Chapter 308: Cat and mouse duet

Yuki offered a tight apologetic smile to Enessa

“I’m quite fine, Mrs Velmore. I just… I need to quickly clean up the mess.”

Enessa glanced down at the dress, her brow furrowing sympathetically. “Well, if the stain doesn’t lift completely, there is a spare couture gown waiting in your VIP suite upstairs. Thankfully it’s not red wine, so the damage shouldn’t be permanent.”

“Let me accompany you there, “Xavier immediately offered to escort her up to the suite, but Enessa firmly shook her head.

“No, Xavier, you are the co-host of this entire gala. You cannot abandon the ballroom floor.” She turned back to Yuki. “Would you like me to send a personal attendant to help you to the powder room, dear?”

“No, thank you. I don’t want to cause any more public disruption. I can manage perfectly fine on my own,” Yuki insisted politely, smoothing her hands over the damp silk.

“Are you entirely sure?” Xavier pressed softly.

“I’ll be fine,” she reassured them.

With a polite nod, she stood up from her seat. Though a few curious aristocratic eyes followed her movement across the ballroom, she kept her head held high.

Aevia’s voice flickered briefly through their mindlink, asking. ‘ Are you sure you can manage dear,’ but Yuki firmly shut the link down with a quiet ‘I’m fine, Aevia.’

As she turned toward the grand exit doors, her gaze drifted one last time toward the Ravencourt table. Her brows pulled together in a tight uneasy knot when she noticed two seats were completely vacant.

The heavy mahogany doors clicked shut behind her, plunging her into the quiet insulated luxury of the private corridor. Her mind raced as she walked toward the elevator bank until her steps faltered and she suddenly halted.

Through the massive floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the rear gardens, her eyes caught a familiar stumbling figure lingering dangerously close to the edge of the deep outdoor swimming pool.

Her stomach flipped over. Gritting her teeth, she abandoned her walk toward the suites, made a sharp pivot toward the courtyard stairwell, and muttered a string of angry curses under her breath. “You got to be fucking kidding me..”

The heavy metal door to the courtyard burst open. Freezing night air rushed inward, carrying the crisp scent of blooming jasmine and chlorinated pool water.

Under the pale moonlight, her eyes immediately locked onto a very flushed, unsteady Kaden wandering aimlessly near the deep end of the pool.

Without thinking, she broke into a sprint across the stone patio, practically fuming as she closed the distance.

Does this absolute jerk make it his personal mission to ruin every single night of my life?!

“Get away from the edge right now!” she barked at him. Her voice rang sharply across the empty courtyard.

Kaden froze mid-step. Slowly, heavily, he turned his head. His sapphire eyes were hazy and bloodshot as they drifted toward her. He offered a slow reckless smirk and refused to budge.

“Why should I…? You shouldn’t even be out here, Snow…”

Yuki hissed in frustration, storming right up to him. “Get down from there Kaden. Don’t fucking make me mad?!!” She commanded.

Kaden merely arched a dark brow, swaying slightly on his heels. “And what if I refuse? What are you going to do about it?”

Pushed past the absolute brink of her patience, Yuki yanked off her high-heeled silver shoe and angrily hurled it straight at his chest.

Kaden dodged the flying projectile with clumsy lazy ease, flashing a lopsided grin..”If you wanted me on the ground that badly, Snow, then make me.”

He turned his back to her and swayed toward the pool edge once more, only to trip heavily over his own dress shoes.

Panic overriding her anger, Yuki lunged forward at top speed. Her hands shot out to grab his wrist before he could pitch face-first into the water.

She caught him securely by the hand. Her heart was racing as their eyes met from adrenaline. “Stop this madness..” she hissed at him.

Kaden looked up at her, and the slow predatory smile that spread across his face sent a violent wave of chills straight down her spine.

Before she could register the danger, a massive unyielding yank caught her by the waist.

The next second, the world flipped upside down, and they plunged downward together.

The freezing violent water of the swimming pool swallowed them whole in a massive splash. A sharp breathless scream tore from Yuki’s throat as the icy depths closed over their heads.

You have got to be fucking kidding me..

Yuki’s scream never made it out of her throat..The cold water closed over her head, plunging her into darkness.

The underwater world was a disorienting blur of blue light and bubbles. Kaden sank beneath the surface first, his long black hair coming completely loose and fanning around his face. His bloodshot blue eyes remained open as he looked up at her, a darkly triumphant smile tugging at his lips.

His large hands were locked around her waist, keeping her close as they descended.

Above him, Yuki’s lilac gown billowed around her, its layers of silk spreading through the water like an enormous flower. Her blonde hair swirled wildly around her shoulders as frantic bubbles escaped her parted lips.

‘Let go of me!’ she snapped through their mind-link.

Kaden’s grip tightened. ‘Why are you even out here, Snow?’ His thoughts drifted into her mind, lazy and slurred.

Yuki glared at him. ‘Clearly because I don’t know how to mind my own fucking business! I shouldn’t have bothered coming out here for an insufferable jerk like you!’

Before he could respond, she drew her knee up and drove it straight into his groin. Kaden’s eyes squeezed shut.

A muffled groan escaped him, and his grip immediately loosened. Yuki didn’t waste a second

She pushed away from his chest and kicked desperately towards the surface, fighting against the heavy layers of her waterlogged gown.

Her head finally broke through the water.

She gasped, dragging in a desperate breath before reaching for the concrete edge. With considerable effort, she hauled herself out and collapsed onto the wet tiles

She collapsed onto the wet tiles. Her chest heaved as she coughed, trying to recover from the shock of the icy water.

But she barely had time to catch her breath before the water behind her erupted. Kaden surfaced with a powerful splash.

He pushed his wet hair away from his face, wiping the water from his eyes as he caught sight of her.

Yuki’s expression darkened. She reached down, snatched her remaining shoe from her foot and hurled it at him with all the strength she could muster.

The heel struck him squarely on the cheek. “Fuck you, Kaden!” she screamed.

She scrambled upright and took off down the courtyard walkway, gathering the heavy fabric of her gown as she ran.

A deep, unrestrained laugh followed her through the night.. It was so unexpected that she nearly stumbled.

The sound was so wild and unhinged it sent a paralysing chill straight down her spine. He had truly lost his mind tonight.

She had barely made it ten paces down the shaded stone walkway when a dark blur cut through the moonlight. Before her brain could even register the movement, a heavy arm wrapped around her waist, yanking her violently backwards until her spine slammed hard against a stone pillar.

A sharp gasp escaped her as the impact knocked the air from her lungs.

“You really love to run, don’t you, Snow?” Kaden growled.

He pinned her wrists above her head with one hand, his towering frame blocking her escape. Water dripped from his long hair and trickled down the side of his face. “I didn’t realise we were playing cat and mouse tonight… although I severely doubt you can outrun me.”

His hot, ragged breath fanned across her cheeks, reeking heavily of expensive bourbon.

Yuki gritted her teeth, thrashing against his suffocating grip as cold water dripped down her neck.

“Let me go!” she snapped, glaring at him. “You’ve completely lost your mind! You’re drunk out of your bloody head!”

Kaden’s lips parted into a dark, lopsided grin. He leaned down, cold water from his soaked hair dripping steadily onto her face. Luckily, her high-end bridal makeup was completely waterproof, leaving her icy, furious gaze perfectly bare beneath him.

“Both of those statements are undeniably true, Snow,” he purred, his voice dropping into a low, dangerously raspy register. He let out a ragged groan, his gaze dropping to her trembling, wet lips. “Tell me… how the fuck could you bring yourself to stand up on that stage and kiss him tonight, knowing you had my cock in your mouth just the other day…?”

Yuki’s breath hitched violently, her heart hammering against her ribs.

His calloused thumb came up to press against her lower lip, prying her mouth open just a fraction. He leaned in until his lips were brushing against hers, his golden eyes blazing with an unholy, desperate fire.

“Tell me, Snow… why do those sweet, lying lips of yours not discriminate?” he drawled, his voice breaking with a raw, agonising vulnerability. “Why do I…”

He couldn’t even bring himself to finish the sentence. “That’s so fucking unfair, Snow…” he whispered darkly.

Before she could process the raw pain laced beneath his words, his scorching, furious lips slammed down onto hers in a fierce, possessive kiss.