Chapter 4 The Gala Kiss

The flash from the cameras felt like gunfire, but when his lips hit mine, the world really went off.

It looked like a dream when I was at the gala. If I walked on the marble floor, my heels would click. Damien would walk next to me, his hand on the small of my back. Maybe it was because his touch was so light that it burned through my dress.

He said in a low voice that only I could hear, "You're shaking."

I lied and said, "I hate crowds."

He smiled in a cold way. "It will get easier for you to act."

I looked at him. "Did you do that with Cassandra?"

His jaw moved.

I also said, "I've read the tabloids." "You liked her." Beautiful. Rich. Not touchable."

He said angrily, "She was a mistake." "One I won't do again."

I really wanted to ask more and find out more, but we were already in the spotlight.

A lot of people looked at us. Lights flashed like lightning. It got tougher to take each breath.

"Miss West, how does it feel to be engaged to the city's most powerful bachelor?" yelled a reporter.

I spoke up but didn't know what to say, but Damien spoke first. "She's right where she should be."

That sound was like a threat.

For the cameras, we smiled and looked like a picture-perfect pair. But I felt sick to my stomach, and my phone kept buzzing in my hand.

Caller Unknown: He's joking with you.

Find out about Lucas.

Leave while you still can.

I put my phone away and looked up. That's when I saw her.

To Cassandra.

It was hard to miss. It was tall, beautiful, and dressed in blood red. As soon as she walked in, the air changed. Damien's body tensed up next to me.

He said, "Don't react," with his teeth clenched. "She wants that."

"It's too late," I said quietly.

She came straight at us with a smirk on her face.

That's what she said, "Damien." "You've moved up." Does this only last for a short time?"

His hold on my waist got stronger.

He said, "Nice to see you again, Cassandra."

She looked at me. "And your name is Aria West." I think you signed a pretty strict deal.

I opened my eyes.

Damien spoke up. "This is not the right time, Cassandra."

"Oh, but it is," she said, her eyes shining. "Putting on a show was always your thing."

I tried to smile. "What a lovely night. "Let's not mess it up."

"Yes, of course," Cassandra replied. "Enjoy it while it lasts."

When she left, there was a faint smell of something valuable and dangerous.

I looked at Damien. "What the hell was that?"

"She doesn't matter."

"She didn't look unimportant." It seemed like she knew something I didn't.

It wasn't an answer. He instead led me to the stage where the host was thanking donors.

I said in a whisper, "This wasn't in the plan." "Why are we going up?"

"These words make it official."

I went cold. "You said to make an announcement. "You left the stage."

He said in a soft voice, "Smile, Aria." "This is the part where everyone thinks we love each other."

We went out into the light.

The host gave the mic to Damien. "Gentlemen and ladies, please welcome Damien Hawthorne and Aria West, who is his fiancée."

There was polite clapping from the crowd. Damien spoke about business, charity, and the city when he got the mic. I didn't hear any of it. Everything else was lost in the sound of my heart beating so loudly.

After that, Damien looked at me.

He then said, "Let me show you how much I love my fiancée."

He kissed me and cupped his hand around my cheek before I could ask what he meant.

Not even a peck. Not a nice lip brush.

It was on fire.

Fingers got caught in my hair. He touched my mouth with his like he owned it. People in the crowd laughed, cheered, and took pictures, but I wasn't there. I was on fire living.

I didn't know if I was going to push him away or pull him closer when I put my hands on his chest. I only knew he smelled like heat and danger, and for one scary second, I kissed him back.

The world went away. There was no more time. There was only Damien and this kiss.

Until he moved away.

I blinked, out of breath. "What was that?" I made a noise under my breath.

His lips didn't move much. "It worked." They think it's true.

I said, "That wasn't in the script."

He wasn't happy. It didn't bother him.

"Now it is."

Aria's phone rings again when she gets back to the car. Another word from an unknown sender flashes across the screen.

He kissed you to make you quiet down. Cassandra knew Charles. Do not wait, ask her.

While Damien sits next to her and stares out the window, she looks at him.

She takes a deep breath.

"What the hell is Lucas?"

I sat down in the back of the car just in time to look at him.

"That kiss!" I yelled. "Not in line with our agreement."

Damien turned away from me. "It made the story interesting."

"Who did you sell it to?" Who is the crowd or yourself?"

His eyes finally met mine. "Is it important?"

I hissed, "Yes." "For a second, I forgot it was fake."

He clenched his teeth. "Perhaps it wasn't after all."

I held my breath.

My phone rang again before I could answer. One more word. Same number we don't know.

He's not telling the truth. Lucas is known to Cassandra. Ask her before she goes away.

My heart beat fast. "Damien, who is Lucas?"

His eyes got smaller. "Where did you hear that name?"

I held on to the phone. "What makes you look like you saw a ghost?"

He leaned in close and spoke in a low, dangerous voice. "Don't dig where you don't want to get hurt."

The moment I opened my mouth to fight back, the car swerved.

screams. Tires that screech. The car shook to the side.

The glass broke.

And right before everything went dark, I saw the outline of a motorbike speeding off into the.

Someone didn't just want to warn me when they sent the message.

They wished I would leave.

Was it Damien or me who was being watched?