Ten

KAIDA REED POV 

Zavian’s eyes held mine captive, and they burned with such an intensity that it had my breath catching in my throat. I couldn’t look away.

I stood, pinned in place, but it wasn’t out of fear. It was something heavier. Something almost forbidden.

I blinked, my hands clenching the side of my dress as I tried to make sense of the feeling.

"What do you want me to do, Kaida?" he asked, towering over me, the storm of anger and concern swirling in his gaze sending a wave of goosebumps down my arms.

"Zavian?" I called shakily, my hands clammy with sweat. "W–what—" I stuttered, then gasped as a rough hand suddenly wrapped around my arm, and I was yanked hard behind Lucien.

He shielded me with his body—as if he hadn’t been the one hurting me just some seconds ago—then stepped forward, the anger in his eyes dark and furious. 

His stance was protective, but all it did was make my stomach twist because I knew the truth. Lucien didn’t truly care about me. He didn’t love me and he sure as hell would never protect me.

"What the hell do you think you’re doing! Who do you think you are to interfere in my business!" He roared, his face contorting in pain as he mistakenly shook the hand where Zavian had gripped him.

Zavian’s eyes were a cold canvas, but the danger swirling around them had my hair standing on end as they locked on Lucien.

"If you didn’t want me to interfere you should have controlled your temper better. Also, I’d watch my mouth if I were you," he warned, his voice calm but lethal. "Or I might really kill you." 

Lucien scoffed. "Do you think I’m scared of a bastard like you?"

A shiver ran down my spine as Zavian’s eyes darkened even further, and for one breathless second, I was certain he would make good on his threat.

Lucien must have sensed it too, because he took a faltering step back, his jaw tightening. "Don’t threaten me, Zavian. I am not one of those men who cower and shake in your presence." There was no conviction in his word.

Zavian’s lips curved into a small cold smirk, his head tilting slightly. "Is that so?"

Lucien’s brows dipped, his knuckles bleaching white. "Don’t act so cocky. Just because you own Nolven corporation, it doesn’t make you a god. Kaida is my fiancée and whatever I choose to do with her is my business."

My breath hitched as the word Fiancée swirled in my head.

It felt like a noose tightening around my neck. 

Just when had it stopped sounding like a declaration of love and started feeling like a threat instead?

Zavian’s eyes flashed. "Is that how you treat your fiancée?" Then his gaze returned to me, piercing, but tender. "Kaida," he called quietly. "What do you want me to do? I’ll break him into pieces if you ask me to."

I could feel Lucien’s eyes on me as he waited for my answer, but my throat felt too parched to speak.

What were the odds that Zavian was here and that he was so bent on protecting me when we only met last night? 

Did he fall in love with me at first sight? Or was he doing all this because he hated Lucien?

The second reason made more sense.

They were both enemies, so he was probably doing all this just to get on his nerves.

He probably didn’t give a fuck if I lived or died. 

The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I let my hand curl. What the hell was wrong with me? Why did it make me feel so bad that a stranger didn’t really care about me?

A stranger I was trying to use for my revenge.

"What do you want, Kaida?"

I met his gaze, then slowly turned my head to look at Lucien who was watching me expectantly.

I had to be careful. Cutting Lucien off too soon could get me killed, especially if he’d been tracking me all along and his finding me that night hadn’t been a coincidence.

He couldn’t be allowed to doubt my love. It was the only way to keep him within reach, to torture him slowly, and to collect everything I needed to ruin him.

I made him a billionaire in the past but now, I am going to take everything from him. Everything he has, even his freedom.

Zavian would play a part, but I had to build up to it. I couldn’t afford any mistake.

I wet my lips nervously, then forced a smile. "I think you are misunderstanding something. Lucien wasn’t hurting me. We were just talking and things got a bit heated." 

Zavian’s gaze dropped to my arm. 

I didn’t have to look to see that he was staring at the bruises Lucien had left there.

My skin prickled under his gaze, a sharp feeling burning the back of my throat.

Lucien’s hand tightened on my shoulder. "Do you hear that? You should learn to mind your business—"

Zavian turned slowly, his icy stare locking onto Lucien. The rest of the sentence died on Lucien’s tongue.

Then he glanced at me with a look I couldn’t quite figure out, but I could tell he was disappointed.

I fidgeted under his stare, my mouth parting slightly to get air into my starved lungs. 

What the hell was his problem with me?

In the past, Zavian and I never crossed paths at all. I only heard about him from Lucien because he was always talking about how much he hated him. So, why was I so aware of him?

"If you say you’re good, then I have no choice but to take your word for it," he said, then reached out.

It was unexpected, and I must have been more strung out than I thought because I flinched hard, and as if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, my hands came up to shield my face as if I thought he was going to hit me, which made absolutely no sense, because I knew he wouldn’t.

Wouldn’t he? I paused, my heart pounding in my ears. Why the hell was I so sure of that? I didn’t even know him personally.

Zavian’s shoulders tensed, his hands hanging mid-air, a black card resting between his thumb and forefinger. "I just wanted to give you this."

I slowly let my hand drop, heat creeping up my neck. "I’m sorry..." I said reaching to take it from him.

"Get your fucking card away from my fiancée," Lucien roared, his hand smacking the card away from Zavian’s hand.

The air crackled, then froze as Zavian’s eyes moved to the card on the floor.

When he finally looked up, all I saw was a dangerous man ready to wreak havoc.

"You shouldn’t have done that Lucien."