Craving The Wrong Brother (Sloane and Knox) novel Chapter 164

Chapter 164

The name hits me like a punch to the face. Lucas Martinez? Luke is the CEO of Couture Collective? The biggest fashion company in North and South America? How the hell did I not know this?

I blink, still processing. The air feels like it’s been sucked out of the room for a second, and all I can hear is the rushing sound of blood in my ears.

But there he is. Sitting casually, grinning, as if he’s enjoying every second of my discomfort. He stands up, extending his hand, his eyes never leaving mine.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. O’Brien,” he says, his voice calm and collected, but there’s a twinkle of mischief in his gaze.

I force a smile, slipping into autopilot mode as I shake his hand. Keep it together, Julie. Keep it together.

“The pleasure is mine, Mr. Martinez,” I reply, my voice just a little too formal. The contact of his hand is warm-familiar. A little too familiar, given the circumstances.

Luke doesn’t miss a beat. “Please, call me Luke,” he says. His tone is casual, as if we’re old friends. Which, in a way, we are. Just not in the way Ryan would approve of.

Ryan’s voice pulls me back to reality. He’s practically buzzing with excitement as he looks between us, unaware of the tension hanging in the air. “Isn’t this great, Julie? We’ll get to work with Mr. Martinez himself.”

“It’s wonderful, Ryan.” I plaster a smile on my face and nod. “Really wonderful.”

Ryan doesn’t seem to pick up on the undercurrent between Luke and me. Instead, he gestures for us to sit, eager to get into business mode. “Let’s talk about the campaign. This partnership with Couture Collective is going to be huge for Paragon.”

I nod politely, sliding into the seat next to Ryan. My mind is still racing, but I’m determined to stay focused. Luke is just a business partner, nothing more. I repeat that mantra in my head as I sit there, willing myself not to think about our night at the bar or the phone call last night.

Luke settles across from me, and I catch him glancing at me from the corner of my eye. That same cocky grin is still playing on his lips, and I can feel his gaze burning into me, like he’s silently daring me to acknowledge what’s between us.

“So, Julie,” Luke says, turning his full attention to me. “What exactly is your role at Paragon?”

There it is. The shift. The moment he pulls me into the conversation, drawing me into his game. I can feel Ryan looking at me, proud as ever, completely unaware of the loaded nature of the question.

“I’m the Chief Marketing Officer,” I say, keeping my tone cool and professional. “I oversee all the marketing strategies and campaigns. Making sure the brand stays on top.”

Luke raises an eyebrow. “So, we’ll be working closely together, then,” he says, the word “closely” rolling off his tongue in a way that makes my stomach twist.

Ryan jumps in. “Of course! The marketing team is going to be crucial to this partnership. Julie’s the best in the business- she’ll make sure everything runs smoothly.”

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