Dangerous Propositions

Aria's POV

Kieran's penthouse was exactly what I had expected. All floor-to-ceiling windows, modern furniture, and the kind of wealth that didn't need to announce itself. What I hadn't expected was how it would make me feel: small, out of place, and acutely aware of every cheap thread in my clothing.

He moved to the bar without asking if I wanted anything, pouring two glasses of something that probably cost more than my textbooks.

"Sit." It wasn't a request.

I perched on the edge of a leather chair that probably cost more than my car, watching as he settled across from me. The city lights glittered behind him, making him look almost otherworldly.

"Your father," Kieran began, handing me a glass, "is accused of embezzling three point two million dollars from the Blackstone Pack's investment fund. The evidence is apparently quite damning—falsified records, offshore accounts in his name, a paper trail that leads directly to him."

My stomach lurched. "He wouldn't—"

"I'm not saying he did it." Kieran took a measured sip. "I'm saying that's what they're claiming. The question is whether it's true or whether someone is setting him up."

"Who would set him up?"

His smile was thin. "Who benefits from his fall?"

I thought about it, my mind racing through the politics of our pack. My father was Delta—third in command, advisor to the Alpha. When our Alpha died six months ago, Dad had been vocal about his concerns regarding the candidate selection process. He had argued for a merit-based trial instead of the current system, which heavily favored those with political connections.

Those with connections to powerful Lycans, for instance.

"Ethan," I breathed. "This helps Ethan. With my father disgraced and imprisoned, that's one less voice opposing his candidacy."

"Quick." Kieran nodded approvingly. "Your father was the loudest critic of Ethan's engagement to my daughter. He called it what it is, a political arrangement designed to bypass the traditional selection process. He made enemies by speaking that truth."

"But you're Vivienne's father. Why are you telling me this? Why help me at all?"

Kieran leaned back, studying me with those unsettling dark eyes. "Because my daughter's engagement to Ethan Ross is a disaster in the making, and I intend to stop it."

I blinked. "What?"

"Vivienne is being manipulated by her mother, my ex-wife, who sees this marriage as a way to expand her own influence. Ethan Ross is a mediocre Alpha candidate at best, propped up by money and connections rather than any actual ability. The engagement benefits everyone except the two people actually involved."

"Then why not just refuse to support it? You're the Lycan Chairman. Your word is law."

"It's more complicated than that." He set his glass down carefully. "My ex-wife has the right to Vivienne's decisions until she's twenty-five, per our divorce agreement. And Vivienne, unfortunately, believes herself in love with Ethan."

Of course, she loved him. Everyone loved Ethan—his charm, his looks, his carefully crafted image of the perfect future Alpha. I had loved him too, right up until he proved that image was a lie.

"I still don't understand what this has to do with me."

Kieran smiled, and something about it made my pulse quicken. "Because you, Aria Mercer, are going to help me destroy this engagement. And in return, I'm going to save your father and give you everything Ethan Ross took from you."

The room felt too hot suddenly. "How?"

"By making Ethan realize what he lost. By making him want you back so desperately that he breaks the engagement himself." Kieran stood, moving to the windows. "My daughter has pride. If Ethan comes crawling back to his rejected mate, if he humiliates her publicly, she'll end the engagement herself. No force required."

"That's insane. Ethan rejected me. He's not going to suddenly—"

"He'll want you if you become something he can't have." Kieran turned back to face me. "Right now, you're heartbroken, hiding in a hotel, watching your family fall apart. But what if you were something else? What if you were powerful, confident, and successful? What if you were seen with someone who makes Ethan Ross look like the child he is?"

My mouth went dry. "You're talking about yourself."

"I'm talking about a mutually beneficial arrangement." He moved closer, and I found myself unable to look away. "You let me help you become the woman Ethan wishes he had never let go. In public, we're together. We attend events, we're photographed, we make sure everyone in Blackstone knows that Aria Mercer has moved on to better things."

"A fake relationship."

"A strategic partnership." He corrected. "One that saves your father, ruins Ethan's engagement, and teaches everyone involved a valuable lesson about the consequences of their choices."

I should have said no but my father was in jail, facing years of imprisonment for a crime he might not have committed. My family was losing everything. And Ethan was probably celebrating his engagement while I fell apart.

"What do you get out of this?" I asked quietly. "Really?"

Kieran's expression softened slightly. "A daughter who makes her own choices instead of being controlled by her mother. And perhaps some small satisfaction in watching Ethan Ross learn that actions have consequences."

"You hate him."

"I dislike men who treat people as disposable, especially when those people are their fated mates." He held out his hand. "So, Aria Mercer. Do we have a deal?"

I stared at his hand—strong, capable, offering me a lifeline I desperately needed. Every logical part of my brain screamed that this was a mistake. That making deals with Kieran Thornhart would end badly, that I was trading one disaster for another.

But my father's freedom hung in the balance. My family's future depended on what I did next. And somewhere in Blackstone, Ethan was probably laughing about how easily he'd discarded me.

I took Kieran's hand.

His fingers closed around mine, warm and solid, and something electric shot up my arm. My wolf surged forward, interested in a way she hadn't been since before Ethan's rejection.

"Then we start tonight," Kieran said, his thumb brushing across my knuckles. "First, we get you out of those clothes."

I yanked my hand back, heat flooding my face. "Excuse me?"

His laugh was low and genuine. "I meant we get you clothes that fit this new role. Unless you plan to face Blackstone society in hotel casual wear?"

"Right. Obviously." I wanted to disappear into the expensive carpet. "Clothes."

"There's a boutique downstairs that stays open late for hotel guests. We'll start there." He checked his watch. "And then we're going to make our first public appearance."

"Where?"

His smile was sharp. "Ethan's engagement party, it's tonight at the Blackstone Country Club. I received an invitation, naturally, as the father of the bride."

My heart stopped. "You want me to go to his engagement party? Are you insane?"

"I want you to walk in on my arm, looking like you've never been happier in your life. I want Ethan to choke on his champagne when he sees what he gave up. And I want everyone in that room to know that Aria Mercer is not broken, she's just getting started."

The broken girl who'd been hiding in a hotel room for three days wanted to run. But something new, something angry and fierce and done with being a victim, rose in my chest.

"How long do I have to get ready?"

Kieran's approving smile was worth every bit of insanity this plan represented. "Two hours. Do you think you can transform into someone who makes Ethan Ross regret every decision he's ever made?"

I stood, meeting his eyes with a confidence I didn't quite feel yet. "Watch me."