent of cherries drifted closer-one he'd never forgotten.

"This year, the sponsors pulled out all the stops. Solid 24-karat gold. Not bad, huh?" Alexia passed the trophy to him with a grin.

Waylon gave it a casual glance before saying, "What do you want from me?"

The warmth vanished from Alexia's face as she shifted into a businesslike manner. "This weekend's charity banquet held by the Chamber of Commerce. I need your help getting the Adam's Heart."

Waylon's gaze grew keen, eyes locked on her. "You're after the crown? Since when did that matter to you?"

Alexia answered smoothly, "It's not for me. A friend from Edevor has history with that crown. It used to belong to his family, handed down for generations,until life forced them to sell it off. Now that things are looking up for them, they're hoping to bring it back home."

Waylon's voice turned even colder, and a slight smirk formed on his lips. "This friend must mean a lot to you,if you're pulling strings for him."1

"That's right; we're close," said Alexia without hesitation.

"Did you get to know him from that trip to Edevor,five years back?"

"Uh-huh," she answered vaguely.

"Andre Cooper was there too?"

"Wait-what?"

Caught off guard, Alexia blinked, surprised at his sudden leap to Andre.

The silence stretched for a mnoment, then Waylon rose from his seat, face unreadable. For a heartbeat,she thought he was finished with her, and she quickly moved to block his way. "Look, I'm only doing him a favor. If you don't like what I'm offering, just tell me what it'll take-"

Waylon cut her off, "Still rushing things, aren't you?"

Still as a statue, Alexia barely reacted. Moments later,the measured sound of Waylon's shoes filled the space, closing in on her at a pace that left no room for escape. She couldn't help staring as his sharply cut features came into view, every step bringing him closer.

Her heart skipped, and instinctively, she stumble back,Landing unceremoniously onto the sofa behind her.

Any hope of regaining her composure vanished as Waylon placed one hand firmly on the back of the couch, leaning in with all the confidence of a wolf.The air around her seemed to thicken with his presence.

A wicked smile played on his lips while his gaze hovered over her mouth. "Given our strained relationship, what makes you think you hold enough cards to sway me? Why don't you take a shot at guessing what I'm after."

His stare bore down on her. Thoughts tangled in Alexia's mind. Was he getting back at her?

Forcing herself to remain steady, she called up the most diplomatic smile she had. "I used to be reckless and competitive-always chasing after you. I'm past that now."

His answer was a quiet, mocking laugh, proof that he didn't buy a word of it.

That laugh unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.

His eyes caught hers, chilly and gleaming. "If you hadn't gone out of your way to show off with those five perfect shots at the range, I might almost take you at your word."

A pang of regret twisted inside her.

No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't break her habit of turning every moment into a contest with him.

He continued to watch her, gaze unwavering and thoughtful. "Alexia, there's no apology needed. And don't try to change for anybody."

His words hit her like a pebble dropped into a pond,the impact spreading ripples through the calm she fought so hard to keep.

Her eyes found his, drawn in despite herself. That look -so deep and captivating-left her feeling exposed,and for one heart-stopping instant, she could hardly breathe.

She tried to blame the way the shadows played acrosS his face. Or maybe it was just the face itself. It had to be. There was no other reason her heart would hammer so wildly just because he inched a bit closer.

Her mind went blank. Heat crept up her cheeks, and even without a mirror, she could imagine the flush painted across her skin.

For a heartbeat, their breaths mingled, the distance barely existing at all. She froze, lost for how to act or what to say.

But the tension vanished in an instant as Waylon drew away,his laughter low and sly.

"You didn't seriously think I was about to kiss you, did you?" he teased with a chuckle.