Chapter 144

Lucas POV

Victoria and I decided to meet at a local diner in a dimly lit corner booth.

The scent of sweet pancakes and coffee filled the air, providing a comforting contrast to the serious conversation we were about to have.

To make things somewhat easier for myself, I had to lie to Shana about where I was going. After we spent the night at the hotel, the two of us spent most of the next day together.

As it was nearing nighttime, I had plans to meet with Victoria and I couldn't tell Shana the truth. It was eating at me, but I had no other choice.

When she asked where I was heading off to, I casually mentioned, "Oh, I'm just going to hang out with James. I'll see you later?"

I planted a kiss on her lips and rode off on my motorcycle, preparing what I was going to say to Victoria.

By the time I got to the diner, Victoria was already seated at the table by the time I had arrived.

I had always admired Victoria for her confidence and poise. A lot of alpha females were snobbish and thought they were better than everyone else, but she held herself with grace. I supposed it had to do with her upbringing.

Her parents had raised her to be a leader and it made her have a tough skin. I respected her for that.

"Hey, thanks for meeting with me, Victoria," I began, trying to mask my nerves with a casual tone. I slid into the booth across from her.

She acknowledged me with a nod, her intense eyes studying me.

That was another thing about Victoria that made her intimidating. She was excellent at holding eye contact. Sometimes, a little too good.

"Sure, Lucas. Even though the last time we saw each other, things weren't ideal... I want you to know that I still consider you a good friend of mine."

Victoria and I had known each other ever since I shifted at thirteen and my father began to introduce me to the family business. Over the years, we had developed a sort of friendship that nobody else could really understand.

We had similarities in the way our parents treated us and wanted us to live. We were able to connect on those things and relate with one another.

It wasn't your typical kind of friendship, but it counted.

"I consider us friends, too," I said. "I appreciate you coming to meet me."

A woman came up to our booth, asking to take our order.

"Do you have waffles?" I asked the waitress. She nodded. "Okay, I'll take an order of waffles." I looked toward Victoria. "Want some?"

Victoria agreed and the waitress was off to relay our order to the cook.

"So," Victoria said, dragging out the word. "I'm interested in helping you out with Shana. I know that might seem a little... unlikely. I know Shana and I didn't necessarily start off on the right foot, but she's a good person. She doesn't deserve what's happening to her."

"I think the same thing," I agreed. "Her father really screwed her over this time."

Victoria nodded her head. "So, what's your plan? We tell Kendrick we're getting engaged again and then... what?"

I went back into explaining all the details to her, highlighting Shana's situation with her father's debt and how it was impacting her life. I then began to mention my own father's involvement with the Lucky Chip Casino and how his ownership was make the issue much worse.

"I want us to make a deal," I stated, "but obviously it will be able to benefit both of us. We need to make some effort on both of our parts."

Victoria leaned forward, intrigued. "I'm listening."

I went through my terms of the deal carefully.

In exchange for her assistance in helping me clear Shana's father's debt, I promised to help her and her family acquire a larger share of the casino business than they had initially anticipated.

It would take some serious convincing and sucking up on my part, but I'm sure my father would be willing to do that for me if I get engaged to Victoria.

As I explained everything, I could see the wheels turning in Victoria's head as she thought about the significant advantage this could give her family.

After a lot of back and forth discussions over our waffles, we finally decided to shake hands and settle the agreement.

"I hope you're right about this and that it actually helps Shana," Victoria said in between chews. "Does she know you're going to do this?"

"No," I stated. "I need this to stay between us. I don't want her to find out."

"What about James?" Victoria asked.

"He can't know either, at least, not yet. Like I said, it stays between us."

Suddenly, the gravity of what we were about to undertake weighed heavily on both of us. But deep down, I knew this was the only way to help Shana to free her from financial burden.

Although the situation seemed risky, Victoria and I both came from prominent alpha families who understood a profitable opportunity when we saw one. She was benefiting from this as much as I was.

I left my meeting with Victoria feeling like I'd struck a deal that would, in the end, be able to fix everything.

I knew it would take a lot of lies and convincing to make my father see that we were serious about this, but I felt like he would believe my intentions are true.

I hardly ever go against his word, he would think I'm coming to my senses.

Now that Victoria and I had shook on it, I felt like there was no better time to talk to my father.

But as I drove towards my father's house, my stomach churned with anxiety.

Our relationship was very strained at the moment, and the idea of facing him was less than ideal. I hated that I felt like there was no other option, but to crawl back to my father.

But if it meant freedom for Shana, I'd do anything my father asked. It was a step in the right direction, no matter how wrong it felt.

When I finally pulled up to my father's large, imposing mansion, a wave of consciousness hit me.

Was I really making the right choice? If I was, why did I suddenly feel so terrible?

Some part of me wanted to make a U-turn and speed away from the chaos waiting behind that front door.

But the need to help Shana outweighed my unease.

And then I started to panic, wondering if my father would even accept this lie. What if he didn't believe I truly wanted to get engaged to Victoria again? What would my plan be then?

I parked my motorcycle on the driveway, trying to build up every ounce of courage I had left within me.

With fast, deliberate steps, I walked up to the front door. My heart began to pound against my chest.

I could do this...

My fist went up to knock on the door when it suddenly swung open.

My father stood there with his sharp, piercing gaze fixed on me. A mixed expression of curiosity and skepticism painted in his eyes.