Chapter 2: A dance with the devil
1252 Words
Aaron.
Her ex stood near the bar, fingers clenched around his glass so tightly that the glass cracked, spilling wine onto his hand. His golden-brown eyes burned with unspoken fury as he watched Jace twirl her effortlessly across the floor.
And Jace?
He smirked, knowing exactly what he was doing.
*******************
The ballroom shimmered under the golden chandeliers, laughter and music filling the air. Lillian moved gracefully through the crowd, keeping her distance from Aaron, who had barely taken his eyes off her since the dance with Jace. His jaw was clenched, his usual confident smirk nowhere to be seen.
Mia, on the other hand, was enjoying the night far too much. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she twirled her champagne glass and leaned against the nearest table where Aaron stood.
"You know," she began, her voice light, "it’s funny how some people don’t realize what they had until it’s no longer theirs." She took a delicate sip, watching Aaron from the corner of her eye.
Aaron stiffened but said nothing.
"Like this dress," she continued with a smirk. "I saw it weeks ago and thought, ‘No, I don’t need it.’ But then someone else picked it up, and suddenly, I wanted it more than anything." She let out a soft sigh. "Too bad it was already gone."
His grip on his glass tightened.
"But I suppose," Mia added, tilting her head, "some things just weren’t meant to be. No use sulking over something you didn’t fight hard enough to keep, right?"
Aaron exhaled sharply, his eyes darkening as he finally turned to her. "You always talk this much, Mia, or are you just enjoying yourself tonight?"
She grinned, entirely unbothered. "Oh, I’m having the time of my life." Her gaze flickered to Lillian, who was laughing at something Jace whispered in her ear. "And I think some people are too."
Before Aaron could respond, Mia gave him a wink and walked off, leaving him standing there, jaw clenched, heart burning with something he refused to name.
*************
Lillian stormed onto the balcony, the cool night air doing little to calm the fire burning inside her. The nerve of Jace. The absolute audacity.
She was still fuming when she heard footsteps behind her. She didn't need to turn to know who it was.
"You know," Jace drawled, his voice dripping with amusement, "for someone who claims to hate me, you sure do let me get under your skin a lot."
Lillian scoffed, crossing her arms. "Oh, don’t flatter yourself. You’re like an annoying mosquito—easy to ignore but impossible to get rid of."
Jace chuckled, stepping closer. A little too close. "Now, that’s just cruel. And after I gave you such a memorable dance?"
She whirled around, eyes blazing. Only to realize he was closer than she expected.
"You blackmailed me into that dance!"
"Semantics," he said, waving a hand lazily. "You still danced with me."
Lillian took a slow, measured breath, trying not to let him get to her. "What do you want, Jace?"
Another step. The space between them shrank.
He leaned against the railing, tilting his head as he studied her. "Maybe I just enjoy your company."
"Try again," she said flatly.
Another step. She could feel the warmth of his body now, the scent of him—something dangerously intoxicating.
His smirk deepened. "Fine. I wanted to see how long it would take before you finally admitted you liked having my hands on you."
Lillian let out a sharp laugh, trying to ignore the way her pulse picked up. "Oh, please. I’d rather set myself on fire."
Jace hummed, amused. Another step.
"I don’t know… You seemed pretty comfortable back there."
"Because I had no choice."
"Sure, sure," he said, his voice lower, rougher. "But you didn’t pull away."
Lillian took a step back, only to feel the cold metal railing press into her spine.
Jace took the final step forward.
Now, there was nowhere left to go.
His hands came up, resting on the railing on either side of her, caging her in. His breath was warm against her cheek, his face impossibly close. Too close.
"You think you’re so charming, don’t you?" she murmured, voice steady despite the frantic pounding of her heart.
He grinned, dark and knowing. "I don’t think, darling. I know."
Lillian wanted to wipe that smug expression right off his face. Preferably with a well-aimed fireball.
Instead, she tilted her chin up, her breath catching as his gaze flickered down—just for a second.
"You’re playing a dangerous game, Jace," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
His smirk softened, but his eyes held something else—something far more dangerous than his usual arrogance.
"And yet," he murmured back, his lips hovering just inches from hers, "you haven’t told me to stop."
She didn’t move.
Because, deep down, she hated that he was right.
Lillian’s breath hitched. The night air felt suffocating, not because of the cold but because of him—Jace, standing impossibly close, his scent wrapping around her like a forbidden spell.
His lips hovered just inches from hers, his gaze dark with something unreadable, something dangerous. Something she should push away.
But she didn’t.
"Still not telling me to stop, hmm?" Jace murmured, his voice smooth, teasing—but lower this time, rougher.
Lillian hated how her pulse betrayed her, hammering so hard she was sure he could hear it. "Maybe I like watching you try," she whispered back, her own voice softer, more uncertain than she would have liked.
His smirk flickered, almost as if it was about to falter. Almost.
Jace leaned in, his hand lifting slightly—as if he was about to cup her cheek, as if he was about to—
"What the hell is this?"
Lillian jerked back so fast she nearly tripped over the railing. Jace, to his credit, didn’t flinch—he only sighed, deeply annoyed, as he turned his head toward the interruption.
Aaron.
His eyes burned with something sharp and possessive, his fists clenched at his sides. He looked at Jace first, gaze filled with venom. Then, his eyes flickered to Lillian.
Lillian, who was still caged between Jace’s arms, still breathing far too fast, still looking far too guilty.
She cursed under her breath and quickly shoved Jace back, stepping away from him as though she hadn’t just been—
About to kiss him.
Aaron’s jaw ticked. "So this is what you’ve been up to?" His voice was quiet, but the accusation in it was clear.
Lillian straightened, her heart pounding. "I don’t owe you an explanation, Aaron."
He let out a bitter chuckle, shaking his head. "Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You always were good at moving on fast."
That hurt. And Aaron knew it.
Jace clicked his tongue, stepping forward slightly—as if he was shielding her. "Careful there, mate," he said smoothly, though there was an edge to his voice now. "You lost your chance to care, remember?"
Aaron’s eyes flashed, but before he could say anything, Lillian cut in.
"I’m not doing this," she said, stepping past both of them. "I don’t have time for a territorial pissing contest."
She didn’t look back as she walked off, her head held high.
But the moment she was inside, away from their eyes, she pressed a hand to her chest, trying to calm the wild beating of her heart.
Not because of Aaron.
But because of Jace.
- Writer
