The music faded behind her.
Mia stepped through the open doors and onto the embassy's balcony, heels clicking softly against ancient stone. The cool night air licked against her bare shoulders, the scent of cigars and rain just beginning to settle.
She didn't turn when she heard the footsteps.
She already knew who followed.
Lucas Drax didn't ask if she wanted company.
He simply was.
"You shouldn't be out here alone," he said behind her.
She ran a finger along the edge of her wine glass, still not looking back.
"And yet here you are."
Silence. A pause filled with unsaid things.
He moved beside her, resting his hands on the railing. Their arms didn't touch, but the heat between them was undeniable - like a current humming just beneath the surface.
From this height, the Republic of Rica looked peaceful.
Domes glowing. Streets pulsing quietly with curated order.
But both of them knew: beauty was the first thing that bled in war.
She finally spoke. "Tell me, Colonel... is this where you bring all your diplomatic threats to flirt with them?"
He didn't smile. "Only the ones dangerous enough to flirt back."
A laugh - soft and razor-edged - escaped her lips.
He turned his head just slightly, enough to study her profile.
Strong jaw. Unapologetic lips. Eyes that didn't blink when most would flinch.
"You're not here for peace," he said.
"And you're not here for small talk."
More silence.
The wind curled through the open space like a whispered dare. She took another slow sip, letting him watch her throat move as she swallowed.
When she finally turned to face him, they were too close.
The space between them wasn't diplomatic anymore. It was magnetic.
His voice dropped.
"Who are you really?"
Her answer came without hesitation.
"Someone who likes to be asked that question by men who should know better."
Their eyes locked - a pause, pregnant with tension.
He stepped closer.
His hand rose, but didn't touch her. Just hovered near her jaw, a breath away from sin.
"This is a bad idea," he said.
She tilted her head, defiant and amused.
"Most unforgettable ones are."
He didn't kiss her.
But for one brief second, they both wanted to.
And that was more dangerous than anything that had come before.
This lady in red totally kept him intrigued.
She was an alluring poison.