His Only

Chapter Sixteen

AMELIE

They say, "never say you can change a person cause in the end, they might be the one to change you" as I locked gaze unto this stranger in front of me, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was about to happen.

Ryder smiled as he kept on talking about how he and Amira are close and how she's said a lot of things about me. 'Good things' he has clarified. I quickly glanced around, my eyes searching for Enzo but he wasn't anywhere in the room. I couldn't help but wonder if Ryder was also sprinting for RICO. Are they in this together? Why has he approached me?.

Ryder's eyes never left mine as he asked, "May I have the pleasure of this dance, Amelie?" His voice was low, husky, and sent a shiver down my spine.

I hesitated, unsure if I wanted to encourage this stranger's attention. But something about his smile put me at ease, and I reluctantly accepted.

As we glided onto the dance floor, I felt eyes boring into the back of my head. I turned, expecting to see Julia or one of the other guests, but instead, my gaze met Alessandro's.

His eyes were dead cold, his jaw clenched in a mixture of anger and jealousy. For a moment, I thought I saw a flash of possessiveness, but he quickly masked it with a calm, collected exterior. Yet, the intensity of his gaze made my heart race.

Alessandro didn't move, didn't react, but his gaze spoke volumes. It was as if he was willing me to come back to him, to leave Ryder's side and return to his own. I felt a shiver run down my spine as our eyes locked, the tension between us palpable.

Ryder, oblivious to the undercurrents, spun me around, his hand on my waist pulling me close. I tried to focus on the music, on the movement of our bodies, but my eyes kept drifting back to Alessandro.

He sat, statue-still, his eyes never leaving mine. I could sense the effort it took for him to remain seated, to not storm onto the dance floor and claim me as his own. The thought sent a thrill through me, mixed with a dash of fear.

What was I getting myself into? I felt like I was dancing on the edge of a knife, with Alessandro's jealousy and Ryder's intensity pulling me in opposite directions.

As the music swirled around us, I felt like I was trapped in a vortex, unable to escape. Alessandro's gaze was a weight on my skin, pressing down on me, making it hard to breathe.

I tried to shake off the feeling, to lose myself in the music, but it was no use. I was trapped, caught between two men who wanted me for different reasons.

As the music ended, Ryder smiled and asked, "Would you like to take a break and get some fresh air with me?"

I nodded, feeling a need to escape the suffocating tension between Alessandro and me. We stepped outside into the cool night air, the sounds of the party muffled behind us.

Ryder led me to a secluded spot, away from prying eyes. "You're quite the dancer, Amelie," he said, his eyes glinting in the dim light.

"Thanks," I replied, feeling a sense of ease with him. "I love...... dancing."

We stood there for a moment, the silence between us comfortable. Then Ryder spoke up, his voice low and mysterious.

"Amelie, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," I replied, my curiosity piqued.

"What are you doing with Alessandro?" Ryder asked, his eyes narrowing. "You deserve so much better than him."

I felt a surge of defensiveness, but Ryder's words struck a chord. "What do you mean?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ryder's eyes seemed to bore into mine, as if trying to convey a message I couldn't quite decipher. He took a step closer, his face inches from mine, and I felt a surge of discomfort.