In this book within a book, plunge into the escapades of Satine Fontaine, who's on the run from her tumultuous past. The vibrant streets of New York beckon her, and fate conspires as she stumbles into Brooklyn's dingiest bar, encountering the enigma...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
STAR: STEEPED IN LIES
Parking up outside Dynaco, Jeonghan scowled as Satine happily jumped out of the passenger seat without so much as a thank you or goodbye.
"Be careful," he called out the window after her, his words more like an order than an act of thoughtfulness.
"I always am!" She unlocked her front door and disappeared into the stained hallway of that godforsaken Brooklyn loft.
The aesthetic didn't suit her. She was the type to climb grand staircases, drink expensive champagne, and wear designer coats. She was supposed to ride in a carriage, not the subway. She was the kind of girl who wore thousand-dollar earrings and skipped around in diamond-encrusted shoes on an average Tuesday afternoon. Satine was New York guilty by associating with Brooklyn.
Jeonghan was going to do anything it took to save her from living such a pitiful life.
Satine however, was somewhat excited to be back home in that dingy old loft. She hopped up the concrete stairs, tying her hair in a ponytail and pulling off a heel as she went. She stopped by the sliding door with a quivering smile, begging that her crow wouldn't give her a reason to cry.
"Please don't be having sex on the couch," she muttered under her breath before pushing it open to come face to face with Mingyu at the breakfast bar and Diana nowhere in sight.
Lucky motherfuckers.
"Red!" Mingyu gushed, his dark features mimicking that of an angel when he saw her.
"Where the fuck have you been?" He ran over with his arms held out to pull her into his embrace; then began littering kisses all over her face.
She could only hope that he was being authentic. He rested his chin on her head, pressing his palm into the dip in her back. It was warm and caused what little was left of her heart to boil over. She forgave him for everything, of course, that's all it took for Satine to fall back into his trap.
"Bonsoir, mon doux," she giggled softly.
"You don't understand how worried I've been! I left so many messages at your office."
That part was true, she could see it in his eyes when he grabbed her cheeks and checked for any marks. Now she had to explain that neither she nor Jeonghan went to work that day. She thought about lying, but her plan was sort of working. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and his seemed to be pulsating straight out of his chest.
"Sorry, Jeonghan's company gala is next Friday... I've had a lot to plan and lost track of time. You're invited... both of you." Satine's head rolled around to Diana who stood in the doorway to the bathroom rubbing her arm awkwardly.
"I'll pass," Mingyu replied without hesitation. "I can't think of anything worse than spending hours with upper-class cunts and irritating socialites."
Diana's eyes shot over to Satine with her lips glued shut in a provoking smile. She was silently taunting her with her past.
