Page 27 of The Debt

“Because I did research on you.” He smiled as she blinked in surprise. “I’m a businessman, and althoughthisisn’t business, I don’t ever wander down a path without doing my due diligence. You have become an icon in Atlanta that everyone talks about, Tatiana. In boardrooms, you’re ruthless. In society, you’re graceful. But in private…” He leaned forward. His eyes darkened. “In private, you yearn to surrender that control to someone worthy of it.”

The truth of his words colored her cheeks.

Damn, I can build an empire on that blush alone.

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m not after a BDSM lifestyle within our marriage. We’ll reserve kink for scenes at the club. As a married couple, I see us as soul matches, Tatiana. That elusive connection people spend lifetimes searching for.” A wry smile touched his lips. “We found it in the darkness.”

What was more important, and what she would never know, was how perfectly she fit into his revenge. She was her grandfather’s only weakness, the treasured heir to his empire. Gregor would suffer exquisitely, watching his precious granddaughter bind herself to his greatest enemy.

Studying her face, Jarek was caught off guard at something that had been dormant for twenty years stirring in his chest. He hadn’t thought he could still feel… anything at all, yet there it was. A feeling of rightness, maybe even belonging.

Perhaps the most dangerous part of his plan wasn’t the revenge itself—but how right the lies felt that he had just spoken.

Chapter Thirteen

Jarek

Sovereign Residences, Peachtree Road, Buckhead, Atlanta…

The elevator opened directly into the private foyer of Tatiana’s tenth-floor condominium. Jarek looked around with interest. Twenty-foot ceilings with walls of windows offered an unrivaled vista of the Buckhead skyline. Contemporary art pieces adorned the walls, and a grand piano commanded one corner of the living room. The entire space was a testament to al fresco living at its finest.

“This is quite an extraordinary home,” he said as he followed her across the shining marble floors.

“You can say it. It’s excessive, especially as I live alone, but since I inherited it from my uncle…” She smiled over her shoulder as she slipped off her heels. “Well, I jumped at it since it gave me the opportunity to live independently from my grandparents.”

“You don’t have to justify your lifestyle, Tatiana. You work hard. Your success is proof of that, and there is no shame in showcasing it.”

He watched her trot through the open-concept living space into a gourmet kitchen that sported sleek appliances and waterfall quartzite countertops. Picking out a bottle of wine, she expertly uncorked it.

“He was a bachelor, and since I was his godchild, he left his entire estate to me.” She gestured to the custom furnishings and elegant light fixtures. “He loved to live large. Everything is still exactly as he left it.”

“He had good taste. The décor is beautiful.”

“Courtesy of a very expensive interior designer, if memory serves me right.” She moved to the den, settling on the sofa with her legs drawn up.

“How long have you lived here?” Jarek asked as he took the glass of wine she offered and sat down beside her. He knew exactly when she had moved in. He had memorized every detail of her life, every move she had made since inheriting this four-thousand-square-foot sanctuary five years ago. The condo had given her independence from Gregor—which Jarek had been using to his advantage.

The irony wasn’t lost on him. Her uncle’s gift, meant to free her from her grandfather’s tight hold, had instead delivered her directly into Jarek’s carefully laid trap. He could properly woo her without any interference.

“Our discussion earlier…” she began, swirling the wine in her glass. “You said you did your due diligence on me. I, on the other hand, know only what little you’ve shared.”

“I’m an open book, love. Ask away.” The lie rolled easily off his tongue. The truth of his empire, built on corrupt money and vengeance, would stay buried.

“You said you’re a businessman. What kind of business exactly?”

“I’m an entrepreneur, but not your typical corporate shark.” He leaned forward, choosing his words carefully. “My company, Deluxe Enterprises Incorporated, has many facets. I seek out innovators—brilliant minds trapped in dead-end jobs, dreamers with patents gathering dust in their garages. While venture capitalists chase the next Silicon Valley unicorn, I invest in the forgotten ones.”

Her eyes sparked with interest. “Tell me more.”

“I provide more than capital. My team handles everything—legal, marketing, and operations. We shepherd these innovations from concept to market.” He had built this legitimate façade brick by brick—a perfect shield for his darker enterprises. “Last month, we launched a medical device that could revolutionize trauma care. It was developed by an ER doctor working double shifts to fund her research.”

“That’s... remarkably altruistic.”

His mouth twisted. “There was a time when I dreamed of becoming a surgeon. Saving lives, making a difference.” The memory of a blood-soaked pavement flashed through his mind. “But life had other plans.”

“Why didn’t you pursue it?”

“Things changed,” he said shortly and drained his wine. “Instead, I learned to survive by my wits. Now I’m an investor, a collector and seller of rare art, and owner of a statewide import-export company.” Each business was carefully chosen to launder money and move illegal goods. “Not to mention that I play a mean game of golf.”

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