Cursed from the start

Flirtatious bastard

Jade-

As I stand in front of the crowd of people I wonder how I always manage to get into these types of situations. I can feel their eyes on me, almost piercing as they stare. I can tell they're looking at my dress, at my styled hair that's already starting to get messy, and most of all at the priceless crystals hanging from my neck.

When I had entered the party under the guise of being a reporter, knocking back glasses of champagne and doing my best to make charming small talk, I accidentally caught the eye of a panicked looking server. They had come up to me and asked me to come along with them, and I had agreed. Before I even had time to put down my third glass of champagne I was dragged to a private area that must have been right behind the stage. There a stylist had looked me up and down before giving a quick nod towards the same panicked server, who now looked relieved, before attacking my hair with a curling iron and hundreds of pins. Twenty minutes later, I had stood behind the curtain, feeling the weight of blood money hanging off of my neck in the form of the biggest diamond I had ever seen in my life.

I walked on stage, feeling wobbly in my heels as the glasses of champagne I had chugged earlier started to kick in. I stood their feeling uncomfortable under the heat of the spotlight for what felt like ages before the loud voice of the announcer called out,

"Sold to the man in the back."

My head snaps up, man in the back? My eyes scan the crowd, looking for the mysterious buyer before I notice a man wearing a tailored tuxedo stand up and start walking towards the stage. I notice his confident grin and familiar lock of brown hair falling onto his face.

It's Alexandre fucking Peirce.

He quickly reaches the stage thanks to his long-legged strides. I can feel envious stares piercing the two of us as he approaches me, that annoying smirk still on his face. Stopping right in front of me, he takes an appreciative look at me before drawing,

"Fancy meeting you here, Jade."

"Please, the pleasure is all mine.", I say, trying to turn on my signature charm, ignoring the way my breath hitches when he starts leaning in, arms coming around me to unclasp the necklace. I can feel the heat of his hands on the back of my neck and fight the urge to lean into his touch, suddenly feeling unsteady for some reason I suspect doesn't have to do with the alcohol I'd had earlier.

I can smell him, a mixture of the champagne that's been being served and expensive cologne, warm, woody, and spicy. I wait for him to unclasp the necklace, for the weight on my collarbone to go away, but it doesn't. He pulls away, eyes twinkling as if we're both sharing an inside joke. I let out the breath that I hadn't noticed I was holding.

"It'd be a waste for me to take the necklace, it looks better on you anyway."

-After the gala-

Buildings and people pass by as I sit in the backseat of a classy yet lowkey car, compliments of the company, lost in my thoughts.

No matter how hard I try I can't get him out of my mind

Maybe it's those eyes glued to me like I'm the most captivating thing he'd ever seen or that one strand of hair always stuck in the wrong direction.

That damn flirtatious bustard

The car came to a sudden halt causing me to snap back into reality. The driver and I step out and walk quickly to our headquarters, a tall office building among many others in NYC, covered in large gleaming windows. If there is one thing I could tell people when they first come here is that there is no warm welcome or hug. You are expected to be the best of the best.

Ace looks me up and down before his gaze catches on the necklace I'd forgotten to take off. He whistles appreciatively, "Look what we have here, Silvers. What poor, unsuspecting nouveau riche have you seduced now?"