HEART BOUND

THE TOUCH THAT BURNS

(Season 1)

CHAPTER 21

In the dim light of the living room, pressed close by the door.

Kai’s hand was on Lucas’s jaw.

Lucas’s eyes were closed.

Her brain short-circuited.

Kai.

The one who teased everyone, who never took anything seriously.

Lucas.

The one who barely spoke, who moved like a shadow and watched everything.

Kissing.

Her mouth opened. Nothing came out.

Lucas jerked back first. His face drained of color in an instant.

Panic flashed across his features, raw and real.

If this got out, it was finished.

Their world didn’t allow this.

And Kalen... Kalen would burn the whole house down before he accepted it.

"Listen, Liora... we can explain," Kai said. But his voice was thin. For once, the cocky mask was gone.

Liora crossed her arms. Her heart was still hammering.

"Okay," she said slowly. "Explain. Why were you two kissing like you thought the world was ending?"

Kai and Lucas looked at each other.

A whole conversation passed between them in one second.

Kai exhaled, long and shaky. "You have to promise first. You can’t tell anyone. Not Zach. Not Ryan. Not Rhine. No one."

Liora studied them.

The fear in Lucas’s eyes.

The way Kai was standing half in front of him, like he could shield him with his body.

"Fine," she said quietly. "I won’t."

The breath they released was audible.

Kai immediately reached for Lucas’s hand. Didn’t even think about it. Just took it.

"We like each other," Kai said, voice low. "We have. For a long time. But—"

"But you’re terrified to tell anyone," Liora finished for him, eyebrow raised.

Lucas nodded once. "Yeah. Something like that."

The silence that followed was heavy.

Liora looked at them. Really looked.

Kai, who made jokes to cover everything, was staring at Lucas like he was the only solid thing in the room.

Lucas, who never let anyone close, was letting Kai hold his hand in plain sight.

"This is... a lot," Liora admitted. Then, softer: "But I get it. And I’m not going to say anything. I promise."

"Thanks, pumpkin," Kai said, and just like that the teasing was back. Too fast. Too forced.

Liora snorted when Lucas rolled his eyes to the ceiling.

"Don’t tell me you’re jealous," Kai said, bumping Lucas’s shoulder.

"I have no idea what you’re talking about," Lucas said flatly. But the faint red at the tips of his ears gave him away.

"You guys are so cute," Liora said, shaking her head with a small smile.

It was still strange to her. Two guys. But the way they looked at each other... that wasn’t strange at all. That was just real.

She cleared her throat. "So. When did you get back? And where are Zach and Ryan?"

Before Kai could answer, the front door clicked open.

Zach and Ryan.

Lucas dropped Kai’s hand so fast it was almost comical.

They shared one quick, secret glance and a small smile before stepping apart.

Liora didn’t think. She just ran.

Straight into Zach’s arms.

"I missed you guys so much! What took you so long?"

"It was three days, cupcake," Kai called from behind her.

"Three days is forever!" she said, glaring over Zach’s shoulder.

Ryan clutched his chest dramatically. "I feel like you missed everyone but me."

"What are you talking about?" Liora pulled back and pointed at him. "I missed you more than this jerk and Mr. Ice Prince here."

Zach froze. "Ice Prince?"

His mouth opened, then closed.

The only Ice Prince in this house was Kalen.

Zach was loud. Warm. The guy who always had snacks.

Right?

They all ended up in the dining room. Talking over each other. Laughing too loud.

It felt normal.

Except for the empty chair at the head of the table.

Kalen wasn’t back yet.

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Sleep wouldn’t come.

Liora stared at the ceiling and counted the cracks.

Kalen still wasn’t home.

Her mind kept replaying the elevator.

His shaking hands.

The way he told her to stay back like he was afraid of himself.

What if it happened again?

What if he was alone somewhere, and no one was there to help?

She rolled over. Then again.

Two hours passed.

Finally she gave up.

Tea. She needed tea to shut her brain up.

She slipped out of bed and padded downstairs in socks.

The mansion was dark. Silent.

Halfway down the long hallway, she stopped.

A sound.

Faint. Muffled.

Coming from the room at the very end. The one that was always locked.

She shouldn’t.

She really shouldn’t.

"I hope I don’t get into trouble for this," she whispered.

Her hand hovered over the doorknob.

Cold metal.

She turned it.

Locked.

Of course it was.

She sighed and turned to leave—

And slammed right into something solid.

Her breath caught.

Kalen.

He was standing right behind her. So close she could feel the heat of him.

His face was inches from hers. Shadows under his eyes. Jaw tight.

He looked exhausted. And furious.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was low. Cold. It cut right through her.

"I... I heard something," she stammered.

His eyes flicked to the locked door, then back to her.

"Stop investigating me, young lady. It’s dangerous."

Dangerous?

She was worried sick and that’s what he said?

"Or what?" she snapped, arms crossing. The fear turned into anger. "You’re going to throw me off the roof?"

His eyes flashed. A muscle in his jaw ticked.

"You don’t want to know. So stop."

Instead of backing down, she stepped closer.

Where was this boldness coming from?

"Why? Afraid I’ll see the real you? What you’re hiding?"

For a second, his mask cracked.

Something vulnerable, something tired, flickered behind his eyes.

Then it was gone.

"You won’t like what you see."

"Maybe I would," she whispered.

That was it.

Kalen moved.

One step and she was pinned gently against the door, his hands on either side of her head.

Their faces were so close she could feel his breath on her lips. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought he could hear it.

"You don’t know what you’re playing with," he said, voice dangerously soft. "I’m warning you because my brothers are fond of you."

His hand lifted.

One finger traced down her cheek. Slow. Barely there.

Liora’s eyes fluttered shut.

Heat spread across her skin like he’d set her on fire.

What was he doing?

Why did her body react to him like this?

"Just be good," he murmured, his voice rough now. "And stop doing whatever you’re doing."

And then he stepped back.

Turned.

Walked away.

Liora stayed there, back against the door, heart racing.

What just happened?

That infuriating, cold, impossible man.

How did one touch from him short-circuit her entire brain?

She was mad.

She was confused.

And her cheek was still burning.

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"MICHAEL'S VILLA

Michael didn’t look up when the door opened.

If this was a waste of time, the person wasn’t walking out.

"Hello there, handsome," a voice purred.

He raised his head. *Sophie Jones.*

Legs crossed, smile too wide, sitting like she belonged there.

"Get to the point, Sophie."

She laughed softly. "Straight to business. I like that."

"I’m not repeating myself."

"You want Kalen Vex gone," she said, leaning forward. "Right?"

Michael went still. "Yes. So?"

"I can help you with that," she said, sliding a thick black file across the desk. "I know something that can destroy him. Completely. Not just him. The entire Vex family."

Michael stared at the file. And looked up at her curiously.

He opened the file. The documents looked real.

Too real.

He looked up at her.

"Why are you helping me? You hate me."

Sophie just smiled.

"Let’s just say... I hate him more."

TBC