enjoyebooks Chapter 8
Chapter 8
KAEL’S POV
The Grand Larmont Hotel was a stunning display of grandeur. And then I saw her descending the staircase, and everything else faded into the background.
Celestina.
She moved with grace, her sapphire gown flowing like a dark wave, catching the light with every step. The diamonds on her fingers sparkled like stars, catching the eyes of everyone around her. Whispers of admiration followed her every movement, though she remained untouched by them, her chin high, her posture regal. The mask she wore only hid part of her beauty, the rest emanating from the way she carried herself, the way her eyes seemed to glitter with secrets she hadn’t shared yet.
I had been waiting for her.
I had watched her from across the ballroom. The way she effortlessly commanded attention, how people parted to make way for her as if she were royalty. And perhaps, in a way, she was. But tonight, she was something else. She wasn’t the cold princess I had known for years. Tonight, she was a woman on the edge of something new, something dangerous, something real.
I approached her, thankful for the mask. If not for the mask, I knew I’d be thrown out again. I had to admit, part of me was glad that we were here—alone, in this sea of people, hidden behind our facades. I was about to speak when she turned, her gaze meeting mine.
“Lovely evening, isn’t it?” she said, her voice a soft melody in the chaos of the ballroom.
I didn’t hesitate. “It is,” I replied, my tone light, though I could feel my pulse quicken. “Though I’m not sure how you expect me to answer when you could say that to anyone here.”
She laughed softly, the sound melting away some of the tension between us. “Fair point,” she said, her eyes glinting from behind the mask. “But I wasn’t really talking to anyone. Just you.”
I raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. “Ah, so I’m special after all.”
She tilted her head, her smile playing at the edges of her lips. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” she teased, taking a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.
I watched her as she took a sip, her fingers delicate around the glass. “May I?” I asked, gesturing toward her drink.
She lifted it slightly in my direction. “You may.”
I picked up my own glass from a passing tray and lightly tapped it against hers. “To mystery,” I offered, keeping my eyes locked with hers.
She smiled, the corners of her eyes crinkling just slightly as she leaned in. “To audacity,” she replied, her words soft but laced with something more.
We sipped in silence for a moment, the music swirling around us. The orchestra’s melodies were loud and sweeping, but to me, it was as if they were playing just for us. Our conversation started with the usual—nonsense about the extravagance of the ball, the ridiculousness of the gowns, the lavishness of the food. But as the minutes passed, our words grew more comfortable, more intimate, as if we were the only two people in the world.
“Careful,” I teased when she reached for another glass of champagne. “Too much of that, and you’ll be telling me all your secrets.”
She raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk. “Unlikely,” she replied. “But you’re welcome to try.”
I couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped me. She had a way of disarming me, even in the most controlled of settings. I didn’t want to admit it, but she had a hold on me. More than I’d ever care to admit.
As the night stretched on, the crowd around us grew louder, the music more vibrant, the dancers filling the floor. But we remained by the edge of the ballroom, a silent pact formed between us, not to be pulled into the madness. Not yet.
She suddenly turned to me, her voice softer than it had been all evening. “Do you ever feel like disappearing for a while?”
The question caught me off guard. I turned toward her, studying the way she held herself, how she seemed just a little too... burdened. “Depends,” I replied, my voice low. “Where would we go?”
Her lips curled into a mischievous smile, one I’d seen before, a smile that was only for me. “Anywhere but here.”
I held her gaze, my heart pounding in my chest. “Lead the way, then.”
Without another word, she slipped her hand into mine, and together, we left the ballroom unnoticed, slipping through the crowd as though we were two shadows. The excitement, the madness of the ball, all faded behind us, replaced by a silence that felt... peaceful.
We wandered through the grand halls of the hotel, finding our way to a quieter corner, a secluded suite with the door softly clicking shut behind us. The hum of the ball outside faded, leaving only the sound of our breathing, the quiet pulse of something dangerous between us.
Celestina leaned against the wall, her mask still on, but her smile softened. “So,” she asked, her voice playful, “what now, mysterious stranger?”
I poured us both a glass of champagne from the bottle on the nearby table, handing one to her. “Now,” I said, my voice steady, “we toast to stolen moments.”
She echoed my words, lifting her glass. “To stolen moments.”
The glasses clinked, and I couldn’t stop the rush of heat that flooded through me. Everything about her was intoxicating. I couldn’t deny it. But I wasn’t about to let this moment pass us by. Not tonight.
As she sipped her drink, her eyes met mine, and in that look, I saw something raw, something vulnerable—something I hadn’t seen before. She wasn’t just the princess anymore. She wasn’t just the woman I had to protect.
I realized, she was the woman I had always wanted.
And tonight, I’d let her be everything she wanted to be.
We both lowered our glasses, and I stepped closer, unable to keep the distance any longer, as I kissed her lips.