Jake’s POV
The knock at the door lingered in my mind as I stood there, my hand still gripping the doorknob. Behind me, Reyna was pressed against the wall, her chest heaving, her lips swollen from the kiss we’d just shared. The heat of the moment was still coursing through my veins, but I had to pull myself together.
“Jake?” John called again, his tone sharper this time.
I exhaled slowly, glancing over my shoulder at Reyna. Her wide eyes met mine, and for a moment, neither of us moved.
“I’ll handle this,” I whispered to her, my voice low but firm.
She nodded, biting her lip as I turned and opened the door just enough to step outside. John was standing there, arms crossed, looking impatient.
“What’s so urgent?” I asked, keeping my tone neutral even though my mind was still spinning from what had just happened.
“We need to finalize the plans for the moonlight party,” John said, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You weren’t at the briefing earlier.”
“I was… preoccupied,” I replied, glancing back into the room to make sure the door was shut. “Give me a minute, and I’ll join you downstairs.”
John studied me for a moment, his brow furrowing. “You okay? You look… off.”
“I’m fine,” I said quickly, forcing a smirk. “Just haven’t had my coffee yet.”
He didn’t look convinced, but after a moment, he nodded and turned to leave. I waited until his footsteps faded down the hall before slipping back into the room.
Reyna was still standing by the wall, her arms wrapped around herself. She looked up as I entered, her expression a mix of guilt and uncertainty.
“What did he want?” she asked softly.
“Party logistics,” I replied, closing the door behind me and leaning against it. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling inside me.
“We shouldn’t have-”
“I know,” I cut her off, my voice harsher than I intended. I softened my tone when I saw her flinch. “I know. But you came here, Reyna. You came to me.”
She looked down, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her dress. “I didn’t mean for it to go this far,” she whispered.
Neither did I, but I couldn’t say that aloud. The truth was, I’d wanted this-her-for longer than I cared to admit.
“Why did you come?” I asked, stepping closer to her. “Tell me the truth.”
She hesitated, her gaze flickering up to meet mine. “I… I wanted to see you before the party. I thought…” She trailed off, shaking her head.
“You thought what?” I pressed, my voice soft but insistent.
She sighed, looking frustrated with herself. “I don’t know, Jake. I just felt like I needed to see you.”
Her honesty was disarming. I reached out, gently tilting her chin up so she had to look at me. “You shouldn’t feel guilty,” I said, my thumb brushing against her jaw. “Whatever this is between us, it’s real. Don’t deny it.”
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and for a moment, I thought she might agree with me. But then she pulled back, shaking her head.
“This is wrong,” she said, her voice trembling. “John… the clan… everything.”
I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling to the surface. “John? You think he can give you what you need? You think he understands you the way I do?”
“Jake, stop,” she said, her tone pleading.
I stepped back, exhaling sharply. “Fine. Go ahead and pretend this doesn’t exist,” I said, gesturing between us. “But you can’t lie to yourself forever, Reyna.”
She didn’t respond, and the silence between us was deafening. Finally, she straightened her shoulders, her expression hardening.
“I should go,” she said, moving toward the door.
I didn’t stop her, though every instinct in my body screamed at me to. She paused with her hand on the doorknob, glancing back at me one last time.
“Jake… I’m sorry,” she said softly before slipping out the door.
As soon as she was gone, I sank onto the edge of the bed, running a hand over my face. I could still taste her on my lips, feel the warmth of her skin under my fingertips.
What the hell was I doing?
I’d always prided myself on my control, my ability to stay focused no matter the circumstances. But Reyna was different. She made me lose that control, made me question everything I thought I knew about myself.
A sharp knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts, and I straightened up, my heart pounding.
“Jake?” John’s voice called again.
I stood, taking a deep breath before opening the door. “I’m coming,” I said, my tone clipped.
As I followed him down the hall, I couldn’t help but glance back toward the direction Reyna had gone. She might have left the room, but she hadn’t left my mind.
And I knew, deep down, that this was far from over.
___
Reyna’s POV
I descended the grand staircase, my heart still racing from the encounter in Jake’s room. My fingers trembled as they brushed against the polished banister, the remnants of his touch still lingering on my skin. I tried to compose myself, smoothing down my dress and taking deep breaths.
The soft hum of voices echoed from the lower floor, but the mansion still felt eerily quiet. The party hadn’t officially started, and most of the clan members were busy preparing outside. I just needed to get through tonight without unraveling completely.
As I reached the base of the stairs, Stephanie appeared from one of the side halls, already dressed in her elegant gown. Her hair was styled to perfection, her makeup flawless, but the moment she saw me, her brow furrowed in concern.
“Reyna,” she called out, hurrying toward me. “You’re pale. What happened?”
I hesitated, my gaze darting around to make sure we were alone. “Not here,” I whispered, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward a quieter corner of the hallway.
Once we were out of sight, she crossed her arms and stared at me expectantly. “Spill it,” she demanded. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I let out a shaky breath, my thoughts still tangled. “I went to Jake’s room,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
Her eyes widened, and she leaned closer. “You what? Why?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted, running a hand through my hair. “I just… I felt like I needed to see him before the party. But things got out of hand.”
Her expression shifted from shock to something more serious. “What do you mean ‘out of hand’? Reyna, what did you do?”
I swallowed hard, the memory of Jake’s hands on me flashing in my mind. “He kissed me,” I said finally. “And… it wasn’t just a kiss.”
Stephanie’s jaw dropped, and for a moment, she seemed at a loss for words. “Reyna,” she finally said, her tone a mix of disbelief and caution. “Are you serious? What about John?”
“I know,” I said, feeling the weight of my guilt pressing down on me. “I know it was wrong. But, Steph, the way he looks at me, the way he makes me feel… it’s different. I can’t explain it.”
She sighed, rubbing her temples. “Reyna, you’re walking a very dangerous line here. John cares about you, and this could destroy everything.”
I looked away, unable to meet her gaze. “I didn’t plan for any of this to happen,” I said softly. “But when I’m with Jake, it’s like… I can’t think straight. It’s overwhelming.”
Stephanie placed a hand on my shoulder, forcing me to look at her. “You need to figure out what you want, Reyna. You can’t keep letting yourself get caught up in this. It’s not fair to anyone, especially not to you.”
I nodded, though her words did little to calm the storm inside me. “I’ll talk to Jake,” I said. “After the party. I’ll tell him we can’t keep doing this.”
She gave me a skeptical look. “And what about John? What are you going to say to him?”
I bit my lip, uncertainty creeping into my voice. “I don’t know yet. I need time to figure it out.”
Stephanie sighed again, clearly frustrated but unwilling to push me further. “Just be careful, okay? Diane’s been acting strange lately, and I wouldn’t put it past her to cause trouble if she senses something’s off.”
I frowned, her words sending a chill down my spine. “Do you think she knows?”
“I don’t think so,” Stephanie said. “But she’s always watching. And if she does find out, she won’t hesitate to use it against you-or Jake.”
I shivered at the thought. Diane was ruthless, and the last thing I needed was for her to have more leverage over me.
“I’ll be careful,” I promised, though the words felt hollow.
Stephanie gave me a small, reassuring smile. “Good. Now, take a deep breath and get your head in the game. Tonight’s going to be a long night, and you’ll need to stay sharp.”
I nodded, grateful for her support even though I knew she was right. I couldn’t let my emotions get the better of me, not tonight.
As Stephanie turned to head back toward the main hall, I lingered for a moment, my thoughts still swirling. I had to make a choice soon.
But no matter how hard I tried to convince myself otherwise, the truth was clear. Jake wasn’t just a fleeting distraction. He was something much more dangerous.