Jay's POV
The hotel suite was too quiet, the silence amplifying the echo of Keifer's words. Melted down and forged into something more beautiful.
I stared out at the London skyline, my fingers tracing the rim of a crystal glass. He talked about beauty and strength, but all I felt were the jagged edges of a heart that had been shattered and glued back together too many times.
I was tired of being the CEO. I was tired of being the "weapon."
The muffled thrum of bass from the hotel's rooftop club vibrated through the floorboards.
I needed to drown out the sound of his voice in my head.
I stripped off the suit—the armor—and pulled on a silk slip dress that fit like a second skin, the deep emerald fabric shimmering like a bruise in the dim light. I didn't fix my hair; I let it fall messy and wild.
Downstairs, the club was a blur of neon and expensive perfume.
I hit the bar first. One shot. Two. Three. The burning slide of tequila started to numb the sharp edges. By the fourth, the room was spinning in a way that felt like freedom.
I saw a man standing by the edge of the dance floor, his face obscured by shadows. I didn't care who he was. I just didn't want to be alone with my thoughts.
"Hey," I slurred, stumbling slightly as I reached him. I grabbed his lapel. "Dance with me. Don't talk. Just... move."
Keifer's POV
I had been watching her from the moment she stepped out of the elevator. She looked breathtaking—and dangerous. Her lip gloss shining and I really want to ruin it.The way that dress clung to her, the way she was throwing back drinks like they were water... it made my blood simmer.
When she approached a stranger, I was across the room in seconds, my hand already reaching for the "surgical" kit in my mind.
But then she turned, and I realized the "stranger" she was grabbing was actually me. She was so far gone she didn't even recognize me at first.
Then, her eyes cleared for a split second. The recognition hit her like a physical blow, and the sadness was instantly replaced by a volcanic, drunken rage.
"You!" she screamed, her voice cutting through the EDM track. "You king of Uplong! You gago! You fucking asshole!"
The entire VIP section went silent. My security team shifted uncomfortably, looking everywhere but at us.
"Jay, let's go," I said, catching her wrists as she tried to swing at me.
"I really loved you!" she yelled, her eyes brimming with angry, glassy tears. "And you used me! You used me for revenge! You brought the pipes! I want to punch you! I want to punch your stupid, handsome, billionaire face!"
She lunged, her fist glancing off my shoulder. Before she could cause a scene that even my PR team couldn't fix, I lunged forward, swept her off her feet, and hoisted her over my shoulder like a sack of grain.
"Put me down, you tyrant!" she kicked, her heels drumming against my chest. "I'm a CEO! I have a jet!"
"You're a drunk mess," I growled, pinning her legs with one arm as I marched toward the private elevators. "And we're going to a room."
The moment I got her into the suite and set her down, I expected her to collapse. Instead, she bolted for the closet.
"Where are you going?"
She emerged a second later, brandishing one of my leather belts like a whip, her eyes wide and chaotic. "Aha! The monster returns!"
She started chasing me around the king-sized bed, swinging the belt with surprisingly decent aim. "Stand still, you donkey! The Princess has a kingdom to reclaim!"
I was laughing—actually laughing—as I dodged a swing. "Jay, put the belt down before you hurt yourself."
"Never!" She lunged, and before I could react, she used the bed to launch herself onto my back. Her small hands gripped my hair as she kicked my sides. "Move, donkey! To the stables! Hah!"
I groaned, leaning forward to keep her from falling. "I am not a donkey, Jay."
"Quiet, steed! We have a war to win!"
Her energy flickered out as fast as it had ignited. Within seconds, her weight became heavy. She slid off my back, but instead of hitting the floor, she crawled up my chest as I sat on the edge of the bed, tucking her head into the crook of my neck.
She fumbled with my buttons before finally settling, her breathing slowing into deep, rhythmic sighs.
I looked down at her. The fierce CEO was gone. The vengeful weapon was asleep. There was just Jay—messy, hurting, and somehow still the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.
I brushed a stray hair from her forehead, my heart aching with a fierce, possessive warmth. "That's my girl," I whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple. "That's the spark I've been missing."
I didn't move for the rest of the night. I just held her, guarding her sleep against the monsters I had helped create.
(Chec comment)