Thessaly POV
Rhydian Vex doesn't move when I walk toward him. He just watches me cross the VIP section like I'm a mouse approaching a snake, curious if I'll make it or run away screaming.
Behind me, Jett's voice explodes. "Thessaly! THESSALY! What are you doing?!"
I don't turn around. If I look back, I'll lose my courage. My legs feel like water, but I keep walking until I'm standing right in front of the most dangerous man in Crescent Bay.
Up close, Rhydian is terrifying. Not because he's scary-looking—he's actually handsome in a sharp, expensive way. But his eyes are empty. Cold. Like looking into winter itself.
"Well," he says quietly, voice smooth as poison. "This is unexpected."
"Seven minutes," I manage to say, even though my voice shakes. "That's the dare."
"I know what the dare is." His head tilts slightly, studying me like I'm a puzzle. "I'm asking if you know what you're doing."
Honestly? I have no idea. But Jett kissed another girl on my birthday. Forgot me. Treated me like trash for two years. And I'm so tired of being nothing.
"Yes," I lie.
Something flickers in Rhydian's cold eyes. Amusement, maybe. Or respect. "Liar."
Before I can respond, Jett crashes into our conversation, shoving between us. "Uncle Rhydian." He spits the word like it's dirty. "You're not actually doing this."
"Doing what?" Rhydian doesn't even look at him. His eyes stay on me.
"She's my girlfriend!" Jett's face is purple with rage. "She's mine! You can't—"
"Yours?" I interrupt, finding my voice. "Like that girl you kissed five minutes ago was yours too?"
Jett spins on me. "That was a GAME, Thessaly! God, you're so dramatic!"
"Then this is a game too," I shoot back. My hands are shaking but I clench them into fists. "And I'm playing."
"You stupid—" Jett reaches for my arm, fingers digging in hard enough to bruise.
Rhydian moves so fast I barely see it. One second Jett's grabbing me. The next, Rhydian has Jett's wrist twisted at an angle that makes Jett gasp in pain.
"Touch her again," Rhydian says softly, "and I'll break every bone in your hand."
The entire VIP section goes silent. Even the music seems quieter.
Jett's face turns white. "You can't threaten me. My father—"
"Your father is my brother," Rhydian interrupts, still holding Jett's wrist at that terrible angle. "Which means I've known you since you were born. I changed your diapers, Jett. I'm not impressed by your tantrums."
He releases Jett with a small push. Jett stumbles backward, cradling his wrist.
"The girl made her choice," Rhydian continues, voice calm and terrifying. "Honor it."
"She doesn't know what she's choosing!" Jett yells. "Everyone knows what you are! A thief! A criminal! Dad kicked you out for a reason!"
"Several reasons, actually," Rhydian agrees pleasantly. "Most of them true. Does that change your decision, little Crane?"
He's giving me an out. I can feel it. I can say no, go back to Jett, pretend this never happened.
But if I do, nothing changes. I'll still be the girlfriend nobody respects. The girl everyone forgets. The stupid girl who keeps forgiving a boy who hurts her.
"No," I say, looking straight at Rhydian. "It doesn't change anything."
Rhydian's smile is small and sharp. "Brave or foolish. I haven't decided which."
"Maybe both," I whisper.
"Then let's find out." He offers his hand like a gentleman, which is weird considering everyone just called him a criminal. "Shall we?"
I take his hand. His skin is warm, which surprises me. I expected him to be cold like his eyes.
Jett makes a sound like a wounded animal. "If you do this, Thessaly, we're done! DONE! You understand?!"
I look at my boyfriend—ex-boyfriend?—and feel nothing but tired. "Good."
Rhydian leads me away from the crowd. Jett's friends whisper and film on their phones. Jett screams threats. I ignore all of it.
We walk down a hallway I've never seen before. Private rooms for people rich enough to afford them. Rhydian opens a door to a room with leather couches and dim lighting. He gestures for me to enter first.
My heart pounds so hard I think he can hear it.
Inside, the door closes behind us. Suddenly we're alone. Really alone. And I realize I just trapped myself in a private room with a man I don't know, who everyone says is dangerous, because I was angry at my boyfriend.
Brilliant, Thessaly. Really smart.
"Relax," Rhydian says, walking to a small bar in the corner. "I'm not going to hurt you."
"Everyone says you're dangerous."
"I am." He pours something into two glasses. "But not to angry eighteen-year-olds trying to hurt their worthless boyfriends."
The fact that he sees right through me makes my face burn. "I'm not—"
"You are." He hands me a glass. It's just water, I realize. Not alcohol. "You chose me to hurt Jett. I don't blame you. He's an idiot. But let's be honest about what this is."
I should agree. Laugh it off. Admit he's right. Instead, words tumble out of my mouth: "He kissed another girl on my birthday."
Rhydian sits on the couch, watching me. "And?"
"And... and he didn't even remember it was my birthday until I showed up. And this isn't the first time. He cheats all the time. Everyone knows. Everyone sees. And I just... I just let him because I'm too scared to be alone."
Why am I telling him this? I don't know this man. But something about his cold, honest eyes makes me want to tell the truth for once.
"So you chose the nuclear option," Rhydian says. "Picked his uncle to hurt him as badly as he hurt you."
"Yes," I admit quietly.
"Smart girl." He smiles, but it's not a nice smile. "Cruel, but smart. You'll need that cruelty if you want to survive my family."
"I don't want to survive your family. I just wanted—" I stop, not sure how to finish.
"To matter," Rhydian finishes for me. "To be seen. To make him feel a fraction of the pain he's caused you."
"Yes," I whisper.
"Then let's make sure it works." He stands, crossing to where I'm frozen by the door. "We have seven minutes. Let's give them something to talk about."
My breath catches. "What do you mean?"
Rhydian reaches out slowly, giving me time to back away. I don't. His fingers brush my cheek, gentle despite the coldness in his eyes.
"I mean," he says softly, "that if you're going to burn your life down, little Crane, you might as well make it memorable."
He leans closer. Close enough that I can smell expensive cologne and danger. Close enough to kiss.
"Is this what you want?" he asks.
I should say no. Should run. Should pick safe, boring Jett over dangerous, criminal Rhydian.
Instead, I grab his expensive suit jacket, pull him down, and kiss him first.
For one second, Rhydian freezes—genuinely surprised. Then he kisses me back, and the world catches fire.
This isn't like kissing Jett. Jett kisses like he's bored, like I should be grateful. Rhydian kisses like I'm the most interesting thing in the universe. His hands frame my face gently, but his mouth is demanding, teaching me things I never knew about kissing.
I forget about Jett. About the dare. About everything except the way this man makes me feel alive and terrified and wanted all at once.
We kiss until I can't breathe. Until my lips are swollen and my brain is fuzzy. When we finally break apart, Rhydian's cold eyes aren't cold anymore. They're burning.
"Well," he says, voice rough. "That was unexpected."
Before I can respond, the door slams open.
Jett stands there, phone raised, filming us.
"Got you," he hisses, grinning like he's won. "Both of you. My uncle molesting my girlfriend. Dad's going to destroy you for this, Rhydian. And you, Thessaly?" His eyes are cruel. "You're done. Everyone's going to see what a whore you really are."
My stomach drops. He filmed us. He's going to ruin me.
Rhydian moves so fast Jett doesn't even see him coming.
One second, Jett's holding his phone. The next, Rhydian has it, has deleted the video, and has Jett slammed against the wall with a hand around his throat.
"Listen very carefully," Rhydian whispers, voice like death. "You will not threaten her. You will not speak to her. You will not even look at her. Because if you do, I will take everything from you. Your trust fund. Your future. Your father's empire. I will burn the Vex family to the ground and make you watch."
"You're bluffing," Jett chokes out. "You have no power—"
"I have more power than you can imagine." Rhydian's smile is terrifying. "I spent fifteen years building it. Want to test me?"
He releases Jett, who collapses, gasping.
Rhydian turns to me, extends his hand. "Come, Thessaly. Let's leave the trash where it belongs."
I should be scared. Should question what I've gotten myself into.
Instead, I take his hand, and we walk out together, leaving Jett broken on the floor.
In the hallway, Rhydian stops. Looks at me seriously.
"You realize what you've just started?" he asks.
"No," I admit.
"Good." His smile is sharp and dangerous. "Neither do I. But it's going to be interesting."
He reaches into his jacket, pulls out a business card, presses it into my palm.
"When you're ready to truly leave the child," he says quietly, "call me. I'll show you what it means to matter."
Then he walks away, disappearing into the crowd, leaving me holding his card and wondering what I've just done.
My phone buzzes. A text from Jett: You're dead to me.
I look at Rhydian's card. At the phone number written in silver ink.
And I smile for the first time all night.