Chapter Eight : The Kiss That Changed Everything

The moment Leon’s lips touched mine, the world around us ceased to exist.

It was supposed to be a calculated move, a response to Daniel’s veiled insult, a message to the vultures watching our every move.

But it wasn’t.

Because when his lips met mine, it wasn’t just for show. It was fire. It was raw, searing heat that ignited something dangerous inside me.

My fingers instinctively gripped the lapels of his suit, a desperate anchor as my knees threatened to give out. His hand slid to the small of my back, pulling me flush against him, and for a moment, I forgot. Forgot where we were. Forgot why we were doing this.

All I knew was Leon.

And when he pulled away, his expression darkened, his breath slightly uneven.

For a fleeting second, something flickered in his eyes—something unguarded, something real.

Then, just as quickly, it was gone.

The room roared back to life. Gasps, whispers, the flashing of cameras—I barely heard any of it over the erratic pounding of my heart.

But Daniel’s expression? I saw that crystal clear.

Shock. Anger. A flicker of something else—something ugly and possessive.

Leon turned to the crowd, his smirk perfectly measured. “I think that answers any lingering questions.”

The statement sent a ripple through the guests, but my head was still spinning. I forced myself to take a step back, desperate for air, for space—except Leon’s fingers tightened ever so slightly at my waist, keeping me close.

A silent warning.

Don’t break the illusion.

So I played my part, tilting my chin up and offering a smile. If my lips were still tingling from his kiss, if my heart was still racing, no one had to know.

Except one person did.

Leon.

And as we left the ballroom, as his hand remained at the small of my back, the tension between us thickened.

Back at the Penthouse

I barely made it two steps inside before spinning around. “Why did you do that?”

Leon shut the door behind him, unbuttoning his suit jacket with infuriating ease. “I thought it was obvious.”

My pulse still hadn’t settled. “Enlighten me.”

He shrugged. “Daniel needed to understand that you’re not his to humiliate.”

Something in my chest clenched.

But before I could grasp it, before I could even process the mess of emotions inside me, Leon took a slow step forward.

“So tell me, Eva,” he murmured, his voice low, dangerous. “Did it work?”

I hated that I knew exactly what he meant.

Daniel had looked like he wanted to rip Leon apart.

I should’ve felt victorious. I should’ve felt satisfied.

Instead, all I felt was confused.

“Answer me.” Leon’s voice was quiet, but there was an edge to it.

I swallowed. “You already know it did.”

A ghost of a smirk played on his lips, but his eyes—his damn eyes—were unreadable. “Good.”

He turned, heading toward the bar, pouring himself a drink like he hadn’t just shattered the already delicate balance between us.

I crossed my arms. “That’s it?”

Leon glanced at me over the rim of his glass. “What else do you want?”

I wanted to understand.

I wanted to know if that kiss had felt different to him, too.

But I couldn’t ask.

So instead, I scoffed. “I don’t know. Maybe a warning next time before you decide to shove your tongue down my throat in front of a hundred people?”

Leon’s lips twitched. “You seemed to enjoy it.”

My face heated. “I—”

“I’m joking, Eva.” His amusement faded just as quickly as it appeared. He placed his glass down, then closed the distance between us in three slow, deliberate steps. “You knew this was part of the arrangement. A show, remember?”

His voice was calm. Rational.

Then why did it feel like a challenge?

I swallowed hard. “Right. Just a show.”

Leon studied me for a moment, and then—just like that—he turned away. “Get some rest.”

And that was it.

Conversation over.

Like nothing had happened.

Like I wasn’t still feeling the weight of his hands on my waist, the heat of his lips on mine.

That Night

I tossed and turned, sleep refusing to come.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him.

Leon.

The way his fingers had gripped my waist. The way his breath had brushed against my skin.

I shouldn’t be thinking about it.

But I was.

Damn it.

I threw off the covers, my frustration boiling over.

Maybe a drink would help.

I padded toward the kitchen, the penthouse eerily silent. But as I neared the bar, I froze.

Leon was already there.

He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, a glass in hand, staring out at the city lights. He looked... different.

Less controlled.

Less calculated.

His shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, his sleeves rolled up, revealing the ink tracing his forearms. It was the most unguarded I’d ever seen him.

And then, as if sensing my presence, he spoke.

“You can’t sleep either.”

It wasn’t a question.

I stepped closer. “No.”

For a long moment, we just stood there.

Then—

“Eva.”

There was something about the way he said my name. Low. Rough. Almost reluctant.

I swallowed hard. “Yeah?”

Leon turned his head, his gaze locking onto mine. “Don’t forget the major rule.”

My breath caught.

Right.

The rule.

The one that kept this entire arrangement from crumbling.

No emotions.

I should’ve felt relieved that he said it.

Instead, my chest tightened.

Because for the first time since we made this deal, I wasn’t sure we could follow it.

I started to turn away, but then—

Leon reached out.

Not much. Just the slightest brush of his fingers against mine.

A touch so fleeting, I could’ve imagined it.

But I didn’t.

Because when I met his gaze again, something unspoken hung between us.

Something dangerous.

And that night, neither of us slept.

Not because of Daniel.

Not because of the media.

But because for the first time since this arrangement started—

We were both starting to question if it was real.