Breaking the Grid

I can handle it

I sat cross-legged on the bed, scrolling through Instagram with a small smile tugging at my lips. I was already dressed, still wearing the outfit from earlier—sleek black trousers and a crisp white shirt, the perfect blend of formal and effortless. It was what I'd worn for the jewelry brand's campaign shoot earlier in the day, where I'd been dripping in diamonds and gold.

Except now, I didn't have a single piece of it on me anymore.

I glanced toward Kyra, who was at the mirror in the corner of the room, finishing up her hair. Her hands moved with precision as she adjusted a few loose strands, her lips curving into a small, amused smile. Around her neck hung one of the necklaces from the shoot, the delicate chain catching the soft light of the room. On her wrist was a matching bracelet, and on her fingers were two of the rings I'd modeled earlier.

She'd stolen them all the moment she saw them, putting them on with a grin and declaring, "These look better on me, anyway." And honestly, she wasn't wrong.

I continued scrolling, reading through the comments under one of Kyra' photos from yesterday—a shot of the Monaco skyline.

User1: That view looks familiar... is that Monaco?
User2: Wait, where's Kyra? She wasn't in the Arsenal night photos yesterday...
User3: Are they together? OMG detective mode activated.
User4: Confirmed: Kyra's in Monaco. The story from her view yesterday matches Blair's exactly.

I huffed out a laugh, shaking my head as I scrolled further. Arsenal fans were relentless, piecing together every detail like they were solving a crime.

"You're trending again," I muttered, glancing up at Kyra.

She turned slightly, raising an eyebrow at me through the mirror. "What now?"

"Arsenal detectives," I said with a grin, holding up my phone. "Apparently, they've figured out you're in Monaco. Something about matching the views in our stories."

Kyra let out a laugh, shaking her head as she adjusted her bracelet. "They're insane. How do they even do that?"

"Dedication," I said, smirking. "They're relentless when it comes to you. And me, apparently."

She rolled her eyes, but there was a fondness in her smile. "Let them speculate."

I set my phone down on the bed, standing up and making my way over to her. Her back was to me, her focus on the final touches of her look. She was wearing a simple black dress, the jewelry she'd stolen from me adding just the right amount of sparkle.

"You're laughing," I said softly as I came up behind her, my arms slipping around her waist.

"I'm always laughing at you," she teased, her tone light as she met my gaze in the mirror.

"Oh, really?" I said, raising an eyebrow as I rested my chin on her shoulder.

"Really," she said, grinning as she leaned back against me.

I smiled, pressing a soft kiss to her neck. "You look incredible," I murmured against her skin.

Her smile softened, and she turned her head slightly to look at me. "You're not so bad yourself," she said, her tone teasing but warm.

I kissed her neck again, letting my lips linger for a moment before moving up to her temple. "You sure you don't want to wear the jewelry to dinner?" She asked, her voice low. 

"It's technically yours now, apparently."

She laughed, turning fully in my arms so she could face me. "It's not stealing if you gave it to me," she said, wrapping her arms around my neck.