Nights Burn With Regret — by Nathan Perez 173
Chapter 173
Chapter 173
Apollo
Everyone was staring at us, but I didn’t bother acknowledging any of them. None of them mattered. When my eyes were on her, the rest of the world ceased to exist.
Grace stood there, her presence tugging at something deep and dangerous inside me. For a brief moment, she was the only thing that existed.
When no one moved, when they all remained frozen, like idiots caught in a trance, I finally tore my gaze away from her and turned to the others lingering in the room. My expression was indifferent, my eyes half-lidded, dark with a silent warning.
“I didn’t stutter,” I said calmly, my voice low. “Did I?”
Every executive stiffened, several of them flinching instinctively. Genesis, who had been quiet all this time, far too entertained by the entire scene, finally let out a soft chuckle, popcorn still pinched between her fingers. She rose lazily to her feet, stretching her arms as if she’d just finished watching a particularly enjoyable movie.
“Well, I suppose that’s enough entertainment for today, don’t you think?” She glanced around the room, her smile playful as it landed on the executives. “If I were you, I’d be walking away now. The last thing you want is to interrupt the male lead and the female lead when they’re about to have a moment.”
They stared at her in confusion, clearly not understanding what she meant, but she ignored them. Turning toward the door, she paused just before leaving and leaned closer to Grace, whispering something into her ear. I didn’t hear the words. but I saw surprise flash across Grace’s face.
Genesis straightened, gave her a quick wink, and walked out as if nothing in the world concerned her.
That was all it took.
The room emptied in seconds.
They rushed out of the room, no one daring to be the last left behind. The door shut behind them, and suddenly the space felt vast and hollow, until it was just the two of us.
I let my gaze linger on Grace, taking in the only person who had ever managed to affect me like this. Without looking away, I leaned back against the chair and spoke, my voice deep and commanding, leaving no room for argument.
“On the desk, Grace.”
She swallowed at the command and her eyes flicked toward the door, and for a moment I thought she might hesitate. But instead, as if acting on instinct, she turned around, walked to the door, and locked it.
The sound of the lock clicking into place echoed through the silent room. Once she was certain the door was secured, she sat on the desk facing me, her hands braced at her sides, her eyes wide and innocent in a way that did absolutely nothing to calm the storm raging inside me.
I raised an eyebrow, watching her closely. “What did you just do?”
She met my gaze. “I locked the door.”
For a brief moment, surprise stalled me. Then my lips curved into a slow smirk.
“I see,” I said quietly.
I rose to my full height, sliding my hands into my pockets as I approached her at an unhurried pace. “And why,” I asked
21:16 Tue, Jan 13
Chapter 173
calmly, eyes fixed on hers, “would you do that?”
She paused. “What?”
I stopped directly in front of her and placed my hands firmly on her thighs, leaning in until there were only inches between us. My gaze dropped to her lips before lifting back to her eyes.
“Why would you lock yourself in a room with me. You usually try so hard to get away, especially when we’re in public.” I caught her chin, forcing her to meet my gaze before she could look away. “So tell me, Grace,” I murmured. “Why the sudden change of heart?”
The question lingered between us, and I watched her closely, waiting, any for hesitation.
I was used to her running. Grace had a habit of dodging the things that scared her, pretending not to understand, laughing them off, or changing the subject entirely. I expected that now. I expected her to look away, mumble something vague, retreat behind that careful distance she always tried to keep between us. But she didn’t.
She just looked at me.
There was no panic in her eyes, no confusion, no urge to flee. Instead, there was something tender in the way she looked at me. Slowly, she lifted her hand, her fingers brushing a loose strand of hair back from my face.
I froze. I didn’t expect that.
I looked at her, questioning, my breath caught somewhere between control and disbelief. Before I could speak, or regain the upper hand, she placed her palm against my face. Her touch was warm, and intimate. She tilted her head slightly, close enough that I could feel her breath, and whispered softly.
“Because I want to be here with you, Apollo.”
My eyes widened just a fraction at her words.
She didn’t give me time to think.
She closed the distance between us and kissed me, softly at first. Her lips pressed against mine as if they belonged there. Something inside me snapped.
I stared at her for a moment, stunned by her boldness, and by the choice she was making so openly. Then I closed my eyes and leaned into the kiss, responding, and deepening it. My hands tightened around her waist, pulling her closer, every restraint I’d been holding onto slipping away. I poured everything into that kiss, every emotion, every thought I hadn’t allowed myself to voice.
She didn’t pull back.
Instead, she accepted it fully, her arms sliding around my neck, holding me as if she had decided this was exactly where she wanted to be.
When she finally ran out of air, I forced myself to pull away.
I looked at her. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips swollen, her breath uneven as she tried to steady herself.
“What are you-” I started.
She cut me off before I could finish. Her gaze met mine diretly, and her voice was clear despite her racing breath.
“Mr. Reed,” she said, a faint smile tugging at her lips, “would you like to go on a date with me?”
Chapter 173
FR 55 VOLUMES
I shook my head to myself. Maybe I was overthinking it. I had been doing that a lot lately. Tonight was supposed to be safe. This place was crawling with powerful people, politicians, billionaires, names that ruled industries. There was no way Violet would dare do anything here. She probably wasn’t even invited. Even if someone strong was backing her, they couldn’t possibly be stronger than the Sinclair family.
At least for tonight, I told myself, we could breathe.
I forced a smile and took another sip of my drink, letting the alcohol burn away some of my nerves.
Beside me, my father turned to Matthew, his tone polite and grateful. “Thank you for inviting us, Matthew. Even though you didn’t have to.”
Matthew looked at him then, finally reacting, one eyebrow lifting slightly as if the words didn’t sit right with him. He opened his mouth, clearly about to say something.
“Oh, it’s nothing, uncle,” Nora cut in, smiling sweetly. “You know Matthew. He’s a kind man. He would do anything to make me happy.”
My father nodded.
Matthew’s gaze lingered on Nora for a moment, unreadable, like he was weighing his words and then deciding they weren’t worth saying. He looked away instead, reaching for a glass from a passing waiter and downing it in one go. Nora immediately clung to him again, as if afraid he might slip away.
Just then, Matthew’s phone rang.
He paused, pulling it from his pocket and glancing at the screen. His lips pressed into a thin line. “I can’t even take a break.” he muttered under his breath.
He gently removed Nora’s hand from his arm. “I’ll be right back,” he said shortly, already turning away before she could respond.
After Matthew left, my father checked his phone again, for what had to be the tenth time tonight. I noticed it because every single time he did, his brows knitted together a little more, his jaw tightening as if the screen itself was mocking him. My mother finally caught on and turned toward him, her smile slipping slightly.
“What is it, honey?” she asked, lowering her voice. “You’ve been checking your phone all night.”
My father let out a tired sigh and shook his head, slipping the phone back into his pocket as if that alone could quiet his thoughts. “I’ve been trying to reach Violet,” he admitted. “She hasn’t been answering my calls.”
The moment her name left his mouth, my mother’s expression soured, as though someone had ruined the taste of fine wine. She waved her hand dismissively.
“Why are you bothering yourself with that girl?” she said sharply. “Don’t spoil the mood by bringing her up. Today is important. Look around, this is a rare opportunity to connect with influential people. You should focus on that instead of thinking about her. She’s not important. Even if she’s changed like you all keep saying, she has no power here.”
My father frowned, clearly unconvinced, his gaze drifting away as if he was piecing together thoughts he didn’t want to voice out loud. Before he could respond, Nora nodded enthusiastically, stepping closer with that reassuring smile she always wore
so well.
“Aunt is right, uncle,” she said gently. “You don’t need to worry about Violet today. Let’s just enjoy ourselves. Nothing is going to happen.”
Even I found myself nodding, a smile that mirrored theirs. “Don’t worry, Dad. She can’t do anything here.”
And for a brief moment, I almost convinced myself it was true. This was a Sinclair event. The security, the power, the people gathered here, Violet didn’t belong in a place like this. There was no way she could touch us tonight.
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