Jay-jay (POV)
The room was quiet, dimly lit by the distant glow of fireworks outside. I looked up at him for a second before my lips curved slowly.
"Then I should be jealous too."
His brows pulled together slightly. "Why?"
"Because girls flirt with you all the time," I muttered.
"That's different."
I immediately narrowed my eyes. "Excuse me?"
Kiefer sighed softly, as if he had already realized he had said the wrong thing.
"They flirt," he corrected carefully. "I don't flirt back because I don't even look at others; I only need you."
My heart skipped embarrassingly at that.
So instead of answering—
I grabbed his tie and pulled him closer.
"Jay…" His voice dropped immediately as I loosened his collar slightly. "What are you doing?"
I didn't answer.
I pulled him down enough to reach his neck—
Then bit him.
A soft sound escaped him instantly.
"Jay—"
I pulled back just enough to see the faint red mark forming against his skin.
Then I brushed my thumb over it possessively.
"Just a reminder that you're mine," I whispered against his neck. "Don't cover it."
Kiefer's breath caught slightly.
For a second, Kiefer just stared at me.
Then slowly—
He smiled.
Not cold this time.
Not dangerous.
Completely ruined for me.
"Seeing you jealous over me…" I admitted softly while tracing the mark again, "I like it."
His eyes darkened immediately.
"You like dangerous things too much."
"Maybe."
Then he kissed me again.
This time, slower.
Deeper.
His arms wrapped around me carefully before lifting me closer against him, like he couldn't stand even an inch of distance between us anymore.
I tangled my fingers in his hair while his forehead rested briefly against mine between kisses.
Then his eyes slowly traveled down.
"Jay…" his voice dropped slightly, almost distracted now. "You really look good in this dress."
I blinked in confusion for half a second—
Then realized it.
The slit of my dress had shifted higher around my leg while he was holding me, and his hand was resting there far too comfortably while he bit his lip slightly like he was trying very hard to behave.
I followed his gaze downward slowly.
Then I looked back up at him.
And immediately caught the guilty expression he was trying—and failing—to hide.
My eyebrow lifted.
"Kiefer Watson," I said slowly, dangerously calm. "Are you checking me out right now?"
His jaw tightened slightly.
"No."
Liar.
His hand flexed instinctively against my thigh before he seemed to realize exactly where it was resting.
That only made my smile widen.
"Oh my God," I whispered dramatically. "You are."
His eyes snapped back to mine immediately, dark and defensive now.
"You were little by little wrapping your leg on to me wearing that dress," he muttered. "What exactly did you expect me to do?"
I almost laughed at how genuinely offended he sounded.
"So this is my fault?"
"Yes."
The answer came way too fast.
I stared at him for a second before bursting into quiet laughter.
Kiefer looked completely serious.
Which somehow made it worse.
"You're unbelievable," I said, still laughing softly.
"And you're distracting."
His grip tightened slightly on my leg again, thumb brushing absentmindedly against my skin before his eyes narrowed faintly at the slit of the dress.
"That slit should honestly be illegal."
I tilted my head innocently. "But you liked it earlier."
"That was before every person in this building started looking at you."
There it was.
The jealousy.
The possessiveness.
I smiled immediately.
Cute.
Kiefer noticed the smile and groaned quietly under his breath.
"Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"That face," he muttered. "The one you make when you realize I'm losing my mind over you."
I grinned wider on purpose.
His eyes darkened instantly.
"Jay."
The warning in his voice only made me lean closer, brushing my nose lightly against his again.
"What?" I teased softly. "You said I look good."
"You do."
The answer came quieter this time.
More honest.
His gaze softened as it stayed on me, fingers brushing carefully along my thigh like he was trying to memorize the feeling without crossing the line.
And suddenly he looked less teasing—
And more completely gone for me.
"You really have no idea what you do to me," he murmured.
Then slowly—
The smug smile spreading across his face only got worse.
That dangerous, smug smile.
His hand slid higher along my leg through the slit of my dress.
My entire body jolted.
My face heated instantly.
"KIEFER!" I shouted.
He looked completely unashamed.
"What?" he asked calmly.
"Stop. What are you doing?" I hissed, grabbing his wrist immediately.
"What am I doing?" he repeated innocently, like he had no idea why I was reacting.
I stared at him in disbelief.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about."
A slow smile spread across his face.
"Nope," he said smoothly. "Explain it to me."
"This shameless man," I muttered, hitting his chest lightly.
In fact—
he looked way too pleased with himself now.
Like teasing me had already become his favorite hobby.
Then before I could scold him properly, he leaned in and kissed me again, stealing every complaint right out of my mouth.
Outside, the party still roared with music and fireworks.
But inside that room—
It felt like the world had narrowed down to just us.
His hands.
My heartbeat.
And the matching jealousy marks we carried for each other.
Deep down, though…
I knew I had met someone I never should have met tonight.
Someone dangerous.
Someone who smiled too calmly.
Someone who looked at me like he already decided I belonged in his story somehow.
But right now, none of that reached me.
Because the man holding me—
The man kissing me like he was trying to erase the entire world from my skin—
Was Kiefer.
And no matter how terrifying the world around him became…
I knew the man in front of me would burn everything down before letting anything happen to me.
My fingers tightened slightly against his shirt as he kissed me again.
I opened my eyes for a brief second.
Kiefer was already looking at me.
Not at my lips.
Not at my body.
At me.
That intense, possessive, terrifying softness in his eyes made my chest ache.
So I closed my eyes again and melted back into him willingly.
Because those were safe hands.
Dangerous to everyone else.
But never to me.