He stood up abruptly, pulling her up with him thanks to the handcuffs, and pinned her against the wall. His grip on her wrist tightened.
Ni-ki leaned in closer, his voice a cold whisper. "You're playing with fire, angel. Don't think for a second tha...
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RHAINE GLANCED OVER AT JUNGWON AND JAY, who were still lingering by the entrance. She waved to them, offering a tired smile.
"Thanks for the dance, Jungwon. I'll see you around," she called, her voice softer than usual.
Jungwon smiled back, giving her a playful salute. "Anytime, Rhaine."
Jay grinned and added, "Take care, Rhaine. And... good luck with your boyfriend." He emphasized the last word with a knowing smirk, causing Rhaine to roll her eyes.
She turned back toward Ni-ki, who was waiting outside the car. Wrapping his coat tighter around herself, she gave Jungwon and Jay one last nod before walking toward Ni-ki.
As Rhaine stepped outside the ballroom, the crisp night air hit her, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm. She spotted Ni-ki standing by the entrance, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd of lingering paparazzi.
Rhaine shivered, but before she could say anything, Ni-ki glanced at her, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face. Without a word, he shrugged off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling it snug.
She blinked in surprise, caught off guard by the gesture. "You didn't have to—"
"I'm not doing it for you," he interrupted, his voice low and indifferent as his eyes shifted to the paparazzi.
His comment stung, but Rhaine bit back a retort, knowing that right now wasn't the time for another argument. They both stood there, silent but tense, waiting for their ride.
Ni-ki's coat settled heavily around her shoulders, its warmth slowly chasing away the chill. She then decided that she would like to retort. She opened her mouth to say something sarcastic, but before the words could form, Ni-ki leaned in, closing the distance between them.
Without warning, his lips pressed against hers.
Rhaine froze, her mind struggling to catch up. She hadn't expected this—not from him. For a moment, her body responded instinctively, her lips parting slightly. But just as quickly as the kiss had started, her mind caught up to the situation.
She pulled back, her breath shaky. "What the hell was that?" she blurted out, her heart pounding, a mix of confusion and frustration swirling within her.
Ni-ki, ever unbothered, gave her a casual shrug, his expression unreadable. "Relax. It's just for show. Paparazzi are watching."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Just for show?" she repeated, her voice rising with anger. "You can't just—"
"Calm down," he cut her off, his tone cold and dismissive. "You wanted to be here. Now act the part, like I told you."
Rhaine's fists clenched under the weight of his coat, her jaw tightening. He had kissed her, not out of affection or even attraction, but purely to maintain appearances. It was all part of his game—a game where she was just another pawn.
