Raya and Chloe stood side-by-side as the gala’s keynote speakers took the stage, the air filled with the sophisticated drone of charity goals and thank-yous. Chloe leaned in, her eyes sparkling with the leftover adrenaline of her own date. "Where did you two disappear to? You look like you just survived a beautiful hurricane," she whispered, nudging Raya’s arm.
Raya just smiled, her heart still racing from the honesty in that hallway. "Just catching our breath, Chlo."
Killian, standing on her other side, checked his watch. The silent auction was entering its final, frantic minutes. The digital boards glowing around the room showed the climbing prices. "I'll be right back," he murmured, pressing a quick, firm kiss to Raya’s temple. "Don't let Chloe start a revolution while I'm gone."
He
