Silas and the Devil's Bargain

Chapter One

Silas

I hated events like this. Galas for the rich, looking to offer their daughter or make a business deal.

Hell, maybe a combination of the two. I wouldn’t have been here if my father hadn’t broken his leg doing some dumb shit.

Now he was home with my mom, and I was here pretending to give a shit about any of these people.

“Mr. Harrison, it’s so good to see you.” The older man approached me with predatory intent in his eyes.

Santos Christiano was one of the many men trying to get me to marry his daughter.

“I’m sure it’s a pleasure to see me,” I answered, boredom clear in my voice.

“I expected your father to be here tonight. I’m sorry that he’s hurt.”

“Yes, well, hopefully he will be back to attending these events soon.” I sipped my whiskey while he studied my face.

“I see that you didn’t bring a date tonight.” There it was. I knew he had a daughter or two.

“I never do.” The ridiculous game had begun.

“Have you met my Carmella?”

I didn’t care if she was his newest woman or his daughter. “I haven’t, and I don’t plan to, but thank you.”

“Don’t be so quick to dismiss her. You know our families would be united, and a union would be beneficial to both of us.” I had to end any of his ideas before he continued, so I snapped at him.

“When and if I ever marry, it’s not going to be a business deal. Now, excuse me.”

I walked away from him in a hurry, so much so that I didn’t see the woman before I nearly sent her to the ground.

The collision was immediate and powerful.

My arms instinctively wrapped around her slender frame.

Her chest slammed against mine; she gasped from the impact, and the tiny sound sent pleasure straight to my dick. I knew I fucked up.

Our eyes met in shock before flicking to something dangerous—lust. I didn’t want to let her go.

“I’m so sorry,” she apologized. She didn’t need to say sorry to me.

For the first time in my life, I felt something that wasn’t just annoyance from a scheming woman.

“It’s my fault for running into you.” Her fingers gripped my biceps as she tried to get herself steady again.

“No, the fault is mine,” I insisted. “What’s your name? Who are you here with?”

“Excuse me, I have to go.” Her lips were parted and her eyes darted around. She looked back as if afraid someone was after her.

“I’ve got you; no one’s going to hurt you.” She pushed out of my arms, and a rush of coldness slipped between us.

“Mr. Harrison,” someone called out. I turned my head, and there stood my assistant. I’d been distracted long enough for the woman to take off.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I barked. She was never invited to these things because people would get the wrong impression, and so would she.

“Your father sent me to make sure you weren’t coerced into anything you didn’t want.”

“I don’t have time for this right now. Excuse me.” I sped past her and began hunting for my future bride. By the time I reached the ballroom, my mysterious woman in a silky gray dress was gone.

“Where are you running off to?” Santos said, cuffing my bicep.

“Do you know that woman who just went that way?” I asked him, pointing toward the direction where she fled.

“No, I don’t recognize her.” I sighed, hoping he knew who she was with. “Harrison, this is my daughter I mentioned earlier.” I only glanced at her long enough to be polite, but without an ounce of interest in my gaze.

I gave him a simple nod and excused myself. “Sorry, I need to go.”

For two hours I walked around, mindlessly chatting about nothing whilst my eyes roamed the hall.

Word would spread like wildfire, and the gossips would attack in full force if I asked too many questions.

I was a valuable commodity to these people, and I didn’t trust they wouldn’t sabotage my plans for the mysterious woman, so I kept the questions to myself.

By the time I made it to my bed, I had replayed the scene a hundred times. Her dark brown hair had been up in a fancy updo that I wanted to latch onto as I kissed her.