Chapter 40 The Negotiation
Julian pulled back slowly. His hands stayed on the door, pinning Elena in place, but his eyes were fixed on her face.
He looked very interested in what she had to say.
"A favor," he repeated with a husky voice. "You put on that red lace and stayed up waiting for me because you need a favor."
Elena nodded quickly and searched her brain. Once again, she had to come up with a lie for her husband. And she had to make this believable.
She couldn't tell him about the money or Francis or the sex tape. If he knew she was being blackmailed, he’d take over the situation and that would probably end in someone getting killed. She needed a lie that was small enough to be petty but big enough to explain her desperation.
"It’s Eva," Elena said, looking down at his bare chest. "She’s... she’s always hated me, Julian. You know that. And years ago, when we were teenagers, we made this stupid, childish bet."
Julian tilted his head. "A bet?"
"She said that no matter who I married, I’d never be able to keep him. She said she could get any man I ever had to choose her over me for a single night. It was a bet on my worth as a woman, Julian.”
Julian blinked in confusion. "What?”
"I know it sounds pathetic, I know, but she’s been holding it over me for a decade."
Julian’s eyes narrowed. "And what does this bet have to do with me?"
"She wants a date," Elena blurted out. "She told me that if I could get my 'perfect' billionaire husband to take her out for a formal dinner, she’d finally admit she lost. She’d leave me alone and she’d stop trying to ruin my life within the family."
Julian stared at her for a long, quiet minute. Elena’s heart felt like it was going to burst through her ribs. She was asking her husband to take her sister out on a date. It sounded insane. In fact, it was insane.
"You want me to take your sister out?" Julian asked. "The woman who slept with your ex-fiancé? You want me to give her an evening of my time to settle a childhood grudge?"
"Please," Elena whispered. "It’s the only way she’ll stop. If you do this, she’ll be out of my hair for good. I’ll never ask for anything else."
Julian let out a breath and stepped back as he ran a hand through his dark hair, looking away from her.
The room felt cold the second he moved.
"I'll do it," he said.
Elena blinked. "You will?"
"Yes," Julian said, turning back to face her. "But I don't do anything for free, Elena. You know that. We’re both in a contract, but this favor falls outside of it. So, I have a condition."
Elena swallowed hard. "What is it?"
"We are going on a date," he said. "Just the two of us. A real one. No business, no family drama, no talk of contracts. You and I, away from this city, for the entire weekend."
Elena frowned, feeling a bit confused. "Julian, we're already married. We live in the same house. We don't need to go on a date."
"We live in a house where we hide from each other," Julian corrected her. "That’s not a marriage. If I’m going to spend an evening with your sister, I want forty-eight hours of your undivided attention in return. Do we have a deal?"
Elena looked at him, searching for a trap. But he just stood there, waiting. She had the money from Eva already, but the deal wasn't complete until Julian showed up.
"Deal," she said.
"Good," Julian said, his voice returning to that calm, commanding tone. "Call her. Tell her to come over now. I have a few hours before my late meeting, and I’d rather get this over with."
"Now?"
"Now, Elena. I'm going to take a shower. Have her here by the time I'm out."
Eva showed up in less than twenty minutes. She was dressed in a tight, short gold dress that practically screamed for attention.
She didn't even say hello to the butler; she just marched into the foyer and found Elena waiting.
"Where is he?" Eva asked, looking at Elena with a triumphant smirk.
"He's upstairs," Elena said, her voice flat. "He agreed, Eva. But I’m telling you, this is—"
"I don't care what you're telling me," Eva interrupted. She stepped closer, her voice dropping so the staff wouldn't hear. "I gave you what you wanted and we had a deal. Now, move aside. I have a date to attend to."
Julian came down the stairs a moment later. He was dressed in a fresh black suit and he didn't even look at Elena. He walked straight to Eva.
"Eva," he said, his voice polite but cold.
"Julian," Eva purred, reaching out to touch his arm. "I'm so glad you could make time for me."
Elena stepped forward. "Julian, I was thinking maybe I should stay for dinner, just to—"
"No," Eva said, her eyes flashing toward Elena. "The deal was a date, Elena. That means you leave. Go to your room, go for a walk. Just get out of our sight, I don't care."
Elena looked at Julian, hoping he’d say something, but he just stood there. Eva leaned in closer to Elena, whispering, "Don't forget what I have on my phone, sister. One word from me and your life is over. Go."
Elena felt a surge of pure hatred, but she nodded. "Fine. I'll be in my room."
She turned and walked up the stairs, her chest aching. She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the door, waiting for the evening to be over.
She hated herself for doing this. She hated Eva for being a monster. And she was terrified of what was happening below.
But only fifteen minutes passed before she heard the front door open and close.
Elena ran to the window. She saw Eva walking toward her car. She wasn't smiling. In fact, she looked furious. She slammed her car door and tore out of the driveway, gravel flying everywhere.
Elena scrambled out of her room and ran down the stairs. She found Julian in the living room, pouring himself a glass of scotch.
He looked completely unbothered.
"What happened?" Elena asked, breathless. "Why did she leave? Did you guys even eat?"
Julian took a sip of his drink and looked at her. "She decided she had a better deal."
"A better deal? What does that mean? Julian, she was blackmailing me—I mean, the bet! The bet was the whole point! Did she concede?"
Julian walked over to her, stopping just inches away. "I’m the best defense lawyer in this city, Elena. I know how to negotiate."
Elena stared at him, her mouth hanging open. "You... you handled it?"
"She won't be bothering you again," Julian said. He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Elena felt a massive weight lift off her shoulders, but it was quickly replaced by a new kind of nerves.
Julian had protected her once again.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Don't thank me yet," Julian said, a small, dark smile touching his lips. "Remember our deal? A weekend date. Just the two of us."
Elena nodded. "I remember."
"Good. Pack your bags tonight," Julian said, turning back to his drink. "We leave tomorrow morning. Just you and me."