Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Malcolm caught Arya’s ice–cold stare and left his nerves fray. “Three threes—wait, no, four threes!” he fumbled, his voice cracking.
Arya’s hand hit the table with a smack. “Tive fives! Let’s see it
Her voice cored confidence, all “don’t even try me attitude.
The room went quiet, every pair of eyes locked as the dealer as the dice cup lifted..
Sweat beaded on Malcolm’s forehead, his swagger long gone.
“Five lives!“the dealer said.
“No Freaking way, Arya nailed it someone hollered.
The live stream chat exploded, totally head–over–heels for Arya, comments flooding in.
[Arya’s straight–up slaying! Queen vibes only!]
[This girl’s on fire! Too cool for words!]
Arya’s my fairy–tale crush, no cap!]
[The ‘pambling king got smoked in a basic dice game? Embarrassing.]
Malcolm couldn’t handle getting owned by Arya. He was already fishing for an exit strategy. “That was just a fluke, Arya. You down for a real bet? Something with actual stakes.”
“Take the L, man!“Arya leaned back, tossing him a lazy, “What’s the matter? Can’t deal with getting roasted?”
The crowd shot Malcolm some serious stink eye. The so–called “gambling king” flopped at a simple dice guess? What a joke!
Malcolm’s face twisted, clearly rattled
But he slid back into his sleazy charm like it was second nature, “Arya, babe, I know you’re just playing hard to get. Let’s wrap this up–how about I drive you home, huh?”
Every word dripped with that fake, “Tm–such–a–nice–guy” vibe, like he was doing her some huge favor.
But Arya wasn’t buying his crocodile tears. She sliced through his act with a glare that could cut glass. “Malcolm, last night I was kidnapped alongside your precious Elaise. You coughed up three million to save her sorry butt and left me to rot with those creeps. You gonna stand there and call that a prank?”
The crowd around them went dead silent, jaws on the floor. Arya got kidnapped last night? Malcolm bailed on her for his ex? What kind of dirtbag does
that?”
No one outside the Batnett and Keller families had a whiff of the kidnapping drama.
All the gossip hounds knew was that last night’s edgagement bash got canned with zero explanation. That was it. No tea, no details.
Malcolm wasn’t about to let Arya spill more. “What’s your angle? You fishing for cash?”
He shot up, making a big show to humiliate her in front of the whole crowd. “Tell you what–pop off a quick striptease right here, and I’ll slide you 65 mil Deal?”
Arya didn’t even flinch at his gross stunt. She just smirked, cool as a cucumber, and crooked a finger at him. “Malcolm, come here. Let me whisper a little something in your ear.”
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Chapter 4
Her voice was smooth as silk, dripping with heat, and that finger beckon? Pure fire–sweet but dangerous.
Malcolm, the Idiot, ate it up. He leaned in, prinning like he’d hit the jackpot “Arya, if you’d just played nice from the start-
He didn’t get to finish. A sleek, killer leg lashed out, slamming into him like a freight train.
Malcolm went down hard, flopping on the ground like a total loser,
The crowd freaked out. They couldn’t believe that was Arya who just laid him out.
And the way she moved? No clumsy swing–she kicked with the precision of a badass who’d trained for this, all fierce and graceful, like a dancer with a
score to settle.
Arya towered over the pathetic heap, her voice icy but brimming with swagger. “Malcolm, you really thought you could play me and I’d just rollover?”
Malcolm’s brain was straight–up bluescreening, his mouth hanging open. ‘The prissy, picture perfect Arya I knew has this wild, don’t even try me energy now? Since when?‘
The livestream chat went nuclear, blowing up with hype.
[Yesss, Arya, roast that loser!]
[I’m in love! She’s hot and a total queen!|
[Malcolm wishes he was half as cool as her!]
This idiot dumped his fiancée for his ex? Kick him again–make sure he stays downl
[Arya’s the freaking BESTI)
Malcolm scrambled up, face twisted with rage, and swung a hand to smack her.
Before he could land it, a strong hand shot out, clamping his wrist like a vice.
A sickening crack of bone rang out.
“You got any clue who I am? You’re screwing with the wrong-
Malcolm howled, doubling over in pain. “You
His words choked off when he locked eyes with the guy attached to that hand–a face so icy, so regal, it hit him like a brick wall. “U–uncle Finn?!”
