Lucian Drago's POV

I couldn't help but smirk as Tahlia looped her arm through mine, practically dragging me away from the chaos she'd created. The girl had fire, I'd give her that—recklessly indulging her fury in such a public spectacle.

Though I suspected a large part of her choice to exit on my arm was just to provoke a rise from her dear Allistair to new outbursts of territorial fervor - she was brazenly exploiting every advantage she could wield, no matter how scandalously.

Dangerous girl. How deliciously dangerous.

Not that I was complaining. Rattling that boy's cage was one of the small pleasures I relished, made even sweeter by how oblivious he was to the true game unfolding around him.

Lockwood fancied himself a white knight sworn to Tahlia's noble crusade. As if his juvenile notions of chivalry and honor could ever safeguard what she was so determined to unravel.

His sputtering outrage at her choice of escort amused me to no end. "You better keep your filthy hands to yourself, or I will burn you to ashes!" He practically snarled the words, their hostility meant to intimidate.

Laughable. As if I'd be cowed by the impotent threats of a lovelorn pup still finding his footing in the ruthless world of power brokering. I was ancient blood mingled with a wolfish brutality bred into my very marrow over generations. Predators like Lockwood were the least of what I contended with daily.

"I don't take threats kindly, Lockwood," I purred, unable to resist goading him further. Let the boy convince himself he could rattle me with his toothless bravado.

To his credit, the scion bristled like a dog with a threatened bone, his voice taking on a menacing tone. "It's not a threat, Drago. It's a bloody promise."

For a moment, I allowed myself a pause, studying his mutinous expression. Was there a sliver of true menace behind those blazing eyes, something more than the usual petulant bluster? Perhaps a core of the same resolve that ruled his beloved Tahlia?

Hmm... a slight miscalculation on my part, then. One I'd have to file away and reassess sooner rather than later. Best not to underestimate how viciously a cur might lash out when pushed far enough.

Still, for now, the brat remained little more than a fleeting amusement. As I guided Tahlia through the ballroom doors and away from his rage, I couldn't resist savoring one last helping of his indignation. Nothing stoked a man's ire quite like implying future... improprieties... with the woman he was so territorially defending.

In a few strides, we were beyond the crowd and heading toward the awaiting limo. Tahlia stayed stiff and trembling at my side, her emotions nearly palpable. How I savored the contradictory sensations—the fragility of her slim figure juxtaposed with the intensity and ambition smoldering within. A most intriguing combination for someone of her tender years.

We reached the velvet ropes, beyond which only the sleekest of luxury vehicles were permitted. I paused, fixing the girl with an inscrutable look as I considered how to properly unsettle her in this deliciously rattled state.

"Well now, Miss Steelman," I murmured in a low, almost paternal tone. "Shall we find somewhere you can cool that fury of yours? Perhaps over a civilized drink or two?"

Her throat worked convulsively as those hypnotic eyes met mine. So much simmering intensity flickering there, even as indecision warred with her baser needs. How utterly delectable to be on the receiving end of such feral focus.

Leaning closer, I allowed a hint of darker intent to enter my tone. "Or if you'd prefer, we could seek out... other methods to properly vent that fire smoldering inside you."

I took immense satisfaction from the full-body shudder that rippled through her, the temptation of surrendering—if only for a few moments—to something rawer and less restrained. That slight parting of lips and sharp intake of breath spoke volumes.

Before she could respond, I gestured for the attendant to release the ropes, allowing us to proceed toward the awaiting limo. Best not to press my advantage too swiftly, not when cultivating the perfect simmer could yield such... enticing possibilities.

So for now, I would indulge her simmering impulses with a more measured application of heat. The choice of direction now rested in her hands.

My job was pretty simple - guide Tahlia through the twists and turns of her ambition. And as she held onto my arm, I couldn't help but hope Lockwood didn't take my earlier warnings to heart. You see, a jealous dog tends to make foolish moves when he feels threatened, and I do enjoy a bit of chaos in my games.

"Take me home, Lucian."

Watching Tahlia sink into the leather seat, letting out a sigh, I knew she was trying to block out the night's chaos. Her mind was probably racing, replaying everything that had gone down. Her body may have relaxed, but I could practically hear the gears turning in that brilliant mind of hers as she replayed the night's events.

My thoughts drifted back to that electrifying confrontation between father and daughter I'd witnessed from the shadows. Tahlia's fierce determination was... captivating.

To stand up against her domineering father like that, even when things got physical, stirred something protective in me.

Not because of some honor nonsense, mind you. It was more akin to a territorial instinct to safeguard a potentially invaluable asset from undue disruption by lesser adversaries. You don't just let flames die out when they have the potential to ignite into something spectacular.

"Rough night?" I prodded, unable to resist studying her over the rim of my glass. Those eyes flashed open, radiating that deliciously intense inferno I'd observed mere hours before...

"You could say that," she replied dryly. "Though you already knew that, Lucian."

A smile tugged at my lips. Feisty girl. "What can I say? I make it my business to stay extremely well-acquainted, especially when it concerns... potential assets."

She shook her head, but I detected no real ire behind it. Interesting. Perhaps she was finally seeing the benefits of having someone like me in her corner.

I allowed my gaze to linger, taking in the regal lines of her face, the strength in her bearing. For someone so young, she commanded a presence that was... simply alluring. Dangerously so. I felt that familiar spark of intrigue, the desire to unravel her mysteries.

"Why are you doing this?" The words tumbled out, her uncanny perception catching me off guard. "Helping me, I mean. Don't tell me it's just about undermining dear old dad and SteelCo."

I considered her for a long moment, weighing my response. Lies and deception were standard operating procedure for me. But something about this woman... she demanded a different currency. At last, I leaned forward, holding her gaze intensely.

"You're a rare breed, Miss Steelman. Brilliant, determined, fearless—quite the formidable presence for someone so young." My voice carried undisguised admiration. "To be honest, I simply couldn't resist involving myself once I recognized that... potential."

I watched her reaction closely, satisfied to see that telltale crease in her brow as she processed the compliment. Good, let her be the one off balance for once.

"I don't need you to clear my path, Lucian." That fiery spark flashed in her eyes as she jutted her chin defiantly. "I'm more than capable of handling any obstacles myself."

Ah, there was that spirit that had first caught my interest. I chuckled lowly, leaning back to regard her with an appraising eye. "Of course, of course. You're a force to be reckoned with, no question. No, my role is simply to... prune away any unfair advantages that detract from an otherwise entertaining show of wills."

She stiffened almost imperceptibly at that, her brilliant mind no doubt dissecting the implications of my words. Let her wrestle with the idea of someone like me clearing her path through less-than-noble means. After the night she'd had, it was likely more appealing than she wanted to admit.

"So what's in it for you then?" She arched a brow, ever pragmatic. "Don't tell me the great Lucian Drago is simply enthralled by my charms and indomitable spirit."

I laughed at that, delighted by her brazen defiance. Perhaps there was more to be admired here than just her potential. "Darling, you're far too intelligent to insult us both with such blatant falsehoods. Though I'll admit, you've got... presence, I'll give you that."

Draining my glass, I fixed her with an inscrutable look. "The truth is, your interests and mine currently align in a mutually beneficial way. Your old man's stranglehold on this city's corporate jugular is more than an occasional inconvenience for me. Helping you shake up that balance of power—or ideally, topple it completely—well, let's just say it's as much an investment in my future as anything else."

I let the words hang in the air, watching the gears turn behind those piercing eyes as she weighed the implications. Smart girl, dissecting every angle, determining just how much of a risk I presented to her goals.

The limo rolled to a stop outside the Steelman estate, the imposing gates a pointed reminder of where her little insurrection was truly aimed. Downing the last of my scotch, I stepped out of the car and extended my hand to her with a hint of challenge in my smile.

"Think it over, Miss Steelman. But I suspect we both know you'll need someone like me watching your back if you truly want to burn daddy's kingdom to the ground."

I couldn't resist giving her fingers a lingering squeeze as she accepted my hand, reveling in the spark of awareness that danced across her features. Let her feel the undercurrent of tension, of danger, that lurked behind my cultivated charm.

"Let's see what you're truly capable of," she murmured at last, holding my gaze boldly. "I'll be in touch, Lucian."

A frisson of intrigue lanced through me. Yes...this fatefully promising partnership was shaping up to be everything I'd hoped for and more. I looked forward to seeing how far the little hellcat's ambition and determination could carry her.

And if she proved up to the challenge, well...perhaps I would allow myself to enjoy peeling back those layers of mystery a bit more personally.