The car ride felt endless.
I sat stiffly in the backseat, my gaze fixed on the city lights flickering in the distance, though I wasn't really seeing them. Sky was beside me, as unreadable as ever, his body angled toward the door like I wasn't even there. He radiated a kind of quiet authority that pressed down on me, suffocating in its intensity.
I wanted to hate him for it. For being so calm, so unaffected, while I sat there stewing in my own frustration. My life-my entire world-had been turned upside down, and here he was, lounging like this was just another night out.
"Where are we going?" I asked finally, breaking the tense silence. My voice sounded sharper than I intended, but I didn't care.
"You'll see," he replied without looking at me, his tone cool and dismissive.
I frowned, crossing my arms. "You're not even going to tell me?"
His lips twitched, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners, but he didn't respond. That little smile infuriated me. Like this was a game to him, like I was some puzzle he could figure out at his leisure.
The car slowed as we pulled up to a sleek restaurant with floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The kind of place that looked like it belonged in a movie. Exclusive. Polished. Perfect. The driver opened my door, and Sky stepped out first, as if the entire night had been choreographed in his favor.
I hesitated for a moment, staring out at the entrance. This wasn't my world. It wasn't even close. But before I could talk myself into staying in the car, I climbed out and followed him.
The hostess greeted us with a smile that was just a little too eager, her eyes lingering on Sky a second too long. I glanced at him, but he didn't even seem to notice. Or maybe he just didn't care. Either way, it irritated me more than it should have.
We were led to a private room in the back, quiet and dimly lit, with candles casting soft shadows across the table. It was intimate in a way that made my chest tighten.
I sat down across from him, painfully aware of the way his gaze settled on me, heavy and unrelenting.
---
Sky wongravee
He was restless.
I could see it in the way he shifted in his seat, his fingers fidgeting with the edge of the napkin, his eyes darting around the room as if looking for an escape. Nani wore his emotions on his sleeve-his frustration, his discomfort, even the anger he was trying so hard to suppress.
But he stayed.
That's what I admired about him, even if I'd never admit it out loud. He was angry, he was scared, and yet he stayed. Sat across from me with his chin held high, meeting my gaze head-on like he wasn't ready to back down.
The waiter entered, setting down two glasses of wine before retreating. Nani took a sip, his movements stiff and hesitant. He was waiting for me to speak, and I took my time, letting the silence stretch.
"Is this what you do?" he asked finally, his voice cutting through the quiet. "Take people out to fancy dinners to make them forget you've turned their lives upside down?"
I smirked, swirling the wine in my glass. "Would you prefer a Pizza restaurant, doctor?"
His eyes narrowed. "I'd prefer my life back."
"And what would that look like now, Nani? A bulletproof vest at the hospital? A guard at your brother's door?" i try to reason with him.
"You think I don't know that?" I said quietly, my voice low enough to make him pause. "You think I don't know what I've taken from you?"
His jaw tightened, and he set the glass down harder than necessary. "Then why am I here, Sky? Why this? What's the point?"
"You're here because it's the safest place for you," I said simply, leaning forward slightly. "And because I wanted to see you."
That caught him off guard. His brows furrowed, and he tilted his head, his eyes narrowing as if he was trying to figure out if I was being serious.
"Well, congratulations," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Here I am. Now what?"
I held his gaze, the corner of my mouth twitching upward despite myself. "Now, you eat. You relax. And you try to understand that everything I do is to keep you alive."
His lips parted as if he wanted to say something, but he hesitated. His gaze flicked down to his plate, and when he spoke again, his voice was softer. "You say that like it's supposed to make me feel better," he said. "Like I'm supposed to be grateful that you've locked me away, taken me from my job, my brother-everything I care about."
"You care about your life, don't you?" I countered, my voice calm but firmer now.
He slammed his hand down on the table, making the silverware rattle. "What kind of life is this? Being watched 24/7? Having to ask permission to take a walk? It's like living in a prison, no matter how fancy it is."
His frustration burned hot, but it wasn't just anger. I could see it in his eyes-the vulnerability he was trying so hard to hide.
"You think I like this?" I said, my voice was sharp enough to cut through his anger. "You think I enjoy dragging you into my world? If it were up to me, you'd still be at your hospital, living your perfect, untouchable life. But it's not up to me, Nani. Not anymore."
My words seemed to catch him off guard, his jaw clenching as he looked away. "You don't understand the kind of danger you're in," I continued, my tone softening just enough to temper the edge. "The people after you-they won't stop. They won't hesitate. If I let you go back to your old life, they'll use it against you. Against me."
"So this isn't about me," he said bitterly. "This is about you. Protecting your empire, your secrets. I'm just collateral damage."
I leaned back, my eyes narrowing. "You can hate me all you want," I said quietly, my voice deadly calm. "But it doesn't change the fact that I'm the only thing standing between you and them."
---
Nani hirunkit
For a moment, I didn't say anything. The anger was still there, burning under the surface, but there was something else, too. Something quieter. I hated the way my chest ached when I looked at him, the way his words stirred something in me I didn't want to name.
"Does it ever stop?" I asked finally, my voice barely above a whisper.
His gaze softened, just enough for me to notice. "No," he admitted. "But I can make sure you survive it."
"Please, Nani, for a moment, I want you to enjoy this night-this dinner with me. I mean it"
His voice was softer this time, almost pleading. It caught me off guard. The unshakable, commanding Sky wongravee was asking me for something, and that tiny crack in his armor made my heart stumble.
I hesitated, the sharp retort I had on the tip of my tongue dissolving as I looked at him. His eyes were steady, locked onto mine, and for once, they didn't feel cold or calculating. They felt... earnest.
I sighed, picking up my fork. "Fine," I muttered, focusing on the meal in front of me.
He didn't move to eat. He just watched me, his wine glass resting in his hand as he leaned back in his chair. The weight of his gaze made the air feel heavier, and no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, I could feel it-feel him.
I glanced up briefly, and there he was, staring.
"What?" I asked, my voice was sharper than I intended.
"Nothing," he said, the corner of his mouth lifting into the faintest smirk. "You're just... too pretty as a man." His smile widened.
I rolled my eyes, though the heat was rising in my neck through my ear and my cheek betrayed me. "You're weird, you know that?"
His smirk deepened, and he tilted his head slightly. "Maybe."
He didn't look away, and neither did I. For a moment, it felt like the rest of the room faded, leaving just the two of us locked in this strange, charged silence. My pulse quickened, and I hated myself for the way my body reacted to him-the way my skin felt too warm, the way my breath hitched when his gaze dropped, just briefly, to my mouth.
I forced myself to look away, focusing back on my plate. My appetite was gone, replaced by something I didn't want to name.
The silence stretched, heavy and taut, until I broke it.
"Can you let me out once in a while?" I asked, trying to keep my tone even. "Maybe just to visit my brother. You know how overprotective he is. Me missing this long... it's going to scare him."
I kept my eyes on my plate, not wanting to see his reaction. But I felt it-the shift in the air between us, the way his posture stiffened ever so slightly.
Sky's expression didn't change, but I saw the flicker of tension in his jaw. He took a slow sip of wine before answering.
"No," he said simply.
My chest tightened. "Sky-"
"You cannot see your brother," he said, his tone brooking no argument. "And if that makes me the villain in your story, so be it. But I will not have his blood on my hands." His voice softened, just enough to take the edge off his words. "I'm trying to protect you, Nani. Both of you."
His words hit me like a weight dropping in my stomach. I looked down at my hands, my fingers curling slightly against the tablecloth. He was right, of course. I hated that he was right.
"Yeah," I murmured, my voice quieter now. "I guess I'm alone now."
The words hung in the air, heavier than I intended. I didn't mean to let that slip out, but once I said it, I couldn't take it back.
His gaze softened, the sharp edges of his expression melting into something... gentler. He didn't say anything at first, just leaned back in his chair and studied me, his fingers drumming lightly against the rim of his wine glass.
"You're not alone," he said finally, his voice quieter, almost tentative. "I know it feels that way. But you're not."
I swallowed hard, unsure how to respond. The sincerity in his tone caught me off guard, and for a brief, fleeting moment, I believed him.
He leaned forward again, resting his forearms on the table. "I can let you out if you want to go shopping, or... whatever," he said, his voice measured. "But you can't associate with anyone-not your brother, not your friends. And you'll need to bring the men."
I raised an eyebrow, my frustration bubbling back to the surface. "The men?" I repeated. "What does that even mean? Like, ten of your guys are following me around while I try to buy shampoo?"
His lips twitched, the faintest flicker of a chuckle escaping him. "If that's what it takes to keep you safe, yes."
I groaned, leaning back in my chair. "I can deal with Dew and Mark. But not an entire entourage, Sky. I'm not some celebrity with a fan club."
He leaned forward, his smirk deepening as he rested his chin on his hand. "You're more important than that, Nani."
I wanted to dismiss his words, to roll my eyes and tell him to stop pretending I mattered. But the way he said it-so steady, so certain-made my chest tighten. I hated that part of me wanted to believe him. That part of me wanted to trust him.
For a moment, I could see the protectiveness in his eyes. He cares about me. "We'll see," he said lightly. "Let's leave it for now. I'll decide later when-and how-you can go out."
I rolled my eyes, picking up my fork again. "Of course you will."
For a moment, it felt normal-almost like I wasn't stuck in the middle of his chaotic world. Almost like we were just two people having dinner. But then the moment passed, and reality settled back in.
---
As the waiter cleared our plates, Sky stood, his chair scraping softly against the floor. I followed his movements, watching as he stepped around the table and stopped beside me.
"Come," he said softly, his voice low and almost... intimate. "Let's go."
I stood, suddenly hyper-aware of how close he was. His hand rested lightly on my lower back, guiding me toward the door. The touch was barely there, but it burned through the fabric of my shirt, making my skin prickle with heat.
I didn't pull away.
---
Sky wongravee
The night air was crisp, a sharp contrast to the warmth of the restaurant.
I glanced at him as we walked toward the car, his face tilted toward the night sky. He looked tired, his usual fire dimmed slightly, but there was something else there too. A softness. A vulnerability he tried so hard to hide.
Without thinking, I reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair away from his forehead.
He froze, his eyes snapping to mine, wide and startled.
"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
I let my hand linger for just a second longer than necessary before dropping it back to my side. "You looked... distracted."
"Distracted," he repeated flatly, his lips pressing into a thin line. But there was no venom in his tone, only confusion. And something else-something I couldn't quite name.
I opened the car door for him, gesturing for him to get in. He hesitated for a moment, his eyes searching for mine, before sliding into the seat.
I joined him, the silence between us thick and charged.
"You're not alone," I said quietly, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
He turned to me, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What did you say?"
"Nothing," I replied, looking out the window. But the truth was, I meant it.
---