JEOPARDY: The Cursed Soldier.

26.The promise.

To answer Kayla's questions. Ryan released a dimpled grin and bowed dramatically. "I'm here to live off my fantasy as a chauffeur to a gorgeous princess—wait, where are my manners? Greetings, Your Highness. You look ravishing."

Kayla flushed with a light laugh. Talking to Ryan was better than being with Ivan. It was easier. And lighter. "Thank you. But what do you mean, 'you will be my chauffeur'?"

Ivan suddenly appeared beside her before Ryan could reply. Ryan's eyes instantly sparkled when his gaze fell on Ivan, and his grin turned mischievous. Kayla looked up at Ivan and found his jaw clenched, his face hard and his gray eyes icy as they burrowed into his cousin's skull.

Something dangerous and cold traveled between the two friend-cousins.

"When Ivan told me about your date, I offered to drive you there. But if you want, I can join you. What do you say, cousin?" Ryan sounded on the brink of bursting out in laughter. While Ivan shot glacial arrows at him with his gaze.

Kayla's eyes danced between the two men. It felt like there was a whole movie's worth of events happening right in front of her and she was missing it. Like the two boys were communicating without saying a word.

A different kind of tension wove between Ryan and Ivan. Kayla moved her gaze between the men again before she tried to dissipate the tension by taking a step Ryan's way. "I think you should join us."

Ryan's gaze dropped to Kayla's face and his grin became sweet again, but his eyes maintained their mirth. "I would love to. I can, right, Vanny?"

Kayla's glanced at Ivan. His jaw worked as those icy arrows kept shooting at the grinning Ryan. Kayla could almost feel how close Ryan was to bursting into fits of laughter with every second that passed. But, for whatever reason, Ivan only got angrier and more tense.

Kayla frowned between them. What on earth's name was going on between them? Had they fought before Ivan had entered Ana's house or after they came out?

"What is going on with the two of you? Why are you fighting?" Kayla asked, alternating her gaze between them. Ryan kept his mischievous grin as he moved his eyes from Kayla to Ivan. Ivan, on the other hand, dropped his glare and blinked down at her. All that hardness and ice left his face and was immediately replaced by the normal Ivan Williams charm.

"Nothing. We aren't fighting. It's a bro-thing." His lips curved into a handsome smile that lit up his entire face. He then took one stride forward and stood beside her. A warm, apple, and spicy presence. "Btw, Ry, you can't join us. I made reservations for two, remember?"

Ryan chortled. "Of course. I can't believe I forgot. Damn, be sure to tell me all about it. Ayt?"

"You got it." Ivan nodded as he placed a protective, tense hand on Kayla's back. "Let's get into the car."

Kayla didn't buy their little 'it's a bro-thing' act. But it was also the wrong time to get into it. So she just let Ivan lead her to the back door of the limousine, where Ryan made a show of opening the door for them with a gigantic dimpled grin and a pretentious bow.

But the moment the door closed. And it was just the two of them in the dimly golden-lit space. Kayla scrambled to the side of the sofa closest to the driver's partition and farthest from Ivan's intoxicating presence.

An awkward silence and more tension filled the air even as the car moved. Kayla busied herself with exploring the fancy interior. From the smooth couches to the sidebar stocked with drinks and more bites than they could eat in one night. She took everything in and it all reminded her just how bad of any idea what they were doing was.