THE ICE PRINCE'S DATE
1413 Words
(Season 1)
CHAPTER 10
The driveway looked like something out of a magazine.
A line of black cars. Sleek. Polished until they reflected the string lights above. Drivers stood at attention in black suits, hands folded, eyes forward.
Liora stopped at the top of the marble steps and felt her stomach drop.
Everyone had someone.
Kai was leaning against a Bentley with a model in liquid silver draped on his arm, both of them laughing about something.
Zach was walking beside a sharp woman in navy, talking in low voices, probably about contracts.
Ryan had Rhine. She was in black silk that moved like water, hair pinned up, diamonds at her throat. She looked like she belonged in this world.
Even the house staff were paired off, heading to the staff vans with quiet jokes between them.
And her?
Alone.
The thought hit her like cold water.
_Did they forget me?_
She turned to Ryan, trying to keep her voice from shaking. “How come I don’t get a date?”
Ryan blinked at her, genuinely confused. “Of course you do have a date.”
Liora frowned and looked down the line of cars again. “Is he invisible or something? Because I don’t see anyone.”
Ryan just pointed.
Across the driveway, leaning against a matte-black Maybach, stood a man who looked carved from stone.
Arms crossed. Tuxedo perfectly tailored. Face completely blank.
Dark eyes scanning the driveway like he was waiting for a threat, not a date.
_KALEN._
Liora’s eyes almost fell out of her head.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Kalen?
The human ice sculpture.
The CEO who could end a meeting with three words.
The guy who didn’t do small talk, didn’t do dates, didn’t do _people_.
“Come on, Liora. It’s fine,” Ryan said quickly, rubbing the back of his neck. “All you have to do is walk beside him, smile for the cameras, and you’ll be perfect.”
“That was so helpful, Ryan,” a smooth voice cut in.
A woman stepped forward in a flowing black gown. Effortless. Elegant. She moved like she’d been born in heels.
She shot Ryan a glare that could’ve cut glass, then turned to Liora with a warm smile.
“Hey. I’m Catherine. But call me Rhine. I’m his date,” she said, nodding toward Ryan.
Liora’s brows went up. “I’m Liora. Liora Volar.”
Rhine’s smile softened. “I’ve heard a lot about you. Ryan wouldn’t shut up about how beautiful you are.”
Ryan went red immediately.
“Really?” Liora asked, glancing between them. “Aren’t you mad that your boyfriend talks about other girls?”
Rhine threw her head back and laughed. “_Oh my god, you’re adorable. He’s not my boyfriend. We grew up together. This i***t is my childhood friend._”
Ryan was clearly enjoying the misunderstanding. The smug look on his face said he wasn’t correcting her anytime soon.
Liora tried one more time. “But why can’t I go with Lucas or Zod instead?”
Now that she thought about it — where _were_ they? They hadn’t been at the house for two days.
“They’re not here,” Ryan said, already steering her toward the cars with a hand on her back. “Go. He’s waiting.”
Kalen hadn’t moved.
He was still there. Patient. Still. Waiting.
Like he could stand like that for hours and not feel a thing.
Liora took a deep breath. Squared her shoulders. And walked.
The moment she left, Rhine turned to Ryan. Her voice dropped.
“She’s beautiful. Innocent. How did you find her?”
Ryan scratched his neck. “Emm... my car ran her over.”
Rhine stopped walking. “You ran her over?!”
“I didn’t mean to! And I wasn’t driving! Lucas was!”
Rhine rolled her eyes. “Right. Because you were probably distracting him.”
“Why does everyone say that?!” Ryan groaned in frustration.
“Because it’s true.” Rhine’s voice softened. “Does she know?”
“About what?”
“About us. About Tenebrous.”
Ryan sighed and sank into the backseat. “No. She doesn’t. And she can’t. Not yet.”
Rhine nodded, watching Liora’s small figure approach Kalen. “I get it. You want to protect her. But what if someone from Tenebrous shows up? You can’t watch everyone, Ryan. And Liora... she’s different.”
Ryan smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You just met her and you’re already protective.”
“I can’t help it,” Rhine said honestly. “The second I saw her I felt like I’d known her forever.”
“We felt it too,” Ryan murmured. “That’s why we couldn’t let her go. We don’t know what we’re protecting her from. But we know she isn’t safe out there.”
“Yeah,” Rhine whispered. “The feeling is overwhelming.”
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
*JONES GALA | GRAND ENTRANCE*
Cameras.
Flashes.
Noise like a thousand voices talking at once.
Liora’s head spun the second they stepped onto the red carpet.
Too much light. Too many eyes. Too much attention.
Her hand shot out without thinking and gripped Kalen’s arm.
He glanced down once.
Said nothing.
But he didn’t pull away.
Whispers started immediately.
Because everyone in this circle knew Kalen Vex’s reputation.
No dates. No conversations. No attachments.
For years the rumors flew. He was gay. He was broken. He was a robot.
Even Zod had wondered once.
But the truth was simpler: Kalen just didn’t _do_ people.
So seeing him walk in with a girl in red, clinging to him like he was the only solid thing in the room?
The entire ballroom started buzzing.
“Mr. Vex! Welcome. We’ve been waiting for you,” Mr. Jones boomed, striding over in a tux that probably cost more than Liora’s old apartment.
Kalen gave a small nod.
Then, to everyone’s shock, he did something he hadn’t done in public in years.
He smiled. Small. Polite. Real enough to make people stare.
And his hand came up to rest lightly over Liora’s where it was still gripping his arm.
“This is Liora. Liora Volar. She’s my date tonight.
Liora, this is Mr. Jones. A business partner.”
Liora curtsied, cheeks burning. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Jones. Your party is amazing.”
Mr. Jones stared.
“Volar,” he repeated slowly. Like the name had snagged on something in his memory and wouldn’t let go.
Like he’d heard it before. In a context he didn’t like.
Before he could say anything else —
“Hi!”
Too bright. Too loud. Too deliberate.
Sophia Jones.
Designer gown. Hair curled perfectly. Smile calculated to the millimeter.
Her eyes didn’t leave Kalen for even a second.
The way her smile grew. The way her whole face lit up.
It was obvious. She wanted Kalen’s attention. Badly.
“Mr. Kalen, meet my daughter Sophia,” Mr. Jones said.
Sophia’s eyes widened like this was brand new information. “Actually dad, we met a few days ago in New York.”
Kalen nodded once. “Yes. How are you?”
“I’m good,” Sophia said, already stepping closer. She didn’t even glance at Liora.
“I was wondering... would you like to dance?”
The question hung in the air.
Liora froze.
Her hand was still on Kalen’s arm.
She was standing _right there_.
Did Sophia think she was invisible? Or did she just not care?
Kalen didn’t answer right away.
He looked down.
At Liora’s fingers, white-knuckled on his sleeve.
At her red dress.
At the way her jaw was clenched, trying very hard not to show how much this bothered her.
The whole room was watching.
The music seemed to get quieter.
Mr. Jones was watching. Sophia was waiting, smile still fixed, expectant.
The cameras were starting to turn in their direction.
And Kalen?
Kalen said nothing.
His expression didn’t change.
But his thumb moved once, barely, over the back of Liora’s hand.
A small, grounding motion.
A choice was being made.
Right here. Right now.
With everyone watching.
Liora held her breath.
Her heart was pounding so loud she was sure people could hear it.
Waiting.
Waiting to see if the Ice King would let go of her...
Or pull her closer.
The silence stretched.
TBC
- Writer
