Chapter 2
1344 Words
“Your ID, please.”
I slipped my ID card from my Chanel purse and waved it at the bouncer.
He glanced at it, then at me, before stepping aside.
I walked straight into the VIP section, my heels clicking against the polished floor. The music pulsed through me, drowning out the memory of my father’s painfully boring party.
Finally. Freedom.
I spotted Celeste lounging on a black velvet sofa, a glass in her hand and her golden locs falling over one shoulder.
“There you are,” she called, grinning. “I was beginning to think your father had finally locked you in a tower.”
“Give him ideas Miss Celeste Haven.”
She laughed as I dropped into the seat beside her.
“For someone who sounded so deadbeat some minutes ago, you look freaking good” Celeste reached out and smoothed down my long black hair.
“Are you sure you weren't enjoying your father's party?”
“I spent an hour smiling at people whose names I don't remember and pretending to care about conversations I didn't want to hear.”
“So…a typical Frederick Vale event?”
“Exactly.”
Celeste raised her glass. “To escaping.”
I clinked mine against hers.
“To escaping.”
We laughed, and for a few minutes, everything felt easy.
We talked about the things young women talked about, sipping from our glasses and pretending not to notice the stares we were attracting from every single corner of the room.
Then Celeste's phone buzzed.
She glanced at the screen and sighed.
“What's wrong?”
“My mother.” She rolled her eyes. “Apparently she needs me to come home because some family friends decided to visit.”
I groaned dramatically.
“Don't leave me.”
“You'll survive. I was alone here for about an hour before you arrived.” She stood, her champagne satin dress caught the light in such a pretty way. “Besides, you look like you're already making friends.”
I followed her gaze.
A blonde guy was watching me from across the VIP section.
I immediately looked away.
“Definitely not making friends.”
Celeste giggled. “Sure, bestie.”
She leaned down and kissed my cheek.
“I'll call you later.”
“You better.”
“I always do.”
And just like that, she disappeared out the door and out of my view.
I settled back into my chair, trying to enjoy the freedom of being alone.
Or at least, I thought I was alone.
“Hey sexy”
A blonde guy scooted close and draped his arm over my shoulder.
“You're new here” He licked his lips, staring at me with a lopsided smirk.
“Is that a question or a statement?” I asked without sparing him a glance.
His presence irritated me.
“It can be anything you want baby” the blonde guy chuckled beside my ear. His hot breath fanning my face.
Just then a tall man in a charcoal black suit walked in…and everything stopped.
He captivated me.
Not because he was the most handsome man I'd ever seen—though, annoyingly, he was.
It was the way the room seemed to bend around him.
Conversations quieted as he passed. Heads turned. Even the bartender paused mid-pour.
And he didn't seem to notice.
Or perhaps he simply didn't care.
His long black hair fell carelessly around his face, framing sharp, almost aristocratic features. In the dim light, I caught a strange wine-red sheen in his hair, woven through the darkness, subtle enough to make me wonder if I'd imagined it. But it was his eyes that caught me.
Vibrant silver.
They found mine from across the room.
And stayed there.
I forgot about the blonde beside me.
The stranger didn't smile.
Neither did I.
We simply stared at each other.
It felt strangely intimate.
Then his gaze slowly travelled down my body and back up.
My lips curved.
Oh.
He wasn't subtle.
Neither was I.
I crossed my legs.
His eyes flickered and he made his way towards me.
“Enjoying the view?”
The question left my lips before I could stop it.
He finally smiled.
It was slow. Dangerous.
“Very much.”
I'd never heard a more soothing voice. It was like my ears were being caressed by silk.
The blonde beside me scoffed. “She's not interested.”
The handsome stranger's eyes shifted to him.
For some reason, the temperature in the room seemed to drop.
“Did she say that?”
I caught the edge of disdain that tainted his voice as he spoke to the blonde guy.
The blonde opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
I almost laughed.
The stranger looked back at me.
“Didn't think so.”
I tilted my head.
“You always interrupt conversations you're not part of?”
“Only when they're boring.”
The blonde's face tightened.
Mine didn't.
But something inside me definitely woke up.
He stepped closer.
“What's your name?”
“Why?”
“I believe that's the first step to getting to know someone. Don't you think?”
I smiled.
“And what makes you think I want you to know me?”
His gaze dropped to my lips briefly, then focused back on my eyes. Never had I seen a more penetrating gaze.
“Your eyes have given you away. They're burning with curiosity”
I leaned back and my brows raised in shock.
“You look like the kind of man who's used to getting whatever he wants.”
“I am.”
The confidence should have annoyed me.
Instead, it sent a thrill straight through me.
I looked him over slowly.
“Then you're going to be disappointed tonight.”
His smile widened. I caught the glint of pearly white teeth for a tiny moment.
“Are you promising to disappoint me?”
“No.”
I held his gaze.
“I'm promising to be difficult.”
For the first time, something genuinely amused flashed across his face.
“Good.”
He stepped closer until he was standing directly in front of me.
Too close.
Close enough that I caught his scent—dark, expensive and strangely intoxicating.
My instincts stirred.
Something about him wasn't right.
I couldn't explain it.
I only knew that every sensible part of me was telling me to move away...
…and every other part wanted to move closer.
He leaned down slightly.
“Tell me, Aria.”
My body went still.
I hadn't told him my name.
His silver eyes gleamed.
“Why are you looking at me like you want to kill me?”
My heart skipped.
For one terrifying second, I wondered if he could see straight through me.
Then I smiled.
Slowly.
“Maybe I do.”
His gaze darkened.
“Then why are you looking at me like you want to kiss me?”
The bastard.
I stood.
Now we were almost eye level.
“Maybe I have terrible judgment.”
He leaned closer, his lips barely inches from mine.
“Perhaps.”
His voice dropped to a whisper.
“Or perhaps your instincts are better than you think.”
A shiver raced through me.
I should have walked away.
Instead, I smiled.
From the corner of my eye I caught sight of a bouncer weaving through the crowd. I recognized him immediately– my father's security.
My smile dropped instantly.
“Why the change of mood?”
My eyes were once more dragged back to the gorgeous man and my breath hitched at our proximity.
When had he gotten so close?
“Our meeting will have to be cut short, stranger”
He smirked again, and his lips looked a little too inviting.
Before I could think better of it, I found myself leaning toward him. Drawn closer until our noses nearly touched, until I could feel the warmth of his breath—
BANG!
The crack of a gunshot tore through the room
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