Amelia’s POV
I felt the cold night air on my exposed arms and thigh as I stood on the club's top-floor balcony, even though it was really cold outside, i think i’d rather freeze to death than go back into the club, after all what i’ve witnessed, i just want to get over with my job here and go back home. The sight of the city was beautiful, a glittering sea of lights that felt like an entirely different world—one far removed from the dangers I was entangled in. The whiskey in my hand was untouched; I traced the rim absently, trying to steady my thoughts.
The faint click of footsteps maid me snap. I tensed instinctively, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. A man approached—a tall, broad figure with dark hair slicked back neatly, his sharp features shadowed under the faint glow of the city lights. Pietro. I remembered him from earlier, one of the men Kai had warned me about. What was he doing here?
“Enjoying the view?” he asked, his deep voice smooth and measured, his eyes on the skyline rather than me.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing a calm I didn’t feel. “Yes, it’s quite something,” I replied, keeping my tone neutral.
He turned to me then, flashing a charming smile as he extended his hand. “I’m Pietro.”
I hesitated, my mind racing with the thought of Kai’s warning. But refusing would only make me stand out more. I shook his hand briefly. “Amelia.”
His grip was firm but not overly so, and he gestured toward a nearby table with two empty chairs. “can you sit with me for a moment?”
I nodded, even as my instincts screamed at me to leave. Sitting down felt like stepping into a trap, but I couldn’t retreat without raising suspicion. “Sure.”
As we sat, Pietro leaned back in his chair, exuding a confidence that put me on edge. “I come up here to escape the madness downstairs sometimes. It’s like a different world up here, peaceful.”
I nodded slightly, choosing my words carefully. “It is.”
His eyes turned to me, piercing and deliberate, studying me like a puzzle he wanted to solve. “You’re not a regular here, are you? I haven’t seen you around before.”
I held onto the cover story Kai had drilled into me. “No, it’s my first time. Kai brought me along.”
A flicker of intrigue crossed his face. “Kai, huh? Must be quite a sweetheart to introduce you to a place like this.”
My lips curved into a rehearsed smile, one that masked my discomfort. “Indeed, he truly is a sweetheart.”
Pietro chuckled, the sound low and rich, carrying an edge of amusement that felt far from innocent. “Kai has a reputation, you know. He doesn’t bring just anyone here. You must be special.”
I mirrored his smile, hoping it concealed the unease swirling in my mind. “I guess I am.”
Pietro leaned forward slightly, his tone dropping low. It was like he was intentionally saying all those to read my expression and somehow get some information from me.  “You know, this club has its fair share of secrets. Some of us are here for more than just music and drinks.”
It was like he was intentionally saying all those to read my expression and somehow get some information from me, but i was going to fall for any of his trick. “Secrets? Like what?” I asked, keeping my voice light, curious.
His smile turned wolfish. “Like who’s trustworthy and who’s not. Who’s new and who’s not. And who to avoid.”
“And who should I avoid?” i asked casually like i didn’t just feel my heart jump
“Anyone who asks too many questions,” he said with a sly grin.
I nodded, playing along. “Good advice. I’ll keep that in mind.”
He didn’t let up, leaning closer with a single finger raised. “Also, you should be wary of your so-called ‘boyfriend’, Kai.”
I stifled a laugh, though it felt more like a reflex than humor. “C’mon, Kai is the sweetest man I’ve ever dated. There’s nothing suspicious about him.” The lie felt ridiculous, even as it left my lips. Kai was many things, but sweet wasn’t one of them.
Pietro studied me with a knowing smirk, clearly unconvinced. “I’m beginning to doubt your claim of being Kai’s girlfriend,” he said, lighting a cigarette with deliberate ease. “I’ve known him for a while. He doesn’t take women seriously. Never has. Kai doesn’t date; he has… arrangements. And you don’t look like one of his usual ‘arrangements.’”
I felt my heart stopped once again as his words lingered in the air. “What makes you think so?” I asked, masking my unease with curiosity.
He took a long drag, the ember glowing in the dim light. “You don’t fit the profile, sweetheart, you look too innocent and naïve to have any business with kai. Kai doesn’t bring women to places like this. And even if he did, he wouldn’t introduce them as his girlfriends. So, I’m left wondering—who are you to him?”
The smoke curled toward me, making my nose wrinkle. I subtly lifted my napkin to shield myself from the smell, but Pietro noticed. His grin widened, a predatory glint in his eyes as he leaned in closer, voice dropping to a husky whisper.
“Does the smoke bother you, Amelia?”
I met his gaze, forcing myself to hold steady under the weight of it. “A little,” I admitted softly, my fingers tightening around the napkin.
He chuckled, exhaling a plume of smoke deliberately into the night air. “as kai’s girlfriend, cigarettes shouldn’t bother you because kai smoke’s too” he said as he stared at me, obviously trying to get a reaction out of me.
Pietro’s grin widened and without warning, his hand shot out and grasped mine. The contact was unwelcome—his grip firm, possessive, and completely unsettling. My heart raced as I tried to suppress the urge to throw up.
“I can think of better ways to help you relax,” Pietro said smoothly, his voice dripping with suggestiveness. He leaned in closer, his eyes locked onto mine with predatory intent. “I could make you feel things your so-called ‘boyfriend’ hasn’t made you feel before.”
The mere thought of Kai in any romantic context made my stomach churn, but Pietro’s implication was far worse. My eyes widened, and I instinctively tried to pull my hand away. “I… I think I’m fine, thanks,” I stammered, my voice wavering despite my best efforts to appear calm.
But he didn’t let go. Instead, he tightened his grip, his other hand hovering near my wrist as he leaned closer, his breath hot against my ear. “Come on, Amelia,” he whispered, his tone dark and insistent. “I would never take ‘no’ for an answer.”
Fear ignited in my chest, burning through the unease I’d been trying to keep under control. My eyes darted around the balcony, searching for any escape route, but I was cornered. “Let go of me,” I demanded, my voice trembling with anger and fear as I tugged at his grip.
Pietro only smirked, undeterred. His lips brushed dangerously close to my ear as he murmured, “You’re a smart girl, Amelia. You know how things work around here. It’s better to go along with it. I can make it worth your while.”
Just as panic began to overtake me, the door to the balcony swung open with a bang, letting the club’s pounding music flood the space. My head snapped toward the source of the noise, and there he was—Kai.
The air seemed to crackle with tension as Kai stepped forward, his presence dominating the space. His gaze fell on Pietro’s hand gripping mine, and for a while, he was silent.
 “Pietro,” Kai said coldly, his voice like a blade cutting through the air. “it looks like you’re bothering her.”
Pietro’s smirk faltered, his confidence momentarily shaken, though he quickly recovered. With an exaggerated air of nonchalance, he released my hand. I wasted no time putting distance between us, practically backing into Kai in my effort to escape.
“Relax, Kai,” Pietro drawled, though his tone lacked its earlier arrogance. “We were just having a friendly conversation.”
Kai didn’t budge. His stance remained firm, his gaze fixed on Pietro. “If I were you,” he said, his voice laced with quiet threat, “I wouldn’t still be standing here.”
Pietro hesitated, his smirk returning but weaker this time. He gave me one last lingering look before retreating back inside, disappearing into the club.
The balcony was quieter now, but the atmosphere between Kai and me was anything but. I turned to face him, my heart still racing from the encounter. His jaw was tight, and his hands were clenched at his sides.
He broke the silence first, his voice softer than I expected but no less cutting. “You’ve done enough for one night, haven’t you?”
I blinked, caught off guard. The sharpness of his words stung more than I wanted to admit. “Seriously?” I snapped. “You’re not even going to ask if I’m okay or what happened?”
Kai’s frustration was evident as he rubbed a hand over his face. “Maybe if you hadn’t come out here alone, I would’ve cared to ask,” he shot back, his words hitting like a slap.
My chest tightened, and I fought to keep my voice steady. “You have a problem, Kai. And I don’t know what twisted pleasure you get from blaming me for everything, but I’m done taking it.”
He scoffed, his anger flaring again. “Blaming you? You never follow instructions, this is not your usual club where you go strip and get your little coins, you could easily disappear tonight and no one will ever notice or even bother to look for you, after all, lowlifes like you add no value to the society” He said, clearly frustrated
The word struck like a physical blow, and for a moment, I could only stare at him, my vision blurring as tears threatened to spill.
The fuck? I shouldn’t be crying right now, it’ll only make me look weak, but i don’t seem to be able to hold the tears back.
“Fuck you, Kai,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, laced with anger. “Fuck you.”
I turned to leave, desperate to escape his suffocating presence. But before I could take more than a step, his hand shot out, gripping my arm with enough force to stop me in my tracks.
His grip was firm, his eyes blazing with anger as he pulled me closer. “Say that again,” he challenged, his voice low and dangerous.
I met his gaze, my confidence unwavering despite the fear that coursed through me. My voice shook, but I didn’t back down. “I said, fuck you, Kai. You’re a good-for-nothing bastard.”
For a moment, it felt like the world had stopped, the tension between us so loud it was almost suffocating. His eyes blazed with a mixture of anger and disbelief, But I didn’t care anymore. I said what i said,  he can do his worst.