Chapter 6 Dangerous
Games
Ariana glided across the ballroom floor, her hand resting lightly in Damian’s as they moved to the slow, hypnotic rhythm of the music. His grip was firm yet effortless, like he was accustomed to leading, but willing to
let her challenge him.
She could feel the heat of his body, the controlled power in his movements, the way his sharp gray eyes never strayed far from hers. Every step, every turn, every shift in the air crackled with an unspoken energy.
And yet–her mind wasn’t entirely on the dance.
Her gaze flickered past Damian’s shoulder, locking onto the two people she despised most in the world.
Liam Carter and Sienna Hayes had finally arrived.
They stood near the entrance, perfectly polished and picture–perfect, as if they weren’t walking, breathing
betrayals.
Liam, dressed in a classic black tuxedo, looked every bit the charming businessman the world believed him to
- be. His blond hair was neatly styled, his blue eyes scanning the crowd with ease, pretending he belonged here.
And then there was Sienna.
A vision in a crimson gown that clung to her body like sin, her golden waves cascading down her shoulders.
She was smiling–laughing even–as if she hadn’t just shattered Ariana’s world days ago.
They had no idea she was about to burn theirs to the ground.
“Ariana,” Damian’s voice was quiet, but firm. “You’re tensing.”
She exhaled slowly, forcing her shoulders to relax.
“I didn’t think I’d have to see them this soon,” she admitted.
Damian’s grip on her waist tightened just slightly, the warmth of his touch grounding her. “You’re not alone in
this.”
Ariana glanced up at him, searching his gaze for any sign of pretense. She found none.
A slow smirk curled on her lips. “Good. Because I intend to play a very dangerous game tonight.”
Damian’s eyes darkened with intrigue. “Then let’s make sure you win.”
The music changed, and Ariana let her fingers slip from Damian’s grasp, the dance ending just as the real game was about to begin.
She stepped forward, purposefully, deliberately, cutting through the crowd until she was standing just a few
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feet away from them.
Liam saw her first.
His entire body stiffened, his jaw tightening as he tried and failed to mask his reaction.
Sienna noticed his shift and followed his gaze. When her eyes landed on Ariana, the color drained from her face before she quickly recovered, pasting on a sweet, practiced smile.
“Ariana,” Sienna purred, stepping forward, “What a surprise.”
Ariana tilted her head, her expression unreadable. “Is it?”
Liam cleared his throat, slipping into his usual charming mask. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Ariana lifted her glass of champagne, swirling it lazily before taking a slow sip. “You never did pay attention to the important details, did you, Liam?”
A flicker of something flashed in his gaze–annoyance? Guilt? Fear?
Sienna’s smile faltered for just a second before she regained her composure. “You look… stunning tonight.”
Ariana met her gaze head–on, her own lips curving into a slow, calculated smirk. “I know.”
The subtle dig landed exactly as she intended. Sienna’s fingers tightened around her clutch, her knuckles turning white.
Liam stepped in, ever the peacemaker, or rather, the manipulator. “Look, Ariana, I know we left things… unresolved.”
Ariana arched a brow. “Oh? You mean when I caught you screwing my best friend in our bed? That unresolved?”
Liam’s jaw clenched. Sienna inhaled sharply, shooting him a quick glance, as if silently urging him to fix this.
“That’s not what I meant,” Liam said smoothly, his voice lowering, attempting to control the situation. “We should talk. In private.”
Ariana tilted her head. “Why? Afraid of what people might hear?”
Liam’s eyes darkened slightly. “I just think we need to-”
“You don’t get to decide what we need, Liam,” she interrupted, her voice calm, but laced with steel. “Not
anymore.”
A tense silence settled between them, thick and suffocating. The once–friendly, once–intimate energy between
them had turned into something sharp and unrecognizable.
And then-
A shadow fell over them.
Damian.
His presence was imposing, his gaze locked onto Liam with an unreadable expression.
Liam stiffened, immediately recognizing the man who had been dancing with Ariana moments ago. His eyes flickered between them, assessing. Calculating.
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“Ariana,” Damian said smoothly, stepping closer, his hand grazing the small of her back, possessive yet
effortless. “Is there a problem?”
Ariana smirked. Perfect timing
“No problem,” she said lightly, but her eyes never left Liam’s. “Just clearing up a misunderstanding,”
Liam’s posture went rigid, his gaze shifting back to Damian. He recognized power when he saw it–and Damian
was power
“You’re Blackwood,” Liam said, his voice carefully controlled.
Damian’s smirk was slow, deliberate. “And you’re Carter.” His gaze flicked down to Liam’s hand, still clutching his champagne glass a little too tightly. “Seems like I walked into something tense.”
Sienna, ever the opportunist, jumped in with a sugary–sweet laugh. “Oh, not at all. Ariana and Liam just have
a history.”
Ariana’s smile didn’t falter. “Past tense, Sienna.”
Damian chuckled, his fingers pressing ever so slightly against Ariana’s back before dropping to his side. “Interesting,” he murmured, his tone mocking. “Ariana’s far too brilliant to be anyone’s past. But then again, some people don’t know how to appreciate what they have until they lose it.”
Liam’s grip tightened on his glass. “I don’t believe we’ve been introduced properly, Mr. Blackwood.”
“That’s because I don’t make it a habit of entertaining men who don’t deserve my attention,” Damian replied
coolly.
The dominance in his tone was unmistakable.
Liam’s nostrils flared. But he didn’t take the bait. Not yet.
Ariana turned to Damian, her smirk growing. “Shall we?”
Damian inclined his head. “Of course.”
And with that, Ariana turned away from Liam and Sienna without another word, Damian walking beside her,
exuding power with every step.
She could feel Liam’s burning gaze on her back.
Good. Let him seethe.
Let him feel what it was like to lose.
The gala began winding down, the music slowing, the chatter thinning.
Ariana stood near the exit, staring at the glittering skyline through the tall glass windows.
Damian handed her a fresh glass of champagne. “You handled that well.”
Ariana took a slow sip, her lips curving. “Did you doubt me?”
“Not for a second.” His voice was smoother now, lacking the sharp edge it had when dealing with Liam. “But I do wonder–what’s your next move?”
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Ariana turned to face him fully, the fire in her dark eyes unmistakable.
“I’m going to tear down his empire from the inside out.”
Damian’s expression didn’t change. But there was something new in his gaze–admiration. Respect. Interest.
Then, slowly, he smirked.
“Then let’s make sure you win.”
Ariana exhaled, feeling a rush of adrenaline as she turned away from the ballroom, stepping into the awaiting
car.
Tonight had been the first move.
But soon?
Liam Carter and Sienna Hayes were going to wish they had never crossed her.
