Her hand shot out in warning. Regre

Her hand shot out in warning. Regrettably, her request didn’t come out as confident as she would’ve liked.
The hand reaching for her stilled and detoured to fork through his hair, tension clear on his face. He looked ragged, but still devastatingly handsome. The shadow on his tanned jaw should have looked sloppy, but only added another layer of sexy to his distinguished presence. His blue dress shirt had a white collar. Paired with the paisley red tie and black suit vest, he looked quite the tycoon.
“How long are you planning on keeping your distance, Evelyn? You’re killing me. I’ve been going crazy since you ran off. I can’t continue like this.”
“And whose fault is that, Lucian?” she snapped, instantly regretting the show of emotion. Keep it together, Keats.
“I can’t fix it if you refuse to let me—”
“There is no fixing it, Lucian! You used me and betrayed me.”
“Bullshit!” he snapped. “I love you.” His feet swiftly carried him across the office, incidentally boxing her into a corner. “I fucking love you, Evelyn. He had me at his mercy. He set the conditions.”
He, being Parker, her once-dear friend turned Judas. Scout’s understanding of their agreement was still foggy. Lucian had apparently been looking for her during a blizzard last winter and ran into Parker. After begging Parker to tell him where she was hiding, Lucian agreed to give her away for a month, with Parker driving some kind of bargain. Nope, still didn’t compute. They were both guilty.
“And you agreed to his terms,” she hissed. Fury at the injustice she’d been the victim of bloomed inside her, fresh and scorching. “I’m not here to talk about that. I don’t care about your pitiful excuses. What’s done is done. Either we discuss what I came here to discuss or I leave.”
His gaze searched her face, likely hunting for some validation that she wasn’t bluffing. Eyes that read opponents and colleagues with ease homed in on every visible strength and weakness she allowed him to see. Her jaw locked in determination.
“Go ahead and try to push me, Lucian. I’ll be out that door so fast your head will spin.”
He stepped back. Good. “What did you want to talk about?”
She glanced at the leather chair across from his desk. “May we sit?”
His dark eyes followed her gaze and he waved his hand in theatrical invitation. Irritation was evident in the set of his mouth and narrowed stare. Probably because Lucian was a man who didn’t easily relinquish control. “By all means.”
She sidestepped him, careful not to get too close and he slowly returned to the seat behind his desk, his assessing gaze never leaving her. Her slight form sunk into the smooth leather chair. Her shoulders ached with the effort to remain stiff as she settled deeper into the soft seat. Exhaustion beat at her, threatening her resolve not to appear weak in front of him but indignation and bruised pride stiffened her spine.
“What did you want to discuss?” he asked again.
This was it. Her entire life had been about survival, and now she wanted to survive in a more desirable way. She didn’t need a billionaire to do that. She did, however, need a foundation to find her footing. Lucian could provide that foundation. While he may look at a woman like her and see someone vulnerable and in need of coddling, he was wrong. She didn’t need someone to hold her hand. She simply needed a push, and then she’d manage on her own.
Taking a breath of courage, she said, “I want a loan.”
His brow arched, telling her he hadn’t expected such a request. “You’re aware there’s an account with over two hundred thousand dollars in your name? What could you possibly need that your bank account won’t cover?”
That money had never been hers. Her dignity forbade her to touch it. Above all, Scout was practical. Lucian had more money than Midas and could afford to loan her what she was after. However, she was wise enough to know loans came with penalties and interest. Those were necessary stipulations to protect her pride. Unfortunately, Lucian’s pride would likely face off with hers, and they were both incredibly stubborn.
“I don’t want that money. I won’t touch money earned on my back. I’m talking about an actual loan with interest and penalties and—”
He winced, then rolled his eyes. “Watch it, Evelyn. Tell me what you need. I’ll give it to you. There’s no need for this formal bullshit.”
“I need my dignity back,” she said succinctly, causing him to come up short. The “bullshit” that made this an official business deal was the only way she’d be able to stomach his help. It was just business. Taking those penalties away made it a favor, and she was done depending on favors from him.
“I see. And how much does one’s dignity cost?”
“I’d like thirty-five thousand dollars.”
His jaw ticked. “For?”
She met his challenging stare and tightened her lips. That was her business.
He sighed. “Evelyn, when an establishment finances another’s endeavors, they’re foolish not to question the investment.”
“A second ago you were prepared to offer me anything I wanted. I don’t see why my intentions should suddenly be an issue. This is just you being nosy. I’m not falling for it. Thirty-five thousand dollars is nothing to you. It’s a new beginning for someone like me. Give me the satisfaction of at least believing you know I am capable of taking care of myself. I’m practical and I’m not stupid. Trust me to have a plan and I’ll trust you to treat me fairly, like you would any other person asking you to invest in their future.”
Those intimidating onyx eyes narrowed. “You’re not any other person. Look at it as legal extortion. I have what you want. I’ll trade you thirty-five thousand dollars for a bit of information.”
Anger bloomed inside of her. Extortion indeed. She would not let him run her life. “I’ll just go to a bank then,” she bluffed.
“With what? You have no social security number, no identification, no birth certificate.”
The molars in the back of her mouth clicked together. “I know you have those things. You’re trying to manipulate me and, by doing so, only losing more of my respect.”
He’d looked into getting her legal documents months ago. For him to be able to place a bank account in her name, he’d have needed to obtain some form of identification for her. Likely, he’d been holding it, too cowardly to hand over the documents before the big trade with Parker. If she had an ID, she could’ve fled a lot faster. That was Lucian, always the thinker and planner.
“I do,” he agreed shamelessly.
“It wouldn’t take long for me to go to a federal building and report them stolen. The numbers are on record, Lucian. Hard part’s over. All you’re doing is wasting my time. To be honest, your pettiness reeks of desperation.”
His desk drawer slid open and snapped shut. Papers fluttered to the surface of his desk. He glared at her. “There.”
Scout gazed at the documents. A neatly printed card with blue scroll trim filled her vision. Evelyn Scottlynn Keats. Nine digits formed her social security number below the neatly typed name. She was real!
Emotion had her chin trembling. So long she’d waited for such validation of her existence. So many obstacles could be overcome with those simple pieces of paper.
With unsteady fingers, she reached for the documents and stilled when Lucian’s firm hand caught her wrist. Her gaze jerked to his.
The respect she held for him was in shreds, but giving her these documents that were rightfully hers mended a bit of the damage. She was gambling with his affections, asking for these things. If he didn’t give them to her, he would annihilate any remaining faith she had in his goodness. She hated him for what he’d done, but deep down believed there was good behind the man. If he was so desperate to help her, it would have to be on her terms.
Don’t deny me, Lucian. Please. She waited him out.
“I’ll help you. But our other issues are far from concluded. Eventually we need to talk about what happened.”
She glared at him and shook off his hold. “I’ll ask that you keep your hands to yourself.”
“And I’ll ask that you drop the haughty performance you’ve been affecting since you got here.”
Fingers snatching up the papers, Scout quickly removed her body from within his reach. Her brow tightened and her voice was dangerously close to cracking with emotion. “It’s not an act. These are my papers and I deserve them. You have no right to keep them from me.”
“And what of my money? Do you deserve that as well?”
“All I asked for was a loan. You can afford it. Either you help me or I go somewhere else.”
“With what credit, Ms. Keats? No bank will sign over that amount of money without a cosigner.”
He was likely right. He was also being mean and spiteful on purpose. Two could play that game. “I could always find another wealthy man willing to help me. After all, it was you who taught me everything is for sale.”
He growled. “Watch yourself, Ms. Keats. I’m in no frame of mind to be pushed.”
“Lucian,” she took a deep breath. “I’m not forfeiting my morals for money. Even you can’t afford them. You either agree to my terms and help me with a loan, or I’ll figure out another way.”
“Another way for what?” he snapped.
She wouldn’t give him more information than necessary. She needed to do this for herself and if he knew her plan, he’d try to take over. Lucian was a leader—a very successful one—but she was sick and tired of following the tide. She needed to prove she could do this on her own. “For my future. I have nothing! I want to invest in me, since no one else gives a shit and I need thirty-five thousand dollars to do that.”
He stilled, his eyes narrowing, and she saw him weighing her words. Again he reached into his drawer, only this time he removed a heavy blue ledger. Long fingers flipped it open and reached for a pen. His hand swiftly moved over the check, the ballpoint scratching across the dense paper.

Hasil (Bahasa Indonesia) 1:

Tangannya ditembak di peringatan. Sayangnya, permintaannya tidak keluar sebagai percaya diri seperti dia akan menyukai.Sisi mencapai untuknya batu dan detoured untuk garpu melalui rambutnya, ketegangan jelas di wajahnya. Dia tampak compang-camping, tapi masih meluluhkan tampan. Bayangan pada rahang beliau kecokelatan harus tampak ceroboh, tapi hanya menambah lapisan lain seksi untuk kehadirannya dibedakan. Kemeja baju biru memiliki kerah putih. Dipasangkan dengan paisley dasi merah dan rompi setelan jas hitam, dia tampak cukup konglomerat."Berapa lama Apakah Anda berencana menjaga jarak, Evelyn? Anda membunuh saya. Aku sudah terjadi gila karena Anda lari. Saya tidak dapat terus seperti ini.""Dan salah siapa itu, Lucian?" Dia putus, langsung menyesali acara emosi. Tetap bersama-sama, Keats."Saya tidak dapat memperbaikinya jika Anda menolak untuk membiarkan saya —""Ada tidak memperbaiki itu, Lucian! Anda menggunakan saya dan mengkhianati saya.""Omong kosong!" ia tersentak. "Aku mencintaimu." Kakinya dengan cepat membawa dia di seluruh kantor, kebetulan tinju dia ke sudut. "Aku cinta sialan Anda, Evelyn. Dia telah me at rahmat-Nya. Dia menetapkan syarat."Dia menjadi Parker, temannya Sayang sekali berubah Yudas. Pemahaman Pramuka yang kesepakatan mereka adalah masih berkabut. Lucian rupanya telah mencari dia selama badai salju musim dingin dan berlari ke Parker. Setelah mengemis Parker untuk mengatakan kepadanya di mana ia bersembunyi, Lucian sepakat untuk memberikan dia selama sebulan, dengan Parker mengemudi semacam tawar-menawar. Nope, masih tidak menghitung. Mereka berdua bersalah."Dan Anda setuju untuk istilah," dia mendesis. Kemarahan pada ketidakadilan ia telah menjadi korban bermekaran di dalam dirinya, segar dan terik. "Aku tidak di sini untuk berbicara tentang hal itu. Saya tidak peduli tentang alasan Anda menyedihkan. Apa yang dilakukan dilakukan. Kami membahas apa yang saya datang di sini untuk mendiskusikan atau aku meninggalkan."Tatapan mencari wajah, mungkin berburu untuk beberapa validasi yang dia tidak menggertak. Mata yang membaca lawan dan rekan-rekan dengan mudah serupa pada setiap terlihat kekuatan dan kelemahan yang dia memungkinkan dia untuk melihat. Dia rahang terkunci dalam penentuan."Pergi ke depan dan mencoba untuk mendorong saya, Lucian. Aku akan keluar pintu itu begitu cepat kepala Anda akan berputar."Dia melangkah ke belakang. Bagus. "Apa yang memang Anda inginkan untuk berbicara tentang?"Dia melirik kursi kulit di mejanya. "Mungkin kita duduk?"Matanya yang gelap mengikuti pandangan matanya dan ia melambaikan tangannya dalam teater undangan. Iritasi adalah jelas di set dari mulut-Nya dan menatap menyempit. Mungkin karena Lucian adalah seorang pria yang tidak mudah melepaskan kendali. "Dengan segala cara."Dia terkesampingkan nya, hati-hati untuk tidak terlalu dekat dan ia perlahan-lahan kembali ke tempat duduk di belakang meja nya, dengan tatapan menilai pernah meninggalkannya. Tubuhnya membentuk sedikit tenggelam ke kursi kulit halus. Bahunya sakit dengan upaya untuk tetap kaku seperti ia menetap lebih dalam ke dalam kursi lembut. Mengatasi kelelahan mengalahkan padanya, mengancam dia akan tampak lemah di depannya tetapi kemarahan dan memar kebanggaan kaku tulang punggungnya."Apa yang memang Anda inginkan untuk membahas?" tanyanya lagi.Ini adalah itu. Sepanjang hidupnya telah tentang kelangsungan hidup, dan sekarang ia ingin bertahan hidup dalam cara yang lebih diinginkan. Dia tidak membutuhkan seorang miliarder untuk melakukan itu. Dia melakukannya, namun, perlu sebuah yayasan untuk menemukan pijakan nya. Lucian dapat memberikan Yayasan. Sementara dia mungkin melihat seorang wanita seperti dia dan melihat seseorang yang rentan dan membutuhkan memanjakan, dia adalah salah. Dia tidak membutuhkan seseorang untuk memegang tangannya. Dia hanya membutuhkan dorongan, dan kemudian dia akan mengelola sendiri.Mengambil napas keberanian, dia berkata, "Saya ingin pinjaman."Dahinya melengkung, mengatakan dia tidak diharapkan permintaan tersebut. "Kau menyadari ada account dengan lebih dari dua ratus ribu dolar dalam nama Anda? Apa bisa Anda mungkin membutuhkan rekening bank tidak akan mencakup?"Uang itu pernah miliknya. Martabatnya melarang dia untuk menyentuhnya. Di atas semua, Pramuka adalah praktis. Lucian punya lebih banyak uang daripada Midas dan mampu untuk pinjaman apa ia adalah setelah. Namun, dia adalah cukup bijaksana untuk mengetahui pinjaman datang dengan hukuman dan bunga. Mereka adalah ketentuan-ketentuan yang diperlukan untuk melindungi kebanggaan nya. Sayangnya, Lucian's kebanggaan akan mungkin wajah dengan miliknya, dan mereka berdua sangat keras kepala."Saya tidak ingin uang itu. Saya tidak akan menyentuh uang yang diterima di punggung saya. Aku sedang berbicara tentang pinjaman yang sebenarnya dengan minat dan hukuman dan — "Ia meringis, kemudian digulung matanya. "Menonton, Evelyn. Katakan padaku apa yang Anda butuhkan. Aku akan memberikannya kepada Anda. Ada tidak perlu untuk omong kosong formal ini.""Saya perlu martabat saya kembali," katanya ringkas, menyebabkan dia untuk datang pendek. "Omong kosong" yang membuat kesepakatan resmi bisnis ini adalah satu-satunya cara dia akan mampu perut bantuannya. Itu hanya bisnis. Menanggung hukuman tersebut membuatnya kebaikan, dan ia selesai tergantung pada bantuan darinya."Saya melihat. "Dan berapa biaya martabat seseorang?""Saya ingin tiga puluh lima ribu dolar."Rahang beliau berdetak. "Untuk?"Dia bertemu menatap nya menantang dan memperketat bibirnya. Itu usahanya.Dia menghela napas. "Evelyn, ketika sebuah pendirian keuangan usaha lain, mereka akan bodoh untuk tidak mempertanyakan investasi.""Kedua yang lalu kau siap untuk menawarkan kepada saya apa yang saya inginkan. Saya tidak melihat mengapa niat saya tiba-tiba harus menjadi masalah. Ini adalah hanya Anda yang usil. Saya tidak jatuh untuk itu. Tiga puluh lima ribu dolar adalah apa-apa untuk Anda. Ini adalah awal yang baru untuk orang seperti saya. Memberi saya kepuasan setidaknya percaya Anda tahu saya mampu mengurus diri sendiri. Aku praktis dan aku tidak bodoh. Percayalah untuk memiliki rencana dan aku akan mempercayai Anda memperlakukan saya adil, seperti Anda akan orang lain meminta Anda untuk berinvestasi dalam masa depan mereka.Orang-orang yang mengintimidasi onyx mata menyipit. "Kau tidak orang lain. Melihatnya sebagai pemerasan hukum. Saya memiliki apa yang Anda inginkan. Aku akan perdagangan Anda tiga puluh lima ribu dolar untuk sedikit informasi."Kemarahan bermekaran dalam dirinya. Pemerasan memang. Dia tidak membiarkan dia menjalankan hidupnya. "Aku akan hanya pergi ke bank kemudian," dia menjebak mahasiswa."Dengan apa? Anda memiliki nomor jaminan sosial tidak ada identifikasi, sertifikat kelahiran tidak."Geraham di bagian belakang mulut diklik bersama-sama. "Saya tahu Anda memiliki hal-hal. Anda berusaha memanipulasi saya dan, dengan demikian, hanya kehilangan lebih dari rasa hormat saya."Ia telah melihat ke mendapatkan dokumen hukum Nya bulan lalu. Bagi dia untuk dapat menempatkan rekening bank dalam namanya, dia akan diperlukan untuk mendapatkan beberapa bentuk identifikasi untuknya. Mungkin, ia telah memegang itu, terlalu pengecut untuk menyerahkan dokumen-dokumen sebelum perdagangan besar dengan Parker. Jika dia punya ID, dia bisa telah melarikan diri jauh lebih cepat. Itu Lucian, selalu pemikir dan perencana."Ya," dia setuju tanpa malu-malu."Itu tidak butuh waktu lama bagi saya untuk pergi ke sebuah bangunan federal dan laporan mereka dicuri. Nomor tersebut pada catatan, Lucian. Bagian yang sulit berakhir. Semua yang Anda lakukan adalah membuang-buang waktu. Jujur, kepicikan Anda berbau putus asa."Laci meja nya meluncur terbuka dan bentak menutup. Makalah terbang ke permukaan meja nya. Dia melotot padanya. "Ada."Pramuka menatap dokumen. Kartu yang rapi dicetak dengan biru gulir trim diisi penglihatannya. Evelyn Scottlynn Keats. Sembilan angka terbentuk nya nomor jaminan sosial di bawah nama rapi diketik. Dia adalah nyata!Emosi memiliki dagu gemetar. Begitu lama ia telah menunggu seperti validasi keberadaannya. Begitu banyak rintangan dapat diatasi dengan yang sederhana potongan-potongan kertas.With unsteady fingers, she reached for the documents and stilled when Lucian’s firm hand caught her wrist. Her gaze jerked to his.
The respect she held for him was in shreds, but giving her these documents that were rightfully hers mended a bit of the damage. She was gambling with his affections, asking for these things. If he didn’t give them to her, he would annihilate any remaining faith she had in his goodness. She hated him for what he’d done, but deep down believed there was good behind the man. If he was so desperate to help her, it would have to be on her terms.
Don’t deny me, Lucian. Please. She waited him out.
“I’ll help you. But our other issues are far from concluded. Eventually we need to talk about what happened.”
She glared at him and shook off his hold. “I’ll ask that you keep your hands to yourself.”
“And I’ll ask that you drop the haughty performance you’ve been affecting since you got here.”
Fingers snatching up the papers, Scout quickly removed her body from within his reach. Her brow tightened and her voice was dangerously close to cracking with emotion. “It’s not an act. These are my papers and I deserve them. You have no right to keep them from me.”
“And what of my money? Do you deserve that as well?”
“All I asked for was a loan. You can afford it. Either you help me or I go somewhere else.”
“With what credit, Ms. Keats? No bank will sign over that amount of money without a cosigner.”
He was likely right. He was also being mean and spiteful on purpose. Two could play that game. “I could always find another wealthy man willing to help me. After all, it was you who taught me everything is for sale.”
He growled. “Watch yourself, Ms. Keats. I’m in no frame of mind to be pushed.”
“Lucian,” she took a deep breath. “I’m not forfeiting my morals for money. Even you can’t afford them. You either agree to my terms and help me with a loan, or I’ll figure out another way.”
“Another way for what?” he snapped.
She wouldn’t give him more information than necessary. She needed to do this for herself and if he knew her plan, he’d try to take over. Lucian was a leader—a very successful one—but she was sick and tired of following the tide. She needed to prove she could do this on her own. “For my future. I have nothing! I want to invest in me, since no one else gives a shit and I need thirty-five thousand dollars to do that.”
He stilled, his eyes narrowing, and she saw him weighing her words. Again he reached into his drawer, only this time he removed a heavy blue ledger. Long fingers flipped it open and reached for a pen. His hand swiftly moved over the check, the ballpoint scratching across the dense paper.