Aria

"Mr. Ashford," the receptionist said, quickly standing to her feet. She suddenly seemed flustered, and I wanted to smirk with satisfaction, but I kept it held in.

"I asked you a question, Kate," he said, narrowing his eyes at her. "What gives you the right to send away guests? You know the protocol. You call my office, and I decide whether or not I will see them. Not you."

She swallowed and glanced at the ground.

"Come with me."

It took me a second to realize he was speaking to me, but when I saw Leo's retreating back, I nearly stumbled over my feet to catch up to him. He walked through a luxurious waiting room until we reached a glass elevator. It was high-tech with a touch screen attached to it. He typed in a sequence before pressing the floor number.

He stood so close to me that the elevator felt cramped despite being wide. I could smell his incredible minty scent mixed with his aftershave, and my heart skipped a beat. He did not bother looking at me, and I was starting to doubt this plan would work. Maybe he did not like me as much as I thought he did.

The elevator came to a halt and the doors opened. It was an extremely large space with marble flooring and granite walls.

"Where exactly is your office?" I asked, staring around.

He glanced at me, his face indifferent.

"This is my office."

My eyes grew large. He continued walking until he rounded the corner and sure enough, there was his desk right in front of large windows that overlooked the city. It was gorgeous and my stomach twisted with nerves.

He did not sit on his desk chair. Instead, he turned to face me, leaning against his desk and folding his arms across his chest. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I took him in. He wore a white dress shirt with sleeves rolled up halfway, showing off his incredible muscles. His dark dress pants hugged his waist perfectly.

My wolf purred with satisfaction, and I found myself staring at him for way longer than I intended to.

He cleared his throat, making me nearly jump as my gaze shot upward and met his. He was smirking, as if to say, "Caught you."

My cheeks burned from embarrassment.

"So, what did you come here for?" He asked, breaking the tension between us.

"I have a problem, and I need your help," I said in a rush.

He raised his right brow.

"What kind of problem?"

I cleared my throat before continuing.

"My father was arrested the other night," I blurted. "His business went bankrupt, and he owes a lot of money. Roughly three million dollars."

He was silent as he stared at me, waiting for me to continue.

"I was hoping you would be able to help him and maybe pay the debt for my father so he could get out of prison?" I asked, biting my lip.

He was quiet for another moment before he ran his hands over his face.

"And what would I get in return for helping your family?" He asked.

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

Confidence. I needed confidence.

I held my head up high and looked him right in the eyes. It was a challenge to look an Alpha directly in the eyes, even worse for a Lycan. But Leo was not as angry as I thought he would be. Instead, he looked intrigued.

"Well," I began, dropping my voice low as I stepped closer to him. "At the party the other day, we obviously had a connection." I felt my cheeks growing hot as I spoke those words. "And I thought maybe—"

I took a deep breath and undid my coat, revealing a portion of my lingerie, but not all of it. His eyes darkened as he gazed over my body, and I nearly melted under his scrutiny.

I suddenly had a surge of confidence, and I reached my hand out to touch his arm.

"I thought maybe I could do some favors for you in return," I said in a sultry voice. "I am a college student and very clean. I have not had sex before, but I am on birth control, so you do not need to worry about anything."

His breathing grew heavy as he straightened his posture, closing the small gap between us. His nearness was intoxicating, and my heart started to race against my chest. His scent enveloped me, and I could not remember the last time I felt this delirious.

He reached his hand up and I felt his fingers glide down my cheek, sending a wave of warmth throughout my whole body. We were so close together that I thought I was going to pass out from the heat that consumed me.

His eyes were dark like they were the night in the VIP suite.

He swallowed hard and I watched his Adam's apple move slightly. I closed my eyes, preparing for him to kiss me. I could feel his breath on my lips and just as I leaned in close to him, getting ready for his embrace, it never came.

Instead, I felt him adjusting my coat, covering my body.

My eyes flew open, and I looked at his stern expression.

"Do you really think I need to pay a woman for sex?" He asked, breaking the silence. "You said it yourself that I have many options."

My cheeks flushed immediately.

"I just thought—"

"You thought you could use your body to pay for my help," he said, interrupting me. "You are still young, Miss Martinez. You will regret taking such shortcuts in the future."

How did he know my name? I had not told him. My heart skipped a beat, but his words were slowly crushing me.

He did not want me.

I lowered my gaze, hating how hot my face was getting.

"Look, I have a daughter," he told me, his voice softening. "I would never teach her to use her body as a transaction. I want more for her future, and I expect better from her."

He reached his hand and caressed the nape of my neck with his fingertips. My breath hitched as I gazed into his eyes.

"I expected better from you," he added. My heart fell into my stomach and disappointment consumed me.

He was right. I was better than this.

I nodded my head and opened my mouth to speak, but I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see security guards standing nearby, and I whipped around to look at Leo with wide eyes.

"Your time is up, and my patience has run out," Leo said, looking at me briefly before glancing at the security guards. "Escort Miss Martinez out of the building, please."

"Yes sir," they both said.

They stood on each side of me, and I stared at Leo with shock. I did not fight as they told me to come with them.

"Thank you for your time," I managed to say before I turned and left the office. Shame consumed me as I walked out, wondering how I would fix any of this.