The city pulsed gently beneath the glow of streetlights, and the late evening air was thick with the scent of jasmine, roasted chestnuts, and neon anticipation.
Aurora and Chloe strolled down Melrose Avenue, sipping on fresh caramel-hazelnut iced coffees as they walked toward the glowing sign of The Velvet Room the heart of LA's sultry nightlife.
"So?" Chloe nudged her sister playfully. "How was the surprise godson twist today?"
Aurora laughed softly, the sound warm and distant. "Honestly? He's sweet. Thoughtful. We actually spent a good chunk of the afternoon talking about design, structure, form… how architecture and painting speak the same language in different dialects."
"Wow," Chloe teased. "So you like him?"
Aurora side-eyed her. "I like you like him. But I definitely get why."
Chloe grinned proudly, sipping her drink.
"And Mrs. O'Brien?" Chloe asked.
Aurora's expression softened. "She's incredible. Sharp as ever, and you can feel her love for art when she talks. She told me about a sculpture piece she flew to Milan to see once like it was a person she fell in love with. We exchanged numbers. She even wants to see more of my work."
"Wait, so you and Emery… exchanged contacts too?"
Aurora shrugged, trying to hide her smile. "Strictly professional."
"Right," Chloe said, grinning harder.
They turned the corner, the music from The Velvet Room spilling into the sidewalk, where a velvet rope and an elegant bouncer framed the entrance. The polished black double doors gleamed beneath the chandelier-lit awning.
Just as they approached, the doors opened and out stepped a group of well-dressed men mid-laughter.
Jeremy Myers, all suave swagger in a black suit with an open-collar silk shirt, walked at the front beside Jalen Harris, who was dressed down but still devastating in a navy turtleneck and a light camel coat. Collins and Derek followed, equally charismatic, laughter echoing in the night.
Jeremy didn't see Aurora in time he bumped into her shoulder as he turned, sending her coffee crashing to the pavement.
"Shit… sorry," Jeremy said, spinning toward her. "I wasn't looking."
Aurora blinked, stepping back.
"It's alright," she said calmly, brushing a few splashes from her sleeve.
Jeremy's eyes flicked over her, and something in his expression shifted. His voice dipped just slightly. "You sure? I'd hate to ruin the drink and the outfit."
Chloe narrowed her eyes.
Jalen, standing behind Jeremy, finally looked up and froze.
Their eyes met.
She didn't blink.
"Small world," he said, a lazy smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "It's always coffee with you, isn't it?"
Aurora stared, unamused.
Jalen stepped forward and casually reached into his coat, pulling out a money clip.
"Here," he said, peeling off a hundred-dollar bill, "For the coffee. And the… trauma."
Aurora looked down at the bill, then back at him with a sharp expression. "You think I'm a woman you can buy off with pretty smiles and a crisp Benjamin?"
Jalen grinned, unfazed. "Of course not. But if you ever want to upgrade your order, I've got great taste."
Jeremy let out a quiet laugh.
Aurora's face flushed, not from embarrassment, but from the simmering fury beneath her calm.
"Keep your cash," she said coldly. "And your charm. I'm not buying either."
But Jalen leaned in slightly, his voice low enough for her to hear, but not Chloe.
"It's a shame," he whispered, eyes scanning her slowly. "You wear that attitude just like you wear that dress tight and begging to be unwrapped."
Aurora's eyes went wide for a fraction of a second.
She said nothing.
Instead, she stepped back with grace, chin lifted, and turned toward the club entrance.
Chloe followed, shooting the group a scathing glare.
The double doors closed behind them, the music inside quickly swallowing their heels and frustration.
Outside, Jalen watched the doors for a moment, tongue pressing lightly against his cheek.
Jeremy whistled. "Well… someone's got fire."
Jalen chuckled. "Someone's got secrets."
Collins shook his head. "And someone's about to get slapped if he keeps talking like that."
"Damn," Derek added, laughing as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "That was intense."
Jalen exhaled, staring at the spot where Aurora had stood. He didn't know why he provoked her but he knew he'd be thinking about that look in her eyes all night.
Inside the club, under red and gold lights, Aurora and Chloe found Sophia near the bar, already prepping her set for the night. Aurora said nothing about the encounter just took a deep breath and let the music wash over her.
But her heart?
Still pounding.
With the quiet hum of a 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 filled the silence between Jalen Harris and Collins Smith as they cruised through the slick LA streets. The SUV, jet black with sleek carbon trim and red leather interior, purred beneath them like it owned the road just like its driver.
Jalen leaned back in the driver's seat, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on his knee. The city's golden lights danced along the windshield as they sped through the boulevard.
"Bro, I swear," Collins said, still chuckling. "That girl you seriously poked the bear."
Jalen smirked, eyes on the road. "She bumped into us. Blame Jeremy."
"She bumped into Jeremy," Collins corrected. "You, on the other hand, just couldn't help yourself."
Jalen stayed quiet.
"Be real with me," Collins said, glancing over. "What did you say to her? I've never seen a woman look at you like that unless she was either two seconds from slapping you or falling in love."
Jalen shrugged. "It's nothing."
Collins raised an eyebrow. "That wasn't nothing. You poked something in her, man. Deep."
"She's… different," Jalen muttered under his breath, almost like he didn't mean to say it aloud.
Collins tilted his head. "You're actually thinking about her."
Jalen didn't respond.
They reached the Smith residence, a gated modern home in Brentwood with curated gardens and warm interior lights visible through tall windows. Jalen parked in the circular drive, engine still running.
Collins unbuckled but hesitated, looking at him.
"You okay?"
Jalen stared ahead, fingers drumming lightly against the steering wheel.
"I don't get it," he finally said. "I've met women like her before. Strong. Independent. Sharp tongue. But with her…" He trailed off.
"She gets under your skin?" Collins offered.
Jalen gave a half-smile. "She's in there, man. Like a damn splinter."
Collins laughed, pushing the door open. "Maybe it's time you stop trying to pull it out."
The door shut gently, leaving Jalen in quiet solitude.
And yet, his mind? Still with her but he brushed it off with a killer smile.
Over at Aurora's apartment building the trio walked up the steps toward their second-floor apartment. The night air had cooled, crisp and quiet, with only the echo of their footsteps and the distant thrum of traffic filling the silence.
Sophia was humming softly, still buzzing from her set. Chloe was swiping through her phone.
Aurora? Silent.
Chloe noticed immediately.
"Okay," she said, stopping just outside the door. "What gives?"
Aurora looked up, her expression unreadable. "Nothing."
Sophia narrowed her eyes. "Mmm. That's code for something big."
Chloe leaned in closer. "This is about what happened at the club, isn't it?"
Aurora unlocked the door, walked inside, and dropped her bag on the entryway table.
Chloe followed her in, shutting the door. "You never told us what he actually said."
Aurora turned, finally letting the frustration flicker across her face. "It wasn't even what he said. It was the way he said it like I was some… thing he could unwrap and toss aside."
Sophia's eyes flashed. "He said that?"
Aurora hesitated. "Not exactly. But… it was implied. In that smirk. In those eyes."
Chloe's face turned red. "I knew something was off. I should've said something."
Sophia shook her head. "Don't waste your energy on his ego. He probably thinks he was being charming."
Aurora walked to the window, arms folded. "I don't know why it got to me. I don't want it to."
Chloe came up beside her and nudged her softly. "Because even the strongest women feel it when they're objectified especially by someone who sees more than he admits."
Aurora said nothing.
But in her chest, her heart thudded confused. Stirred. Angry.
And under it all… intrigued.