Page 14 of Riot

“What for?” I ask, even though I shouldn’t. I should draw some ground rules and leave Kage to his fantasies of me, since they will never match up to who and what I truly am. Once people get the real thing, they don’t want me.

They all want the idea of me, nothing more.

“Whoever kisses the other first loses.” His sly smirk has my eyes narrowing.

“And what does the winner get?” I mock indulgently.

His dark eyes trace over my body as if he has a right to it. When others do it, I feel dirty and used, but when Kage does it, every nerve ending comes to life as if responding to him.

“Whatever they want, sweetheart,” he murmurs.

“Whatever?” I scoff, looking away.

His hand grips my chin and pulls me back around, and my heart stops as he nearly presses his face to mine. “Whatever they want. We both know you’ll win, and I’ll let you. I’ll be the loser every single time, and I’ll be happy about it. Whatever you want, Fallon, take it because it’s yours. If you want the world, I’ll give it to you.”

The car glides to a stop, and a tap on the roof tells me they are waiting for me to come out, but I’m locked in a staring contest with Kage. His tongue darts out to wet his lips, and I follow the movement. “Deal?”

I don’t know why I reply, “Deal.”

The smile he aims at me is so full of joy, I almost stutter out a breath. “Good girl, sweetheart. Wait there.” He slides out of his door, the sound of it closing loud, and I jerk, my heart thundering as if I just ran a marathon.

What’s happening?

Slowing my breathing, I swallow and put my mask on just as the door opens. His hand reaches in, waiting for me as he blocks their view. “Ready?” he asks softly.

“As always.” I lay my hand in his and slide from the car, noticing the way his other hand presses against the doorframe above my head so I don’t hit it on the metal, and then he takes my arm, shutting the door as he leads me away, ignoring the security whose job he just stole.

The lights of the flashing cameras are so bright, they blind me for a moment, and I cling to Kage’s muscular arm as I force a smile and try not to wince. Their screams blend into one, and when I can finally see, I have dots in front of my eyes, but I wave and smile before letting Kage guide me onto the red carpet.

Barriers separate fans and reporters, all of them clambering to get the best picture or overhear gossip. The old theater, the most historic in the city, is lit up brightly with banners and posters for the movie. Other stars walk the carpet ahead of us, the actual stars of the movie, but every single eye seems to turn to us as we make our way down it. We stop every now and again to pose for a photo, and each time, Kage lets go of my arm and steps back, turning his face away from the cameras so they only capture me.

I frown at that, and then he takes my arm again, leading me farther down. This time, he leans in despite the questions and phones being shoved at us. “You look so beautiful. You shine just like a star tonight, sweetheart. Listen to them scream for you, all wanting to be you.” His whisper makes me shiver, and then he steps away again as I pose for photos, trying not to let my reaction show.

Every time we stop or turn, he leans in to whisper to me just like that, driving me crazy.

“All I keep imagining is your dress on my floor.”

“I wonder if they know just how incredibly lucky they are to be near you and get your photo.”

“How could I even compare to your beauty?”

It pisses me off because I hate that my heart flutters at his words, making me smile. When he tries to step away again, I grab his arm and pose for the photo, letting them all get what they really want—Kage and Fallon.

I feel him looking at me, but I don’t meet his eyes. I turn my head, making sure to get my best angles like I was taught. His other hand slides around my waist, tugging me closer until I feel his hard chest touch my side, the soft material of his suit brushing against my bare leg.

I can barely breathe. His scent wraps around me, and his warmth thaws me, but I force my usual smile onto my face, and then we move closer as I sign autographs and pose for fan photos.

“Fallon! Fallon!” I smile despite the mics being shoved at me. “Are you here with Kage as a date?”

“I’m just her plus one.” He grins, clearly not wanting me to make a remark. “Fallon is the true star of the show tonight. I’m just here to support her.”

It’s not a no, the insolent bastard.

“Kage, just yesterday, you said your dream is to work with Fallon, and now here you are.”

“Was that a question?” He chuckles as I raise an eyebrow at him. He said that?

“Are you two collaborating?” another calls.

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