VILLA OF THORNS

The townhouse was glowing—literally. Soft amber lights wrapped around the banisters, flickering tea candles lined the marble countertops, and champagne flutes sparkled in the hands of some of the city's most powerful people. The place oozed money, but not in a cold, sterile way. Yiannis' home was designed to impress, but it felt lived in, curated. Personal. Katie stood near the open bar. The dark blue gown she had on clung to her body like a second skin. Her long black hair was made into a tight bun, showing her perfectly shaped face and long neck. She was carefully arranging Milly's favorite cupcakes on a tiered tray. She'd brought them herself—vanilla bean with raspberry cream. Milly had once called them "dangerously good" and that was all Katie needed to know. "I told you I'd hire a caterer for everything," Milly's voice rang out behind her, playful and teasing. Katie turned, grinning. "You did. But these are from that tiny bakery you love. The one in Old Town with the grumpy owner." Milly clutched her heart dramatically. "You remembered?" Katie gave her a look. "I always remember." Milly hugged her tightly. She looked radiant in a pale gold dress that hugged her waist and shimmered under the lights. Her hair was swept into a low bun, sleek and elegant. She looked like a bride already. "You are the best maid of honor in the world," Milly whispered. "I'm just getting started." Around them, the townhouse buzzed with laughter, clinking glasses, and camera flashes. Friends from all stages of life mingled—old classmates, college buddies, family, coworkers. The girls had all shown up in coordinated dark blue dresses, their group photos looking like something out of a wedding magazine. Katie found herself moving through the rooms, checking on everyone, making sure Milly's playlist was playing on the speakers and that the bartender didn't run out of peach liqueur. She refilled bowls, lit candles, and smoothed down tablecloths. If she stayed busy, she wouldn't have to notice how often Yiannis seemed to glance in her direction. Not that he was obvious. Yannis never was. He was standing across the room in conversation with two men, his posture relaxed, drink in hand. He wore a navy button-up, sleeves rolled halfway up his forearms. Clean-shaven, sculpted jaw, that slow, unreadable smile. He looked like the kind of man who belonged on the cover of a business magazine. Or in a scandal. Who would have thought that he would be a nerd; a tech genius. Soon, the party ended.The guests were gone. The music had faded. Upstairs, Milly was asleep, her dress folded neatly over a chair, her hairpins scattered like tiny stars on the nightstand. Yannis stood alone on the balcony, tie undone, shirt open at the collar, nursing the last of a whiskey neat. The city stretched out before him, golden and restless, just like his thoughts. He'd done everything right tonight. Smiled in all the photos. Told funny stories. Toasted his fiancée like a man head-over-heels in love. And it wasn't a lie—not entirely. Milly was beautiful. Loyal. Smart. She fit perfectly into the life he'd spent a decade building. But there was something he hadn't expected. Something—or rather, someone—who had lingered like a breath on his neck the entire night. Katie. Milly's best friend. The life of the party. Sweet. Thoughtful. Sharp without trying to be. The kind of woman who made people feel seen just by listening. He hadn't meant to notice her. He'd noticed her anyway. "Figured you'd be out here," Adrian's voice cut through the quiet as he stepped onto the balcony with his own drink in hand. "You disappear after every big event." Yiannis smirked. "And you always follow me." Adrian shrugged. "It's a habit. Like cleaning up your messes." Yiannis didn't respond to that. He just stared out at the skyline. "So," Adrian said, settling beside him. "Successful night. Beautiful fiancée. Happy guests. What's the problem?" "There's no problem," Yiannis said automatically. "Except the part where you've barely touched Milly all night and couldn't stop watching her best friend." Yiannis turned his head sharply. "Don't start." Adrian held up a hand. "I'm not judging. Just observing." Yiannis exhaled slowly, his knuckles tightening around the glass. "It's nothing." "You sure?" Adrian asked. "Because from where I was standing, it looked like something." Yannis said nothing. Adrian swirled the liquid in his glass. "You always do this. Get close to something real, then start looking for cracks." "Katie is not a c***k," Yiannis said, his tone clipped. "No," Adrian agreed. "She's a good woman. Which is why I'm trying to figure out what the hell you're doing." Yiannis didn't have an answer for that. Not a clean one. It wasn't that he wanted Katie. Not exactly. It wasn't lust—at least, not just that. It was... her lightness. The way she made people laugh. The way she moved through a room like she was born to make others feel better. Like she carried warmth in her pockets and just gave it away. He hadn't realized how starved he was for that. Milly was strength. Structure. Elegance. Katie was ease. He liked her doe like eyes, her innocent smile, her infectious laughter. She was nothing like the woman he would ever want. For starters she was short. He was six foot one, she was five foot four. He liked women with blonde hair but Katie had long wavy black hair. He liked his women slender however, Katie was curvy.....and too loud for his taste yet he was drawn to her like a magnet. And that made her dangerous. "Look," Adrian said after a pause, "I'm not saying you've done anything. Yet. But if you're having second thoughts—" "I'm not." "Then stay clear of her." "I intend to." Adrian gave him a long, searching look. "Then you better start tonight." Yiannis didn't reply. Adrian clapped him on the shoulder and walked back inside, leaving Yannis alone with the city and a thousand thoughts he couldn't name. Because the truth was, when Katie had laughed with her whole face tonight, when she'd placed that cupcake tray down like it was sacred, when she'd hugged Milly with so much genuine love, he'd felt something c***k inside him. And in that tiny fracture, something unwanted had started to bloom.