Page 58 of Fearless

This has Pae laughing, loudly. Her teeth are bright against red lips, and I can do nothing but study the unbridled brilliance of that smile. “Why, because I won’t let you help?”

I shrug a shoulder, my eyes darting across the packed room. “Because I don’t like to share.”

This seems to still her for a moment. At least, long enough to take a slow swig of champagne. Then her eyes are pinned on that sparkling ring, even while returning my shrug. “Well, you’ll have plenty of time to get used to it.”

I’m not even drunk, but her words are sobering. They cut right through me, the reminder a slap to the face. Because I will forever be sharing her in secret, in the shadow of her marriage to my brother. That thought alone has me dropping her forgotten shoes and snatching the glass from her hands. In one swift movement I down the stolen liquid, savoring its sweetness on my tongue.

Her eyebrows rise as a laugh tumbles from her mouth. “Changed your mind about keeping an eye on me, hmm?”

I wave over a servant, grabbing two more flutes of champagne from his tray. “Oh, I’ll still have my eyes on you when I’m drunk, darling. And that is exactly the problem.”

Taking the glass I extend, she gives me a wry look. “And why would that be a problem?”

I lean toward her to murmur, “We are supposed to be keeping our distance, remember? I have enough trouble doing that when I’m sober.”

Something about the way she’s looking up at me has already made it difficult to think straight. This version of Paedyn seems to be even more dangerous than the one who unflinchingly holds a blade to my throat. Alcohol emboldens, loosening her lips to spew sober thoughts. And, truthfully, I’m not sure how to hold myself back from a Paedyn who so brazenly pursues me.

In fact, she might even be making me nervous. I’m unused to the feeling.

“In that case…” Her voice is a lazy drawl as she presses her fingersto the bottom of my glass, lifting it to my mouth. Even as she tips the glass against my lips, our gazes never roam from each other. “Let’s test that self-control of yours, Enforcer,” she croons, handing her own champagne to me.

I sigh before sipping generously from her glass. “Is that not what you’ve been doing since the day we met?”

She clicks her tongue. “I won’t be charmed by your pretty words, Prince.”

The corner of my mouth curls into a wicked smile. “Seems a bit late for that, doesn’t it?”

“Cocky bastard,” she whispers.

“Pretty Pae.”

I admire her for a long moment, desperately wishing we were the only ones in this room. Wishing there was no audience, no rules to follow. She seems to be thinking the same thing, because with a huff, she grabs the glass from my hand and finishes off the champagne.

“I want to dance,” she declares, face flushed.

I slip my hands into the pockets of my dark pants. “Well, you’ll have to ask me properly.”

“And what makes you think I want to dance with you?”

“I can’t think of a reason you wouldn’t want to, actually.”

Her smirk sharpens before she turns her back on me and calls, “Jax!”

A lanky figure across the room whips around at the sound of his name. When his gaze lands on a waving Paedyn, his face splits into a grin. He hurries over, his long strides carrying him quickly through the crowd.

“Hi, Paedyn!” He says this cheerily enough to disguise the nerves rattling his voice.

“Hello, Jax.” When she smiles at him, I catch the nervous bob of Jax’s throat. “I’ve missed you.”

“R-really?”

“Of course.” She extends her hand. “Now, let’s dance.”

Jax’s eyes widen. Paedyn, on the other hand, shoves her empty glass into my palm. Then she’s throwing a smug look over her shoulder while pulling my little brother onto the dance floor. I shake my head at her bare back, watching that silver dress ripple behind, Jax in tow.

It’s not long before I’m chuckling at the two of them attempting a dance. They have barely managed a series of steps without stumbling, and Pae can’t stop laughing long enough to even try. Instead, she seems to have abandoned the choreography accompanying this song and is now doing whatever the hell she wants.

Picking up her shoes, I return to my spot against the pillar, leaning there as I watch them spin around the room. As they smile brightly, their laughter cuts through the commotion of the room, reaching even my ears. It reminds me of a time when—

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