Bianca's POV
It is late.
Night had already fallen, but I knew better than to head home and sleep. Grayson had been Gabriel's lawyer before he died. The reading of the will was tomorrow, and I had much to discuss with him.
The car came to a stop, and I stepped out, unsurprised by the security around his house. He would have been foolish not to keep guards around him. I gestured to the guard I had brought with me to follow while instructing the other to stay behind.
Grayson was a lawyer, not a brute, I thought to myself as I headed inside and waited to be announced and attended to.
It didn't take long before Grayson appeared, dressed in his pyjamas and wearing a sunny disposition.
It was clear he had been planning to retire for the night. A look of surprise crossed his face as he walked down the stairs toward me.
"Fancy seeing you here! And so late too!" he pointed out.
I returned his smile, slowly nodding my head. I would have given him a hug, but we weren't that close. Seduction also wouldn't work—not really. I had tried it before, and it had failed.
"I had an urgent matter I needed to discuss with you," I told him.
He led me toward the couch in the visitors' lounge I was familiar with, and I followed. I waited until I was comfortably settled before beginning to speak.
"You won't even offer me a drink?" I asked, my tone light.
He chuckled in response, shaking his head lightly.
He didn't bite.
"I'm guessing you have a proposition," he said.
I was far too impatient to continue dancing around the matter. A sigh escaped me.
"I do. I just need to know the contents of the will," I told him directly.
"Nothing more. Regardless of what is written there, I would simply stand up and leave."
I wasn't surprised when he didn't look the slightest bit convinced, but I continued anyway.
"We've known each other for years, Grayson. When have you known me not to keep my word?" I asked.
Instead of responding, he simply shook his head lightly and spoke without mincing words.
"I'm a lawyer, Bianca. Gabriel isn't my only client. What do you think happens when word gets out that I can't keep my mouth shut? I'll be dead before the night is over."
But I refused to let it go.
Stretching my hands toward his thighs—dangerously close to his crotch—I leaned in.
He had a thing for women. Something I knew of. Something I would have already taken advantage of if he weren't also thoroughly a coward.
Still, I slid my hands right between his legs.
A cunning look appeared in his eyes as he looked back at me. His gaze drifted down to my breasts, which were just about to spill out of my dress—something I had carefully picked for tonight.
"It could be our dirty little secret… among other things," I murmured.
I was fully willing to let him take me as many times as he wanted if it would get me what I needed. I would hate every minute of it—but I would own him.
And for that, I was more than willing to go beyond my baseline.
Leaning closer, I gave him more access to my breasts, already on full display. I watched him gulp, his eyes boring into my chest as he licked his lips.
For a moment, I thought I had him.
Only to frown when I heard the words that made me want to cave his skull in and have his partner take over from him.
Wiser than his predecessor.
"Bianca, I cannot. Moreover, we both know Gabriel didn't allow me to see the will. To see it myself, I would need to rip off the seal."
By now I was furious, barely able to keep the anger out of my voice.
"Seals can be fixed!" I snapped, annoyed by the endless excuses spilling from his lips.
Gabriel's territory was already hard enough to manage. The managers barely listened to me, and I was convinced half of them were double-timing.
My first thought had been that convincing the will would add some legitimacy—allow me to take over and get rid of the managers.
Something I couldn't do unless I was certain it wouldn't give the others an excuse to run away.
"Grayson…" I began again, this time with an almost pleading tone.
I needed this.
And so I showed him the desire a man found hard to refuse, doing my best to wade off the nausea that rose in my throat at the mere thought of kissing him.
But I didn't hesitate.
My lips latched onto his.
His desire soared instantly as he grabbed my breasts like a man clinging to them for dear life. I moaned into the kiss when all I truly wanted to do was spit in his face.
The sacrifices I have to make.
I pulled away, desire painted across my face—a desire that had no place on the face of a woman who had just lost her husband and should be in mourning.
"I want you… but clearly you do not," I sighed regretfully, tears filling my eyes as I slowly stood, making it clear that I needed to leave.
He stuttered and fumbled as he also got up, far more apologetic than before. His eyes were glued more to my chest than to my face.
"I'm sorry, Bianca. It's not just my reputation—it's my life!" he said.
But I continued toward the exit, annoyed at myself for wasting so much time when it could have been spent elsewhere. I made sure more tears flooded my eyes.
"It's fine. I—I get it…"
"…all I can do is postpone the reading for a couple more days," he added.
I realized then that he truly wouldn't do anything more.
"How many more days?" I asked, fully aware of how innocent I looked with tears in my eyes—thanks to my Asian features and my Japanese father.
"A week. It's the most I can do, barring any emergencies," he said, almost pleading.
I nodded.
"Thank you," I told him softly as I turned to leave—not before crushing the hope in his eyes that our tryst might continue.
"Till next time," I said, knowing full well it was a lie.
I stepped outside and got into my car.
For the first time in a while, I regretted not killing the girl in her sleep—sending someone to take her away instead so they could finish the job.
What a pain.