Chapter 1 : The Devil’s Gaze

Grace 

“Oh my God, girls, it’s been forever since we did this!” Stella squealed and clinked her strawberry margarita against mine so hard pink liquid dropped over the rim. “No boyfriends, no drama, no curfews, just us, tequila, and terrible decisions.”

Laila leaned back in the booth and twirled a strand of her dark hair around her finger. “Speak for yourself. I’m ready for terrible decisions. Preferably involving tall, tattooed terrible decisions.”

Kristy rolled her eyes but grinned. “You’re disgusting.”

“I’m honest,” Laila shot back. “Grace, back me up. You’ve been single for, what, nineteen months now? Time to live a little.”

A hearty laugh escaped my lips and cheeks already warm from my second cocktail. “I’m living plenty. I’m here, aren’t I? That’s living.”

Michelle nudged me with her elbow. “Barely. You still blush when a guy looks at you too long. You’re basically a Victorian novel heroine stuck in 2025.” She chuckled and I rolled my eyes at her words. 

“I like being old-school,” I said, lifting my chin and blinking innocently. “Some things are worth waiting for. Like… first kisses. First everything.” I dreamt like some princess of a fairytale and clenched my hands together, praying for a Prince Charming to just drop in my arms or drop me in one. 

The table erupted in teasing groans.

“Grace, babe,” Stella said, “you’re nineteen. Your first kiss is going to fossilize before you let it happen.” I gasped at her choice of words. 

“Not fossilize,” I corrected, giggling. “Just… special. That’s all.”

Kristy smirked. “Fine. No kissing tonight. We respect the sacred first-kiss vault. But we are playing truth or dare. Non-negotiable and you’re not going to be a pussy and chose truths every time. ”

I groaned but didn’t fight it. The music pulsed around us, the club lights flashing purple and gold, bodies moving like waves on the dance floor. It really had been too long since the five of us were together like this, no exams, no family obligations, just us. 

We five have been best of friends since childhood and inseparable. Same neighbourhood, same school, same college and now university. 

“Deal,” I said. “But seriously—no kissing dares. I mean it.” I pointed my fingers at them, giving a warning and Laila raised her hands in mock surrender. “Fine, Miss Purity Ring. Your turn first. Truth or dare?” 

My eyes widened. “ Why me first? “ I raised my eyebrows and Kristy said “ because you keep your firsts safe- “ she blinked and I understood the meaning behind it and showed her a middle finger only to hear them giggle. I hesitated for half a second. “Dare.”

The girls cheered like I’d just declared war.

Laila’s eyes scanned the room, slow and predatory, until they landed somewhere in the VIP section. I felt a gulp forming in my throat refusing to slip down making my fingers tremble slightly. Her smile turned wicked and mine already faltered. 

“Okay, Gracie,” she said, leaning in so only we could hear. “See that guy over there? The one sitting alone like he owns the whole damn club? “ I looked over to where she had pointed. 

My vision blurred for a moment because of the drinks I had consumed but shook my head slightly to clear my vision. “ Black shirt, smoking, looking like he murders people for fun? Go sit next to him. Act like him. Steal one of his cigarettes, light it, take a drag. Full method acting. No backing out.”

As soon as she completed her sentence. My stomach flipped. What the fuck did she just say? My eyes fell on her, looking at her in disbelief but it was a complete mistake. As soon as I turned my head, the four bitches were already staring at me with wicked smirks sending chills down her spine. 

I gulped slowly and painfully and again turned my  gaze. There he was. In the VIP booth, velvet ropes barely contain his aura. 

He sat with his legs slightly parted and one leg crossed over the other.  One arm draped lazily along the back of the couch like a king on his throne. His dark hair perfectly slicked, jaw carved from stone and eyes scanning the crowd with the bored menace of someone who could end lives with a phone call.

A thin trail of smoke curled from the cigarette between his fingers. He looked… dangerous. Not in a fake, try-hard way. In a real, don’t-look-too-long-or-you’ll-regret-it way.

I had second thoughts and shook my head slowly.  “No way,” I whispered. Kristy leaned close and spoke in her voice sweet but deadly. “Come on, Grace. You always say you want to be brave. Prove it. Or are you scared of a little cigarette and a scary boy?”

The table went quiet. They knew exactly what buttons to push and despite knowing the teasing behind their mock to fuel my blood, I had the control of alcohol over my mind and my body. 

I swallowed hard. “Fine. But if he murders me, it’s on all of you.” They whooped and shoved me out of the booth. My legs felt wobbly realizing I’ve had too many cocktails, too much adrenaline. 

I pulled my black skirt down and tugged my top down before walking toward the VIP like I belonged there. I did not know where the sudden boldness came from but I had completely lost my mind. 

No bouncer stood there to stop anyone from going in and out of the VIP section. I slid into the booth across from him and instantly felt the aura shifted. Before I knew it, I was standing right in front of his booth. 

He didn’t react at first.

I watched as he just exhaled smoke slowly and suddenly, dangerously slowly, his eyes flicked to me like I was an interesting new species. The moment his eyes fell on me, my body felt like it was on fire. I did not know whether it was the effect of alcohol or him but I was not familiar with any. 

His grey eyes watched intensely at me without blinking and I felt my breath hitch. My heart hammered against my chest. Suddenly realizing the dare, I gulped and curled my fingers in fists to hold back my nervousness. 

Without focusing on him, I plopped myself on the couch next to him. I reached for the silver cigarette box kept open on the table and pulled one out. I bit my lower lip in confusion and placed it between my lips before looking around, trying to find a lighter or something to light it up. 

Before suddenly, my eyes met his. I blinked as I watched his grey orbs staring at me. 

Intensely. Dangerously. Curiously. My eyes flickered to the piercings on his eyebrow, the small lip ring in the middle of his lower lip and my eyes slowly flickered down to his neck and then to his chest, covered with tattoos which were exposed because of his shirt’s buttons undone. 

I felt tingles run down my spine and scooted a little back when he leaned forward. My breath caught in my throat as my body froze in nervousness, fear and anticipation. 

All of a sudden, my gaze fell on a matte-black lighter in his hand. Flick. Flame.

He cupped it around the tip, steady, close enough that I could smell his cologne- something dark, expensive, smoky and something that made me clench my thighs. 

I inhaled the smoke and instantly regretted it. Fire exploded in my lungs and I coughed, hard, ugly, eyes watering instantly. The cigarette dropped from my fingers as I doubled over, hacking like I was dying.

“Oh God- eww- that’s awful!” I wheezed, tears streaming down and my face was on fire with embarrassment. I blinked realizing what had just happened. 

I looked at him still trying to catch my breath. My eyebrows scrunched together and I expected him to laugh or perhaps tell me to leave but, instead, he just… stared.

The same gaze. Not even an inch of change. Not amused. Not annoyed but there was something else that I felt. Something that made my skin prickle. 

Okay. Enough. My dare’s done. 

I wiped my eyes and giggled through the coughs, drunk and mortified. I was embarrassed but suddenly it seemed too funny. 

“Okay, that was… a dare. Sorry. It was a stupid dare. Nice meeting you, scary cigarette man.”

I flashed him a wide smile, waved a little hi-or maybe a bye- and stood up way too fast that the room tilted.

I misbalanced and was ready to kiss the floor when suddenly, his hand shot out. Cold fingers wrapped around my wrist. Not hard. But firm. 

Unbreakable.

A breathy gasp escaped my lips because my whole body had dropped its strength and he was holding me up with just his hand, still sitting in a position that it looked merely nothing. 

He tugged me back down gently and I almost half-fell onto him. My hand instantly curled on his shirt and that revealed more of his tatted chest which made me gulp. 

I could feel the heat radiating from his body and mine burning on fire. 

“What’s your name?” His voice was deep, low and felt as if velvet wrapped around steel. It vibrated through my bones sending sparks down my spine and something tingled between my thighs. 

I stared at his hand on my wrist. Those long fingers that could do the deeds- I gulped as I gazed at the faint scars across his knuckles, a heavy silver ring on his thumb.

“Grace,” I shakily whispered out. I watched as he tilted his head, clearly looking murderous as his thumb brushed once over my pulse point like he was checking if it was racing for him.

It was.

And he didn’t let go. His dangerous eyes locked on mine. And in that single heartbeat, the entire club faded away.

Just him.

Just me.

Just the devil who’d just learned my name.