𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗, 𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗨𝗜𝗡

⚝⚝⚝

The first time Aria heard his voice again, the room went quiet.

Riven leaned against the doorway like he owned the air. Black suit. Calm eyes. That lazy, dangerous smile that always sounded like a promise.

⚝⚝⚝

"You still run when you're scared,"

he said softly.

"𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴."

⚝

⚝⚝

"I learned not to trust men who think they're gods,"

she replied...

He stepped closer.

Not touching

and somehow that felt worse...

⚝⚝⚝

"I'm not a god,"

he murmured.

"I'm the 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲."

⚝

⚝⚝

The lights flickered.

Somewhere below, music throbbed.. low, sinful, secret.

His world.

She should have walked away.

Instead, she whispered, "Why me?"

Riven studied her like a puzzle he had no intention of solving.

"Because you don't want to be saved. You want to be seen."

A glass shattered in the hallway. Footsteps.

A warning.

His hand hovered at her waist - not quite touching.

"They're watching you now,"

he said.

"Stay close to me, and you'll live.. And if you stay away from me..."

Aria swallowed. "I ruin??"

⚝

⚝⚝⚝⚝

His smile turned darker.

"𝗡𝗢, 𝗜 𝗥𝗨𝗜𝗡..."

⚝

⚝⚝⚝⚝

And yet somehow, she stayed.

Not because she trusted him.

Because, for the first time in years, danger felt like the truth.

⚝

"𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗨𝗜𝗡,

&

𝗜 𝗕𝗘𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘 𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗜𝗧"

⚝