Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Levi
The room feels colder without her in it.
I sip my whiskey, leaning against one of the polished marble pillars near the bar, my eyes scanning the crowd. Tania’s absence shouldn’t bother me. She’s probably cooling off somewhere, trying to reconcile her irritation with me pulling her into that kiss. I know it was bold, maybe too bold, but it was necessary.
That’s what I tell myself, at least.
But the truth? That kiss wasn’t just for Damon, or the investors watching us. It was for me. And that terrifies me more than I’d like to admit.
I set the glass down harder than I mean to, the sharp clink snapping me back to the present. I shouldn’t be thinking about her this much. This was supposed to be simple: play the part, close the deal, and move on. But now, with Tania back in my orbit, everything feels far from simple.
Three Years Ago
Tania sat across from me in my penthouse, her laptop open, the glow from the screen casting a soft light on her face. She was working late—again—her brow furrowed in concentration.
“You’ve been staring at those numbers for hours,” I said, setting down the files I’d been reviewing. “Take a break.”
She glanced up, a small smile playing on her lips. “Says the guy who hasn’t stopped working since 6 a.m.”
“That’s different,” I said, leaning back against the couch. “I’m used to it.”
“So am I,” she countered, turning her attention back to her screen. But I didn’t miss the exhaustion in her eyes, the weight she carried every time she thought about building her firm from the ground up.
“Tania,” I said, my tone softening. “You don’t have to do this alone. Let me help you.”
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, and for a moment, I thought she might say yes. But then she shook her head, her resolve hardening. “I appreciate it, Levi. I really do. But I need to do this my way.”
That was Tania for you—independent to a fault, always determined to prove she could handle anything the world threw at her. It was one of the things I loved most about her.
But it was also the thing that drove us apart.
I drain the rest of my drink, the memory leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. I didn’t leave her because I stopped caring. I left because I thought it was what she wanted, what she needed. I thought I was giving her the freedom to chase her dreams without me holding her back.
But standing here tonight, watching her move through this room with the same quiet confidence she’s always had, I can’t help but wonder if I was wrong.
The problem wasn’t her ambition—it was mine. I was so focused on building my empire, so obsessed with proving myself, that I didn’t see what I was losing until it was too late. And by the time I realized what I’d done, she was gone.
And now, Damon’s watching her like a wolf circling prey.
I spot them across the room, his smooth smile in full force as he leans closer to her, his body language oozing practiced charm. Tania doesn’t look entirely comfortable, but she’s polite, her professional mask firmly in place.
I hate it.
Without thinking, I set my glass down and start toward them, my steps deliberate. I’m halfway there when I catch the faintest hint of a smile on Tania’s lips, something Damon says pulling it out of her.
Jealousy flares in my chest, sharp and hot. It’s irrational—I know that—but I can’t stop it. I know Damon too well, know exactly how he operates. He’s not interested in Tania beyond what she can offer him. And that’s what infuriates me most. She deserves more than to be someone’s pawn in a power play.
“Damon,” I say, my voice calm but firm as I approach. “Enjoying yourself?”
He straightens, turning to face me with that infuriating smirk of his. “Levi. Always a pleasure.”
“Hardly,” I reply, my gaze flicking to Tania. “Everything okay here?”
She raises an eyebrow, clearly picking up on my tone. “We were just discussing Damon’s latest venture,” she says smoothly. “It sounds... ambitious.”
Damon chuckles, clearly enjoying the tension. “Ambition is everything, wouldn’t you agree, Levi? After all, it’s what drives men like us.”
I step closer, my posture relaxed but my intent clear. “The difference is, I know when to stop chasing something that doesn’t belong to me.”
The jab lands, and Damon’s smirk falters ever so slightly. He glances at Tania, then back at me, his expression carefully neutral.
“Well,” he says, adjusting his cufflinks. “It seems I’m interrupting something. I’ll leave you to it.”
He walks away, but I don’t miss the way he glances back, as if he’s already planning his next move.
I let out a slow breath, turning my attention to Tania. She’s staring at me, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable.
“What the hell was that?” she asks, her tone low but sharp.
“Damon was crossing a line,” I say simply. “I was protecting you.”
She narrows her eyes. “Protecting me? From what, exactly? A conversation?”
“From him,” I snap, the words harsher than I intend. “You don’t know him like I do, Tania. He doesn’t care about you—he cares about what you can do for him.”
“And that’s different from you how?” she fires back, her words cutting.
The silence between us is heavy, the unspoken truth hanging in the air. She’s right. I brought her into this for my own reasons, reasons that have little to do with her and everything to do with my deal. But even so, the idea of someone else using her, someone else taking her away—it’s unbearable.
“Tania,” I say softly, stepping closer. “I’m not him.”
She doesn’t move, doesn’t look away, but the guarded expression in her eyes doesn’t waver. “You need to stop doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Acting like you have the right to control who talks to me, who looks at me,” she says, her voice trembling slightly. “We’re not together, Levi. This is just a business arrangement. Remember that.”
Her words hit harder than they should, and for a moment, I can’t find a response. She steps back, creating a distance between us that feels insurmountable.
“Excuse me,” she says quietly, brushing past me and disappearing into the crowd.