CHAPTER 1

Tonight was Jenna's night. A party to celebrate the upcoming launch of her new fashion brand, a dream she had toiled to make a reality.

She stepped out of the taxi into the pulsating heart of Bladina, where distant music and laughter were interspersed with the city's electric energy.

Yet even amid the vibrant chaos of the nightlife, a nagging tension tugged at her. She couldn't let go of the looming deadlines, the designs that demanded perfection.

Deborah linked her arm through Jenna's. Her eyes sparkled under the neon glow. "Jenna, you’ve got to relax tonight. No thinking about all the work still waiting for you. Just have fun, promise?"

As Jenna was being torn between ambition and the temptation of a time-out, for a fleeting moment, her gaze drifted toward her phone, where an unsent message about a final design still glowed. "Just one more email…," she muttered.

Deborah laughed, removing the device from her hand. "Tonight's about you, not your job."

Jenna shot her a playful frown before stuffing the phone into her pocket. Taking a deep breath, she decided to let go for an evening.

The thumping bass and strobing lights inside the club soothed her anxieties. The club pulsed with life, a humming tapestry of laughter, movement, and sound that made deadline stress melt away.

Jenna tilted her head toward Deborah as they elbowed their way through the throng. "This place is nuts."

Deborah smiled conspiratorially. "That's how you know it's the place."

They sat near the bar, and Deborah nodded toward a small group of individuals. "See that man? That's Lex Luthor."

Jenna glanced in his direction to a tall, handsome man with a sharp jaw and dark, mysterious eyes.

Jenna's heart rate accelerated instantly.

Lex Luthor was a legend in Bladina, a notorious playboy whose charm hid as many secrets as his reputation.

"Jenna, you're completely staring," Deborah teased.

Jenna looked away, not before catching the faintest smile on his face.

"Just appreciating the view," she laughed, although inwardly she was curious and cautious.

As the night progressed, Jenna tried to keep work from her thoughts and join in the festivities. But every time she glanced his way, that electric pull grew stronger.

She excused herself to get a drink, and at the bar, a glass of champagne, chilled, was a brief respite.

Then a presence took shape behind her.

She turned. Lex Luthor stood inches away from her, his eyes locked on hers with amusement and concern. "Not enjoying the party?"

"Just needed a break," Jenna struggled to steady her voice under the charged warmth of his gaze.

He leaned in with a wry, knowing smile. "A woman like you shouldn't be alone."

Jenna laughed. "I can look after myself."

The intensity of his gaze made her wonder if that was true if she were alone with him alone.

He ordered another round after a pause.

As their glasses clinked in a silent toast, he winked. "To a night out and beautiful strangers."

"Strangers?" Jenna drew her hand to her chest, playful. "Here I thought we were getting along."

He arched an eyebrow. "I don't even know your name yet."

She extended her hand. "Jenna."

His touch was deliberate when he dropped a quick, soft kiss to the back of it. "Lex Luthor." He said it as if the name should ring a bell. In spite of his notorious reputation, tonight he was an intriguing mystery.

"Pleasure to meet you," Jenna knew all too well that this harmless exchange might give rise to doors she wasn't quite sure she was ready to open.

"Trust me. The pleasure is all mine." His eyes, so piercing, made her forget her guard for the time being.

There was something dangerous in his tone, inviting and forewarning at the same time. But his charm was too difficult to resist.

He leaned in as if they were plotting together. "So, to what do we owe the pleasure of your presence tonight in Bladina?"

Jenna took a breath. "I'm celebrating the launch of my fashion line. It's my passion project of years." Her voice trembled slightly with nervousness and pride.

His eyes twinkled. "That's great. I'd love to know more."

"Really?"

In a city where love affairs were notoriously fleeting, his interest appearing genuine was both surprising and perilous.

"I love hearing what drives people." He sipped his drink. "Most folks are just chasing the next thrill. It’s refreshing to meet someone with real passion."

Jenna smiled, relieved, and her heart sped up from guarded excitement. "I’m not usually the party type, but tonight is different."

"And I'm grateful for it." His smile grew stronger as he studied her. Then he lowered his voice to a conspiratorial shouted whisper. "But it's too loud here. Want to grab somewhere quieter to talk?"

All the logical parts of Jenna's brain screamed no, but a deep-seated yearning, tired of being chained to work, murmured, "Just this once."

With a cautious smile and a racing heart, she assented. "Okay."

The club fell behind them as they left together.

The journey was a blur. A sleek car ride through Bladina's midnight streets, an elevator heavy with strained glances, and finally the soft clink of keys in a lock.

In no time, Jenna found herself in the understated elegance of his apartment, a sanctuary of soft, ambient light and modern styling that felt a world away from the insanity of the club.

Lex Luthor closed the door behind them. "Better, isn't it?" He walked effortlessly into the open kitchen. "Pinot Noir or Chardonnay?"

Jenna tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and smiled despite the uncertainty quivering in her chest. "You do that with all the women you bring home, don't you?"

He laughed. "I'm going to take a guess and say you'd prefer the Pinot Noir." He seated her in a plush couch.

The apartment was warm and inviting. A subtle whiff of his cologne, a fresh, woody scent, lingered in the air between them.

Jenna's heart pounded as she sat beside him, trying to focus on their conversation rather than the strained silence that filled the room.

He set his glass down casually. "I was trying to have an actual conversation. But it's hard when you keep biting your lip like that."

"Biting my lip?" Jenna asked, laughing and a bit mortified.

He bent down so his words were for her ears alone. "That anxious habit, it's distracting… in a positive way."

Jenna chuckled quietly. "So, what you're saying is, all a girl's gotta do is bite her lip, and that gets you going?"

His eyes darkened. "If you keep doing that, I will not be held accountable if I don't keep my hands to myself."

The tension between the two of them at that point was almost palpable.

Jenna crossed her legs, feigning a calm she did not feel, but his hand was suddenly at the hem of her thigh, and she shivered. She closed her eyes and let herself melt beneath the warmth of his touch.

"Do you want me to?" he whispered hoarsely.

Silently, Jenna lifted her face to him.

Their lips met in a tentative kiss that quickly turned fierce.

His arm around her waist drew her in until all she could feel was the beat of his heart and the taste of his lips.

When his kiss trailed down her neck, Jenna hesitated only for a moment before giving in completely.