𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐤 | 𝘙𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘯

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟖

𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐤 |
𝐌𝐚𝐝

"𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐄," 𝐈 𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐃, my voice steady even though my heart was racing. I leaned down over the table, my hair cascading over one shoulder as I took the rolled-up bill Felipe offered me. I hesitated for only a second before inhaling the line, the familiar burn in my nose hitting me immediately. The crowd erupted in cheers, but I kept my expression neutral. I surely wasn't here to give them a performance.

Rafe stepped forward, his eyes never leaving mine. He grabbed the bill, repeating the same motion, but when he was done, he didn't back away like I did. Instead, he moved closer, close enough that I could feel the heat of his body, close enough that I could smell his cologne.

"You missed a spot," he murmured, his voice low and teasing. Before I could react, he lifted his hand and ran his finger over the skin just above my cleavage, dangerously close to my breast. His touch was light, barely there, but it sent a shiver down my spine.
I stood frozen as he brought his finger to his lips and slowly licked it, his eyes locked on mine the entire time. The crowd went wild, cheering even louder than before, but all I could hear was the rush of blood in my ears. My pulse was racing, my skin burning where his finger had just been.

I forced myself to smile, to play along with the charade, but inside, I was furious. I wanted to slap him, to wipe that smug look off his face, but I wasn't about to cause a scene.
Not here, not now. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he'd gotten under my skin.

Sofia's expression was a mixture of jealousy and disbelief. She looked like she was ready to explode, and honestly, I didn't blame her. If I were her, l'd hate me too.

As the cheers died down, I turned on my heel, my fake smile still plastered on my face. Without a word, I grabbed Rafe's arm and yanked him away from the crowd, dragging him through the house until we found a quieter spot in the hallway. I let go of him as soon as we were alone, whirling around to face him.

"You're such a bastard," I spat, my voice low. My hands were shaking with anger, and I hated how much he affected me.

How much I felt whenever he was close.

Rafe just leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest, that insufferable smirk still on his face. "What's the problem, Catalina? Seemed like you were enjoying it just as much as I was."

"You think you can just do whatever you want because you're you?" I snapped, stepping closer, my chest heaving with frustration. "You don't control anything around here, Rafe."

His smirk widened, his eyes darkening with something that made my stomach twist in a way I hated. "Who said anything about control? I think you liked it. Fuck, I think you needed it."

I slapped him before I even thought about it, the sound sharp in the quiet hallway. His head snapped to the side, but he didn't lose that damn smile. If anything, it seemed to amuse him even more.

"You like it when I'm mad, don't you?" I asked, my voice shaking.

Rafe turned his head back slowly, his cheek red from where my hand had connected. "You're hot when you're mad, Catalina."

I couldn't stand being near him anymore. I turned around and stormed off, not looking back. I could still feel his eyes on me, but I didn't care. I needed to get away, to breathe.

But no matter how far I went, I couldn't shake the feeling of his touch, or the way my skin had burned when he got too close.
And I hated him for it.

Rafe's POV

I stood in the hallway, still feeling the sting of her slap. God, Catalina was so damn hot when she was angry. The way her chest heaved, her cheeks flushed... it drove me crazy. I could still feel the burn of her touch, even if it was a slap. The things I'd do to her if she'd just drop that damn attitude.

I rubbed my jaw, smirking at the thought, when I heard footsteps approaching. I didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"Sofia," I said, my voice low, already preparing for the storm.

"Rafe," she snapped. I could feel the heat of her glare on my back before I even faced her. When I did, her arms were crossed, her lips pulled into a tight line. "What the hell was that?"

She must've seen it. Of course, she had. I had no time for her jealousy, but I knew exactly how to handle it. I stepped toward her, softening my expression, the smirk gone. "Baby, it wasn't what it looked like."

Sofia raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because it looked like you were touching that bitch, Catalina."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Catalina is obsessed with me, Sofia. She will always try to get between us. But I don't want her. I've told you this before. She's just angry because she can't stand that I want you." I stepped closer, lowering my voice to something more intimate. "You're the only one who's ever caught my eye."

She wavered for a second, her anger softening, but she wasn't convinced. "I saw the way you looked at her...You touched her Rafe!"

I took her hand, pulling her closer, my thumb brushing her knuckles. "You think I'd be here with you if I wanted her? You're the one I want, Sofia. Catalina is just trying to ruin what we have. Don't let her win."

Her expression softened further, her eyes searching mine for any hint of doubt. I gave her none. Instead, I kissed her, soft and slow, deepening it when she melted against me. It was like this with Sofia. So easy to bring her back to me.

When we pulled apart, she sighed, her jealousy still there, but muted now. "You promise?"

I pressed my forehead against hers, whispering. "I promise. It's always been you."

She smiled, and just like that, I had her wrapped around my finger again. Catalina may have gotten under my skin, but with Sofia? I was in complete control.

As Sofia walked back toward the party, I caught something out of the corner of my eye. At the end of the hallway, near where Catalina had stormed off, there was a phone lying on the floor. I glanced at Sofia to make sure she wasn't looking back, then told her, "I'll be right behind you, baby. Go ahead."

She gave me a small smile, clearly still satisfied by my reassurances, and disappeared into the crowd.

I moved toward the phone, crouching down to pick it up. The pink background was a dead giveaway—it had to be Catalina's. She probably dropped it when she ran off in that fury.

Just as I was about to toss it back down, something caught my eye. No pin. No security. Curiosity got the better of me.

I unlocked the phone, and immediately, her camera roll was open. My fingers hovered for a moment, debating whether I should, but the temptation was too strong. I started scrolling. At first, it was just random photos—her outfits laid out on the bed, shots of beauty products, scenic views from her trips.

But then I hit gold. My eyes grew wider as I found pictures of her—full-body shots in a mirror, her face perfectly framed, her body barely covered in some baby pink lace underwear set. She looked good. Better than good. My heart pounded as I stared, lingering longer than I should have.

But before I could really enjoy it, something else caught my eye. Her messages.

I tapped on the conversation with Adriana, curiosity growing into something darker. At first, they were just casual chats, but as I scrolled further...Fuck