Chapter 2 Chapter 0002

•LIANA•

I didn't know what happened after bumping into the shirtless stranger, but he took me upstairs to one of the private VIP booths without saying much.

He ordered champagne while I sat there trying to catch my breath from dancing and drinking half the night away.

He barely touched his glass.

His attention stayed on me.

The lights inside the booth were low, making it hard to fully see his face, but I noticed enough. He had dark hair, a sharp jaw, and an expensive watch.

One minute I was taking another sip of champagne, and the next I was spread across the couch while he kissed down my thighs.

Chris had never touched me like that. He never looked at me like he couldn't get enough.

The stranger pulled my dress higher and pushed my legs apart before dragging his tongue over my clit.

I gasped and grabbed the back of the couch.

He didn't rush. He took his time like he enjoyed every sound that came out of my mouth. My legs shook when he held them open and buried his face deeper between my thighs.

"Oh my God—"

He groaned against me, and the vibration almost made me lose it right there.

Chris had always treated sex like another thing to finish before work calls and meetings. It was always quick, repetitive, and predictable.

This man made me feel like I was the only thing in the room.

I moaned louder when he sucked harder, his fingers gripping my thighs firmly.

"Fuck," I whispered, breathing heavily.

He looked up at me briefly, and the sight alone nearly pushed me over the edge. His mouth glistened, his eyes dark and focused completely on me.

Then he went right back between my legs. The orgasm hit me so hard I almost cried.

I arched off the couch, shaking while he held me down through it.

When he finally pulled away, he kissed the inside of my thigh before leaning close to my ear.

"Are you ready for this?" he whispered.

I nodded immediately.

He grabbed both my thighs and pushed them higher while positioning himself between my legs. Then he thrust inside me slowly.

I moaned loudly at the stretch.

He cursed under his breath and held my hips tighter.

The booth suddenly felt too hot, and too small. Every movement of his hips made my mind go blank.

I watched him pull out before thrusting back in harder. My juices coated him, and the sight alone made heat rush through me again.

"You are the best thing I've ever had," he murmured roughly.

The words disappeared when another orgasm tore through me.

•••

When I got home that night, I showered quickly before collapsing into bed. And I slept better than I had in weeks.

The ringing of my phone dragged me awake the next morning.

My head pounded from all the alcohol.

I reached for my phone blindly without checking the caller ID.

"Hello?" I answered hoarsely.

"Liana."

I groaned softly when I recognized my boss's voice. "Please tell me this isn't work-related."

"It is," he replied. "I need you here in an hour."

I sat up on the bed. "Today is supposed to be my day off."

"Not anymore."

I rubbed my forehead. "What happened?"

"We signed a new client last night, and the situation is bad."

"How bad?"

"You'll see when you get here."

I sighed heavily. "Fine. One hour."

"Good," he answered before hanging up.

I dropped my phone on the bed and stared at the ceiling. I seriously considered ignoring him and going back to sleep. Then curiosity won.

An hour later, I walked into the office wearing black slacks, sunglasses, and enough concealer to hide how exhausted I was.

The receptionist immediately looked relieved when she saw me. "Ellis has been waiting for you," she replied.

"Of course he has."

I headed straight toward his office and knocked once before walking inside.

"There she is," Ellis answered when he saw me. "Close the door behind you."

I did, then stopped when I noticed someone sitting in one of the chairs across from his desk.

My stomach tightened instantly. No way.

The stranger from last night sat there in a black suit, looking completely different from the shirtless man who had me falling apart in a nightclub booth.

He looked expensive, controlled, and untouchable. And he acted as if he had never seen me before in his life. Not even a flicker of recognition crossed his face.

I narrowed my eyes.

Interesting.

"Liana, this is Adrian Vale," Ellis continued. "Our newest client."

I forced myself to stay calm and extended my hand professionally. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Vale."

Adrian shook my hand. "Likewise," he replied smoothly.

Liar.

Ellis motioned for me to sit down before grabbing a tablet from his desk.

"I'm assuming you've already seen the video online."

"I haven't been online today," I answered.

Ellis handed me his tablet, and the moment the video started playing, I understood why he sounded stressed.

Formula 1 race.

Two cars were speeding side by side. Then Adrian's car slammed into another driver, forcing him off the road at full speed. The other car spun violently before crashing into the barriers.

The footage cut to smoke, screaming commentators, and emergency crews rushing toward the wreck.

I looked up. "My goodness, that was horrible. Is he still alive?"

"He's in the ICU," Ellis replied. "It is a critical condition."

I replayed the clip once more, but it didn't look accidental. At all.

"The internet is destroying him right now," Ellis continued. "Sponsors are threatening to pull out, and fans are calling him a psychopath. If we don't fix this quickly, his career takes a massive hit."

I looked at Adrian. He sat there calmly, as if none of this bothered him.

"What exactly do you want me to do?" I asked. "I mean, the best that can be done from this is for the other driver to wake up from the ICU."

Ellis leaned back in his chair.."People don't trust Adrian right now," he answered. "So we must give them something else to focus on."

I already knew where this was going. "No."

He ignored me. "We must create a new public image that's softer, more relatable, and stable for him."

I crossed my arms. "Still no."

"You'll fake date him."

I laughed in disbelief. "Absolutely not. I never signed up for that when I became a PR specialist."

"Liana, you're a crisis PR specialist for a reason. And you—"

"I am not fake dating a Formula 1 driver who's one bad interview away from being accused of attempted murder."

"It wasn't an attempted murder," Adrian finally replied. "He was on my way and one thing led to another."

I looked at him. "Really? Because the video says otherwise."

His expression didn't change. "It was a racing incident."

"Bullshit."

Ellis quickly stepped in before things escalated. "Whether it was intentional or not doesn't matter right now," he replied. "What matters is public opinion. Adrian needs someone beside him. Someone people trust."

"And that someone is me?"