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Worth

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Chapter 29: Worth (Stella's POV)

I couldn't help but narrow my gaze as Logan snuck up behind Zarah while we continued our conversation at the bar. All it took was a small kiss on the cheek for her to lose focus and grow weak in the knees. 

Her sentence trailed off into nothingness and she closed her eyes, laughing softly before leaning back into him. Kissing her cheek once more, he pulled back, dropping his chin on her shoulder and snaking his arms around her waist after placing his drink on the bar counter. 

I wasn't sure what it was that surged through me whether it was envy or simply pure disgust. I had never seen a love like theirs but now that I had... I couldn't help but crave it. "You disgust me," I said, tearing my eyes away when Zarah rested her hands over where Logan's were on her waist. 

Logan rolled his eyes at me and shot me a smug grin when Zarah turned, lifting a hand to cup his cheek and pull him in as she looked back to kiss his cheek. 

"I'm stealing my wife," he announced. 

"Don't," I warned, "I don't know anybody else here. Evie and Jules went to the bathroom and I don't like my date very much." 

"Too bad," he replied, "you've signed a contract, now deal with it." 

I sighed in defeat when Zarah mouthed to me, "Sorry," before walking away, arm in arm with Logan. 

Clicking my tongue in annoyance, I grabbed my martini glass and spun around to search the room for Rhys but stood frozen when he appeared right in front of me. I released a breath, setting my glass back down. "I haven't seen you all night, Mr. Romanov," I said. 

"Your girlfriends were rather eager to steal you away," he replied, leaving his glass of whiskey on the table and moving to stand beside me. "Did you tell them?" 

"Zarah already knows," I admitted, "but I didn't tell Evie and Jules. Yet somehow, I wouldn't be surprised if they know the next time we meet. Especially since you were so secretive about it," I commented sarcastically, giving him a fake smile. 

"Are we doing this again?" he mused, watching me, clearly entertained. 

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and sighed in defeat, "No." I could feel his gaze on me even as I faced ahead and traced the stem of my martini glass. 

"You don't look like you're having the best time," he pointed out. 

"No," I denied, "I just don't know a lot of people here and I'm... not exactly a social butterfly, so..." 

"Yet you agreed to come." 

"I thought it was important. It's their wedding anniversary, after all." 

"Important to Rowan and Evie?" 

I hummed with a nod before glancing at him. "And to you." 

"To me?" he questioned, his brows rising almost in surprise. 

"They're your friends before they're mine. Especially Rowan. I don't imagine you would want to let your friends down." 

Rhys stared back at me for a moment, glancing at the table where Rowan and Christian were before looking at me again. "Do you want to go home?" he asked. 

I let out a soft chuckle. "Do you?" But to answer his question, I shook my head. "I'd rather stay. I'd rather this night not end at all." I couldn't help but snicker at the end of my statement. 

"Is there something you want to tell me?" 

Contemplating, I debated whether I should tell him or not but with a big sip of my drink, I decided it would be better to come clean. "My father called me today," I exhaled, setting my empty glass down and picking up the pick that sat in between, piercing an olive. 

My nose scrunched up with a grimace as I moved to set the pick onto the napkin but stopped when Rhys reached forward and plucked it out of my hand, biting off the olive. "You like olives?" I asked in disbelief. 

"Hmm," he nodded once, "you don't?" 

I shook my head. 

Amusement glimmered in his eyes for a moment. "Your father called?" he questioned. 

"Yeah," I replied, "he called me for dinner tomorrow. I'm guessing Alana finally told him something and he finally decided how to react. I'm expecting him to grill me tomorrow so I would love to make tonight worth it." Pausing, I pulled on a smile and waved the bartender over. "Another martini, please." I glanced over at Rhys, feeling his gaze on me. 

His eyes lingered on mine for a beat before shifting to my empty glass. 

"Don't worry, you won't have to take care of me tonight," I teased. As I thanked the bartender and took the first sip of my drink, I almost choked on the martini as Rhys stole the glass from my lips. 

"Then don't drink any more than you already have, Dorogaya," he said, setting my glass down with a clink. 

I huffed in annoyance and slid my glass back over to me. "I know my limit, Mr. Romanov. I can handle it." 

"Oh, yeah?" he asked, standing upright as he faced me and taking a step forward. 

I almost moved back, startled at the sudden proximity but resisted and stood my ground, pushing my shoulders back. "Yeah," I nodded, staring back at him. 

"Stella, if you get drunk tonight, I won't be taking care of you," he warned. 

"I don't need you to take care of me," I reasoned, shrugging lightly. 

"Why do you insist on testing my patience?" he asked, his voice low and almost gentle as he lifted a hand to tuck away a strand of my hair that slipped past my ears. 

"Maybe because that's what I do best," I responded, tracing the edge of his tie lightly, lifting it before letting it fall against him. 

He released a soft breath, holding my gaze. "I should get you home before you become trouble for me tonight," he mumbled under his breath. 

My gaze shot to the very center of the room as music lightly began playing from the corner of the room, slowly picking up in volume and reaching the crowd as Rowan took a hold of Evie's hand where she stood near the entrance and tugged her to the middle despite her weak protests and laughter. 

Within moments, they began swaying and dancing together once Rowan pulled her closer, eating up the distance between them, leaving no inch of her untouched as their bodies came closer and she looped her arms around his neck, whispering something in his ear with a grin before hiding behind his shoulder. 

"Do you think love like that exists, Mr. Romanov? Outside the world your friends seem to have created?" I turned to Rhys. "Do you think everybody can have it?" 

He seemed to dwell over my question for some time before answering while I watched as Logan and Zarah joined in first with Zarah dragging him onto the dance floor and him acting like he hated it. 

Shortly after, Christian and Jules were right there too with giddy grins on their faces. 

"I think everybody can have it," Rhys finally answered, drawing my attention to him again, "but not everybody does." 

I wanted it. I wanted it so fucking bad. 

But I'll never have it. Everybody can't be the exception. 

It didn't matter how badly I wanted it. The only man my fate left me entangled with was Rhys and he had no plans or desire to be the exception. I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to be his exception, to begin with. 

I couldn't help but think that getting too deeply involved with Rhys would only leave me hurting and hating him. But I didn't want to hate him. 

"Dance with me," I blurted out without even comprehending my words. Blinking in surprise at my bold demand, I stared at him. 

"What?" he asked blankly. 

I held out a hand, ditching all thoughts as I let my body take control. 

Just one night of fun with Rhys couldn't do any harm. We would be spending some time together, convincing everybody around us that we were in love. Preparing for it couldn't hurt. 

"Why would we dance, my love?" he asked, watching me with curiosity. 

"You said it yourself," I retorted, taking his tie and tugging him closer, giving him a glare as a fair warning. "Practice makes perfect. We better look like we're in love if we're going to act like it, right?" 

Rhys's hand engulfed mine as he tugged it off the tie. Where I expected him to almost throw my hand off... he took it in his, locking our fingers together, and tugged me closer. "I'm almost offended you think we'd fail to look like we're in love." 

I laughed as we headed towards the center of the room once Rhys downed whatever was left of his whiskey. "Why? Do you think we make a good team? Do you perhaps think we look good together, Mr. Romanov? The perfect couple, maybe?" I asked teasingly as we found a spot. 

He tilted his head slightly in thought before placing his hands on my waist and pulling me against him. My hands flew to his chest to steady myself and avoid tripping as I stared at him in surprise. "Perhaps," he said, answering my question, "I think we do look rather good together, Dorogaya." 

"Mm-hmm? Why is that?" I asked, a smile threatening to spread over my face, no matter how hard I fought it. 

"Even individually, we're forces to be reckoned with," he said casually. 

I let out a tiny surprised hum as I chuckled in amusement and couldn't help but grin like an idiot, feeling heat crawl up my neck as my cheeks flushed. "We are, I suppose," I agreed. "But together?" 

He stared back at me. "Together?" he repeated, "we'll be... untouchable." 

My words were cut off as Rhys pulled back and spun me around swiftly before drawing me into him again. 

"What would you say, my love? Am I making tonight worth your time?" What I saw in Rhys's eyes almost resembled... concern? It almost fooled me into believing that he was worried about what my father would do tomorrow. 

"I would say I wish tonight never ended, Mr. Romanov," I answered truthfully. 

Rhys took in a sharp breath, annoyance and distress flashing through him. "Let me come with you tomorrow," he said, "I should be there." 

I adjusted my arms around his neck, my fingers brushing against the back of his neck. "Are you worried?" I taunted, a tiny smirk dancing on my lips. 

"When it comes to you, it seems like I'm always worried," he muttered quietly, glancing around the room, looking away from me. 

"Rhys," I said gently but it seemed like he didn't want to meet my gaze. Drawing back a hand, I placed a single finger on his jaw and pushed lightly, forcing him to look at me. "I can take care of myself. It's my father." 

That's almost worse... but I can't tell him why. 

"I'm more worried about you though," I added. 

"Is that so?" he asked, moving a hand to the small of my back as he drew my hips into his, taking my breath away. 

I nodded once, hesitantly. 

"Why?" he pressed further. 

I moved my chin down, gesturing for him to come closer and as he leaned in, I inched closer, lifting my lips to his ear, and whispered, "Don't fall in love with me." 

He drew back and we met each other's eyes. "I think it would do more harm than good if I did," he admitted softly. 

"And if I do?" I dared to ask, unsure if I even wanted to hear the answer. "Will you break my heart?" 

"I certainly hope I'm not capable of it. Don't ever cry over me, Stella. I'm not worth it." 

I paused, almost confused by his words. "Sometimes the heart wants what it wants, Mr. Romanov. It can't be helped." It didn't seem like those were the words he wanted to hear. "Luckily, we'll never fall in love," I said, uttering words I only halfheartedly believed, "we're far too different. Don't you agree?" 

"I certainly do," he replied quietly before spinning me again.

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Chapter 29

I took a little break for 2 days but stay with me here cuz I just moved houses so I've been settling in, on top of that, my winter break ends the day after tomorrow and I have two major deadlines on the first two days of school AND I have mocks starting on the 16th so yay life

sorry for the rant lol

next ch: stay