Page 119 of The Devil's Chaos

Applause erupted around us as Cassian and Evelyn finished their toast which broke the spell Kai had woven. I blinked and remembered where we were. Kai squeezed my hand one last time before he released it to join in with the clapping.

Mila and Archer mingled with their guests, their love for each other evident in every glance and touch. Laurent was also present, charming the attendees with his wit and impeccable style.

Throughout the evening, Kai remained by my side, his hand never left the small of my back. We danced, laughed, and savored each delectable bite of the exquisite cuisine. The restof the evening passed in a blur of laughter, dancing, and stolen glances with Kai. Every time our eyes met across the room, heat flared within me. As the night drew to a close, Kai pulled into a secluded corner of the gardens. The twinkling lights cast a soft glow over his handsome features.

“I’ve been wanting to do this all night.”

Slowly, he leaned in, his lips brushed against mine in a feather-light kiss. I melted into his touch, my hands rested on his chest. Our kiss deepened, and I lost myself in the sensation of his lips moving against mine as his tongue teased the seam of my lips.

“You have no idea what you do to me,” he whispered.

I smiled while my fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck. “I think I have some idea.”

The sound of raised voices broke the spell we were under again, as we turned to find the source. Theo was engaged in a heated conversation with a man and woman who bore a similar appearance to each other near the bar. The man was arguing with Theo, and the woman stood between them, trying to keep their interaction peaceful. There was something familiar about her, but I couldn’t pinpoint where I might recognize her from.

Kai frowned as he observed the commotion. “That’s Gage, our live-in doctor. And that girl in between them…I’ve seen her with Theo before, but he’s been very evasive about her.”

I watched as Theo’s face contorted in anger, and his hands were balled into fists at his sides. Gage’s expression was equally hostile, while the mystery girl’s eyes were wide with concern. It looked like she was trying to talk the both of them down. She placed her hands on each of their chests, pushing them apart. She spoke to them in a low, urgent tone, her words inaudible from where we stood.

“Should we do something?” I asked.

Kai sighed, “Yeah. I’ll go over there and try to distract them before someone gets murdered.”

As Kai approached the trio, I followed close behind, my curiosity piqued by the tense situation that unfolded before us. Theo's gaze snapped to Kai as we drew near, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and frustration.

“Kai,” Theo greeted through gritted teeth.

Kai raised an eyebrow, his demeanor calm and collected. “Just wanted to make sure everything was alright over here. It's Archer and Mila's big night, after all.”

The mystery girl turned to face us, her gray eyes widened with surprise. Up close, I could see she was strikingly beautiful, with delicate features and long, dark hair that cascaded down her back in loose waves. She wore a fitted gold dress that hugged her curves in all the right places.

“I apologize for the commotion. Just a little misunderstanding,” she shrugged and gave both of us an apologetic smile.

Gage scoffed, his eyes never leaving Theo's face. “Misunderstanding? Is that what we're calling it now, Wrenly?”

Wrenly. The name suited her. She placed a gentle hand on Gage's arm, her touch seeming to calm him slightly. “Gage, please. Let's not do this here.”

Gage's jaw clenched as he watched the exchange, his blue eyes icy. “Right, because I should be thanking you for soiling my sister with your diseased dick?”

“Soiling?” Theo scoffed. “I think the word you’re looking for is fucking. I have been fucking your sister.”

Wrenly’s eyes flashed with anger. She whirled around to face him, her hand striking his cheek with a resounding slap. The sound seemed to echo in the suddenly quiet corner of the bar.

“Jesus, Theo. What the fuck,” she hissed, her voice shaking with emotion. “I am not some object for you to degrade and humiliate.”

Theo’s head snapped to the side from the force of her slap. He slowly turned back to face her, his eyes dark and stormy. A red handprint bloomed on his cheek, but I swear he smiled at her.

“Don’t smile at me like that, you sick fuck,” Wrenly sneered.

Gage lunged forward, his fist raised, ready to strike Theo. But Kai swiftly intervened and stepped between the two men, catching Gage's wrist in a firm grip.

“Enough,” Kai commanded, his voice low and authoritative. “This ends now. This is neither the time nor the place for this conversation. We are guests at Archer and Mila's rehearsal dinner. Show some respect.”

Gage wrenched his arm free from Kai's grasp, his chest heaved with a barely suppressed rage. “This is far from over,” he spat as he glared daggers at Theo.

Theo met his gaze unflinchingly, a muscle ticked in his clenched jaw. “Anytime, anywhere,” he retorted while his tone dripped with venom.

Gage looked like he wanted to argue, but a stern glance from his sister made him clamp his mouth shut. With a final glare at Theo, he turned on his heel and stalked into the crowd.

---