CHAPTER 6: THE NIGHT'S NOT OVER YET

KRISTIAN

I exhale slowly, watching my breath form a cloud in the cold night air. My body is still tense, and my heart rate refuses to settle. This was too close.

I can feel Adrian looking at me, but I can’t bring myself to meet his eyes.

“Chris?”

“I should go,” I say immediately. As much as I want to return to the moment we just shared in the club, my mind is running a marathon.

Was the man inside able to take a picture? I let my guard down tonight; what if someone else recognized me? I forgot momentarily that my actions are not mine; everything I do affects my country.

At this point, I’m internally spiraling. It’s a good thing I’ve mastered the art of keeping my emotions in check, or I’d be hyperventilating on the floor right now.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. First things first, I need to leave this place—I need to go home. I start moving, but before I can walk past Adrian, he steps in front of me, blocking my path.

His hands are shoved casually into his pockets; his eyes gleam as he smiles confidently.

“The night’s not over yet.”

I shake my head. “I’ve had enough for one night.”

I step to the side, but he moves, mirroring me.

“How about this? If my read on you is accurate, you have to stay,” he says, leaning slightly closer. I catch a whiff of his cologne again, and it scrambles my brain.

I’ve spent my whole life perfecting the art of being enigmatic. This near stranger won’t be able to read me. So I straighten my back and cross my arms. “Fine, Adrian. What’s your read on me?”

His smile widens, but his eyes turn serious. “You’re a sucker for rules and regulations. You think the weight of the world is on your shoulders, and you believe that one step out of line, one out-of-character move, and the world will crumble.”

He takes my hand, and a shiver runs through me.

“So while others go out and have fun, you sit in your room and think about a thousand reasons why you shouldn’t. You convince yourself that you’re taking one for the team when the truth is, you’re so used to hiding that you’re scared of what would happen if you took a chance and put yourself out there.”

I grit my teeth as he scans me from head to toe and chuckles. Without letting go of my hand, he continues. “I can bet my sexy ass that you snuck out of your house tonight—probably a fancy one, too. Your two loving parents probably think you’re in your room, preparing for…” He strokes his jaw with his free hand. “...a huge exam, perhaps or a big event.” He shrugs. “Anyway, it’s something very important so you’re expected to pass in flying colors and bring ‘honor’ to the family name.”

Adrian might as well have dumped cold water all over me. When I just stand there, staring and not saying anything to contradict him, he beams. His chilling accuracy stuns me. How did he get all that from just a few minutes of dancing?

“Come on, Chris. What’s the point of sneaking out if you’re just going to call it quits now?”

I shouldn’t. I know I shouldn’t. But something about the way he looks at me—the way he sees right through me—makes me hesitate. It makes me want to do something reckless.

I sigh and run my free hand through my hair, roughing up the neat strands.

Adrian swings our hands playfully as he pushes. “If you’re going to do something, why not do it right?”

No. Go home, Kristian.

“Fine,” I mutter.

Adrian’s triumphant grin is blinding. “That’s the spirit.”

He leads me out of the alley, still holding onto my hand. “So, where do you like to go for fun in the city?”

The question catches me off guard. Fun? The word feels foreign, ridiculous even. “Uh…” I stammer, scrambling for something, anything, to say. “I’m…not from around here.”

“Really?” He raises an eyebrow, amused.

“Yeah.” I clear my throat, trying to sound convincing. “I don’t really know the city.”

Adrian chuckles softly. “Same. Guess we’re both lost, huh?” He tilts his head toward the street. “Come on. I saw some fun things on my way here. Let’s explore together.”

I follow, my feet moving before I can think. His confidence pulls me along like a tide, washing away my reservations.

“What do you like to do?” he asks as we walk.

Another question that catches me off guard. A question I’ve never really considered.

What do I like to do?

My mind goes blank, cycling through royal functions, public appearances, and endless activities. Besides the fact that I can’t tell him any of that, those things are simply obligations I’ve had to perform since I was born. I don’t know if they count as things I like to do.

“Music,” I say finally. My sister and I each learned at least three instruments growing up. It was also an obligation, but I didn’t hate it.

Adrian’s expression lights up. “Really? What kind?”

“Uh…classical.” My cheeks burn. It feels stupid to admit, like I’m saying the most boring thing in the world.

But Adrian doesn’t laugh. Instead, his grin softens, turning thoughtful. “Let’s find something different then,” he says. “I think I saw some street musicians nearby.”

He leads me through winding streets until we reach a small square. The sounds hit me first—guitars, tambourines, voices harmonizing in a way that’s raw and unpolished but full of life. A group of street performers stand in the center, surrounded by a loose crowd.

The music is nothing like the pieces I play or listen to. It’s wild, untamed—like it belongs to the streets themselves. I can’t stop staring.

Adrian leans in, his shoulder brushing mine. The warmth of his body cuts through the cold, and I shiver, though not from the temperature. “What do you think?” he asks in a low voice. “It’s…” I pause, searching for the right words. “Beautiful.”

The performers switch to a faster tune, and the rhythm is infectious. The crowd cheers, clapping and swaying to the beat. I can’t help but smile. There’s a freedom here I’ve never felt before, and it’s intoxicating.

I’m beginning to think it wasn’t just the club. It’s the fact that I’m doing something I want without any restrictions.

I turn to Adrian, wondering how he feels about the moment, and find him already looking at me. His eyes are darker now, the streetlights catching the gold in his brown irises.

“You’re fascinating,” he whispers, like he’s talking to himself.

“Fascinating?” My voice catches slightly, and I clear my throat.

He doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he steps closer, close enough that I feel the brush of his sleeve against mine. “Do you know your eyes light up at everything? Like you’re in an entirely new world. I like it.”

Heat spreads through my chest, up to my face. I can’t tell if it’s embarrassment or something else entirely.

Before I can respond, he reaches out, and his fingers lightly brush my cheek. It’s the slightest touch, but it sends a jolt through me. His gaze shifts to something behind me, and when I turn, I see two big men approaching us.

“Come on,” he says, his voice softer now, with a twinge of urgency. “There’s more to see.”

I don’t argue. I just take his hand for the second time tonight, and we break into a run.

.