Page 131 of Powerless

He gives me a look, frowning slightly. “You never listen to me, do you?”

And with that, I’m being pulled towards the carpeted dance floor.

“What are you—?” I sputter as he stops abruptly at the edge of the dancing couples and spins around. Words fail me when he lifts the back of my hand to his lips, brushing a kiss over my knuckles. Then his mouth finds the pad of my thumb, lips lightly pressing there before they vanish so quickly I wonder if I’ve imagined it.

I’m stunned into silence.

Kai seems pleased by this.

Still holding my hand and grinning widely, he sweeps into a surprisingly steady bow as he says, “May I have this dance?”

I don’t get the chance to answer before he tugs on my arm, pulling me into him and onto the dance floor. I’m wrapped in his arms, pressed tightly against him. His mouth is suddenly at my ear, murmuring, “I wasn’t really asking.”

I pull back so I can look into his face, scoffing. “I thought you said you were a gentleman?”

“Only when I want to be.”

My eyes wander to his stained shirt, visible to everyone around us. “Kai, your shirt. Maybe you should change—”

“Darling,” he cuts me off with a humored huff, “I’m used to being covered in other red, sticky liquids far worse than wine.”

True.

I try to push the gory thought away and let him sweep me across the rugs. The sun has set, casting the guests beside us in shadows and flickering lamplight. It’s so familiar—the feel of each other, the footwork, the flirting.Familiar. But what amazes me the most is how steady and sure Kai is on his feet. How articulate he manages to be even while intoxicated. I suppose some masks never seem to slip.

And then it finally happens. Kai stumbles, if only for a moment. A slight trip of his feet.

“Look who has the clumsy footwork now?” I smirk, not realizing how badly I’ve wanted to see him struggle during a dance. Duringanything.

He gives me a dull look. “Yeah, well, that tends to happen when you’re drunk.”

“You said you were only a little drunk, remember?”

“Fine. Then you can cut me alittleslack.” He’s looking me over, shaking his head at what he sees. “Besides, your dress isverydistracting. I like it.”

I huff out a laugh. “That is a terrible excuse.”

“That’s because I was giving you a compliment, not an excuse.”

“Well then that was a terrible compliment.”

I see the challenge flash in his eyes before I hear it in his voice. “Then why don’t you give me an example of a good compliment, Gray.”

I should have seen that coming. Of course he is going to use this as an excuse for me to finally flatter him—except that I won’t. “Fine,” I say curtly. “Your hair looks very...soft.”

“Soft?” Kai echoes with a cough that might have been a laugh. “Oh, come now, you can do better than that.” He leans in closer, his voice taunting as he adds, “And if you want to run your fingers through my hair, I wouldn’t be opposed to—”

“Your smile.” I cut him off before his offer can tempt me. “I like when you truly smile. When you’re not wearing the mask of the future Enforcer or the prince, and you simply allow me to seeyou. It’s a smile I wish you would share with me more often.”

I swallow and fall silent. That was not at all what I intended to tell him, and yet, that doesn’t make it any less true. At the sight of that smile, it’s easy to forget who he is and what he does. At the sight of that smile, I see a boy instead of the king’s deadly pawn. At the sight of that smile, I see someone who is more than a friend instead of someone who would kill me if they knew what I am.

And suddenly, that smile is sounding very dangerous.

“Even with my stupid dimples, you still like my smile?” Kai’s words are soft, slightly breathless, and my answer is equally so.

“Even with your stupid dimples, Azer.”

His lips twitch into a variation of that smile I shouldn’t be seeking out, though it’s softer than the ones I’ve seen before. He opens his mouth and—

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