My revenge feels justified again.
Strength snakes back into my spine. I step inside carefully. The storm has returned, and it’s mine to wield.
As soon as I enter, Sebastian’s gaze finds me across the room. Something inside me tugs painfully at the sight of him—and I clamp it down immediately. No weakness. No distraction.
I turn toward the girls at the bar, letting the chatter and laughter pull me back into the role I’m meant to play. I’m just about to slide onto a stool when I feel it: a presence behind me. A hand circles my upper arm with possessive certainty.
“Come with me,” he says, low and controlled, a tone that brooks no argument.
I want to jerk free, but the last thing I need is for the girls to notice tension between us. I follow, silent, letting him lead me toward the hall.
Once we’re out of sight, I pull my arm back sharply. My nails graze his sleeve. “What now?” I demand, voice sharp.
His eyes are dark, unreadable. He tilts his head slightly, letting me feel the weight of him without touching me. “Now,” he says, each word deliberate, “you tell me why you snuck out.”
“Snuck?” I cross my arms, leveling him with a glare. “Do you always have to interrogate me the second we’re out of sight?”
He doesn’t flinch, doesn’t break. “I’m not interrogating. I’m observing. And right now, everything about you screams…trouble.”
I lift my chin, daring him. “Maybe I like trouble.”
A twitch—annoyance, desire, something unnamable—flickers across his jaw. “Don’t test me, Sienna.” He grabs my jaw.
“Where did you go?”
“For air,” I say evenly.
“You’re lying.”
“Get used to it,” I murmur, letting the words fall between us like a challenge.
He stares at me, heat in his gaze that I refuse to acknowledge. I don’t flinch. I don’t hesitate.
I slip past him, not waiting for permission, letting my movements speak of control he cannot touch.
My heart beats steady. My mind is clear. My path is set.
Sebastian Rusnak broke me once. He doesn’t get to do it again.
When I return to the bar, the girls glance at me with concern. Their eyes follow Sebastian as he storms out of the hall, disappearing into the cluster of men by the back.
“I’m fine,” I tell them, voice even. My calmness hides the spark of triumph burning beneath my skin.
Elara winks, pressing a chilled drink into my hands. “Then drink up, Sienna. You earned it.”
I lift the glass, letting the cool liquid slide down in one long gulp. The warmth spreads immediately, a delicious buzz loosening the tension in my shoulders.
The girls clap, laughing, and I can’t help but smirk. This is my night too. For now, I own it.
The music shifts to something heavier and more pulsing. Sasha grabs my hand with a mischievous grin. “Come on, Sienna. It’s time to dance.”
I groan. “I’m not sure I want to.”
“Then you’ll miss the fun,” Elara teases, tugging me forward.
Sasha laughs, eyes glinting. “We’re going to raise the men’s blood pressure tonight. You in?”
I smirk, letting myself be swept along. “Fine. Let’s see what they’ve got.”
