Chapter 29 Thane She's dangerous. So fucking dangerous . Not because she's armed or trained or immortal. But because, whether she walks s into a room in a ten-dollar thrifted dress or a five-hundred- dollar custom tailored one, she undoes me all the same. Harley in black is a vision I will never forget. Her curves were made for silk, for moonlight, for my hands . How she looked at me when she saw me standing in her living room, dressed to the nines like she was impressed but would rather die than say it - lit something I thought was long dead inside me. She's been snarking me all night, I'm in trouble. Actually, I know I am. and it's a adorable. Adorable, gah . If I weren't centuries old and burdened with supernatural powers, I might think a time. She's picking apart my carefully curated world of control, one sarcastic quip at a "You do realize this entire meal could d pay someone's rent for a month, right?" she says , gesturing vaguely at the table between us. "I can pay your rent for a year," I say easily. "And yet, I'd still mock you for your ludicrous choices in cufflinks," she replies with a quirked brow "I'm not wearing any cufflinks," I state. "Exactly," she says as she rolls her eyes, then continues to sip on her wine like she didn't just call me out with surgical precision. She's not impressed by the chandeliers, the name dropping sommeliers, or the imported wine. She's not performing. She's just being herself. Harley. No one else. And it's driving me insane. sees in her But the best part - the part I'm trying and failing to hide is how my possessive side claws to the surface every time a man even glances direction. When the waiter lingered at our table earlier? My fingers twitched under the table with an irrational need to gauge his eyes from his head with a dessert spoon.h I could hear her heartbeat spike and knew it wasn't for him, but that didn't matter. She's mine - even if she doesn't know it yet . Her laughter cuts through my internal brooding. She's throwing another jab at me-something about my jawline being too sharp, and how she could hang ornaments on it for Christmas. "Are you always like this on dates?" I ask bluntly, biting back a smirk. She levels me with a stare before answering, "This isn't a date. This is a hostage situation with pasta." And yet, she hasn't left. She hasn't once looked at her phone. And she hasn't stopped smiling. She's enjoying herself. And it's then, in the middle of an overpriced restaurant under golden dim lighting, that I realize I would bankrupt kingdoms to keep her face. Even if she calls me Lord Moneybags for the rest of my life. that look on Harley 1/3 Спарте 29 I'm convinced he's trying to kill me with charm by the time cheese board arrives. Not with flowers or poetry-no, not Thane Draeven. He uses quiet glances. It's in the way he listens when I talk , like there's nothing else in the world but the sound of my voice. It's how his fingers tap along the rim of his wine glass like he's keeping time with my heartbeat. It's infuriating. And kind of hot. The waiter drops off the check, but of course, Thane just gives a subtle nod like he's some tragic prince of darkness who doesn't need to touch receipts. Because why wouldn't he? He probably only tips in bearer bonds. Outside, the night is cooler than I expected. I wrap my arms around myself, unwilling to admit I forgot a jacket, and refusing to shiver. Until he's there, draping his suit jacket over my shoulders like I haven't spent the last two hours trying to knock him off his smug pedestal . "You're going to ruin your whole "I'm too rich to care' image if you keep being nice, I mutter as we stand on the sidewalk, him slightly behind me. He hums, his breath warm by my ear when he says softly, "I'll risk it" The car is already waiting at the curb with Griffin next to it like a sentinel. Thane reaches out and opens the door for me, and I give him a look. He then raises a brow at me. "Trying to score brownie points? " I ask, sliding in. "I don't need to," he replies smoothly, following after me. The door shuts behind him, Griffin takes his seat in the front, the privacy screen slides into place, and then it happens. A shift in the atmosphere around us. It's quieter inside the car than it should be, like the outside world is gone. As if it's just us and the space between us, thick with something unspoken. arm stretched along the back of the seat , his thigh brushing mine as Mike pulls into traffic. He's sitting close, one an can feel his eyes on me. The weight of them. It's magnetic and maddening . "So," I start, looking out my window, pretending my pulse isn't doing the cha-cha slide, "are we heading straight home, or will you take me to your secret volcano lair for dessert?" He leans in, his voice a dark whisper against my ear, " Depends. Do I get to taste mine filgt?" I freeze. And d then, like a traitor to every ounce of sense I've ever claimed to have , I turn my face towards him. The kiss is inevitable. Outside the car, no fireworks are going off, and no dramatic music is playing from an unknown source. There is just heat- scorching, branding heat. His hand cradles my jaw like I'm breakable, and his lips press into mine like he's been waiting for this exact moment for decades. It's soft at first, deliberate, like he's mapping the shape of me, committing it to memory. And I kiss him back, Harder than I meant to. More desperate than I should be. His fingers slide into my hair, and I let out a sound I didn't know I could make. My hand fist in the front of his shirt, dragging him closer until we're both breathless. When we finally pull apart, barely inches separating us, I whisper, "That was … a bad idea." He smirks, his thumb brushing my bottom lip like he's claiming it as his and his alone. 2/3 Chapter 29 "Then why do you want more?" he asks . Touché Mr. CEO of Control Issues Touché. Chapter Comments In the English-dubbed series "Burning Between Us" by CrushReel, a life-changing encounter in Wesley Lowe's hotel room shook Alaya's world seven years ago. This unexpected meeting resulted in the birth of twins, but tragedy struck when her father took one child, leaving a void in her heart. As the story unfolds, themes of love, loss, and resilience intertwine with the complexities of family dynamics and the allure of the billionaire CEO world. Set in a modern mansion backdrop, this ongoing romance delves into the sweet yet tumultuous journey of navigating relationships amidst wealth and power struggles. What sets "Burning Between Us" apart is its poignant exploration of emotional depth within the glamorous facade of billionaire romance. 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