Chapter 5 Possession and chaos

"Get your hands off her."

Rayne's voice was lethal, his tone sharp enough to slice through steel.

Zayd didn't move. His arm remained around Nirvana's shoulders as she gripped the railing, her breathing uneven.

"Relax, St. Trinity," Zayd drawled, his dark gaze steady. "I was only comforting her."

Rayne's jaw ticked. "I don't give a damn what you were doing. Step away. Now."

Nirvana turned sharply, glaring. "Rayne, stop. You're overreacting..."

"Overreacting?" Rayne cut her off, his icy-blue eyes locking onto hers. "I find you in another man's arms, looking at him like.." He exhaled sharply, turning his fury back to Zayd. "You think you can touch what's mine?"

Zayd's smirk deepened. "Yours? Funny. I don't see a claim anywhere on her."

That did it.

Rayne lunged.

Fists met skin. The sound of impact echoed in the air as the two men crashed against the balcony railing.

"Rayne!" Nirvana gasped, grabbing his arm, but he barely felt her.

Zayd countered smoothly, landing a solid punch to Rayne's jaw. But Rayne was faster, fueled by unchecked rage. He slammed Zayd against the stone railing, his forearm pressing into his throat.

"Try touching her again, and I'll make sure you never use those hands again." His voice was cold, deadly.

Zayd chuckled, his breath strained. "Possessive, aren't we? You should ask her what she wants..."

Rayne didn't let him finish.

Another punch. Zayd staggered back, wiping the blood from his lip. His eyes gleamed with something dangerous.

"This isn't over, St. Trinity."

Rayne didn't respond. Instead, he turned to Nirvana, his patience snapping.

"We're leaving."

Before she could protest, he grabbed her by the waist and tossed her over his shoulder like she weighed nothing.

"Rayne, put me down! You're insane!" she shrieked, pounding her fists against his back.

"Keep struggling, sweetheart. It won't change a damn thing."

Gasps and murmurs followed them as he stormed out of the ballroom, security scrambling but not daring to intervene.

The car ride was tense.

Rayne's grip on the steering wheel was tight, knuckles white.

Nirvana sat stiffly, arms crossed, still fuming.

"Do you have any idea how humiliating that was?" she snapped. "You had no right..."

"No right?" Rayne's voice was deceptively calm. He didn't look at her, eyes locked on the road. "I had every damn right when I saw you clinging to him."

"Clinging?" She scoffed. "He was comforting me, Rayne. Something you clearly don't understand."

His jaw flexed. "I don't need to understand comfort. I understand possession."

Nirvana's breath hitched.

She clenched her fists. "I'm not some item you can own."

Rayne finally turned to her. His gaze was dark, unreadable. "Aren't you?"

Her pulse spiked.

Before she could respond, they arrived at his penthouse.

He parked sharply and got out without a word, slamming the door behind him.

Nirvana followed, heels clicking against the marble floor as she stormed after him.

"You're impossible!" she shouted.

"And you're reckless." His voice was cold as he pulled off his jacket. "You let another man put his hands on you, and you expect me to just stand there?"

She threw her arms up. "So what? You're punishing me now?"

Rayne didn't answer. Instead, he turned abruptly and grabbed the painting Zayd had bought her.

And then...

He smashed it.

Nirvana's breath hitched as the sound of shattering glass filled the room.

Her heart twisted as she dropped to her knees, trying to gather the broken pieces.

"You're insane," she whispered, voice shaking.

Rayne stared down at her, fury crackling in his eyes. "This? They were better than what I bought you?"

Nirvana's chest rose and fell unevenly.

Then, slowly, her fingers reached for the diamond necklace around her neck...the one Rayne had bought.

And without a second thought, she ripped it off.

The necklace hit the floor with a soft clatter.

Rayne's expression turned deadly. "Don't."

But Nirvana's hands trembled with rage. And then...

She smashed it.

The delicate diamonds scattered across the floor.

Silence.

A charged, suffocating silence.

Rayne moved before she could react.

He grabbed her by the neck, pushing her back against the wall, his grip firm but not bruising. His face was inches from hers, his breath hot against her lips.

"You're testing me, Nirvana." His voice was dark, dangerous. "And I don't like being tested."

She stared at him, breathing heavily.

"Let me go, Rayne."

His grip didn't loosen. His gaze flickered to her lips, then back to her eyes.

Then, without another word, he dragged her upstairs.

Nirvana fought against his grip, kicking, thrashing. "Rayne! Let me go! You're acting crazy!"

He didn't answer.

He pushed open the bedroom door, yanking her inside before shoving her onto the bed.

And then,

The metallic clink of chains.

Nirvana froze.

Her eyes widened as she looked down, realizing...

Her wrist was chained to the headboard.

Her breathing turned shallow. "Rayne..."

He loomed over her, his gaze unreadable.

"You'll stay here until I decide to let you go."

Her heart pounded. "You wouldn't."

Rayne leaned in, voice like a dark promise.

"Try me."

"He looked like he was ready to kill for her."

Celeste's voice was laced with amusement as she leaned against Adrian's car, her red nails tracing invisible patterns on his chest. She tilted her head, watching his reaction closely, but Adrian remained impassive. He exuded control...always did.

Adrian took his time lighting a cigarette, the small flame flickering between them before he exhaled a slow stream of smoke. His sharp, calculating eyes locked onto hers. "That's what you saw?"

Celeste scoffed, pressing herself against him with a slow, teasing smirk. "Oh, don't tell me you think otherwise. Rayne St. Trinity doesn't 'kill' for women. He owns them. Breaks them. Nirvana won't be any different."

Adrian chuckled, his fingers trailing lazily down her waist before gripping her hip possessively. "That's where you're wrong, Celeste. She already is."

Celeste narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Adrian took another slow drag, his lips curling as if he enjoyed having the upper hand. "Rayne isn't just playing. You saw the way he was tonight. That wasn't amusement...it was obsession. A dangerous one."

Celeste clicked her tongue. "You almost sound worried. Don't tell me you still have feelings for her?"

Adrian exhaled smoke and laughed lowly, the sound sending a shiver down her spine. He reached up, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his touch deceptively tender. "I sold her, Celeste. What do you think?"

Her smirk faltered for just a second before she masked it with mock sweetness. "Then you shouldn't care what happens to her, should you?"

Adrian hummed, tapping ash onto the pavement, his grip tightening just enough to remind her who was in control. "It's not about caring. It's about knowing how this ends."

Celeste arched a brow. "And how does it end?"

He smirked. "In disaster. For her. For him. Maybe even for you."

Celeste stiffened, her playful demeanor slipping. Adrian chuckled darkly, watching her reaction with amusement.

"Relax, darling." He tilted her chin up with two fingers, his voice smooth as silk. "As long as you stay on my side, you won't be collateral damage."

Celeste forced a smile, but something in his gaze made her chest tighten.

"You always act like you know everything," she murmured, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his jaw.

Adrian exhaled slowly, gripping her waist with a firm possessiveness. "That's because I do."

Celeste pulled back, searching his face. "So what now? Sit back and watch the chaos unfold?"

Adrian's smirk widened. "Maybe I'll speed it up."

Celeste's eyes darkened with intrigue. "Dangerous game, sweetheart."

Adrian leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered...

"The best ones always are."