Chapter Two: Dangerous Games
The music throbbed through the club, now just a backdrop to the conversation between Soraya and Jace. The crowd was a blur, their laughter, their shouts, their grinding bodies all fading into the background. The space around them seemed to shrink, the air thick with tension, thick with unspoken challenge.
Jace's smile didn't fade. If anything, it grew, as if he enjoyed the game far more than he should. He leaned against the bar casually, as if he had all the time in the world, his posture relaxed, but his eyes—those eyes—never left Soraya's.
"I have to admit," he said, the corner of his lips curling upwards, "I didn't expect to see someone like you here." He tilted his head slightly, as though studying her, and there was a flicker of amusement in his gaze.
Soraya didn't respond right away, taking her time as she exhaled another stream of smoke from her cigarette. She wasn't intimidated by him, not in the slightest, but she was curious. Something about him felt... different. Dangerous in a way that was hard to explain.
And yet, there was something incredibly captivating about how he had walked into her world so effortlessly. Most men would be trembling, unsure of themselves, but not him. He was too casual. Too confident.
"You're not the type of person who belongs here," Soraya finally spoke, her voice low and smooth, like honey and silk. "This is my world. Not a playground for someone like you."
Jace's smirk only widened, a hint of defiance in his eyes. He stepped forward, closing the space between them just enough to make her feel the heat radiating off him. She didn't flinch. She never flinched.
"I don't know," he said, voice hushed but confident. "Seems like a pretty fun playground to me."
His words hung in the air, an invitation, a dare.
Soraya took another drag from her cigarette, her eyes narrowing slightly. She was used to being the one in control, the one who made the rules. And yet, this boy—this man—was making her feel something unfamiliar. A flicker of something she couldn't quite place.
A challenge.
She flicked the ash from her cigarette, her gaze never leaving his. "You have no idea what you're walking into," she said quietly, her tone cold, almost mocking. "This isn't a place for little boys who think they can play with fire."
Jace leaned in closer, his face inches from hers, his breath warm against her skin. "Maybe I like fire," he murmured, voice dropping to a low rasp. "Maybe I like playing with danger."
Something in Soraya shifted. A jolt of electricity ran through her veins. Her heart beat just a little faster.
She took one last drag, then flicked the cigarette to the ground and crushed it beneath her heel, all the while maintaining eye contact with him. She wasn't sure if he was fearless or foolish, but she had to admit—he was playing the game well.
"You're either brave or incredibly stupid," she said, voice low, dangerous.
"Maybe a little bit of both," Jace replied, his grin widening. He wasn't backing down. He wasn't running. And for the first time in a long time, Soraya felt something stir within her—a challenge she couldn't resist.
Without another word, Soraya turned, her body moving with fluid grace as she made her way through the crowd. Her heels clicked sharply on the floor, echoing in the dark, as if announcing her dominance. She could feel his eyes on her, and she didn't need to look back to know that he was following her.
She led him through the club, past the flashing lights, the writhing bodies, to the backroom. The place was quieter here, secluded from the madness outside. Only a few people lingered in the corners, too caught up in their own worlds to notice the storm about to unfold.
Turning to face him, Soraya finally let her gaze roam over Jace, taking him in fully for the first time. The sharp angles of his jaw, the glint in his eyes that spoke of untapped mischief and unspoken promises.
"I don't know what you're trying to prove," she began, her voice now a dangerous whisper, "but I don't like being challenged. Especially by someone who doesn't know the rules."
Jace stepped closer, his presence almost overwhelming. He didn't back away, didn't falter. He was right in front of her now, so close she could feel the heat of his body against hers.
"I'm not here to follow the rules," he said, his voice low, dark with intent. "I'm here to break them."