His wife was never meant to survive

KIAH

The champagne tower collapsed at exactly nine forty-seven.

Kiah watched three hundred glasses shatter across the marble floor of the Lucas Hotel ballroom, and all she could think was that she would lose this job too.

"I told you the base was unstable." Her supervisor's voice cut through the chaos like a blade. "You are done here, Miss Taylor."

Kiah's chest tightened. She needed this paycheck. Ethan's appeal hearing was in two weeks, and his lawyer had made it clear that there would be no appeal without money. No appeal, no freedom for her brother.

"Please." The word tasted like ash. "I can fix this."

"Security will escort you out."

Kiah turned, her face burning, and nearly collided with a wall of expensive suits.

It wasn't a wall she had hit, it was a man.

Arthur Lucas stood three feet away, his dark eyes fixed on her with the kind of focus that made her skin prickle. He was taller than she expected. Broader. The type of presence that made every person in the room irrelevant.

She had seen his face on magazine covers. Cold. Controlled. Untouchable.

Up close, he looked dangerous.

"Miss Taylor." His voice was low, almost casual. "Come with me."

It was not a request.

Her supervisor went pale. "Mr. Lucas, I apologize for the disruption......"

"Leave." Arthur did not look at the woman. His gaze stayed locked on Kiah. "Now."

The supervisor fled.

Kiah stood frozen as Arthur gestured toward a private hallway behind the stage. Her instincts screamed at her to refuse, to walk away, to run.

But desperation made cowards of everyone.

She followed him.

The hallway was silent except for the sound of her heels on polished marble. Arthur walked ahead of her, his stride confident, unhurried. He did not check to see if she was following.

He knew she would.

They entered a private suite overlooking the city. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the skyline like a portrait of power. Arthur moved to the bar and poured two glasses of whiskey without asking if she wanted one.

He held one out to her.

Kiah did not take it. "Why am I here?"

"You need money." Arthur set the glass on the table between them. "I need a wife."

The words hit her like a slap.

"Excuse me?"

"A contract marriage." Arthur leaned against the desk, his posture relaxed for someone who just offered to buy someone. "Six lovely months of public appearances, there'd be no emotional attachments, and by the end you'd have enough money to save your brother and start over."

Kiah's breath caught. "How do you know about Ethan?"

"I know everything about you, Miss Taylor." Arthur's tone did not change. "Your brother is serving eight years for a crime he says he did not commit. You have been working three jobs to pay for an appeal. Your father, Judge Samuel Taylor, refuses to help because he believes in the integrity of the system." His mouth curved into something that was