Chapter 39
Elara's POV
The bass from Moonlight's sound system vibrated through the sidewalk beneath my heels. I stood next to Vivian outside the club entrance, watching her fidget with her hair for the tenth time in as many minutes.
"Stop," I said. "You look fine."
She shot me a panicked look. "Fine isn't good enough. Liam—"
"Is going to think you're beautiful no matter what." The words came out automatically. I didn't know if they were true, but Vivian needed to hear them.
The club's exterior was sleek—dark blue neon lights tracing geometric patterns across black walls. Two exits that I could see. Three security cameras. My eyes catalogued everything out of habit.
A group of guys approached from the parking lot. The one in front had the kind of confidence that came from never being told no. Tall, dark hair styled with too much product, expensive watch catching the neon light.
Vivian's breath hitched. "That's him. That's Liam."
Liam's gaze landed on Vivian and his face lit up. "Viv! You made it!"
He closed the distance between them in three long strides. His hand settled on her lower back—possessive and casual at the same time. Then his attention shifted to me.
"And who's this?"
"My cousin," Vivian said quickly. "Elara. She's... keeping me company tonight."
I caught the hesitation. She didn't want to say bodyguard. Didn't want to explain why she needed one.
Liam's smile was polite but dismissive. The kind of look that said I was already forgotten. "Cool. The more the merrier, right?"
His three friends had gathered behind him. They all had that same prep school polish. I recognized two of them from school—part of Sophia's circle.
One of them was staring past me at the parking lot. His face had gone pale.
I turned.
A black Porsche pulled up to the curb. The engine cut off. The driver's door opened.
Kael stepped out.
My stomach did something complicated. He wore a black leather jacket over a dark gray shirt, fitted jeans that sat low on his hips. His hair was slightly mussed, like he'd been running his hands through it. The amber eyes that had pinned me to the training ground this morning now swept across the group with cold disinterest.
He walked straight toward me. Didn't acknowledge anyone else.
"This is the place?" His voice was flat.
I nodded. Didn't trust myself to speak.
Liam had frozen mid-sentence. "Harrington? What are you—"
Kael's gaze flicked to him for half a second. "Not your concern."
The temperature seemed to drop ten degrees. Liam's friends had gone completely silent. Even the bouncer by the door was watching us now.
Liam cleared his throat. "I didn't know you two were... I mean, do you know Elara?"
Kael didn't answer. He looked at me instead. "Are we doing this or not?"
Vivian grabbed my arm. Her whisper was urgent and way too loud. "How the hell did you get Kael Harrington to come to a club?"
I pulled free gently. "Let's just go inside."
---
The VIP section was on the second floor. Private booth with U-shaped seating, round table in the center, soundproofing panels on the walls that didn't quite block out the bass from downstairs.
Liam's friends kept stealing glances at Kael. Whispering. The atmosphere was wrong—too tense, too careful. This was supposed to be a party.
Kael and I took the corner spot. The position gave us a clear view of the entire booth and the door. I wondered if he'd chosen it deliberately or if it was just instinct.
My phone buzzed.
You dragged me here to babysit teenagers playing spin the bottle?
I looked at the screen, then at him. His expression hadn't changed. Anyone watching would think he was bored.
I typed back: I'm the babysitter. You're backup.
This isn't what I agreed to.
You said you'd help. Or does an Alpha's word mean nothing?
His jaw tightened. He typed something, deleted it, typed again.
Don't push your luck.
I set my phone down. He hadn't left. That was what mattered.
Across the table, Liam was trying to salvage the mood. "Okay, so, since we're all here—how about a game?"
One of his friends perked up. "Truth or dare?"
"Boring." Liam's grin was sharp. "Spin the bottle. But with penalties. Bottle points at you, everyone else gets to decide what you do."
Vivian's cheeks flushed pink. She was trying not to look too eager.
I felt Kael's attention shift to me. I didn't look back.
Liam gestured at us. "You two in? Come on, it'll be fun."
I started to shake my head. Vivian's hand shot out and grabbed mine under the table. Her eyes were pleading.
I looked at Kael. He shrugged, the movement barely perceptible. "Whatever."
---
First spin landed on one of Liam's friends. The penalty was shotgunning a beer. Easy. Everyone laughed.
Second spin pointed at Vivian. The penalty was kissing the person to her left for one minute.
That person was Liam.
Vivian went bright red. Liam leaned in with that confident smile. She kissed his cheek—tentative, soft. The minute stretched out. When she pulled back, Liam was grinning and Vivian looked like she might pass out from embarrassment.
I watched Kael from the corner of my eye. He was scrolling through his phone. Completely checked out. But every few seconds, his gaze would flick up. Not at the game. At me.
My skin prickled every time.
Third spin. The bottle rotated on the table—slow, deliberate.
It stopped.
Mouth pointing at me. Base pointing at Kael.
The booth went silent.
Someone whistled. Liam's friend nudged him. "Holy shit."
Liam was grinning now. "Well, well. Harrington and Elara. Rules are rules, guys."
My heart slammed against my ribs. I'd never—Lynette had never—
Kael stood up. The movement was controlled, deliberate. His amber eyes locked on mine.
Every instinct I had was screaming. Run. Fight. Do something.
He walked around the table. Stopped in front of me.
"You can say no." His voice was low enough that only I could hear it.
I looked up at him. At the sharp line of his jaw, the way his shoulders blocked out the rest of the room. At the challenge in his eyes that might have been something else entirely.
Everyone was watching. Waiting. If I refused now, questions would follow. Attention I couldn't afford.
And some twisted part of me—the part that remembered his hand on my arm this morning, the heat of his body when he'd pinned me during training—wanted to know what would happen if I didn't refuse.
I stood up. Had to tilt my head back to meet his eyes. "I'm not saying no."
Something flickered across his face. Too fast to read.
His hand came up. Fingers curled under my chin, thumb brushing my jawline. The touch was light but it burned.
My breath caught.
He leaned down. Slowly. Giving me time to change my mind.
I didn't move.
His lips touched mine.
The world narrowed to that single point of contact. His mouth was warm, firm, tasting faintly of mint. The pressure increased—not demanding, but not gentle either. My hands came up without conscious thought, gripping the front of his jacket.
His other hand settled on my waist. Pulled me closer.
Heat flooded through me. My pulse was hammering so loud I couldn't hear the music anymore. Couldn't hear anything except the rush of blood in my ears and the sound of his breathing—quick, uneven.
His tongue traced my lower lip. I gasped and he took the opening, deepening the kiss. It wasn't soft anymore. It was raw, hungry, like something had broken loose inside both of us.
I forgot we had an audience. Forgot this was supposed to be a game. Forgot everything except the way his body felt against mine, solid and real and—
Someone cleared their throat.
Kael pulled back. His pupils were blown wide, amber irises barely visible. His chest was rising and falling too fast.
I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think.
We were still standing too close. His hand was still on my waist. My fingers were still twisted in his jacket.
"Time's up," Liam said. His voice sounded distant. "You guys, uh... really committed to that one."
Kael stepped back. His expression slammed shut like a door closing. He returned to his seat without looking at me.
I sat down. My legs felt unsteady.
Vivian was staring at me with her mouth open. Liam's friends were exchanging looks.
One of them was smirking.