Chapter 11
1178 Words
Riley’s POV
I sat on the edge of my bed, arms crossed tightly over my chest, trying to keep my thoughts from spiraling again. But they wouldn’t stop.
My lips still tingled.
That stupid kiss.
That was my first kiss, and it had to be with him—Theo, the cold-hearted demon who didn’t care about boundaries, didn’t care about anything except doing whatever the hell he wanted. I felt dirty. Used. My stomach twisted at the memory of how close we were, how his body pressed against mine like I belonged to him.
“I hate him,” I muttered under my breath, but my heart skipped in betrayal.
A knock at the door pulled me from the emotional chaos. I quickly stood, clearing my throat and walking over. I opened the door to find a girl standing in front of me, her expression calm, polite.
She looked like she was around my age, maybe younger, with neatly packed hair and warm brown eyes. In her hands, she held a stack of perfectly folded clothes.
Her name… Sarah? Yeah, Sarah.
“What brings you here?” I asked, raising a brow.
“Can I enter, ma?” she asked gently.
The way she spoke made me blink. Ma? Nobody here used manners. Most people just barked at you or ignored you completely. Her soft tone almost made me smile.
“Yeah, sure sure,” I replied, stepping aside to let her in.
She walked in quietly and placed the clothes on my bed, then straightened up to face me.
“You have five minutes to get ready and come for the welcome party,” she said, then gave me a respectful bow.
I stared at her for a moment, my mind racing. If she was already working in this place, she had to know it well—maybe even know where the damn exit was. And I hadn’t seen any door that led outside. They brought me here blindfolded. Escaping wasn’t just about fighting—it was about finding the way out.
I chewed on my lower lip and called after her before she could leave.
“Wait.”
She paused mid-step and turned back around to face me.
“Yes, ma?” she asked again, eyes patient.
I hesitated. Something in me wanted to ask—Do you know the way out? Can you help me escape? But I couldn’t risk it. Not yet. I didn’t trust anyone here, no matter how polite they seemed.
After a few seconds of silence, I shook my head. “Nothing,” I said quickly.
She gave a light bow and walked out, closing the door behind her.
I stared at the clothes she left behind, walking over and lifting the fabric in my hands. My mouth fell open slightly.
It was a dress.
A very short, body-hugging, scandalous black dress.
I held it up, frowning. “No way this wasn’t picked by him.”
Theo. Who else would send me something like this? Probably thought it’d be funny to parade me around half-naked in front of everyone. Or maybe it was just his way of reminding me that he had some sort of control now.
I exhaled sharply, dragging my hand down my face.
“God, I need to survive this party.”
I stripped and started getting ready, already dreading the looks, the whispers, and especially—his eyes.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror, hands twitching at my sides.
The dress clung to my body like a second skin, short enough that I had to double-check in the mirror that everything was still covered. My curves were fully out for display, my legs bare, my shoulders exposed.
God. If the goal was to make me feel like everyone’s eyes would burn holes into my skin, then mission accomplished.
I took a breath, then another, adjusting my hair and wiping my clammy palms against the fabric. “It’s just a party,” I whispered to myself. “Just a stupid welcome party.”
I opened the door and stepped out.
And the stares started immediately.
Girls paused mid-conversation to glare. Some whispered behind their hands. A few scanned me from head to toe with faces full of judgment. I could practically hear their thoughts: Who does she think she is? What is she wearing?
My heels clicked against the marble floors as I entered the massive room—dim lights glowing golden overhead, a chandelier sparkling above the center like a star. Music played softly in the background, and servants walked around with trays of wine glasses and champagne.
And then I felt it—his gaze.
My eyes shifted across the crowd, and there he was.
Theo.
Standing in all black, dark shirt rolled up at the sleeves, arms folded across his chest. His cold eyes locked on me like I was the only person in the room.
I gulped.
He wasn’t even blinking.
He was remembering. I knew it. The kiss, the closeness, how his hand had grazed my bare skin. I saw it in his expression—he wasn’t ashamed. If anything, he looked… hungry.
Theo’s jaw flexed, and his hand briefly clenched by his side.
Then someone bumped his arm. A tall, cocky guy with a sharp grin.
Armani. I think that was his name.
He nudged Theo and smirked. “Damn. You okay? You’ve been staring for a while now.”
Theo looked away fast, shaking his head like he was snapping out of a trance. “Shut up,” he muttered, cold as ever.
I didn’t have time to process that because I felt another presence approaching.
Lucas.
Soft-eyed. Blond. Golden boy. But he had a dark edge to him too. Everyone here did.
He walked straight toward me, his gaze softer than Theo’s but no less intense.
“Wow,” he said, stopping in front of me.
My breath caught in my throat.
“You look…” He paused, taking a moment as if searching for the right word. “Stunning.”
I blinked. That wasn’t what I expected.
A small, involuntary smile crept onto my lips. “Thanks,” I said, brushing my fingers down the side of my dress.
He glanced behind me, then leaned in just a little. “Don’t let the stares get to you. They’re all just curious… or jealous.”
“Oh, trust me,” I said with a forced laugh, “I’ve noticed.”
He smiled back, but something flickered behind his eyes—like a warning, or something he wasn’t saying. Before I could ask, someone called his name from across the room, and he gave me a nod before walking off.
As I stood there, feeling like everyone was watching again, I felt it—Theo’s stare was back on me.
I didn’t even have to turn to know.
My heart started racing.
He didn’t like seeing me with Lucas.
He didn’t like anything he couldn’t control.
And for a split second, I wondered… what would he do about it?
- Writer
