Dangerous Dance

Damien shut the terrace doors with a gentle click, leaving Liora out in the night air, almost like an afterthought She stayed right where he left her, with a tingle in her wrist where he'd held on. The city sparkled below, oblivious to the war raging in her heart Every instinct screamed to leave slip back through the crowd outside, and pretend the last ten minutes never happened. But another part of her wanted to stay, watch and learn.

She chose the second.

Liora went back inside, blending herself into the crowd once more. The music had changed, now it's more mellow, with strings and a gentle piano that made conversation feels intimate. She grabbed an untouched champagne flute from a passing tray, mostly just to have something to hold onto Her gaze was fixed on the spot where Damien vanished.

He popped back in a few minutes later, all by himself, strutting through the room like he owned the place. He didn't rush to find her right away. He had a quick chat with the silver-haired dude in the charcoal suit, chuckled once and then took a look around the crowd.

When he spotted her again, his eyes locked on her like a laser

He crossed straight to her.

This time, we were all too close for comfort, he stopped so close that his warmth could slice right through the chilly breeze coming from the open doors.

“You didn’t run,” he said, with a very low voice that only she could hear.

“of course not, not when I’m not done asking my questions.”

A slight smile spread across his face, risky, yet grateful. "That quite bold” Most people who recognize my name either beg for favors or disappear.”.

“Well, I’m not most people.”

“No,” he murmured, eyes tracing the line of her throat where her pulse betrayed her. “You’re not.”

He pointed to a more peaceful spot by some big white orchids. "Come with me.

It wasn’t a question.

They moved together through the thinning edges of the party. They paused next to a marble column partially concealed by velvet curtains. The music enveloped them, slow and weighty.

Damien leaned against the stone with one shoulder, arms crossed, and studied her like a challenging puzzle he didn't expect he'd find enjoyable.

“Tell me why you really came here tonight,” he said.

“I needed to see if the man in the photograph I saw really still existed.”.

His facial expression stayed the same, but there was a noticeable change behind his eyes, they got sharper and colder. "Which photograph?”

“The one where you’re smiling like you have a conscience.”.

Silence stretched taut between them.

Then he laughed, “You think I don’t?”

“I think you buried that version of yourself a long time ago.”.

He took some steps closer. Now he was so close that she had to tilt her head to hold his eyes on her. The smell of cedar and smoke hugged her once more, both intoxicating and alarming.

“You seem too sure of yourself for someone who walked in here with nothing but a borrowed dress and a death wish.”

Her breath hitched, but she didn’t step back. “Don’t you think i walked in here with far more than you can imagine? So much so that can take you down.”

His countenance was changed. “Watch it, Liora.” Revenge costs a pretty penny.

“Is that a threat?”

“No, it not a threat but a fact.”

He reached out to her slowly, and gently traced the edge of the delicate silver necklace around her neck The pendant was tiny and uncomplicated: her mom's vintage locket, the only piece of jewellery she wore. His fingertip lightly touched the metal, then the skin right above it. The touch was almost non-existent, yet it burned.

“This,” he said, “used to belong to someone I knew.”

Her heart hit so hard she thought he could feel it.

“Elias’s mother?” she asked with a steady voice despite the tremor inside.

His finger stilled. “Among other things.”

He didn’t pull away. Neither did she.

The tunes of the music grew louder, the strings climbing up like waves. The gala was in full swing, people were laughing, glasses were clinking, and quiet deals were being struck But over here, in this cozy corner of shade and warmth, it felt like the whole world was just the space between them.

“You should leave,” he said. “Before this becomes something neither of us can walk away from.”

“I don’t run from unfinished business.”

His eyes briefly lingered on her lips for a split second.

Then he leaned in so close she could've stopped him, but she didn't want to His lips brushed hers.

Not a kiss. Not yet.

Just a single ghost, warm and deliberate, testing the waters. A pledge cloaked in caution

Liora's hands reached up naturally, he stepped back a bit, just enough to whisper in her ear

“You taste like trouble.”

“You taste like lies.”

He drew her closer, tighter until there was no room for any hesitation

“Then let’s see which one of us breaks first.”.

Before she could respond, a figure shifted into view at the corner of her eye, a person watching from the opposite side of the room. A lady in red, holding a glass, her eyes sharp and intense

Damien saw it, he stepped back.

“Stay out of dark corners, Liora,” he said quietly. “Not everyone here plays as nicely as I do.”.

He turned and strolled off, blending into the crowd.

Liora stood frozen, lips still burning, heart racing.

She touched her mouth with trembling fingers.

She glanced over at the lady in red.

The newcomer lifted her glass for a fake cheer, slow, calculated, poisonous. The aura around her was something Liora cracked her head to understand, but couldn’t. “Who is she”

Liora smiled back.

Small. Sharp.

Dangerous.

She wasn’t running tonight.

She was just getting started.