Page 2 of A Billionaire's Second Shot

“I’m completely serious,” he replies, his voice steady. “I have a deal in the works—a merger that could change everything formy company. But the investors are old-school. They think a man in my position should be settled down.”

“So find someone else,” I snap. “I’m not playing house with you.”

“Think about it,” he says, leaning in slightly. “You’d get a generous payout—enough to save your firm and then some. And all you have to do is put up with me for a few weeks. It’s a win-win.”

I narrow my eyes, searching his face for any sign that he’s joking. But Levi is nothing if not pragmatic, and the intensity in his eyes tells me he’s dead serious.

“You can’t just buy me, Levi,” I say, my voice low.

“I’m not buying you,” he counters. “I’m hiring you. There’s a difference.”

I glare at him, torn between outrage and the nagging realization that he might actually have a point. My firm is drowning, and the payout he’s offering could be the lifeline I desperately need.

But agreeing to this would mean letting Levi back into my life—letting him close enough to hurt me again.

“I’ll think about it,” I say finally, my voice clipped.

Levi smiles, the kind of smile that says he’s already won. “That’s all I ask.”

As he walks away, disappearing into the crowd, I can’t help but wonder if I’ve just made a deal with the devil.

Chapter Two

Levi

I walk away before I can lose my nerve. Before I say something I’ll regret. Before Tania can see just how much seeing her again is unraveling me.

The air outside the ballroom is sharp and cool, a welcome contrast to the stifling heat of the gala. I pull at my tie, loosening it as I stride toward the valet. My hand tightens around my phone, the temptation to look back gnawing at me.

But I can’t. Not tonight.

Three YearsAgo

It had been a rare moment of stillness for both of us. Tania was curled up on my couch, her head resting against my shoulder, a blanket draped over her legs. The television played in the background, but neither of us was paying attention.

“You know what I love about this city?” she asked, her voice soft and contemplative.

I glanced down at her, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. “What’s that?”

She smiled, her eyes sparkling with that contagious optimism she always carried. “The possibilities. Anything can happen here. You can start over, reinvent yourself, chase your wildest dreams.”

“And what’s your wildest dream?” I asked, half-teasing, half-curious.

She turned her head, meeting my gaze with an intensity that stole my breath. “To make something of myself. To build something I can be proud of.”

I kissed her then, the kind of kiss that felt like a promise. “You already do that,” I said, meaning every word.

She laughed softly. “I’m serious, Levi. I want to be more than someone’s girlfriend. I want to stand on my own.”

“You’re more than that,” I assured her. “You’re everything.”

I runa hand through my hair as the memory fades, guilt twisting in my gut. She’d wanted to build something for herself, and I admired her for it. But back then, I didn’t know how to balance her dreams with my own.

Two YearsAgo

“Tania, I can’t make it,” I said, gripping the phone tighter as I paced my office. The skyline outside my window stretched endlessly, a glittering reminder of the empire I was building. “This deal is bigger than anything we’ve worked on before.”

“I know how big it is, Levi,” she said, her tone sharp. “But you promised. This was important to me.”

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