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Building a connection with either man was no easy feat. Yet even the mere mention of knowing them could open doors that would otherwise remain firmly shut. Deals people had spent months pursuing suddenly became possible when their names entered the conversation.

“I heard you acquired a patent for a beauty device,” Gabriel remarked, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at Silas. “Is it for the woman you've been waiting for all these years?” His expression turned inquisitive. “And you accepted money from her? Women don't like that sort of thing. Why didn't you just give it to her?”

Silas cast him a sidelong glance, his expression nonchalant. “She's been trying to run away from me for years. If keeping things professional when it comes to money makes her more comfortable around me, then I'll let her have it.”

He swept a hand through his hair, pushing the curls away from his forehead. A slight frown creased his brows, suggesting he wasn't entirely pleased with the arrangement either. Still, he had no intention of changing his mind.

“Besides, it doesn't matter in the long run. We'll be family eventually. Whatever I have will belong to her just as much as it belongs to me.”

Gabriel nodded, though surprise lingered on his face. Silas was a man who approached business deals with meticulous care, weighing every detail and calculating every dollar before making a decision. He never gave anything away without considering what he stood to gain in return.

But when it came to the woman he wanted, it seemed none of his usual rules applied.

“By the way—” Gabriel began.

Before he could finish, Frank hurried toward them, breathing heavily. His usual composure had slipped, and a crease of worry marked his forehead.

“Mr. Black.” He stopped in front of Silas, hesitating as he glanced toward the lower floor. After a brief moment, he turned back to his employer. “I just saw Ms. Herrera downstairs. She's on a date with someone.”

Silas's body went rigid.

The casual expression on his face vanished, replaced by a coldness that made Gabriel turn to look at him. Silas's jaw tightened, and his eyes darkened as though Frank had just delivered news of a disaster.

Gabriel studied him for a moment before grinning, “Didn't you say you had everything under control?”

Silas's brows drew together in a deep frown, but Gabriel continued, seemingly unconcerned by the fury building in his friend's expression.

“Looks like she's treating you like a friend while she's out here dating someone else. Maybe she's looking for a man to marry after all but it’s not you.”

“Leave,” Silas snapped.

He didn't wait for Gabriel to respond. Turning sharply, he strode down the stairs, his long steps eating up the distance as Frank hurried after him to lead the way.

A smug smile spread across Gabriel's face. He leaned over the railing and peered down at the crowded floor, hoping to catch a glimpse of the woman Silas was heading towards. However, with so many men and women gathered around the tables and dance floor, finding her proved impossible.

He straightened, turned away, and headed for the elevator that would take him to the club’s private exit, reserved exclusively for Silas and those closest to him.

“This way, Mr. Black.” Frank raised a hand without hesitation, pointing across the crowded floor toward a small table.

Silas followed the direction of his finger, and his eyes immediately found Allison.

His steps faltered for barely a second before his gaze sharpened. His jaw locked, and every muscle in his body tensed as he strode toward her, his expression growing darker with each step. The crowd seemed to fade from his awareness. All he could see was Allison sitting at the table with another man.

By the time he drew closer, he could hear their conversation.

The man leaned toward Allison, reaching out as though he had every right to touch her cheek.

“...wasn't easy for me. I have about a million dollars in debt, so I think we can pay it off with the money you have. After that, we can consider opening a private hospital for me. Anyway, you'll be at home taking care of the children, so I can take over your business, too.”

Allison pulled her face away from the man’s approaching hand, her displeasure evident as she leaned back in her chair to put some distance between them.

He noticed her reaction and frowned. “What? You don’t want me to touch you?” A moment later, he burst out laughing. “Come on, you can’t be that uptight. Look at you. You don’t exactly look like someone who dislikes being touched.”

His eyes traveled over her with an unsettling familiarity. “Are you a virgin? Because I want a virgin wife. I deserve the best, something untouched.”

He set his drink on the table and winked at her, apparently pleased with himself.

“Of course, I want to test-drive the product before making it my wife. How about we it tonight—”