Chapter 239 Ask Out

Chapter 239 Ask Out
>>Riona
His eyes were soft, waiting for my response, his expression patient, almost like he knew I needed a moment to gather myself.
I swallowed hard, unsure how to respond. The idea of spending more time with him, outside of all the chaos that surrounded us, was overwhelming, but also oddly tempting. I couldn’t help but feel this strange tug toward him, something that made my pulse quicken and my thoughts swirl in confusion.
But what was I supposed to say? Should I go? Should I even want to?
It was just dinner, right? But the weight of it felt more significant somehow, especially when I looked at him—when I saw the quiet intensity in his eyes.
I opened my mouth, only to close it again, unsure of what would come out. My heart thudded against my ribs as I struggled to make a decision.
Finally, I managed a shaky, “I don’t—uh—I don’t know,” I stammered. “It’s just… I mean, I’m not really sure what to do.”
My words felt weak, my voice betraying me, and I hated how vulnerable it made me feel.
I cursed under my breath, feeling a rush of frustration and confusion flood through me. Why is this so hard? I thought to myself, my mind swirling in a chaotic mess of doubts and fears. Every part of me wanted to say yes, to accept his offer, but something else kept pulling me back—something that was making my chest tight and my heart race in a way that left me breathless.
It wasn’t just about the dinner. It wasn’t about the food or the offer itself—it was about the way my body responded to him, the way his presence seemed to draw something deep inside of me, something I wasn’t ready to acknowledge yet. The nagging feeling that I should walk away, the self-doubt, it was all too much, but beneath that, something else was fighting for control. It was like there was a different part of me, buried deep inside, almost screaming at me to just say yes. To give in, to stop questioning everything. It was so intense, so primal, that for a moment I almost lost myself in it.
I closed my eyes for a split second, breathing in deeply, trying to quiet the voices in my head. This isn’t right. I shouldn’t—
But that other part of me, the one I couldn’t control, was growing louder. I felt a tug at my chest, like a magnetic force pulling me toward him, drawing me closer to something I wasn’t ready for, but also something I didn’t want to fight.
When I opened my eyes again, Demos was still standing there, patient and waiting, his presence making everything inside me feel both at ease and on edge. I didn’t know what to say, how to explain the war that was waging within me. The fear. The confusion. The desire.
Then, almost without thinking, the words slipped out of my mouth—so confident, so certain, I could hardly believe it was me saying them.
“Yes.”



I stood in front of the mirror, my fingers tracing the edges of the red dress that hugged my curves perfectly. I wasn’t sure what it was about tonight, but there was something different in the air. Maybe it was the fact that Demos had asked me out, or maybe it was just the weight of everything shifting around us. Either way, I had spent what felt like an eternity getting ready, making sure my hair fell just right, and my makeup wasn’t too heavy, but still enough to make me feel a little more confident.
Just as I was adjusting the strap on my heel, I turned around and froze. Ava stood across the room, just finishing with her own outfit. Her dress was sleek, a deep emerald green that contrasted sharply with her black hair. She had styled it to perfection, the kind of effortless beauty that made you feel like you could never quite measure up.
"Hey, what’s going on? Why are you all dressed up?" I asked, my voice coming out a little sharper than I intended. I wasn’t sure why, but I felt a strange pang of irritation flare inside me. Maybe it was because I was still trying to wrap my head around everything that had happened today. The last thing I expected was for Ava to be dressed like she was going out to a club.
She just grinned, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Why, Riona, didn’t you hear? I’m going out with Riker," she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder with exaggerated flair.
I blinked at her, my mouth slightly agape. "What?"
"Yeah," she said with a shrug, clearly enjoying the effect her words were having on me. "He asked me out after lunch. We’ve been talking for a while now."
I was still standing there, stunned, trying to process the situation. "But you just met him a few days ago," I said, my voice rising slightly in disbelief. "How are you moving so fast with him?"
She took a step closer, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. "We’ve been talking, Riona. You know, getting to know each other. Chemistry doesn’t wait for a calendar date to decide when to strike." She smiled, then tossed a playful wink my way.
I wasn’t sure why, but something about her response made me feel a little… off. I glanced down at my own outfit, suddenly self-conscious, but before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "Well, Demos is attractive too, but I’m not throwing myself at him!"
Ava raised an eyebrow, giving me a look that was half amused, half skeptical. "Oh really?" She stepped closer, inspecting me from head to toe. "Because you're wearing a dress that screams, 'I’m ready for a night of passion.'" Her voice dropped into a mock-serious tone as she pointed at the deep V-neckline of my dress. "You, my dear, are dressed like someone who wants to get pounded into the night."
!!!
My face burned with embarrassment. I opened my mouth to protest, but nothing came out. Instead, I was left sputtering, my mind racing through a thousand different reactions. Ava’s words weren’t exactly wrong. The dress was bold, daring even—but it wasn’t like I had planned it. I had simply chosen it because it felt… right. And now, standing here, I couldn't help but feel as though my emotions were running a little out of control.
I stood there frozen, my face turning a shade of crimson I was sure matched my dress. Ava’s words hit harder than I expected, and all of a sudden, I felt way too exposed. The dress—now that she pointed it out—did feel a little too revealing, too bold. My thoughts scrambled for a way out of the awkwardness.
"I—I’ll change," I muttered, my hand instinctively going to the zipper on the side of my dress, but Ava’s voice stopped me dead in my tracks.
"Stop it," she said, her tone soft but firm.
I glanced at her, confused. "What? I can’t walk around in this." My voice faltered a little as I tried to explain the overwhelming sensation of self-consciousness that had taken over me. "This isn’t right."
Ava raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying my sudden self-doubt. "Why? What’s so wrong with it?"
I moved toward the closet, eager to grab something else, anything else to feel less exposed. But before I could, Ava stepped in front of me, her hand on her hip. "Tell me," she urged, her voice lighter now, almost playful. "Why do you feel like it's wrong?"
I hesitated, my fingers curling into fists at my sides. "It just feels... wrong," I admitted, my voice soft, almost inaudible. "I mean, liking someone so fast, after everything that happened... it’s just... too quick. I don’t know if I’m ready for all of this." My heart thundered in my chest, the words coming out in a rush.
Yet, I can’t stop these feelings that keep building up inside of me.
Ava let out an exaggerated sigh, rolling her eyes as though my concerns were something trivial. "Oh, for heaven's sake," she said, crossing her arms in front of her. "You’re still holding on to Milo, aren’t you?"
I flinched at the mention of his name. "Milo’s a jerk, Ava. He—"
"Exactly," she cut me off, her voice sharp but dismissive. "He’s the jackass who hit on your sister. You saw that, right? You saw how quickly he moved on, like it was nothing. So why are you still stuck on him?" She uncrossed her arms, walking over to the mirror. "You should move on, too. Do it with the speed of light, just like he did."
I stared at her in disbelief, my mind reeling. "It’s not that simple," I said, frustration bubbling up. "This... this is different."
Ava reached for her lipstick, starting to apply it with a casual air. "Besides," she added with a knowing grin, "Demos looks like a way better man."
I froze, my chest tightening at the mention of Demos. My mind immediately flashed back to that moment when he smiled at me earlier—when he had offered me that simple invitation to dinner. The same smile that had sent a warmth straight to my chest, the kind I couldn’t explain away. Ava’s words felt like an icy splash of reality.
"I agree," Annamae chimed in from the bed, breaking my spiraling thoughts. She was grinning at the back-and-forth between Ava and me, clearly entertained by our bickering.
I looked at her, my cheeks still flushed. "You two are terrible," I muttered, though a smile tugged at my lips despite myself.
Annamae laughed softly, the sound warm and genuine. "It’s not a bad thing, Rio. It’s just... sometimes, you’ve got to stop overthinking. You’re making it harder than it needs to be." She paused, glancing over at Ava, who was now perfectly applying the final touch to her lipstick. "I mean, look at her. She’s got it figured out."
I couldn’t help but feel a little helpless. How was it that Ava and Annamae had this... confidence, this ease with moving forward, while I was still stuck in a web of uncertainty?
Ava caught my gaze in the mirror, her lips curling into a sly smile. "Trust me, if you don’t want to make things complicated, just forget about Milo and focus on Demos. You’re already halfway there."
My stomach twisted at her words. As much as I wanted to argue, I couldn't deny the fluttering feeling that Demos seemed to spark in me every time we spoke.
"I’m not sure about this," I said quietly, my voice barely audible as I watched Ava’s confident reflection.
She shrugged, unfazed. "You will be."

The doorbell rang, and I couldn’t help but feel a rush of nerves hit me. Ava had been in the bathroom, retouching her makeup, but she quickly set everything aside when the bell rang. She walked to the door with a grin, her excitement almost palpable, and I stayed where I was, standing in the hallway just out of her way.
When the door opened, I could hear Ava greeting Riker with a laugh and a hug. I half-expected it, but seeing it in person was a different experience entirely. They were so… comfortable with each other, and it almost made me feel like an outsider.
But then I heard footsteps, and I knew exactly who it was.
I didn’t even have to look to know. My breath caught in my throat the moment he stepped into my line of sight.
Demos.
He was dressed for dinner, of course, but it wasn’t just the suit that made me freeze. His black tailored jacket fit him perfectly, accentuating his broad shoulders, and the white shirt underneath gleamed against the dark fabric of his suit. The tie—deep and midnight blue—looked effortlessly casual despite its sharpness. But none of that was what made me freeze.
It was the way he looked at me.
As soon as our eyes met, the world seemed to stop. The background noise of Ava and Riker faded away, leaving only the tension in the air between Demos and me. The intensity of his gaze had me rooted to the spot. There was something in the way he looked at me—something searching, something like he was peeling me open with just his eyes. It made my heart race in a way I couldn’t explain, and before I could process it, my body was already responding to him.
His gaze was heavy, and I felt it all the way to my bones. There was something in the way he was watching me, as if he could see through every layer of me, like he knew everything I was trying to hide. It was like being exposed and not wanting to look away. My breath caught in my throat, and I had to force myself not to stare too long, but the pull was so strong, so magnetic, that I couldn’t tear my gaze away.
I had to blink a few times to ground myself, to remind myself that I wasn’t supposed to be feeling this way. But I couldn’t help it. My body was betraying me. My skin tingled under his attention, my pulse quickened, and I could feel that familiar warmth spreading through me.
And then, just when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, he smiled—just a little. But that smile, that small, almost imperceptible smile, sent another shudder down my spine. It was like he knew exactly what was happening inside me, and he was enjoying it.
I had to break the stare, had to look away before I lost myself entirely. But when I did, I realized that my cheeks were flushed, my heart was pounding, and my body felt like it was suddenly more aware than it had ever been.
“Ready?” His voice, low and smooth, pulled me from my thoughts, and I looked up at him again, my voice barely above a whisper when I responded.
“Yeah... ready.”
“Have a good night!” Anna said from behind us and it was at that moment it suddenly hit me.
Before I could even stop myself, the words came out, sharp and urgent. “We can’t leave Anna alone,” I said. If both me and Ava left, she’d been alone for the night!
But as soon as I said it, I felt ridiculous. Of course, Ava and I weren’t the only ones here.
Nick, of all people, stepped into the room at that moment. He was standing tall with his hands in his pockets, his posture calm. “I’ll stay with Anna,” he said, almost too easily.
The words hit me like a bucket of cold water. My gut twisted, and I shot Nick a glare that could’ve melted steel. “No.”
I took a step toward him, feeling every muscle in my body tense. “I won’t allow it.”
Nick looked unfazed, but then Ava stepped in. She had been standing nearby, her eyes sharp, but she moved toward me, grabbed my arm gently, and started guiding me toward the door.
“Riona,” she said with a sigh, “calm down. Anna’s a big girl. She can take care of herself.”
I knew she was an adult but somehow I could never really look at her like that.
I shook my head, still fuming, but Ava’s grip on my arm was firm, her words persistent. “Don’t be so dramatic,” she said, leading me outside. “You’re overthinking this. Nick won’t do anything to Anna.”
I wanted to argue, to tell her that she couldn’t possibly understand, but the door closed behind us before I could say anything more.
But even as we stepped into the night air, my mind wouldn’t let go of the worry. I turned to face Demos, standing by the car, his gaze unreadable. “Demos,” I said, my voice tinged with frustration, “Please… make Nick leave. I don’t want him staying there with Anna.”
Demos didn’t immediately respond, which made my heart flutter with a mix of uncertainty and irritation. It was almost as if he were... hesitant? My frustration grew, but I couldn’t help the way my chest tightened when he finally spoke.
“He won’t,” Demos said, his voice steady but unyielding. “Nick wouldn’t do anything bad to Annamae. And if she wanted him to stand on the roof all night, he’d do that for her, too. But he’s not going to listen to me, not on this.”
I stared at him, feeling my brow furrow in confusion. “Why wouldn’t he listen to his boss?”
Demos’ eyes softened a fraction, and for a moment, it was as if the world around us disappeared, leaving just the two of us standing in the quiet night. “Because he’s in love,” he said simply, as though it should’ve been obvious.
!?!?!?
The words hung in the air, vibrating with something unspoken between us
In love?!?! What?! When did that happen!?!?
Demos’s eyes, dark and intense, locked with mine, and everything else seemed to fade into a blur. His voice was low, a little hushed, as if he were speaking directly to my soul.
“Like I am in love with you, Riona,” He said, his voice rough with honesty.
!!!
My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment, I couldn’t respond. I couldn’t even think. I was standing there, frozen, staring at him, as if I’d been struck by lightning.
As if I couldn’t offer a stranger answer, what came out of me in response to his confession was a hiccup.
My throat hitched and my cheeks flushed red.