Chapter 4 - A DANGEROUS PROPOSITION
Moving into Adrian Kane's triplex penthouse overlooking Central Park was like stepping onto another planet. It was a fortress of glass, black steel, and white marble, equipped with a security system that rivaled the Pentagon. Marcus, a mountain of a man with cold, calculating eyes, had escorted us in an armored SUV.
For the first three days, it was agonizingly awkward. I tried to stay out of Adrian's way, treating the luxurious guest wing like a very expensive prison. But Mia had other plans. She treated the billionaire like he was her new best friend, dragging him into coloring sessions and demanding he read her bedtime stories.
To my utter shock, Adrian complied. The ruthless CEO who tore apart competitors would sit in a bespoke Italian armchair and do different voices for the characters in The Cat in the Hat. It was doing dangerous things to my heart.
On the fourth night, after Mia was asleep, Adrian found me in the massive kitchen, nursing a glass of wine. He poured himself a scotch and leaned against the marble island, watching me intently.
"Marcus found the men," Adrian said quietly.
I froze, the wine glass halting halfway to my lips. "And?"
"And they work for a syndicate operated by a man named Russo. They are deeply entrenched. Simply roughing them up won't solve the long-term problem. Furthermore, Russo has legally bought the debt from your ex-husband. On paper, you owe it."
Panic spiked in my chest. "So what do we do?"
Adrian took a slow sip of his scotch, the amber liquid catching the dim lights of the city below. "I have my legal team dismantling the contract, but to freeze Russo out entirely and give you permanent, bulletproof protection, we need to create a legal barrier. A barrier that makes you legally untouchable to him."
"What kind of barrier?"
"Me," Adrian said softly. His eyes locked onto mine, burning with an intensity that made my breath hitch. "My lawyers have drafted a solution. But it requires your cooperation."
"I'll do anything," I said quickly.
"Don't say that until you hear the proposal," he warned, his voice low. He set his glass down. "The board of Kane Global has been pressuring me for months to settle down. They view my bachelor lifestyle as a volatile risk to the stock price. They want a family man at the helm before they approve my full ascension to Chairman. You need absolute protection and the umbrella of my legal team. I need a respectable, stable image."
May you like
He walked around the island, stopping mere inches from me. I had to tilt my head up to meet his gaze.
"I want you to marry me, Lily."
