Twins of Ruin

chapter two

The cab ride back felt longer than the trip downtown.

Ariella kept her hood up and her hands tucked between her knees to stop them from shaking. Every red light made her heart jump. She kept replaying Kai’s last words on a loop.

Try not to look so damn innocent. It makes me want to ruin it.

She pressed her fingers to her lips, half expecting them to feel different. He hadn’t even kissed her, yet her body still felt like he had.

The Grayson penthouse was quiet when she slipped back in through the service entrance. Marco, the night guard, was back at his post scrolling on his phone. He gave her a polite nod, pretending not to notice the faint scent of smoke and sweat that clung to her clothes.

She had paid for his silence months ago.Ariella had barely closed the door to her bedroom when her phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

She stared at the screen, her pulse spiking.

Unknown: You made it home, princess?

She bit her lip, with her thumbs hovering over her cracked screen. How did he even get her number?

Ariella: Stalker much?

Unknown: I am a fighter, not a saint. Answer the question.

Ariella: I'm safe.

Three dots appeared, then disappeared. Then it appeared again.

Unknown: Good. Means you’re thinking about me. Don’t come back next week.

Ariella: Or what?

Unknown: Or I’ll stop being nice.

She smiled in the dark, the kind of reckless, stupid smile she never allowed herself in daylight. Before she could type a reply, another message came through.

Unknown: Delete this message and lose my number, Ariella. I’m serious.

The thread vanished from her screen a second later. He’d unsent everything.

.She showered quickly, trying to wash away the smell of the arena, but the memory of Kai’s hand on her wrist refused to rinse off. When she finally crawled into bed, sleep refused to come.

When she finally fell asleep the morning light came too soon

.“Ariella, you’re late for breakfast.”Her father’s voice came down the long hallway. Richard Grayson did not raise his voice. He didn’t need to. People simply obeyed.

She found him at the dining table, already dressed in a charcoal three-piece suit, reading the newspaper while sunlight poured into the huge dining room.

At sixty-two, he still had an imposing figure, with silver strands of hair at his temples and sharp blue eyes that missed nothing.

“Morning, Dad.” She kissed his cheek and slid into her usual seat.

Fresh fruit, avocado toast, and black coffee waited exactly the way she liked it. Sometimes the perfection of her life felt like a cage with excellent catering.

“You were out late,” he said without looking up from the paper.

Ariella’s stomach tightened.

“Just drove around a bit. Couldn’t sleep.”

Richard folded the newspaper with precise movements and finally met her eyes.

“We need to talk about the Viscontis.”Her fork froze halfway to her mouth.“They’ve formally accepted the proposal,” he continued

“Proposal,” she repeated carefully

“I don’t remember agreeing to any proposal.”Her father’s expression softened, but only slightly.

This was the version of him she both loved and feared,the man who genuinely believed he was protecting her.“You’re my only child, Ariella. Everything I’ve built is for you. Damien Visconti is respected

He’ll be good for you. Good for the family name.”Damien. Not Kai.Of course it was Damien. The golden twin. The one who wore suits instead of scars.She set her fork down.

“And if I said no?”Richard reached across the table and covered her hand with his. His palm felt cool

“Then you’d watch everything your grandfather and I sacrificed disappear. The houses, the foundation, your mother’s legacy. Is that what you want?”Guilt hit her like a punch to the ribs.

Her mother had died when Ariella was twelve. The cancer had taken everything except the photographs and the expectation that Ariella would keep the Grayson name shining.

“I haven’t even had a proper conversation with Damien,” she said quietly.“You will be at dinner next Friday. Victor Visconti wants to make the announcement soon.”Victor is Kai’s father.

Ariella’s appetite vanished. She pushed her plate away.

“Dad… what if he’s not what he seems?”

“Damien has been groomed for this life. Unlike that other one.” Her father’s lip curled with distaste. “The fighter. Embarrassment to the family name. Victor keeps him on a short leash these days.”

Her chest ached. She wanted to scream that the “embarrassment” had more fire in one scarred knuckle than Damien probably had in his entire body. Instead she forced a small nod.

“I’ll meet him,” she said.Richard smiled, pleased. “Good girl.”The rest of the morning passed in a blur of meetings with the family accountant and a video call with the charity board.

By three o’clock, Ariella felt like she was suffocating so she escaped to the rooftop garden, phone in hand, staring at the city below

She typed and deleted three different messages before sending the fourth.

Ariella: We need to talk in person

The reply came faster than she expected.

Unknown: No.

Ariella: Please, even if it's just one hour.

Unknown: You’re playing with fire, princess.

Ariella: Then stop texting me back if you don’t want to get burnt.

A full minute passed.

Unknown: Come to the old pier behind the warehouses by 10pm and come alone. And Ariella, if anyone follows you I will walk away permanently

She exhaled shakily and deleted the messages like he’d told her to.

The rest of the day dragged on.

By 9:20 She picked out an outfit three times and settled for dark jeans again, a soft gray sweater and left her hair loose.

When she finally slipped out at 9:40, the city felt electric.Kai was already waiting when she reached the pier.

He stood at the edge where wood was dry with his hands in the pockets of a black leather jacket

The cut on his cheek had been cleaned but still looked sore. He turned when he heard her footsteps.“You’re early,” he said.

“So are you.”He studied her for a long moment,with something unreadable in his hazel eyes.

“What’s so important you’d risk coming here again?”

Ariella stepped closer. The wind off the river tugged at her hair

“My father’s arranging my marriage. To your brother.”Kai went very still

“Damien,” he said flatly.“Yes.”He laughed once.

“Of course. The perfect son gets the perfect wife. Business as usual.”

“I don’t want him.” The words tumbled out before she could stop them.

“I can’t stop thinking about you. About last night. About how you looked at me like I was real.

Kai dragged a hand through his hair, turning away.

“You need to forget last night. Go marry golden boy. Live the life you were born for.”

“I was born for more than being a chess piece.

He spun back toward her, closer now. Close enough that she could see the faint scar through his eyebrow.“You think I can give you more?” His voice dropped,to a rough tone.

“I fight for money in cages, Ariella. I’ve got blood on my hands. Your father would rather see you dead than with me.”

“Then why did you text me?” she challenged, stepping even closer. “Why tell me not to come back if you don’t feel this too?”

Kai’s jaw flexed. His hand came up like he wanted to touch her face, then dropped.

“Because I’m trying to do the right thing for once,” he said.

“You’re dangerous for me. I’m worse for you.”

Ariella reached up and gently touched the cut on his cheek. He didn’t pull away this time.

“I’m tired of playing safe,” she whispered. “I want something real. Even if it hurts.”

For a second she thought he might kiss her. His gaze fell to her mouth, dark and hungry. Instead he caught her wrist again, the same firm grip from the night before

“One rule,” he said.

“If we do this—if we’re stupid enough to do this—no one can know. Not your father. Not my family. Especially not Damien.”

Her heart soared and cracked at the same time.“And when they announce the engagement?” she asked.Kai’s eyes hardened.

“Then you smile pretty for the cameras and remember who you really belong to when the lights go out.”

The possessiveness in his tone should have scared her.It didn’t.Ariella rose onto her toes and placed the lightest kiss against his uninjured cheek.

“See you next Thursday,” she said against his skin. “I’ll be in the same seat.”She turned and walked away before he could reply,

Behind her, Kai cursed softly into the night wind.

“Fuck.”