The silence after that? Terrifiying. You could hear a pin drop.

Nash didn’t move. Not at all. His brain was going a million miles an hour, trying to process what she just told him. Hector Perez, her half-brother, the CEO of Apex Record. The big boss. The guy sitting at the very top, pulling all the strings in both worlds.

Her mother’s "accident." All those years of being pushed down, humiliated, treated like nothing. And then, after fighting her way up from nothing, the same bloodline dragged her back down.

Too much. Too fast.

But suddenly, everything clicked. All those risky moves, the way she dominated every room she walked into, how she handed Nash so much power right from the start, it wasn’t just about making a strong team. Nah. It was about him. Only him.

Nash let out a slow breath, like he was trying not to explode.

"I get it now," he said. "This whole time, giving me power... it wasn’t about Blacklist. It was about me."

He looked down at her, eyes locked onto hers like he could see straight through her.

"If I become the best down here... if people and sponsors want me, chase me, fight over me... then as long as I’m standing with you, you can’t lose. Hector’s powerful... but he’s just one guy. Even if he tries to ruin you, take everything from you, as long as I’m by your side, you’ll always win"

Victoria’s golden perfect fingers tightened just a little on his neck. She tilted her head up, lips curling, breathing the same hot air as him. And then she smiled.

"Exactly," she whispered. She lifted her other hand, gently holding his chin between those golden fingers, tipping his face down toward hers. Her thumb brushed his lower lip, just barely, teasing, like she was testing the water. "With you beside me, I won’t fall. I can lose everything, money, titles, power... but if I have you?" She leaned in closer, voice dropping to a murmur. "This world can’t touch me."

The tension between them grew exceptionally thick. Their faces were stupidly close, noses almost touching, if one of them sneezed, it would’ve been messy.

Her breath hit his lips, warm and smelling faintly of wine, which, was kinda nice actually. And her eyes, normally sharp enough to kill a man, looked... weirdly soft? Like, was she actually feeling something here? Her?

She leaned in slowly, like she had all the time in the world, until their mouths were this close. Nash could feel her body heat, could see the tiny shiver in her shoulders as she held herself there, right on the edge. One tiny move and lips touching.

But then Nash froze. He was on full statue mode. His mouth pressed into a thin line, and he pulled back like she’d burned him.

Victoria’s eyes went wide for a second, before her hand, which had been hovering near his chin, curled into empty air. She watched him step back with this mix of surprise and annoyance, like he’d just canceled their dinner reservation last-minute.

Nash dragged a hand through his hair and tried to get his breathing under control.

"You said you were proud of your chastity. That no one has ever defiled you. Was that just another move? Like you pulled with everyone else?"

Victoria blinked, like she’d forgotten what she was doing for a second. Then, slowly, her lips curled into this amused little smile. She laughed, soft and kinda husky.

"You catch on quick, Blaze," she murmured. "Yeah, I did care about that. It was the one thing they couldn’t steal from me." She took a step closer, hips swaying in that way that made it hard to think straight. "But I meant what I said. I’d lose everything, the Midnight Rest, Blacklist, my whole damn reputation, if it meant keeping you." She tilted her head, all playful and danger. "So why not make it worth your while?"

She closed the space between them again, and this time? You could tell she was inviting him in.

Her shoulders weren’t tense anymore, her chin tilted up just a little, and then, she dragged her fingers slowly down her own thigh before lifting her hand toward him, stopped right before touching though. Didn’t say a word. Just... offered herself.

All heat and want and no barriers.

Nash let out a big, tired sigh. Right before her fingers could brush his chest, he caught both her hands. Held them there between their bodies like a human wall.

Victoria’s face changed fast. One second it was all smoky eyes and sexy lips, then, annoyance spread across her pretty face.

"You’re a golden rat, Nash, but still a rat," she said. "A degenerate who loves getting laid more than breathing. So why the hell are you saying no?"

But Nash didn’t let go.

"Because I am a degenerate," he said. "Not a monster. Yeah, I’m interested. Really interested. But this?" He shook his head a little. "Feels like too much. I’d be using everything you just told me against you."

Her saphir eyes narrowed. The hot tension in the room started turning sour.

She yanked her hands back, or tried to. He held on a second longer before letting go. She stepped back fast, arms crossed tight under her chest.

"You think I’m that weak?" Her voice snapped. "That I need some pity screw to keep you around? I offered because I want you. Because power’s money, Nash, and bodies are the oldest currency there is."

Nash shook his head again and set her hands free.

"That’s the whole problem. If I do it with you now, you’ll own me. You’ll have something to hold over my head. Makes you think I’m only helping because I want more of that." He gestured between them. "I don’t want that crap between us."

She stared at him with more confusion and anger mixing on her face.

"What are you even saying? Everyone wants leverage. That’s how the world works. You take what you can get. You tie people to you."

"Not me." Nash’s voice didn’t raise, but this time, you could hear more impatience in it. "Not with you. You already gave me enough. This team, the girls, the privileges. I’m helping because I choose to. Because after hearing your story?" He scoffed. "No way I’m walking away. I want to be your ally, Victoria. Not another piece you move around with sex and tricks."

Victoria’s golden fingers squeezed tight at her sides, like she was trying to crush something invisible.

A strange physical change was happening to her right, her cheeks turned pink, which was extremely rare for her.

Normally, she was ice cold, but this time, her body was betraying her with this weird glow people get when they feel something big.

But no, it wasn’t love or anything mushy like that. Nope. It was pure, burning pride getting stomped on.

She scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Ally? Seriously?" Her fingers tapped impatiently against her thigh. "You really think some fancy partnership is gonna survive down here? Please. Stop with the act and give me the attitude I’m used to see in you. I need control. If you want to help me, I need to know you won’t just bail when Hector starts twisting the rope."

Nash let out a slow breath, like he was counting to ten in his head. Then, without warning, he stepped forward, one solid step that suddenly made the room feel smaller.

He was big, yeah? Big like shoulders wide enough to-block the sun, and even in her stupidly tall heels, Victoria had to tilt her head up to glare at him.

Weird thing? He wasn’t being scary about it. It was more like... the way a wall feels solid behind you when you’re backed into a corner. Safe, but still trapping.

Victoria’s back hit the edge of her desk, wait, since when was she even near her desk? She didn’t remember stepping back, but now here she was, pressed against it like Nash had pushed her without touching her.

Her chest was almost brushing his, and it was awkward, because she hated awkward.

Nash looked down at her, and this was the weirdest part, his eyes weren’t mean. They weren’t mocking her. They were just... understanding?

Soft, full of remorse, like he felt bad for her?And that pissed her off more than anything. She’d rather he laughed at her than pitied her.

"Trust me more from now on," Nash said, voice too perfect, like he’d practiced this in front of a mirror. "I’ll make sure everything goes exactly how we want. I’ll help you get your revenge, Victoria. But I need you to trust me, not because you control me, not because you’ve got tricks up your sleeve, and not because you’re using that body of yours like another weapon."

Victoria blinked up at him. Her mouth opened, usually she had a sharp comeback ready, but right now? Nothing. Zip, nada.

For the first time in years, she didn’t know what to say. She wanted to yell, to shove him away, but there was this stupid warmth curling in her chest, something about loyalty and teamwork and ugh, she hated feelings.

And Nash just waited, patient as a rock, like he already knew she’d cave.

The silence dragged on, even heavier now. Nash didn’t step back or anything. He just stood there, solid like a tree rooted deep in the ground, letting her chew on his offer, partnership, no strings attached.

His head was still spinning. He just found out Hector Perez, the man behind Baby-Boom, wasn’t just some big shot executive, he was her family. And also the guy who made her life hell. Like, seriously, what kind of messed-up combo is that?

Hector sat at the top of Apex Records like some kind of king, but his throne? Made of broken people.

With that much power, Victoria was stuck between a rock and a hard place. One word from Hector, and boom, Harlan could yank everything away from her. The Midnight Rest, Blacklist, her whole underground empire, all gone overnight.

And yet, here she was, offering herself to Nash.

Now he could really tell that paying Baby-Boom’s debt wouldn’t be an easy deal, even with the money.

If they knew it was coming from Victoria, no way they would let her...

But at this moment, something else clicked. Nash’s eyes widened slightly, then narrowed.

"I get it now," Nash said, his voice calmer but his eyes never leaving hers. He tapped his fingers against his thigh, like he was counting the reasons in his head. "This is why you handed me so much power from the start. It wasn’t about building the best team to around me. It was about you. About surviving."

Victoria’s breath caught, just a tiny hitch, barely there, but she didn’t argue. Her gold-ringed fingers curled tighter around the edge of the desk behind her, like she was trying to ground herself.

Nash kept talking, louder now, like something had clicked in his brain and he couldn’t stop now.

"You’re walking on eggshells every day. One wrong move, one word from Hector, and everything’s gone. But with me... it’s different." He gestured vaguely, like he was painting the idea in the air. "What you’ve got now, the Midnight Rest, Blacklist, your whole underground thing, you could rebuild it anywhere. Start from zero. Doesn’t matter. As long as the rising star in the Underground is on your side, you’ll bounce back. Sponsors, players, fans... they’ll follow talent. They’ll follow me."

His eyes widened a little, oh, oh, new thought incoming.

"Actually, scratch that," he said, voice dropping low. "There’s a way you could actually win, with me, with the same strategy. Something that could help you grab enough sponsors on your own to ditch the Midnight Rest completely. You only need it to sponsorize your team, right? So if you could get more money without it, you could actually buy your freedom. Cut the leash for good."

Victoria blinked. Once. Twice. Her mouth opened a little, but nothing came out. The thought, being free, really free, not tied to Harlan’s dumb name or Apex’s creepy shadow, just hung there between them, bright and scary like staring straight at the sun.

How could this guy, the very same guy whose only feat was keeping screwing every girl he wanted, have a form of... Intelligence? When did he get smart enough to make her listen to his stories? When did he learn to find the words to make her want to hear more?

She didn’t say anything, but her eyes did all the talking. Nash could see it, she knew. He was right at so many levels.

He kept going, softer now, like you’d talk to a spooked animal.

"This is... weird," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "First time I’ve felt like this. You’re carrying this whole thing on your back, Victoria. I can see it. But for once... it doesn’t look impossible. Not like everything else I’ve faced before."

Nash reached out, slowly. Victoria tensed up, old habits. Like before getting hit. But he just... tucked a loose piece of her hair behind her ear, real gentle. His fingers stayed there a second too long near her temple before pulling away.

"You can breathe," he mumbled. "For once, you don’t gotta crawl through to get what you want. I will help you, and I believe I got exactly the best plan for that."

Victoria didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Just stared at him like he was a puzzle she couldn’t solve. Looking for the trick, the lie, the moment he’d stab her in the back.

But there was nothing.

And that... that messed her up worse than any betrayal. Because Nash chose this. Chose her. Not her body, not her secrets, just... her.

The whole messed-up story. And that? That was terrifying.

Then, smirk. Not her usual razor-blade smile. This one was different. Grateful, yeah, but also tempted, curious. Like she’d found something she didn’t know she wanted.

She reached up, her golden fingers tilted his chin down. Her eyes dropped to his mouth. Was she still considering her offer? Or maybe was this another excuse to both control him, but also satisfy something in her?

Anyway, this worked for her. She had his full support, and surprisingly, he was interesting to hear his ideas.

"With you?" Her thumb brushed his lower lip, feather-light. "I wouldn’t fall. I could lose the money, the titles, the whole damn empire, doesn’t matter. As long as you’re there? I’m standing."

They were close now. Too close, breathing the same air, warm and smelling like cheap wine and her fancy perfume. Hearts racing, chests rising in sync.

Her lips were right there. Close enough to taste. And damn, she wanted him to.

But, nope. Nash had shut her down and wouldn’t take her offert.

She, the woman that every men had desired, the one who could always win with very same seductionbstrategy, couldn’t win against a stupid brat who would fuck any thing on the street as long as she didn’t say no.

Since when did guys say no to her?

This man wanted nothing. No strings, no debts. What even was that?

She studied him, head tilted.

"Your whole... thing? I still don’t get it. But fine. Stuck is stuck. Guess I’ll roll with it. Be loyal to me, and I’ll put you higher than you’ve ever been,"

Then she leaned in, lips barely not touching his, breath warm on his mouth.

"And for the record? I know how to feed my rats, even when they’re too picky."