A knock sounded at Kashi's door. She lifted her head from where she had buried herself into the sofa.
After leaving the office early, she had rushed home. Not to her grandfather's mansion.
To her own house.
For a long time, she had barely stayed there. Recently, however, she had moved back in, choosing the quiet of her own space over the suffocating grandeur of the Saints estate.
The knock came again.
Kashi dragged herself off the sofa and opened the door.
Zarri stood outside, phone in one hand and a smoothie in the other.
"Yo, babes." Zarri beamed. "Como estas?"
[How are you?]
She saw Kashi's face. The smile faltered.
"Whoa. Okay." Zarri stepped inside without waiting for an invitation. "That is your 'I might murder a man' face. Spill."
Kashi shut the door behind her. "Ugh." She returned to the sofa and collapsed dramatically. "I have a dinner reservation in a few hours."
Zarri settled beside her, one brow lifting. "Mm. Okay. But why the sad, miserable face? Is this another matchmaking disaster from old man James?"
"I wish." Kashi pulled both legs onto the sofa and rested her forehead against her knees.
Zarri paused. "Oh?" Her interest sharpened. "Worse than Grandfather James matchmaking? Now I'm listening."
Kashi groaned.
Zarri leaned closer. "Who's the unlucky heir this time? An executive? CEO? Oh, oh—let me guess. A governor's son?"
Kashi's voice came out muffled against her knees. "Chaos."
Zarri blinked. "Chaos?" she repeated slowly. "Yes, I mean, dinner with an unwanted heir can be total chaos, but—" She stopped. Then her whole face changed.
"CHAOS???"
Kashi gave a miserable little nod.
Zarri stared at her as though she had just confessed to adopting a venomous snake and naming it Husband.
"You cannot be serious."
"I am."
"Why?"
"I don't know." Kashi buried her face again.
Zarri shot to her feet so fast she nearly lost her balance. "This is awful."
"I know."
"I cannot believe you're having dinner with him."
"Me neither."
"You're a mess."
"Tell me about it."
Zarri looked her over properly, her expression changed. Not with concern. With horror. "Your hair."
Kashi lifted her head.
Zarri took one step back, scanning her as though a fashion emergency had just been declared. "How are we supposed to fix this in a couple of hours?"
Kashi stared at her. "I beg your pardon?"
Zarri had already started pacing. "No, no, no. This will not do. When is he coming?"
Kashi blinked, still trying to process the sudden shift. "Um… around six."
Zarri checked her phone. Then gasped. "Ay, Dios mío. It's 4:45."
[Oh my God]
She clutched her hair. "There is not enough time."
Kashi stared at her best friend.
She had called Zarri over for emotional support. Best-friend retail therapy. Maybe some complaining. Possibly wine.
She had not expected Zarri to treat dinner with Chaos Riegrow like a national styling emergency.
Zarri seized her arm and hauled her off the sofa. "Come on, Saints. We have work to do."
"Zarri—"
"No talking."
She dragged Kashi towards the bedroom with the urgency of a woman preparing for war.
Thank goodness Kashi had called her.
Just look at her.
A walking disaster in luxury loungewear. How was she supposed to show up to dinner with Chaos Riegrow looking like this?
Absolutely not.
If Kashi Saints was going to sit across from that blue-eyed menace tonight, then she would do it properly.
Dazzling.
Untouchable.
And, preferably, devastating enough to make the Riegrow bastard forget how to breathe.
Kashi's bedroom looked like a luxury boutique had been robbed, insulted and left to suffer.
Dresses were scattered across the bed. Shoes lay abandoned across the floor. Jewellery boxes sat open on the vanity, their contents half-spilled and glittering beneath the lights.
Perfume bottles had been lined up like soldiers awaiting execution.
And in the middle of it all stood Zarri, holding up two dresses with the seriousness of a woman deciding the fate of nations.
"Purple says dangerous," Zarri said. "Red says eat your heart out, which is hilarious and therefore unsuitable."
Kashi sat on the edge of the bed in a robe, arms folded, face blank with exhaustion. "I am going to dinner. Not attending my own coronation."
"With Chaos Riegrow?" Zarri looked offended. "Same thing."
Kashi gave her a flat look. "You are being dramatic."
"I am being accurate." Zarri discarded one dress and held up another. "This one."
Black. Silk.
Unfairly beautiful.
The dress was short, sleek and mercilessly elegant—the kind of black that did not beg for attention because it already knew every eye in the room would obey.
Thin straps framed the shoulders. The neckline dipped low enough to be dangerous, becoming vulgar. Silk clung to the body with quiet precision, while a sharp slit along one thigh added just enough wickedness to make modesty file a complaint.
Kashi answered immediately. "No."
"Yes."
"No, Zarri."
"Yes, Saints."
"I said no."
"And I ignored you." Zarri threw the dress at her. "Wear it."
Kashi caught it against her chest and frowned. "Why this one?"
Zarri's expression became suspiciously innocent. "No reason."
Kashi stared at her.
Zarri looked away and pretended to inspect the shoes. "What? It's a nice colour."
"Fuck you."
Zarri's lips twitched.
"You witch."
"I am an artist," Zarri corrected. "The least you can do is arrive looking like the weapon."
Kashi, despite herself, she laughed.
Zarri looked triumphant. "Good. Now get dressed before he arrives."
"Speaking of him arriving…" Kashi glanced towards the window. She had not given Chaos her address.
Then again, Chaos always seemed to know how to find her.
She wondered how he intended to get past the estate security.
Knowing him, he would probably smile wickedly and make everyone question their career choices.
Zarri moved to the vanity and began opening makeup products.
Kashi groaned but stood.
By 5:42 p.m., Zarri had achieved what she called "casual devastation".
Kashi stood before the mirror in the black silk dress, the fabric fitting her with quiet precision. Her hair fell in smooth waves over one shoulder, and her makeup was soft but sharp enough to cut someone's confidence in half.
She looked expensive.
Dangerous. Untouchable.
Zarri stood behind her, hands clasped like a proud mother sending her daughter off to ruin someone's bloodline.
"Yes," she whispered. "This is it. This is the look."
Kashi stared at her reflection. "I look like I'm trying too hard."
"You look like you could reject a marriage proposal and start a war before dessert."
"Same thing."
The doorbell rang. Both women froze. Kashi slowly turned towards the clock.
5:47 p.m.
Her expression darkened. "That bastard."
Zarri whipped around. "He came early?"
"How did he even get in?" Kashi marched towards the bedroom door.
Zarri caught her wrist. "Wait."
"What now?"
Zarri held up a tube of lip gloss. "Lip gloss."
"Zarri."
"Lip gloss."
"Move."
"Do you want to go downstairs looking like you have no survival instinct?"
"I am going to kill you."
"After lip gloss."
The doorbell rang again.
Kashi snatched the gloss from her hand, applied it with violent efficiency and shoved it back. "There."
Zarri inspected her. "Acceptable."
Kashi stormed downstairs. At the entrance, one of the house staff had already opened the door.
Chaos Riegrow stood outside.
He was dressed in black, as usual, but somehow not the same black. This was clean. Tailored. Elegant. The kind of outfit that made danger look formal.
His coat sat perfectly over his frame, and his dark hair had been brushed back just enough to reveal those cold, pale eyes.
In Chaos's hand was a small bouquet of wildflowers.
Kashi stopped at the foot of the stairs.
Chaos looked up. His gaze travelled over her slowly with a focus that tightened the space between them.
Kashi lifted her chin. "What?"
Chaos's mouth curved faintly. "Nothing."
Her frown deepened. "You are staring."
"Yes."
Kashi blinked. "You admit it?"
"I have eyes, Saints." His smile sharpened. "I intend to use them."
Behind her, Zarri made a strangled sound from the staircase.
Kashi did not turn around. "Zarri, go back upstairs."
"I live here now," Zarri whispered.
"No, you don't."
For the briefest moment, something flickered across Chaos's face as his attention returned to the dress. Kashi's irritation stumbled. Then she noticed the bouquet and recovered.
"What is that?"
Chaos looked down at it. "For you."
Kashi glared at him. "You brought me grass?"
"Wildflowers."
"Same family."
"I thought roses were boring."
Kashi looked at him. "They are."
"Then I chose correctly."
Annoyingly, she had no immediate response.
Chaos stepped closer and held the bouquet towards her. She looked at the flowers. Then at him and back at the flowers.
Daisies were tucked among the purple and yellow blooms.Small. White. Delicate. Something tugged faintly at the back of her mind.
A place. Rain... hand.
But the memory slipped away before she could catch it.
Kashi accepted the bouquet. "Thank you," she said stiffly.
Chaos watched her fingers close around the stems.
"You're welcome."
Kashi looked at him for another second before turning sharply and pushing the bouquet into Zarri's arms.
"Put these in water."
Zarri accepted them, eyes gleaming with the joy of a woman who had just discovered premium-grade gossip. "Oh, absolutely."
Chaos offered Kashi his arm.
She hated how easily silence gathered around him. Hated how his calm always felt like a dare. Hated how some part of her wanted to take his arm simply because he wanted her to.
So she did.
Her hand settled lightly against his arm. Chaos's expression remained composed, but something shifted in his eyes.
Satisfaction.
"Do not look so pleased," she warned.
"I am deeply composed."
"You are insufferable."
"And yet," Chaos said softly, "you are holding my arm."
Kashi pointed towards the door. "Car. Now. Before I change my mind."
Chaos stepped aside with a small bow. "As you wish."
Kashi walked past him. Outside, a sleek black car waited by the entrance. Chaos opened the passenger door for her.
Kashi paused. "How did you get in?"
Chaos smiled. "I own half the houses here." he closed the door.
The movement was smooth, almost gentlemanly, before he rounded the front of the car towards the driver's side.
Kashi settled into the seat, adjusting the hem of her dress.
Something lingered in the air.
Faint.
Almost hidden beneath expensive cologne, leather seats and the cold night breeze that had slipped inside when the door opened.
But it was there.
Metallic and familiar enough to still her fingers against the fabric.
Kashi slowly lifted her gaze.
Chaos was already rounding the car, calm as ever, his dark coat moving behind him, his expression unreadable beneath the estate lights.
She watched him through the windscreen.
Was that…
Her gaze sharpened.
Blood?
💜~~~~~
The car pulled away from the house. Zarri watched from the entrance until it disappeared beyond the gates. she pulled out her phone and typed a message.
They've left. No casualties yet.
She hit send.
A few seconds later, Alex replied.
Give it time.