The evening continued to unfold in a blur of laughter, polite conversation, and the sharp scent of expensive perfume filling the air. Zara, feeling like she was drifting through a sea of influential people, spotted a familiar face from across the room. A mischievous smile tugged at her lips as she excused herself from her current group and made her way toward him.
There, standing by the bar, was one of her closest male friends, Damien. His return from a recent trip had been the talk of the town for weeks, and she hadn't gotten a chance to catch up with him until now. As soon as he spotted her, a grin spread across his face, and he opened his arms for a hug.
"Zara," Damien chuckled, enveloping her in a warm embrace, "Good to see you."
She pulled away slightly, giving him an exaggerated once-over. "You didn't even tell me you were back," she teased, raising an eyebrow. "Here I was, thinking you might at least have the decency to send a text or something. What, you thought I wouldn't notice you sneaking in?"
Damien laughed heartily, shaking his head. "Had to make a grand entrance, didn't I? You know how it is."
Zara leaned in, eyes narrowing playfully. "Well, the least you could have done was bring me some popcorn," she said, nudging him in the ribs. "You still owe me from that movie night with the crew."
Damien smirked and waved a hand dismissively. "I'll get you your popcorn, I swear. Don't make it sound like I've been avoiding you, Zara."
She shot him a teasing wink before glancing back at Xavier, who had been watching them from a distance, his expression as cold and indifferent as ever. She felt a small sense of satisfaction knowing she had him intrigued—even if he was trying hard to hide it.
Turning back to Damien, she gave a small nod towards Xavier. "Come on," she said, her voice lowering slightly, "Let me introduce you to someone." She was far too familiar with Xavier's attitude and how he treated new people, but she couldn't resist seeing how he'd react to someone she cared about.
As they walked over to where Xavier stood, Zara could already feel the slight tension in the air. Xavier's gaze flickered over Damien with the faintest trace of judgment—nothing overt, but a coldness that only Zara was familiar with. Xavier extended his hand stiffly to Damien, but his grip was firm, betraying no warmth.
Damien, however, was all smiles as he shook Xavier's hand, not fazed in the slightest by Xavier's frosty demeanor. "Nice to meet you," he said casually, clearly not intimidated. "Zara's mentioned a lot about you."
Xavier's lips barely moved as he replied. "Likewise."
Zara, sensing an opportunity to add a little spice to the interaction, leaned in towards Damien, her voice barely a whisper. "Watch yourself around him," she murmured with a mischievous smile, "He doesn't take kindly to people who don't know their place."
Damien raised an eyebrow at her warning, but a grin spread across his face as he glanced at Xavier. "I'll keep that in mind," he said, his tone playful but with an edge of defiance.
Xavier's sharp eyes flicked from Zara to Damien, and for a split second, Zara could almost feel the air around them shift.
Xavier's lips curled into a tight, controlled smile, but there was something colder about it. He wasn't one to be threatened easily, but there was an undeniable spark of competition, a challenge in the air that he couldn't quite shake.
Damien gave Zara a wink, clearly enjoying himself more than Xavier was. "Don't worry, Zara. I'll keep my popcorn requests in check."
Zara couldn't help but laugh at the exchange, the tension between Xavier and Damien palpable yet still playful. She knew Xavier wasn't one to be amused easily, but she also knew how to push his buttons in a way that no one else could.
As she looked from Xavier's stone-cold expression to Damien's easy smile, she realized something—this interaction was far from over. Xavier had made his move, but Zara was beginning to think that Damien's presence might just add a new layer to their complex relationship.
The evening, after all, was just beginning.