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 SAT NEXT TO NI-KI THE NEXT DAY AT THE PRADA EVENT, the scenery formal. She could feel every pair of eyes in the room flicker over her tight dress, a sleek black number that hugged her curves in all the right places.
But the thrill of being at such a glamorous event was overshadowed by an unexpected wave of nerves.
They watched the runway show in silence, the models strutting past in high-fashion ensembles. The music pulsed, and Rhaine found herself tapping her foot to the beat, trying to ignore how close Ni-ki was sitting beside her.
His presence was magnetic, and she couldn't help but steal glances at him. He looked effortlessly cool, his sharp jawline accentuated under the dim lights, but there was a tension in the air that made her stomach twist.
As the show continued, Rhaine's heart raced. She was caught up in the atmosphere until something in her peripheral vision caught her attention. She turned her head slightly and felt her breath hitch. Across the room, Rei stood with a group of people, her expression dark and unforgiving.
Glaring daggers, Rei's eyes seemed to bore right into Rhaine, a mix of jealousy and anger written all over her face. It sent a chill down Rhaine's spine. She quickly turned away, feeling a surge of anxiety.
"Everything okay?" Ni-ki asked, noticing her sudden shift in demeanor.
"Yeah," Rhaine lied, forcing a smile that felt shaky at best.
"Looks like you just saw a ghost," he said, a teasing smirk creeping onto his lips, but his brow furrowed slightly, concern creeping in.
"Not a ghost, just a bitch— Never mind," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper, but good enough for him not to hear.
Ni-ki turned his gaze to the runway, but Rhaine could feel his eyes darting back to her. She wanted to shrug it off, but the weight of Rei's stare lingered, making it hard to focus on anything else.
The models strutted down the runway, but Rhaine's mind was racing with thoughts of Rei's glare and what it might mean. She hated that one look could turn her mood upside down.
"Are you really okay?" Ni-ki asked again, his tone softening as he leaned in closer, the warmth radiating from him sending a familiar flutter through her stomach.
Rhaine met his gaze, the intensity of his concern cutting through her haze of worries. "Just... watching Rei," she admitted, her voice low. "She doesn't seem too happy to see me here with you."
"Rei? That's her problem, not yours," he said. "She doesn't get to dictate how you feel or who you spend your time with."
Rhaine felt a rush of warmth at his words, an unexpected flutter of appreciation mixed with something deeper. Maybe he was right; maybe she shouldn't let Rei's jealousy get to her.
