Scarlett "Red" Valenti's POV
The city's pulse throbs through my veins as I lean against the railing of my penthouse balcony, a glass of Pinot Noir in hand, the skyline glittering like a promise and a threat. It's past midnight, and I should be asleep, but my mind's a warzone, replaying the waterfront walk with Julian. His words, that velvet growl, still cling to me like smoke, curling around my senses, making my skin hum with something I refuse to name. Desire? Maybe. Danger? Definitely. I take a sip of wine, letting the tartness ground me. I'm Scarlett Valenti. I don't lose control, especially not over a man like Julian Knight.
My phone buzzes on the glass table behind me, shattering the quiet. I glance at the screen—an unknown number, again. My stomach twists as I open the text: Singapore wasn't an accident. Ask Knight about the offshore accounts. No signature, just like the email from yesterday. I set the glass down, my fingers trembling slightly as I reread the message. Offshore accounts? That's a serious accusation, the kind that could tank a reputation—his or mine, if we're tied to this deal. I forward the text to Lila with a quick note: Dig deeper. Now.
I pace the balcony, the cool night air doing nothing to calm the storm in my head. Julian's Singapore deal was a high-profile flop, a rare misstep for the untouchable tech mogul. I'd thrown it in his face during our boardroom clash, but I hadn't dug into the details. Now, someone's dangling a thread, and I'm itching to pull it. Is this a rival trying to sabotage our partnership? Or is there truth to it—something dark enough to make Julian more than just an arrogant pain in my ass?
The memory of today's site visit creeps back, uninvited. The way he stood too close, his cedarwood scent wrapping around me, his voice low and teasing, like he knew exactly how to unravel me. "Push me too far, Scarlett, and I'll show you exactly how well I keep up." My cheeks heat, and I curse under my breath. He's a problem, a six-foot-three, gray-eyed problem who's already blurring the lines between enemy and… something else. I can't afford to let him get inside my head—or anywhere else.
I head back inside, the sleek lines of my apartment a stark contrast to the chaos in my mind. My laptop's open on the kitchen counter, and I pull up everything I have on Julian's Singapore deal. Public records show it as a failed joint venture with a Chinese tech firm—investors pulled out after rumors of mismanagement, and KnightTech's stock took a hit. Nothing about offshore accounts, but the lack of detail is suspicious. I'm about to dive deeper when my phone rings. Lila.
"Red, you're not gonna like this," she says, her voice tight. "I got a contact to pull some strings. Singapore's murky. There's chatter about shell companies tied to KnightTech, but it's buried deep—encrypted files, private servers. If there's truth to this offshore thing, it's not public yet."
I grip the phone, my nails digging into my palm. "Chatter's not enough. I need proof. If Julian's hiding something, it could blow up the waterfront deal."
"Or blow up you," Lila says, her tone sharp. "You're tied to him now, Red. If he's dirty, it splashes on you. Tread carefully."
"I always do," I say, but my voice lacks its usual steel. I hang up, staring at the laptop screen, the KnightTech logo mocking me. Julian's face flashes in my mind—those stormy eyes, that infuriating smirk. Is he capable of something this shady? He's ruthless, sure, but fraud? I don't know, and that uncertainty is a crack in my armor I can't afford.
I need to confront him, but not yet. Tomorrow's another meeting, this time with our teams to hash out the project's design phase. Ethan will be there, too, his easy charm a buffer I'm starting to rely on too much. I close the laptop, my reflection in the dark screen showing a woman who looks more rattled than I'd like. Get it together, Scarlett. This is your game, your empire. Julian's just a player, and you don't lose.
The next morning, I'm back in the boardroom, my red power suit a deliberate choice—bold, unapologetic, a warning. My team's already there, laptops open, blueprints spread across the table. Ethan arrives first, flashing that golden-boy smile as he slides into a chair. "Morning, Red," he says, his brown eyes warm. "Ready to tame the beast today?"
I smirk, leaning back in my chair. "Which one? The project or your best friend?"
He laughs, but there's a flicker of something in his gaze concern, maybe, or something softer. "Both, probably. Just go easy on him, yeah? He's not as tough as he looks."
I raise a brow, about to fire back, when Julian strides in. He's all sharp lines and controlled power, his black suit hugging his frame like it was made for sin. His eyes find mine immediately, and the air shifts, heavy with the memory of yesterday's heat. I force my expression to stay cool, my lips curling into a challenging smile. "Knight. Nice to see you're on time for once."
"Scarlett," he says, his voice smooth, but there's an edge to it, like he's still tasting our last exchange. "Wouldn't miss a chance to keep you on your toes."
I roll my eyes, ignoring the way my pulse jumps. "Keep dreaming. Let's get to work."
The meeting kicks off, our teams diving into design concepts. My architect pitches a sleek, eco-friendly residential tower, while Julian's lead engineer counters with an AI-integrated commercial hub. The ideas are solid, but every time Julian speaks, his voice pulls at me, low and commanding, making it hard to focus. He's calm today, almost too calm, like he's holding back the arrogance just for me. It's disarming, and I hate it.
Halfway through, I catch him watching me, his gaze lingering on the curve of my neck, the way my suit jacket falls open just enough to hint at what's beneath. My skin warms, and I shift in my seat, crossing my legs to shake off the feeling. "Eyes up here, Knight," I say, my voice sharp but playful. "Unless you're planning to bid on me instead of the project."
The room chuckles, but his smile is slow, dangerous. "Tempting," he says, his voice low enough that only I catch the full weight of it. "But I'd rather win you the hard way."
My breath catches, and I cover it with a laugh, sharp and dismissive. "You couldn't afford me, Julian."
His eyes darken, holding mine, and for a moment, it's just us, the rest of the room fading away. Ethan clears his throat, breaking the spell. "Alright, you two, save the fireworks for after hours. We've got a deadline."
I tear my gaze away, focusing on the blueprints, but my mind's spinning. The anonymous messages, Julian's past, the way he looks at me like he's already claimed me—it's too much.
I need answers, and I need them before this partnership burns me alive. But as Julian leans forward, his voice weaving through the discussion, calm and steady, I feel it again—that pull, that heat. He's my enemy, my rival, but he's also something else, something I'm not ready to face.
And that's the most dangerous thing of all.