"Tess!"

I woke up with tears streaming down my face, only to see Jonathan staring at me worriedly. I grabbed a tissue and dried my tears, my voice hoarse. "I'm fine."

Jonathan handed me an opened bottle of water. I took it and let the water soothe my grainy throat. "Head over to Skylark Entertainment without me tomorrow, Jonathan."

Skylark Entertainment was the largest entertainment agency in the country. Lorcan acquired it five years ago.

"Why?" Jonathan asked, baffled.

A humorless smile tugged on my lips as I opened the car door. My voice was drowned out by the sound of the pouring rain. "Because I've still got some pride left."

Alas, an ordinary person's pride and integrity were only worth so much.

While researching potential celebrity candidates in the hotel, I'd only just come across a decent-looking young man when Jonathan called. "Tess, it's best if you come to Skylark Entertainment."

I looked no better than a bedraggled goblin as I leaned into the swivel chair behind my computer. "Did something happen?"

"The reps at Skylark Entertainment think your absence is a show of insincerity on our company's part," Jonathan explained.

Insincere? Those pricks!

I bolted for the shower. "Give me half an hour."

Half an hour later, Jonathan and I found ourselves waiting in the CEO's office at Skylark Entertainment. We were given a simple task—talk Sabrina into signing with us.

Ten minutes later, the CEO of Skylark Entertainment finished his meeting and strolled through the office door, his silhouette dashing and confident.

I stood up and met the CEO halfway, smiling as I reached for a handshake. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Steele."

Lorcan hummed in acknowledgment, then turned his gaze on me. "Sit."

"Mr. Steele, our company has already reached out to Skylark Entertainment with an invitation. We were hoping to—"

Before Jonathan could finish speaking, Lorcan crossed his legs on the couch and gave the documents he held a cursory glance. After that, he lifted his gaze to us and interrupted coolly, "Co-workers?"

"Uh, yes…" Jonathan was thrown off his curve by Lorcan's unexpected question.

My brows furrowed. "Mr. Steele, we came today to invite Ms. Sabrina Porter, a talent managed by Skylark Entertainment, to collaborate on our company's commercial production. If you're agreeable—"

"I'm not." Lorcan's gaze was as dark as obsidian, and he said in a cold, hard voice, "If your company is interested in working together with one of our talents on an upcoming commercial production, we're happy to let other excellent candidates collaborate with you. But Sabrina—"

"Fine, then," I cut him off brusquely and stood up to leave. "I hope we'll get to work together with Ms. Porter the next time."

I'd delivered that statement through gritted teeth, then dragged Jonathan with me as I left the office.

Lorcan was happy enough to let us hire any candidate under his management except Sabrina. I ought to commend him for his loyalty and dedication.

I was fuming, and it was a surprise smoke hadn't come out of my ears.

A week later, I attended a star-studded dinner party in an expensive cocktail dress.

Skylark Entertainment wasn't the only agency I could reach out to. There were plenty of fish in the sea.

I helped myself to a glass of champagne, and with a winning smile, graciously approached a nearby, fresh-looking young man. He was the high-potential candidate I'd found and researched back at the hotel.

Unfortunately, the entertainment industry was nothing more than murky, shark-infested waters.

Before I could get close to the young man, a greasy, stout, bald man approached me. His clammy, fleshy palm immediately found its placement on my waist as he leered at me. "Hey, gorgeous, why haven't I seen you around before?"

I scowled. "Let go."

"Oh, don't play coy with me. Women who come to these things are always looking for a rich man to go home with."

"Didn't you hear her? She told you to let go!" The next second, a long leg shot out and landed a swift, hard kick on the greasy bald man. He fell, landing on his backside.

Lorcan straightened, his face grim with the promise of violence as he slowly approached the bald man. The sole of his leather shoe, polished to the point of gleaming, pressed against the greasy man's right hand.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Mr. Steele, please spare me! I'm not worth your time!" the greasy man pleaded, practically prostrating at Lorcan's feet as despair twisted his face.

Lorcan stared down his nose at the creepy man, scowling. "Which hand did you put on her? This? Or this?"

He stepped on the man's fingers even harder until a distinct crunch rang through the air. The man let out a howl as his fingers were crushed under Lorcan's shoe.

I stared at Lorcan in bewilderment. It was as if he'd become the brash young man he'd been ten years ago.

My heart wrenched over and over. I mourned for him, as I did for myself. He would have been better off without me. I was an accessory to his most miserable, most humiliating moments.

…

While I was in a daze, the security came and dragged the greaseball away. It was only when Lorcan turned to look at me that I snapped out of my thoughts. Flashing him a smile, I said politely, "Thank you."

With that, I spun on my high heels and made to approach the young, high-potential candidate I'd been eyeing earlier.

"Tessa Langley." Lorcan's large palm suddenly wrapped around my arm.

"You want him?"

I turned around and met Lorcan's dark, depthless gaze. My smile grew contemptuous as I noticed the way he was gripping my arm. "What about it, Mr. Steele? He's not part of Skylark Entertainment, is he?"

There was a long silence, then Lorcan swallowed and said in a grainy voice, "I'll let you sign whoever you want in Skylark Entertainment as long as it's not Sabrina."

"Let go!" I shrugged him off, grimacing in anger. It was always "Sabrina" this and "Sabrina" that with him. I'd lose my mind if I heard her name again!

Lorcan stared at me for a heartbeat, then narrowed his eyes. In a show of compromise, he released me. "Fine."

I appraised him critically, then turned to leave. The next second, I felt the world spin and go out from under my feet. Before I knew it, I was slung over Lorcan's broad shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"What the hell are you doing, Lorcan?" Blood rushed to my face as I screamed and smacked him. In a seamless series of movements, he carried me out of the hall, tossed me into the car, and took me home.

His abode was much fancier than the home I'd lived in before my family went bankrupt. It was an overtly resplendent house, as expected from the wealthiest man in the country.

"What the hell, Lorcan?" I demanded, whirling to fix him with an angry, indignant look after he'd taken me here against my will.

However, I'd only just turned when I noticed how deathly pale Lorcan looked. I was so startled that I asked, "Hey, what's the matter with you?"

Lorcan glanced at me, beads of cold sweat forming on his brow, and said nothing. The next second, his towering figure went slack, and he collapsed.

Panic had me lurching forward to catch him, though I made a clumsy job out of it. I carried him to the couch, which later proved to be a laborious endeavor that left me breathless.

Lorcan sank into the couch, his brows knitting together as pain etched on his face.

This was the first time I'd seen him like this, and I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. My tone softened. "What's wrong with you, Lorcan?"

He couldn't speak, and his brows remained drawn. At that moment, a piercing ringing sliced through the air.

It was Lorcan's phone. He didn't respond even though it had been ringing for over ten seconds. I decided I was past asking for his permission and leaned forward to dig his phone out of his pocket.

I slid my thumb across the screen and put the call through. "Hello?"

"What the hell?" The person on the other line boasted a rather familiar, if not annoying, loud voice. "Tessa?"

My head throbbed. "Yes."

"Why do you have Lorcan's phone? Are you with him? Hold up, when did you two get so chummy? Also—"

I cut him off, "Stop. I have only one question now—does Lorcan have a medical condition or something? He's now—"

I lowered my gaze and assessed the man lying on the couch. His face was ashen, and he'd broken into a cold sweat. Whatever it was he had, it looked serious.

"Did that punk drink again?" Callum cried, "He's got gastritis!"

"Is it serious?" I asked.

"Well, yeah. During the class reunion last week, the punk downed so much alcohol while I wasn't looking and ended up in the hospital emergency room with a bleeding stomach."

I hung up, but Callum's words still echoed in my mind.

I was in the kitchen making hot tea with honey when Jonathan called. For what it was worth, Lorcan's way of living was decent by conventional standards. At least his fridge wasn't empty.

"Tess, where are you?"

I brought the honeyed tea out of the kitchen. "What's up?"

"Hurry over! I found you a decent Credean man!" It was all flashing neon lights and white noise on Jonathan's end. From the looks of it, he was at a bar.

I put the call on speaker and set my phone on the couch. Then, propping up a very weak and vulnerable Lorcan, I said to Jonathan, "Go have fun without me! I can't make it."

"Why not?" Jonathan looked scandalized. "Are you planning to use me to ward off unwanted suitors again? You know what my sweetheart will think of that! She'd be livid!"

I shot him an odd look. "You don't have a sweetheart."

Lorcan seemed to be doing better after recuperating for a few minutes. He opened his eyes lazily, held my stare, then dropped his gaze to the cup of honeyed tea in my hand. He said nothing.

"I just met her! She's super cute, and so, so beautiful—" Jonathan rambled on like a lovesick fool, only to snap out of his trance a second later. "Wait, don't change the subject, Tess! I'm serious about that Credean guy. I found you a match, and a handsome one at that!"

I handed the honeyed tea to Lorcan as he lay awake on the couch and turned to grab my phone. "Alright, fine, give me his number. I don't have time today, though…"

There was a loud crash, followed by the sound of porcelain shattering. My back stiffened as I spun to look at Lorcan.

Lorcan had knocked over the cup of honeyed tea and grabbed me forcefully by my wrist.

I barely registered what was happening as he flipped me around and pinned me under him. He leaned over me, biting my lip with newfound ferocity.

As the sparks went off in my head, I felt his weight crushing me, holding me down so completely that I couldn't budge. I turned my head to the side and snapped, "You're out of your mind, Lorcan!"

"Yes, I am." Lorcan clutched my jaw and turned my face to his. He stared at me intently, his voice rough. "I'm out of my mind because I miss you too much and I'm jealous of all those men leering at you."

I froze, but Lorcan continued to kiss me. A few seconds later, tears sprang to my eyes, and I tried my best to shove him away. "Lorcan, what are you doing? What about Sabrina? Aren't you worried she'd catch you doing this?"

"What does any of this have to do with Sabrina?" Lorcan paused, though he pinned me in place as he frowned at me.

"But you and Sabrina are together…" I turned away from him to hide the tears glistening in my eyes. I avoided his gaze.

But Lorcan wouldn't allow it, for he turned my head to face him again. There was no room for negotiation in his tone. "Look at me, Tessa."

I sounded resentful. "Why? You're a bastard for trying to hook up with another woman when you're already seeing someone!"

Lorcan sputtered, the sound angry and bitter. "Which idiot told you Sabrina and I were dating?"

I made no reply. He pinched my jaw and kissed me hard once. "Can't you tell who I'm in love with?"

Panic, bitterness, and resentment wove through me as I pushed him away and bolted. He grabbed my wrist and sat upright, pulling me into his arms. "Where do you think you're going?"

I found this to be a total farce.

Lorcan had protected Sabrina and shielded her from the world. Besides, he told me to stay away from him. Even if he and Sabrina weren't dating, I'd been stung once, and that was enough to leave a scar.

I regarded Lorcan pensively as clarity entered my red-rimmed eyes. "But I'm not in love with you anymore, Lorcan."

Lorcan clutched my wrist tightly. I tried to pull away, only to realize it didn't take much to shake off his grip.

After a long while, he finally said in a gravelly voice, "It's late. You'll stay in the guest room tonight. I'll drop you off at the hotel tomorrow."

The torrential downpour happened again the next day.

Lorcan gave me a ride to the hotel and remained silent for most of the drive. I was about to open the car door to get out when I realized I couldn't.

I gaped at him incredulously. His expression was veiled in shadows, and his eyes were as dark as treacherous whirlpools, threatening to suck me in and spit me out the other end in pieces.

"Tessa." His voice was imposing and hoarse. "Will you leave again?"

My heart skipped a beat. It felt like time had stopped, and for a moment, all I did was listen to the whooshing sound of the torrential downpour. I replied softly, "I will."

"Half a month," Lorcan suddenly said.

I lifted my gaze to his. "I'll take you to see Sabrina after half a month. Just stay away from that no-good Xander Townsend."

So, he was keeping Sabrina in a gilded cage somewhere and hiding her away from the world. Disgust overcame me, and I roughly wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

Xander Townsend. He was the candidate I'd been reading up on. Sensing my incredulity, Lorcan pressed a button and unlocked the car door, explaining, "He's bad news."

I suppressed the discomfort working to lodge itself in my chest, then nodded as I opened the door.

"Tessa," Lorcan called out to me after I left, frowning. "Did you hear me? Stay away from him!"

I held up the umbrella and stepped out into the rain, answering nonchalantly, "Yes, I heard you."

Lorcan was a grown, grounded man. If he said Xander was trouble, I believed him.

Headquarters tasked Jonathan with procuring another female celebrity who happened to be shooting out of town. After he left on that assignment, I was left in the hotel alone.

Since then, someone new had occupied Jonathan's room. Lorcan moved in right across the hall from me, and after learning that, I'd stopped going out. The last thing I wanted was to run into him.

On this rainy day, however, I suddenly craved a pastrami sandwich. Although I had no family here, I still missed Credea and everything about it.

It was 5:00 pm. Lorcan must still be in the office. With an umbrella in hand, I gingerly snuck out of the room.