Explaining The Deal

Riley

I'm sitting on the couch, scrolling through my phone, when I hear the elevator ding. Before I can even get up, the door to my penthouse swings open, and Lea bursts in, her eyes wide with confusion.

"Riley King!" she yells, her voice echoing through the space. "What the hell is going on?"

I barely have time to react before she's standing in front of me, hands on her hips, looking like she's about to explode. I blink up at her, trying to figure out where to even start, but she doesn't give me a chance.

"I wake up this morning, grab my coffee, open my phone, and what do I see?" she says, her words coming out fast, barely pausing for breath. "You—kissing Damien Frost. Damien Frost, Riley! What is going on? Why is the entire city buzzing about you and New York's most dangerous billionaire?"

I can't help but laugh. It's not funny, not really, but the way she says it, the disbelief in her voice—it cracks me up.

"Lea, calm down," I say, holding up a hand, though I know full well that's the last thing she's going to do.

"Calm down?" she nearly shrieks. "You disappear for a week after walking out on Callum, and now you're all over the news with Damien Frost! I'm not calming down until you explain what is happening!"

I take a deep breath, trying to figure out where to even begin. Lea's pacing now, muttering under her breath as she waits for me to speak. I lean back on the couch, crossing my legs, and gesture for her to sit down.

"Lea, sit. I'll tell you everything."

She shoots me a look, clearly impatient, but after a moment, she plops down on the couch next to me, her eyes still wide and expectant.

"Okay," I start, exhaling slowly. "So, you know how I left Callum, right? The whole engagement thing wasn't working, and I finally decided I wasn't going to play that game anymore."

Lea nods, her eyes narrowing in curiosity. "Right. But what does that have to do with Damien flipping Frost?"

"Everything," I say, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Callum didn't realize how much I was paying attention over the years. He would talk about business deals and acquisitions in front of me like I wasn't even there. Like I didn't understand what he was doing. But I remembered everything."

Lea's brows furrow, and she leans in closer. "Go on."

"So after I walked out on him, I decided I wasn't just going to leave quietly. I was going to make sure Callum didn't get what he wanted, that he didn't win. I went to Damien Frost with some… inside information."

Lea's mouth drops open. "You what? You went to Damien Frost with info on Callum?"

I nod, and can't help but smile at the shocked look on her face. "Yep. I gave him details about a tech deal Callum was working on, one that would have been a huge win for him. Damien swooped in and took it right out from under him."

Lea blinks at me, clearly trying to process what I've just said. "So you gave Callum's rival ammunition to take him down."

"Exactly."

"Holy shit, Riles," her eyes widen even more, if that's possible. "And now you're kissing him?"

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "It's not what you think. It's part of a deal, Lea. Damien and I made an arrangement. We're going to date publicly for a few weeks, then announce an engagement."

Lea's jaw drops again. "You're marrying Damien Frost?!"

"Not exactly," I say quickly, holding up a hand. "It's not a real marriage, it's a business deal. A way to make sure Callum doesn't recover from this. The whole thing is just for show, but it benefits both of us."

Lea's mouth is still hanging open as she stares at me like I've grown a second head. "You… you're marrying Damien Frost to piss off Callum?"

"Essentially," I say, shrugging. "But it's not just about Callum. It's about making sure I have control over my own life. Damien gets what he wants out of it—he gets to humiliate Callum, and I get to step out of Callum's shadow for good."

Lea leans back on the couch, her head resting against the cushion, her eyes wide as she processes everything. "Holy shit. I mean… wow, Riley. I knew you had guts, but this? This is next level."

I laugh softly, leaning back as well. "I didn't plan for it to happen this way, but it just… it made sense in the moment."

Lea sits up again, shaking her head. "But Damien Frost? Are you sure about this? That man is dangerous. He's not like Callum. He's… well, he's Damien Frost."

I sigh. "I know. Believe me, I'm not going into this blind. I know exactly who Damien is. But this isn't about love or trust, Lea. It's business. We both know what we're getting out of this."

She stares at me for a moment, then nods slowly. "Okay. I get that. But still… what's it going to be like, being engaged to him? You're going to be in the spotlight, constantly."

"I know," I say, nodding. "We talked about it. I'll be going to functions, meetings, all the public appearances that come with being Damien Frost's fiancée. But I also told him I'm not just going to be arm candy. I have a business degree, and I want to be involved. He agreed to that."

Lea looks at me, her expression between disbelief and admiration. "You really thought this through, didn't you?"

"I had to," I reply. "If I'm going to be involved with Damien, even in a business arrangement, I can't just be passive. I need to have control, too."

Lea is quiet for a moment, then she grins. "Well, I have to say, I'm impressed. And also a little bit terrified for you, but mostly impressed."

I laugh, the sound coming easier than it has in days. "Terrified? Why?"

"Because you're playing with fire, Riles. Damien Frost isn't someone to mess with lightly. But if anyone can handle him, it's you."

Her words sink in, and I realize she's right. I am playing with fire. But I've already walked through the flames before—what's one more?

"And what about the kiss?" Lea asks, raising an eyebrow. "I saw the pictures. That didn't look like a business transaction."

I feel my face heat up, but I shrug. "It was… part of sealing the deal."

Lea's grin widens. "Oh, sure. 'Sealing the deal.' Right, like that isn't what demons do. So how was it?"

I roll my eyes, trying to hide my smile. "It was just a kiss, Lea."

"Mhm," she hums, clearly not convinced. "Sure it was."

I laugh again, unable to help myself. "Fine. It was… intense. He's not exactly shy about what he wants."

Lea's eyebrows shoot up. "I bet."

"But seriously," I say, turning to face her, my expression softening. "This isn't about me falling for Damien. It's about getting my life back. After everything with Callum, I need to feel like I'm in control again. And if this is how I do it, then so be it."

Lea looks at me, her smile fading slightly as she nods. "I get it, I really do. You deserve to feel like you have power over your own life. And if this deal with Damien gives you that, then I support you. Just … be careful, okay?"

I nod, grateful for her support. "I will. I promise."

We sit in comfortable silence for a moment. I still can't quite believe I'm doing this; making a deal with Damien Frost, planning to fake an engagement, but it feels right. It feels like I'm finally taking control, finally doing something for myself, on my own terms.

Lea breaks the silence with a soft laugh. "You know, this whole thing is so crazy that it might actually work."

I smile. "Let's hope so."

She grins, nudging me with her elbow. "And in the meantime, I can't wait to see the look on Callum's face when this all goes public."

I laugh again, imagining the inevitable headlines and Callum's reaction when he realizes just how far I'm willing to go to step out of his shadow.

I'd pay to be a fly on Callum Hawthorne's office wall right now.