Sienna Royce, clad in a deep crimson gown that clung to her like sin itself, stood near the marble balcony, The intricate mask she wore—black lace adorned with silver accents—did little to hide the fire in her piercing green eyes. eyes scanning the room from behind a sleek, black lace mask. Her auburn waves cascaded over her shoulder, lips curved into a confident smirk. She was dangerous, a striking beauty that could melt into the crowd yet command attention the moment she stepped into the light. Her dress was designed to kill—figuratively and, if needed, literally. Slits lined with hidden blades, her necklace holding a micro-tracker, and her stilettos sharp enough to pierce through bone.
"Eli, are you in position?" she whispered, voice barely audible over the symphony.
"Obviously, boss. But can we talk about how stunning you look? If I were into you, I’d totally—"
"Focus, Mercer. What’s the status of our lovely target?"
"West corner. Black suit, emerald necklace, ugly as hell."
Across the room, another figure stepped into the spotlight. He moved like a predator—graceful, controlled, dangerous. Damian Adler.
Sia tensed. She knew that walk, that presence. ONYX’s best agent.
"Eli, we have a problem. Adler’s here."
"What? That cocky bastard?! Damn it. ONYX must be after the same intel."
Sia exhaled slowly. Of course, they were. She and Damian had been at each other’s throats for years, their agencies constantly trying to outmaneuver the other.
As if on cue, Damian turned his head slightly. He was also masked with golden accent which complimented his blue eyes. They spotted each other at the same time.
For a second, neither moved. The tension between them coiled tight, a silent battle waged between their gazes. But then, as if the universe itself wanted to toy with them, a voice announced, "And now, for the dance of the night."
A waltz began.
every step exuding an aura of controlled menace. Damian Adler. Masked in obsidian black, his ice-blue eyes were the only thing visible beneath it—piercing, calculating, the kind of gaze that made people hold their breath. Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, his presence alone commanded the room.
A smirk tugged at his lips as he approached her. He had known she would be here. Just like he knew she would be after the necklace. The irony? So was he.
Then, with a slow smirk, he extended his hand.
"Dance with me," Damian said smoothly, stepping forward.
Sia’s eyes narrowed. "Bold of you to assume I’d say yes."
He smirked. "Bold of you to assume you have a choice."
She didn't. Not unless she wanted to blow their covers.
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Sia raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. “Bold of you, stranger. I could be dangerous.”
Ian chuckled, resting a gloved hand at her waist as he led her onto the floor. “Oh, darling, I’m counting on it.”
The waltz began. A careful, measured game where neither acknowledged the other’s identity, though both knew. The tension between them was electric, every step a calculated move, every touch a silent challenge. Their bodies moved in sync, a dance neither had practiced yet executed flawlessly.
"I didn’t know you danced, sweetheart," he murmured, his voice low, laced with amusement.
"And I didn’t know the devil had such refined taste," she shot back, twirling under his arm before he caught her again, pulling her close.
Neither of them acknowledged it, but they both knew.
They knew exactly who was in their arms.
Both pretended they didn’t know why the other person was there as if they don’t know each other.
Meanwhile, outside the ballroom, behind the estate chaos was brewing. Elias Mercer and Vivian Cross were having their own battle.
“Back off, Eli. I’m disabling the cameras first.” Viv’s fingers flew over her tablet, her short black bob swaying as she worked. “You take too long.”
Eli rolled his eyes, cracking his knuckles. Dressed in a crisp navy-blue suit, his golden-brown eyes flicked between the screens. He was all warm smiles and protective energy when it came to Sia, but when it came to hacking? He was a menace. “Oh please, sweetheart, you wouldn’t even be in this system if I hadn’t cracked the firewall first.”
“Excuse you? I was in before you even—”
A loud beep. “Ha. Disabled the laser grid,” Eli grinned, leaning back smugly.
Viv’s jaw dropped. “You little—”
"Move your slow fingers already!" Elias Mercer hissed, furiously typing into his tablet. "I’m disabling the thermal sensors—Viv, take the lobby cameras."
"Relax, grandpa, I already did it," Vivian Cross yawned, casually leaning back in her chair, fingers still flying over her laptop. "Why don’t you focus on not getting out-hacked, hmm?"
Eli groaned, resisting the urge to throttle her through the screen. "This is not a competition."
"Then why am I winning?"
Eli bit back a curse, fingers flying faster.
Back inside, the dance was coming to an end.
"You planning on letting go of me anytime soon?" Sienna teased, her lips inches from Damian’s ear.
"That depends," he murmured, voice dripping with false innocence. "Are you planning on making this easy for me?"
She smirked. "Not a chance."
The music ended, and in that single, breathless moment, they broke apart.
Sia twirled away from Ian in perfect sync with the final note of the waltz, flashing him a coy smile. “Lovely dance, stranger.”
Ian inclined his head. “Likewise.”
Then, as if on cue, they both vanished into the crowd.
As Sia slipped through the crowd, her eyes flickered toward the west corner of the room—where their target stood. The emerald necklace gleamed under the chandelier lights, draped around the thick neck of a notorious arms dealer. It was within reach. Almost too easy.
Too easy.
Her instincts screamed at her to tread carefully. The Devereux Estate was filled with criminals, politicians, and spies—every step in this ballroom was a delicate dance of deception. She couldn’t afford a single misstep.
Just as she took a step forward, a deep voice murmured beside her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.
"Going somewhere, sweetheart?"
A chill licked at her skin. Not from fear—no, never fear. But from recognition.
She turned her head slightly, already knowing what she would find. Icy blue eyes. A smirk so sharp it could cut through steel. Damian Adler.
Her pulse spiked. He knew.
The realization settled in her stomach like lead. Of course, he knew. He was watching, waiting. Studying her the way a predator studies its prey. And the way his eyes glinted beneath his mask? He was toying with her.
The music swelled, violins rising in a haunting melody, masking the deadly silence between them. Sia forced a slow, sultry smile. Two could play this game.
"You caught me," she murmured, turning just enough so that her crimson gown brushed against his suit. "What ever shall I do?"
Damian’s smirk deepened. He tilted his head, gaze flicking toward the necklace before returning to her.
"Oh, darling," he whispered, stepping closer. "I think we both know you’re not the type to surrender."
Her fingers curled at her sides. The air between them was a razor’s edge. One misstep, and she’d bleed.
But then again—so would he.
Sia tilted her chin up, her lips parting in a breathless challenge. "Then I guess the real question is…"
She leaned in, their lips inches apart.
"Are you?"
And just like that, the game truly began.
And that’s Chapter 1! ??
- Who do you trust the most?
- Who’s already hiding something? (Hint: Everyone. ??)
- And the real question—who do you think will end up together? ?? Will it be Sia & Eli, the charming duo with easy banter? Or maybe Ian & Viv, who seem to have their own sharp-edged understanding? Or… someone else entirely? ??
theories, reactions, and wild guesses in the comments! ???
The Vault. And let’s just say… things are about to get messy. ??