Her daring heist targeting America’s richest man was undertaken with only one goal: to save her younger brother from a cruel fate. However, each step deeper into his world plunged her into uncontrollable emotions, transforming the dangerous scam into a breathtaking love story where the truth could erupt at any moment and destroy everything.

Sienna Chase stood outside the Onyx Club in Manhattan, wearing a dress that cost $30, but was supposed to look like 3,000. Her hands shaking inside cheap gloves, her heart beating so fast she thought she might throw up right there on the sidewalk because inside that club was Xavier Blake, the richest man in America.

 And Sienna was about to walk in there and try to con him out of enough money to save her 10-year-old brother Mason’s life, which was either the bravest thing she’d ever done or the stupidest. And she honestly couldn’t tell which. The plan was simple. Get hired as a dancer at the club where Blake held private meetings every Thursday.

 Perform for him. Make him want her so badly he couldn’t think straight. get close enough to steal from him or access his money and disappear before he figured out he’d been played. But Sienna had been running con since she was 16. And she’d never targeted someone this powerful, this dangerous, this likely to kill her if he caught her.

 And standing there in the October cold, she wondered if maybe she should just run, take Mason, and disappear to some small town where the New York Syndicate couldn’t find them. Except she knew that was impossible because Dominic Reed owned half the cops in the city and had connections everywhere and he’d find them no matter where they went.

 And besides, she didn’t have Mason right now. Dominic was holding him hostage in some basement somewhere. And if Sienna didn’t pay the $200,000 she owed by the end of the month, Dominic had made it very clear that her baby brother would disappear forever. You look like you’re about to pass out,” said a voice behind her.

 And Sienna spun around to find Jasmine Rivers, her best friend and the only person in the world who knew the truth about everything, standing there in a glittery dress that actually did cost $3,000. Her dark curly hair pulled back in an elaborate style. Her brown eyes worried. I’m fine,” Sienna lied, which was what she always said, what she’d been saying since her mama died when she was 12, and left her with a baby brother and mountains of debt that her uncle had created before disappearing.

 Debt that had somehow ended up in Dominic Reed’s hands. And Dominic didn’t care that Sienna had been a child when the money was borrowed. Didn’t care that she’d been raising herself and Mason for 10 years. didn’t care about anything except getting paid. And when Sienna couldn’t pay fast enough, he’d taken Mason 3 months ago and told her she had until Halloween to come up with the full amount or Mason would be sold to trafficking rings that would make him disappear where she’d never find him.

“You’re not fine. You’re terrified. And you should be terrified because Xavier Blake is not like the other men you’ve conned,” Jasmine said, pulling Sienna into the alley beside the club where they could talk without being overheard. “He’s dangerous, Sienna. He survived in business by being smarter and meaner than everyone else.

 And the rumors say he’s connected to organized crime. That half his fortune comes from illegal operations. And you think you’re going to seduce him and steal from him and just walk away? I don’t have a choice, Sienna said, her voice breaking. I’ve already paid Dominic 80,000 from the last cons I ran. I’ve stolen from businessmen and politicians and anyone I could get close to, and I’m still 120,000 short with 3 weeks left.

 And Dominic called me yesterday and said, “If I don’t have the money by Halloween, Mason dies. So yes, I’m going to con Xavier Blake because he’s the only Mark rich enough that one job could cover everything I owe. And if he catches you, then I’m dead anyway, so what’s the difference?” Jasmine grabbed her shoulders hard enough to hurt.

 The difference is that if you’re dead, Mason’s dead, too. Because nobody else is going to save him. So, you can’t afford to fail, which means you can’t afford to be scared, which means you need to pull yourself together right now and become the woman who can make a billionaire fall to his knees. Sienna took a deep breath, pushing down the fear and the panic and the voice in her head that said this was impossible.

And she thought about Mason, about her baby brother who loved dinosaurs and drew pictures of superheroes and still slept with the stuffed elephant their mama had given him before she died. Mason, who was sitting in some dark basement right now, probably crying for her, probably thinking she’d abandoned him, probably losing hope that his big sister would come save him.

You’re right, Sienna said, and her voice came out steadier now, harder. I need to be the woman who can bring Xavier Blake to his knees. And that’s exactly what I’m going to be. She pulled off the cheap gloves, threw them in a dumpster, and walked into the Onyx Club like she owned it, like she belonged in the kind of place where champagne cost $1,000 a bottle.

 And the dancers were so beautiful, they looked like they’d been created by artists instead of born like regular people. The club manager, a woman named Victoria, who looked like she ate intimidation for breakfast, sized Sienna up with cold eyes. “You’re late for your audition.” I’m exactly on time, Sienna said, which was a lie, but delivered with such confidence that Victoria’s expression shifted slightly, like maybe she was reassessing.

The other girls have been waiting for an hour. Then they’re desperate. I’m selective. You think you’re special? I know I am, and more importantly, your VIP clients will know I am the second I walk into their private rooms. Victoria stared at her for a long moment, and Sienna held her gaze without flinching because the first rule of being a con artist was never showing weakness, never letting anyone see that you were scared or desperate or anything except absolutely certain of your own value.

“Fine,” Victoria said finally. “You get one song, one chance to prove you’re worth what I’d have to pay you. And if you’re not spectacular, you’re out and you never come back. The dressing room was full of women who were all more beautiful than Sienna had any right to compete with.

 All long legs and perfect skin and the kind of confidence that came from knowing men would pay ridiculous amounts of money just to look at them. Jasmine had followed her in, and she helped Sienna change into the outfit they’d bought specifically for this audition. a black outfit covered in crystals that caught the light and made it look like Sienna was wearing diamonds, even though it was all fake.

Everything about her tonight was fake, except the desperation driving her forward. Remember what I taught you, Jasmine whispered, fixing Sienna’s hair. It’s not about the dancing. It’s about the seduction. About making every man in that room believe you’re dancing only for him. that you see him and want him and would choose him out of everyone in the world.

 I remember and Xavier Blake, if he’s in the VIP section tonight, you focus on him. You make him feel like he’s the only person who exists. You give him a taste of what it would be like to have you. And then you pull back before he can have you completely. Leave him wanting more because that’s how you make powerful men obsessed. I know how to run a con.

 J, this isn’t a con. Not yet. This is just getting in the door. The con comes later when you’ve made him want you so badly he’ll do anything to keep you. The music started slow and seductive. And Sienna walked onto the stage with her head high and her hips swaying. And the moment the spotlight hit her, she became someone else.

 Someone who wasn’t scared or desperate or worried about a baby brother in a basement. She became the fantasy that every man in that room wanted. The woman who was sexy and dangerous and just out of reach. She danced. And it wasn’t the best technical dancing anyone had ever seen. Because Sienna had learned by watching videos online and practicing in her tiny apartment.

 Not by taking expensive lessons, but what she lacked in technical skill, she made up for in raw sexuality. In the way she moved her body like it was a weapon designed specifically to destroy men’s self-control. In the way she made eye contact with individual men in the crowd and made each one believe for just a moment that she wanted him specifically.

And then she saw him, Xavier Blake, sitting in the VIP section, surrounded by men in expensive suits, who were probably his security or his business partners. And he was watching her with eyes so green they looked like emeralds. And even from across the room, Sienna could feel the intensity of his attention, like a physical thing.

 He was beautiful in a way that made Sienna’s breath catch. all sharp cheekbones and dark skin and black hair that was cut short and perfect. Wearing a suit that probably cost more than most people made in a year. And he was looking at her like she was the most interesting thing he’d seen in forever, which was exactly what Sienna needed, exactly what she’d been hoping for.

 She focused her entire performance on him after that. danced like she was dancing only for Xavier Blake. Moved her body in ways that were designed to make him imagine what it would be like to touch her, to own her, to have her completely. And she watched his expression shift from interested to intrigued to something darker, something hungry, something that said her plan was working even better than she’d hoped.

When the song ended and Sienna walked off the stage, her heart was pounding and her body was covered in sweat and she felt like she’d just run a marathon. But Victoria was waiting with an expression that was almost approving. You’re hired. You start tomorrow night and there’s a private performance requested for you in 30 minutes in the VIP lounge.

 Someone very important wants a private show. Who? Sienna asked. even though she already knew, could feel it in her bones. Xavier Blake. And when Xavier Blake requests something, we deliver. So go get yourself ready and make sure you’re spectacular. Because if you disappoint him, you’re not just fired, you’re blacklisted from every club in the city.

 Sienna went back to the dressing room where Jasmine was waiting with an expression that was equal parts excited and terrified. He requested a private show already. Sienna, you did it. You caught his attention. But now comes the hard part. Now you have to be alone with him. Close enough that he could hurt you if he wanted.

 And you have to make him want you without giving him everything. And that’s walking a knife’s edge. I can do this. Can you? Because I’ve seen you con businessmen and politicians, but I’ve never seen you con someone like Xavier Blake. Someone who’s probably seen every trick in the book. someone who might be playing his own game that you don’t even know about yet.

 I don’t have a choice, J. It’s either this or Mason dies. So, I’m doing this and I’m going to succeed. And in 3 weeks, I’m going to pay Dominic every penny I owe him and get my brother back and we’re going to disappear somewhere Dominic can never find us. Jasmine hugged her tight. Then go be spectacular and be careful because Xavier Blake is not a man who loses and if he figures out you’re playing him, he won’t just let you walk away.

The VIP lounge was exactly what Sienna expected. All leather and low lighting and the kind of expensive minimalism that said money without shouting about it. and Xavier Blake was sitting in the center of the room with three other men who looked like they could kill someone without thinking twice about it. “Gentlemen,” Sienna said, walking into the room with confidence she absolutely did not feel.

 “I understand someone requested a private performance.” “I did,” Xavier said, and his voice was deep and smooth and had an edge to it that made Sienna’s skin prickle with awareness. My associates and I have had a long day of negotiations. We could use some entertainment. Then let me entertain you, Sienna said, and she moved to the center of the room where a small stage had been set up.

 And the music started, slow and seductive. And Sienna danced. She danced like her life depended on it, which it did. Danced like Mason’s life depended on it, which it absolutely did. and she focused every ounce of her attention on Xavier Blake. Made him the center of her universe for the duration of that song. Gave him a performance that was designed to make him obsessed. And it worked.

 She could see it working in real time. Could see the way his eyes never left her. The way his hands gripped the arms of his chair. The way something dark and hungry moved across his face. When the song ended, Sienna stood in the center of the stage, breathing hard, and Xavier Blake stood up and walked toward her with the predatory grace of a man who was used to taking whatever he wanted.

 “What’s your name?” he asked, stopping close enough that Sienna could smell his cologne. Something expensive and masculine that made her dizzy. “Sienna? Just Sienna? Just Sienna?” she confirmed because giving him her last name would be stupid. Would make it too easy for him to find her when this was over. And she disappeared with Mason. Well, just Sienna.

 That was the most interesting performance I’ve seen in years. You have a gift for making a man feel like he’s the only person in the world. That’s the goal. Is it? I thought the goal was to separate wealthy men from their money. The words were said lightly, almost like a joke. But Sienna felt ice slide down her spine because what if he knew? What if somehow he’d figured out what she was really here for? What if this whole thing was already over before it started? The goal is to provide entertainment, she said carefully. If wealthy men want

to pay for that entertainment, I’m not going to stop them. Smart answer. Xavier pulled out his wallet and extracted what looked like $500 bills, which he held out to her for the private show. You earned it. That’s generous. I’m a generous man when I’m properly motivated. And you, Sienna, are very motivating.

He stepped closer. And Sienna had to fight the urge to step back. Had to remind herself that backing away from a predator only made them chase harder. I’d like to see you again. Not here. Somewhere private. Dinner perhaps tomorrow night. I don’t date clients, Sienna said, which was a lie, but a necessary one because saying yes immediately would make her look desperate.

 And desperate was not attractive to men like Xavier Blake. Everyone has a price. What’s yours? More than you can afford. Xavier laughed. a genuine laugh that transformed his face from intimidating to almost beautiful. I seriously doubt that. I can afford quite a lot, but I appreciate the challenge. So, let me rephrase dinner tomorrow night. Name any restaurant in the city.

Bring a friend if that makes you feel safer. And let me try to convince you that I’m worth your time. And if I say no, then I’ll respect your decision and continue to request private performances until you change your mind. But I think you’ll say yes, Sienna, because I think you’re curious about me the same way I’m curious about you.

 And I think we both know that curiosity can be very dangerous. He was right. And Sienna hated that he was right. hated that she was curious about this man who was supposed to be just a mark, just a target, just a means to an end. One dinner, she heard herself say, “One dinner, and if you bore me, I’m walking out.

 If I bore you, I’ll pay for your cab home and never bother you again. Deal.” Xavier smiled that predatory smile again, and Sienna felt like she’d just made a bargain with the devil, but it was too late to back out now. The wheels were in motion. The con had officially started, and all she could do was pray that she was good enough to pull it off before he figured out what she was really after.

 The next morning, Sienna woke up in her tiny apartment that was really just one room with a bathroom and a hot plate. And the first thing she did was look at the picture of Mason that she kept on the wall. The one from his 9th birthday party before everything went wrong. Before Dominic took him, before Sienna’s world became nothing but cons and fear and desperate attempts to save the only family she had left.

I’m going to get you back, she whispered to the picture. I promise, Mason. I’m going to get you back and we’re going to be okay. Her phone rang, and when she saw Dominic’s name on the screen, her stomach clenched with fear and anger in equal measure. “What?” she answered, not bothering with pleasantries because Dominic didn’t deserve pleasantries.

Didn’t deserve anything except maybe a bullet. But Sienna couldn’t kill him until she had Mason back safely. That’s no way to greet your business partner, Dominic said, his voice smooth and oily in a way that made Sienna’s skin crawl. We’re not partners. You’re a lone shark who kidnapped my brother. There’s a difference. Details.

 Anyway, I’m calling to remind you that time is running out. You have 3 weeks and 2 days left to deliver my money. And if you don’t, well, we’ve been over what happens then. I know what happens. Do you? Because I’m not sure you really understand, Sienna. I’m not going to kill Mason quickly. I’m going to sell him to very bad people who will use him in very bad ways, and you’ll spend the rest of your life knowing that your baby brother is suffering somewhere, and you could have prevented it if you’d just paid your debts on time.

Sienna gripped the phone so hard she thought it might break. I’m working on getting the money. Are you? Because from what I hear, you’ve been running the same petty cons you’ve been running for months. Politicians and businessmen who are easy marks. And while 80,000 is a nice start, it’s nowhere near the 200,000 you owe me.

 So, either you need to work faster or you need to aim higher. I’m aiming higher. I’m working on something big that will cover everything. How big? Big enough. That’s not an answer, Sienna. I need specifics. I need to know that you’re actually capable of delivering what you owe. Because if I think you’re wasting my time.

 If I think you’re stalling, I’ll cut my losses and sell Mason today just to teach you a lesson about following through on commitments. I’m targeting Xavier Blake, Sienna said the words tumbling out before she could stop them. And she immediately regretted it because telling Dominic anything was dangerous. But she needed him to believe she was serious.

 Needed him to give her the 3 weeks she’d been promised. Silence on the other end of the line. And then Dominic laughed. A harsh sound that held no humor. Xavier Blake, you’re targeting Xavier Blake, the most powerful billionaire in America. The man who destroys anyone who crosses him. You think you’re going to con him? I’m not thinking it.

 I’m doing it. I already caught his attention last night. I’m having dinner with him tonight. And I’m going to get close enough to steal what I need to pay you everything I owe. And if he catches you, he won’t. Everyone gets caught eventually, Sienna. That’s how cons work. They work until they don’t. And when they don’t, people end up in prison or dead or worse.

 But you know what? I like your ambition. I like that you’re finally thinking big instead of small. So, I’ll give you your 3 weeks. And if you manage to actually pull this off if you manage to con Xavier Blake out of $120,000, I’ll be very impressed. Impressed enough that maybe we continue our business relationship on better terms.

 I don’t want a business relationship with you. I want my brother back and I want you out of my life forever. We’ll see how you feel when you realize how useful I can be to someone with your talents. Anyway, tick tock, Sienna. 3 weeks and counting. Don’t disappoint me. He hung up and Sienna threw her phone across the room where it hit the wall and clattered to the floor.

 And she screamed, a short, sharp sound of frustration and fear that she couldn’t hold in anymore. 3 weeks. She had three weeks to get close enough to Xavier Blake to steal from him without getting caught, without him figuring out what she was doing, without falling into whatever trap he might be setting for her. Because Jasmine was right.

 Men like Xavier Blake didn’t get to where they were by being stupid or careless. And there was every possibility that he was playing his own game that Sienna didn’t understand yet. But she didn’t have the luxury of being careful. Didn’t have time to plan this perfectly or wait for better circumstances. She had to move fast and hit hard and pray that she was good enough to succeed.

The dinner was at Oral, one of the most expensive restaurants in New York, the kind of place where reservations were impossible unless you were very rich or very connected. And Sienna arrived wearing a black dress that Jasmine had loaned her. Her hair pulled back in a simple style, her makeup perfect, looking like she belonged in places like this, even though the truth was she’d never been to a restaurant this fancy in her entire life.

Xavier was already there sitting at a corner table that gave them privacy. And he stood when he saw her. And Sienna had to admit that he cleaned up even better than she’d expected, wearing dark slacks and a white shirt that showed off his broad shoulders, his black hair styled perfectly, his green eyes tracking her movement across the restaurant like she was prey, and he was a predator deciding when to strike.

You came, he said, pulling out her chair. I said I would. People say many things they don’t mean. I’ve learned not to believe words until actions support them. Then I guess my actions just told you I keep my promises. So they did. The waiter appeared with menus that had no prices, which Sienna had heard was what happened at restaurants, where if you had to ask how much something cost, you couldn’t afford to be there.

 And Xavier ordered wine without looking at the wine list. Just told the waiter which bottle he wanted, and the waiter scured away like Xavier had just issued a royal decree. You’re used to people doing what you want, Sienna observed. Is that a criticism? an observation. Then observe this. I’ve spent my entire life fighting for everything I have.

 I grew up in Brooklyn in a neighborhood where survival meant being tougher and smarter than everyone around you. And I learned very young that the world respects power and nothing else. So yes, I’m used to people doing what I want because I’ve earned that through 34 years of refusing to lose. There was something raw in his voice, something honest that Sienna hadn’t expected.

 And she found herself revising her initial assessment of Xavier Blake as just another rich man who’d inherited his fortune and coasted on privilege. You built your empire from nothing, from less than nothing, from poverty and violence. And a father who drank himself to death before I was 10. I built everything I have with my own hands and my own intelligence.

 And I don’t apologize for enjoying the fruits of that labor. I wasn’t asking you to apologize, weren’t you? Most people who ask about my success are either jealous or judgmental, trying to imply that somehow my wealth is undeserved or immoral. I don’t care how you got your money, Sienna said honestly. I only care whether you’re interesting enough to hold my attention for an entire dinner.

Xavier laughed, that genuine laugh that transformed his face again. You’re different from most women I meet. Most women want to know about my money because they want access to it. They smile and flatter and try to position themselves as potential wives or mistresses, but you don’t seem interested in any of that.

 Should I be interested? Most people are. I’m not most people. No, you’re not. Which is why I invited you to dinner. I want to know who you really are, Sienna. Not the dancer who performs at the Onyx Club. Not the seductress who made me feel things I haven’t felt in years, but the real woman underneath all that. Sienna felt panic flutter in her chest.

because letting him see the real her was dangerous was the opposite of what a good con artist should do. But she also knew that the best lies were built on truth. That the most convincing deceptions were the ones that included real pieces of yourself. The real me is someone who’s been surviving on her own since she was 12, she said carefully.

Someone who’s learned to read people to give them what they want to be whatever version of herself gets her through another day. That’s not an answer. That’s a deflection. Maybe deflection is the answer. Or maybe you’re afraid to let anyone see who you really are because you’ve learned that showing vulnerability gets you hurt.

Xavier leaned forward, his eyes intense on hers. I understand that, Sienna. I understand it better than you might think, because I learned the same lesson. Learned that the world punishes weakness and rewards strength. But here’s the thing. Eventually, that isolation becomes its own kind of prison.

 Eventually, you realize that being strong all the time means being alone all the time, and that’s not sustainable. And you think having dinner with me is going to solve your isolation problem. I think having dinner with you is interesting, which is more than I can say for most of my interactions. Do you know how boring it is being Xavier Blake? Everyone wants something from me.

Everyone has an angle. Everyone is performing some version of themselves they think I want to see. And it’s exhausting trying to figure out what’s real and what’s manipulation. But you, Sienna, you’re at least honest about being dishonest. You told me directly that you don’t date clients, that I couldn’t afford you, that I’d have to work to earn your time, and that honesty in a world of lies is refreshing.

Maybe I was just playing hard to get. Maybe you were. But if so, you’re very good at it. Good enough that I can’t tell the difference between genuine disinterest and strategic manipulation. Which means either way, you’re worth paying attention to. The food arrived. Beautiful plates of things Sienna couldn’t identify.

 And she watched Xavier to see which fork he used before doing the same, trying not to look like someone who’d learned table manners from YouTube videos. They talked through dinner and Sienna found herself actually enjoying the conversation. Found Xavier to be intelligent and funny and surprisingly self-aware about his own flaws.

 And she had to keep reminding herself that this was a con, that she was here to steal from him, that she couldn’t let herself forget that no matter how charming he was. “Tell me about your family,” Xavier said over dessert. and Sienna felt her guard slam back into place. “What about them? Do you have family, parents, siblings, anyone who matters to you?” “I have a brother,” Sienna said, the truth slipping out before she could stop it.

“An younger brother? He’s 10. He’s everything to me.” “Where is he?” “Safe?” she lied. Because admitting that Mason was being held hostage by a lone shark would raise questions she couldn’t answer. And your parents dead. My mother died when I was 12. My father was never in the picture. It’s just been me and Mason for 10 years.

That’s a lot of responsibility for a 12year-old. It’s the responsibility I had. So I handled it. You do what you have to do when there’s no other choice. Xavier was quiet for a moment, studying her face. I understand that better than you know. I raised myself, too, after my father died.

 Had to figure out how to survive in a world that didn’t care whether I lived or died. And it makes you hard, doesn’t it? That kind of childhood makes you trust people less, makes you rely on yourself more, makes you willing to do whatever it takes to protect the people you love. Yes, Sienna whispered, because it was true. All of it was true.

 And sitting across from Xavier Blake, she realized that they were more alike than she’d expected. Both survivors, both fighters, both willing to cross lines that other people wouldn’t cross to protect what mattered to them. I want to see you again, Xavier said. Not at the club, not as a client and a dancer, but like this as two people who are trying to figure out if there’s something real between them.

 And if there isn’t, then we’ll have enjoyed some interesting conversations and good food. But Sienna, I think there is something real here. I think we recognized something in each other from the moment we met. And I think we’d both be idiots to ignore that just because we’re both used to trusting no one. Sienna knew she should say no, should keep this professional, should maintain distance so she could rob him without feeling guilty.

 But she was already in too deep. Was already breaking the cardinal rule about never getting emotionally involved with your mark. One more dinner, she heard herself say. And then we’ll see. I’ll take it, Xavier said. and his smile was warm and genuine and made Sienna’s heart do complicated things she absolutely did not have time for.

 He drove her home in a car that probably cost more than most houses. And when they pulled up outside her building, which was in a neighborhood that was definitely not safe and definitely not impressive, Xavier looked at the graffiti covered walls and broken street lights with an expression she couldn’t read. You live here. It’s what I can afford.

 I could help with that. I don’t need help. I can take care of myself. I’m sure you can. But there’s a difference between taking care of yourself and living somewhere where you’re constantly in danger. Sienna, this neighborhood has one of the highest crime rates in the city. Women get attacked here all the time.

 You shouldn’t be living here alone. I’ve been living here for 3 years and I’m fine. So far, Xavier said grimly. But luck runs out eventually. Please let me help you find somewhere safer. I own buildings all over the city. I can get you an apartment in a better neighborhood for whatever rent you’re paying now.

 And what would you want in exchange? The question came out harsher than Sienna intended, but she needed to know, needed to understand what Xavier expected if she accepted his help. Because in her experience, nothing was free. Every kindness came with strings attached. “Nothing,” Xavier said, and he sounded almost hurt.

 “I’d want nothing in exchange except knowing that you’re safe, Sienna. Not everything is a transaction. Sometimes people just want to help. In my experience, everything is a transaction. Then your experience has been with the wrong people. He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The gesture so gentle that Sienna felt tears prick her eyes.

 Let me be different from the wrong people. Let me be someone you can trust. I don’t trust anyone. Then let me be the first person you learn to trust again. Sienna wanted to say yes. Wanted to believe that Xavier Blake could be different. Could be someone who helped without expecting payment. But she knew better.

 Knew that trusting him would be the biggest mistake she could make. Because the moment she trusted him, she’d lose the ability to con him. And she needed to con him to save Mason. And Mason was more important than her stupid feelings about a Mark who was probably playing his own game anyway. I should go, she said, reaching for the door handle.

Think about what I said about the apartment. You have my number. Call me when you’re ready to accept help. Sienna nodded and got out of the car, and she didn’t look back as she walked into her building. But she could feel Xavier’s eyes on her the whole way, could feel the weight of his attention like a physical thing.

 and she wondered how long she could keep lying to him before everything exploded in her face. The next two weeks were a blur of dinners and private shows at the club and conversations that got deeper and more personal than Sienna had planned, and she found herself falling for Xavier Blake in ways that terrified her, because he was smart and funny and surprisingly kind when he wanted to be.

And underneath all his wealth and power, she could see the scared kid from Brooklyn, who’d fought his way up from nothing, who’d learned to be ruthless because the world demanded it, who was just as lonely and isolated as Sienna was. “You’re in love with him,” Jasmine said one afternoon while helping Sienna get ready for another dinner.

 “I am not in love with him. I’m conning him. There’s a difference. You’re in love with him and you’re conning him, which is the worst possible combination, Sienna. You can’t do both. You have to choose. Either you con him and break his heart, or you fall in love with him and tell him the truth and pray he doesn’t destroy you for lying to him all this time.

I can’t tell him the truth. If he knows I was planning to steal from him, he’ll never forgive me. And even if he did forgive me, what am I supposed to say? Hi, Xavier. I was planning to rob you to pay off my debt to a lone shark who’s holding my brother hostage. But good news, I caught feelings for you instead.

So now I’m in an impossible situation where I have to choose between the man I love and the brother I’ve been raising since he was born. Yes, that’s exactly what you should say because Xavier is not stupid, Sienna. He’s going to figure out something is wrong. You’ve been dating him for 2 weeks and you haven’t let him get physically close.

 You haven’t invited him to your apartment. You haven’t introduced him to any of your friends or family. You’re keeping him at arms length while also spending every free moment with him. And that’s suspicious. That’s the kind of behavior that makes smart men start asking questions. I know. So, what’s your plan? How are you going to steal from him when you’re in love with him? I don’t have a plan, Jass.

 I’m making this up as I go and hoping I figure something out before Halloween because in one week, Dominic is expecting his money. And if I don’t have it, Mason dies. So, I don’t have the luxury of choosing between my brother and my feelings. I have to save Mason, and that means I have to steal from Xavier, and I’ll deal with the guilt and the heartbreak after Mason is safe.

” Jasmine looked at her with an expression that was equal parts pity and frustration. You’re going to lose them both. You know that, right? You’re going to lose Xavier when he finds out you betrayed him. And you’re going to lose Mason if the con goes wrong. And you’re going to end up alone again, which is what you’ve been your whole life.

 So maybe part of you thinks that’s all you deserve. Don’t psychoanalyze me. Someone needs to because you’re self-destructing and you’re too stubborn to see it. I’m surviving. That’s what I do. I survive. There’s more to life than just surviving, Sienna. There’s actually living, actually being happy, actually letting people in.

 But you can’t do any of that if you’re constantly running cons and keeping secrets and pushing away everyone who tries to care about you. Xavier doesn’t care about me. He cares about the version of me I’ve been showing him. The sexy, mysterious dancer who’s interesting and challenging and different from all the other women he’s dated. But that’s not the real me.

 The real me is a con artist with a kidnapped brother and a mountain of debt and absolutely no business being anywhere near a billionaire. Then show him the real you and see what happens. I can’t take that risk. then you’ve already lost him. The opportunity to steal from Xavier came 3 days before Halloween when he invited Sienna to his penthouse for dinner.

 Said he wanted to cook for her himself instead of going to a restaurant. Wanted to show her another side of himself. And Sienna agreed because this was exactly the kind of access she needed. Xavier’s penthouse would have computers and safes and account information, things she could use to transfer money or steal something valuable enough to cover her debt.

 This is it, she told Jasmine before heading over. Tonight, I get what I need and then I disappear before he can figure out what happened. And you’re okay with that? You’re okay with betraying him? I don’t have a choice. It’s either betray Xavier or lose Mason. And I chose Mason the moment I was 12 years old and promised my dying mother I’d always protect him. So yes, I’m okay with it.

 I have to be okay with it because the alternative is unthinkable. Xavier’s penthouse was exactly what Sienna expected. modern and minimalist and full of expensive furniture that looked like it belonged in a museum with floor to-seeiling windows that showed the entire city spread out below like a carpet of lights.

“Welcome to my home,” Xavier said, greeting her at the door, wearing jeans and a t-shirt that made him look younger and less intimidating. And Sienna felt her heart clench because this was Xavier relaxed. Xavier without his armor. Xavier trusting her enough to let her into his private space. “It’s beautiful.

It’s lonely,” Xavier corrected. “I bought this place 5 years ago, thinking it would make me happy. Thinking that having the best of everything would fill whatever hole was inside me. But it turns out expensive furniture doesn’t cure loneliness. Who knew?” He led her to the kitchen where he’d already started cooking.

 And Sienna watched him move around the space with easy confidence, chopping vegetables and stirring sauces. And it was so domestic, so normal, so different from the powerful billionaire persona he showed the rest of the world. I didn’t know you could cook. My mother taught me before she died.

 She said, “A man who can’t feed himself is at the mercy of the world.” And she wanted me to never be at anyone’s mercy. smart woman she was. She worked three jobs trying to keep us fed after my father died. And she died exhausted and broke and alone. And I promised myself I’d never end up like that. Never be powerless, never be poor, never be at the mercy of people who didn’t care whether I lived or died.

You succeeded, did I? I have money and power and more success than I ever imagined. But I’m still alone. still lonely. Still feel like I’m playing a role instead of actually living. So, I’m not sure success means what I thought it meant when I was a kid. They ate dinner talking about childhood and dreams and all the things they wished they’d done differently.

 And Sienna felt herself falling deeper, felt the walls she’d built around her heart crumbling. And she knew she should stop this, should make her move and steal what she needed and disappear. But she couldn’t make herself do it. Couldn’t make herself betray this man who was showing her his real self. Who was trusting her with his vulnerabilities, who was looking at her like she was the answer to every question he’d been asking his whole life.

 After dinner, Xavier showed her around the penthouse. And when they got to his office, Sienna saw the computer on his desk, saw the safe in the corner, saw all the access she needed right there waiting for her. and she knew this was her chance, her only chance, and she had to take it now or lose Mason forever.

 “This is where I work,” Xavier said. “Where I manage the empire I built. Exciting stuff like quarterly earnings and merger negotiations and firing people who disappoint me. It’s not glamorous, but it’s necessary.” “Can I use your bathroom?” Sienna asked, her heart pounding. “Of course. Down the hall. second door on the right.

 Sienna walked out of the office, counted to 30, then snuck back and slipped inside while Xavier was in the kitchen cleaning up dinner, and she went straight to his computer, pulled out the USB drive she’d brought specifically for this purpose, and started copying files, financial records, account numbers, anything that might help her access his money.

 But she’d only been there 2 minutes when she heard Xavier’s voice from the doorway. What are you doing? Sienna froze, the USB drive still plugged into the computer, and she knew there was no way to explain this. No lie that would cover what she was clearly doing. No way to talk her way out of being caught stealing from him.

 “I can explain,” she said, which was what people always said when they absolutely could not explain. “Can you?” Xavier’s voice was cold now, all the warmth from dinner gone. And when Sienna turned to look at him, she saw the billionaire instead of the man. Saw the predator instead of the person who’d been vulnerable with her. Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you were copying my files, which means you were stealing from me, which means everything about our relationship has been a lie.

 Not everything. Really? What was real? The dancing at the club, the dinners, the conversations where you pretended to care about me? Was any of that real, or were you just conning me from the beginning? It was real, Sienna said, tears streaming down her face. The feelings were real. Falling for you was real.

 I didn’t plan that. I didn’t want that, but it happened anyway. And now I’m caught between you and my brother, and I don’t know what to do. Your brother? What does your brother have to do with this? So Sienna told him, told him everything about Mason being kidnapped, about Dominic and the debt, about 3 years of running cons trying to pay back money she’d never borrowed in the first place, about being 12 years old and promising her dying mother she’d protect Mason no matter what.

 About targeting Xavier as her last desperate hope to save the only family she had left. Xavier listened without interrupting. And when she finished, he was quiet for a long time, just standing there staring at her like he was trying to solve a puzzle. You were going to steal from me to pay off a lone shark, he said finally. Yes.

 And you didn’t think to just ask me for help. Why would I ask for help? We’d been dating for 2 weeks. I couldn’t ask you for $200,000 when I was supposed to be conning you. That would have been stupid. And stealing from me wasn’t stupid. It was the only option I had left, Xavier. I’ve been running cons for 3 years trying to raise this money.

 I’ve stolen from businessmen and politicians and anyone I could get close to. And I was still 120,000 short with one week left. So yes, I targeted you. And yes, I planned to steal from you, but I didn’t plan to fall in love with you, and I certainly didn’t plan to get caught. “You love me,” Xavier repeated like he was testing the words.

 “I love you, which makes this worse because now I’ve betrayed you and I’ve probably lost you and I still don’t have the money to save Mason.” So, congratulations, Xavier. You win. You caught the con artist. You can turn me into the police or ruin my life or whatever it is you do to people who cross you.

 Xavier crossed to his desk, opened a drawer, pulled out a checkbook, and wrote a check which he held out to Sienna. Here, what is that? $200,000. Take it. Pay your loan, Shark. Get your brother back. Sienna stared at the check like it was a snake that might bite her. Why would you do that? Because despite everything, despite the lies and the con and the stealing, I believe that you love your brother.

 I believe that you were desperate. And I believe that desperation makes people do things they wouldn’t normally do. And I understand that better than you know, because I’ve done terrible things out of desperation, too. This doesn’t make sense. I betrayed you. Yes, you did. And we’ll deal with that later.

 But right now, there’s a 10-year-old kid who’s been held hostage for 3 months and who needs his sister to save him. So, take the check, save him, and then we’ll figure out what happens next. I can’t pay you back. I don’t have anything. I’m nobody. You’re not nobody. You’re Sienna Chase and you’re apparently the woman I love despite the fact that you tried to rob me, which either makes me the biggest fool in New York or means that what we have is real enough to survive this.

Sienna took the check with shaking hands and started crying for real now. Ugly sobs that she couldn’t control. I’m sorry, Xavier. I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you. I didn’t want any of this. I just wanted to save my brother. I know and I’m choosing to believe that. But Sienna, you need to understand something.

 I don’t forgive easily. I don’t trust easily. And you’ve broken both my trust and my forgiveness. So, if we’re going to move forward from this, you need to be completely honest with me from now on. No more lies, no more cons, no more secrets. Can you do that? Yes, I can do that. I promise complete honesty from now on. Good.

 Then go pay Dominic Reed, get Mason back, and come back here because we have a lot to talk about and we’re not done yet. Not by a long shot. Sienna went to meet Dominic with the check in her purse and her heart in her throat. And when she handed him $200,000 in certified funds, his expression shifted from smug to surprised to actually impressed. You did it.

 You actually conned Xavier Blake out of enough money to cover your debt. I’m honestly shocked. I didn’t con him. I asked him for help and he gave it to me. Same thing. It’s not the same thing at all. But we’re done now. The debt is paid. Mason is coming home with me. Not quite, Dominic said.

 And Sienna felt ice slide down her spine. What do you mean not quite? I paid you everything I owed. We’re done. We’re done with the old debt, but there’s new interest, fees for late payments, penalties for making me wait 3 years. It all adds up. You still owe me $50,000. That’s not what we agreed. We didn’t agree to anything, Sienna.

 You borrowed money from people I represent. You failed to pay it back in a timely manner, and now there are consequences. So you can pay me another 50,000 or I keep Mason and we start over from zero. Sienna felt rage building in her chest. Rage and frustration and the horrible realization that Dominic was never going to let her go.

 That he’d found a way to make money off her talents and he was going to keep exploiting that for as long as she let him. I don’t have another 50,000. Then I guess you better start conning again. No. No. Dominic smiled, showing teeth. You don’t get to say no, Sienna. I own you. I own Mason. And I’ll own you until I decide to let you go, which might be never if you keep being this profitable.

I said no. I’m done. I’m done running cons for you. I’m done living in fear. I’m done letting you control my life. So, here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to give me my brother right now, and you’re never going to contact me again. And if you do, I will tell Xavier Blake everything about your operation, your lone sharking, your illegal activities, everything.

 And he has enough money and enough power to destroy you completely. You think Xavier Blake cares about some lone shark in Brooklyn. I think Xavier Blake cares about me, and I think he’ll do whatever it takes to protect me, including destroying anyone who threatens me. Dominic’s smile faded. You’re bluffing. Try me.

 They stared at each other for a long moment, and Sienna could see Dominic calculating, weighing whether she was serious, whether Xavier Blake would really intervene on her behalf, whether keeping Mason was worth the risk of making an enemy of someone with that much power. Fine, Dominic said finally. Take the kid.

 But Sienna, if you ever need money again, if you ever come crawling back, I won’t be this generous again. I won’t come back. I promise you that. I’m done with this life. Mason was in the basement like Sienna had imagined. And when she saw him, she started crying all over again because he was so small, so thin, so scared, and she’d failed him, had let him be taken, had let him suffer for 3 months while she tried to raise money to save him.

“Sissy,” Mason said, launching himself at her. And Sienna caught him and held him so tight she was probably hurting him. But she couldn’t make herself let go. “I knew you’d come. I knew you’d save me. I’m sorry it took so long. I’m so sorry, Mason. I tried to get you back sooner, but I couldn’t raise the money fast enough. It’s okay. You came.

 That’s what matters. You came and now we’re together again. Sienna took Mason back to Xavier’s penthouse because she didn’t trust going to her apartment. Didn’t trust that Dominic wouldn’t try something now that she’d threatened him. And Xavier opened the door, looking surprised to see a skinny 10-year-old with big eyes standing next to her.

 “You must be Mason,” Xavier said, crouching down to the kid’s level. “I’ve heard a lot about you.” “Are you Sissy’s boyfriend?” Mason asked. “I think so, although we’re still figuring that out.” “Do you have video games?” “I do. I have every video game console ever made. Rich people problems. Can I play? After you eat something that isn’t prison food, your sister tells me you’ve been held hostage for 3 months and you’re probably starving.

 So, how about I order pizza and then we’ll play video games until you pass out from exhaustion. Mason looked at Sienna for permission and she nodded and he went off with Xavier to the living room, leaving Sienna standing in the entryway feeling like her entire world had just shifted on its axis. That night, after Mason had eaten half a pizza and fallen asleep playing video games, Xavier and Sienna sat on the balcony looking out at the city.

 And Sienna tried to find words for everything she was feeling. “Thank you,” she said finally. “For what?” “For saving Mason. For believing me. For not turning me into the police. For giving me a second chance I absolutely don’t deserve. You deserve more than you think, Xavier said. And I didn’t save Mason for you.

 I saved him for himself because he’s a kid who got caught up in his sister’s problems through no fault of his own. And he deserves better than being used as a bargaining chip by lone sharks. Are you angry with me? Yes, I’m angry that you lied to me, that you planned to steal from me, that you saw me as a mark instead of a person.

 But I’m also angry at myself for not seeing it sooner, for being so desperate for connection that I ignored all the warning signs that you were hiding something. I I’m sorry. I know you are, but sorry doesn’t fix broken trust, Sienna. Sorry is just words. I need actions. I need proof that you’re not going to lie to me again.

 That you’re not going to run another con. That you’re actually committed to building something real. I am committed. I swear I’m done with that life. I’m done running cons. I just want to be normal. I want to raise Mason and maybe figure out what we are and just live without constantly being afraid. Then that’s what we’ll do. We’ll figure this out together.

 But Sienna, you need to understand something. If you lie to me again, if you betray me again, I won’t forgive you a second time. I’ll walk away and you’ll never see me again. And I mean that. I understand. Good. Xavier pulled her close and Sienna leaned against him. And for the first time in 3 months, she felt like maybe, just maybe, everything was going to be okay.

 The next 6 months were an adjustment. Learning to live without fear. Learning to be in a relationship that was built on honesty instead of deception. learning to let Xavier help her without feeling like she owed him something in return. Learning to be a sister to Mason again instead of just his protector. Xavier hired tutors for Mason, got him into a good school, bought them an apartment in a safe neighborhood, and never once asked for anything except honesty, which Sienna gave him even when it was hard, even when admitting things made her feel vulnerable and scared.

I love you. She told him one night 6 months after Mason had been rescued. I know I’ve said it before, but I’m saying it again because I need you to know it’s real. I love you completely, Xavier Blake. And I’m terrified of losing you. You’re not going to lose me unless you push me away, Xavier said.

 And even then, I’ll probably stick around because I’m stubborn and I’ve decided you’re worth fighting for. Why? Why am I worth fighting for when I tried to rob you? Because underneath all the lies and the cons and the survival mechanisms, there’s a woman who spent her entire childhood protecting her brother, who raised herself when no one else would, who fought her way through hell and came out the other side still capable of love.

 And that’s extraordinary. That’s worth everything. You’re going to make me cry. Good. Crying is healthy. One year after they met, Xavier proposed in the least romantic way possible, just asked her over breakfast if she wanted to get married. And when Sienna said yes, he pulled out a ring that was probably worth more than most cars, and said he’d been carrying it for 3 months, waiting for the right moment, but had decided there was no right moment, just moments when you were brave enough to ask.

They got married in a small ceremony with just Mason and Jasmine and a few of Xavier’s business associates who Sienna was pretty sure were actually criminals, but she didn’t ask questions because everyone deserved friends, even if those friends had questionable professions. “You’re married to a billionaire,” Jasmine whispered during the reception.

“You conned your way into marriage with a billionaire. That’s the best con you’ve ever run.” It’s not a con. I love him. I know you do. But you also got everything you were trying to steal. Financial security, safety, a future. You just got it by being honest instead of lying. And I think there’s a lesson in that.

 What lesson? That sometimes the best cons are the ones where you stop conning and just tell the truth. 5 years later, Sienna and Xavier had two kids of their own. A daughter named Maya who was four and a son named Jackson who was two. And Mason was 15 and doing well in school and talking about maybe going to college.

 And Sienna worked for Xavier’s company doing security consulting, using her skills at reading people and spotting cons to help protect the business from people like she used to be. Do you ever miss it? Xavier asked her one night after the kids were in bed. Miss what? The cons, the adrenaline, the thrill of playing a role and getting away with it.

 Sometimes, Sienna admitted, “Sometimes I miss the rush, the feeling of being in control. But then I look at what I have now at you and the kids and Mason safe and happy. And I realize that this is better. This is real. and real is so much more valuable than any thrill I got from running cons. Even though you caught feelings for your mark and broke all your rules.

Especially because I caught feelings for my mark because you taught me that breaking rules isn’t always bad if you’re breaking them for the right reasons. And loving you was the right reason to break every rule I’d ever made. That’s very romantic. I learned from the best. I’m not romantic. You proposed over breakfast and carried the ring for 3 months because you were too scared to ask.

 That’s romantic, even if you don’t want to admit it.” Xavier laughed and pulled her close. And Sienna thought about how far she’d come from that terrified girl standing outside the Onyx Club, trying to work up courage to con billionaire. thought about all the ways her life had changed when she’d decided to stop lying and start being honest.

 Thought about how sometimes the best thing you can do is take a risk on telling the truth, even when lying would be safer. This is Mr. Hope reminding you that sometimes the people we’re running from are running from the same things we are. That survival doesn’t have to mean being alone. That asking for help is not the same as weakness.

 that the bravest thing you can do is let someone see who you really are underneath all your armor and defenses and carefully constructed lies. May you find someone who sees through your cons to the real person underneath. May you be brave enough to tell the truth even when lying feels safer. May you learn that love built on honesty is stronger than anything built on deception.

 And may you always protect the people you love with everything you have. Thank you for watching. I love you all. God bless. And remember that sometimes the best way to win is to stop playing games and just be real.