Kayden
I fluttered my eyes open to the feeling of two hands pulling me down a dark, dimly lit corridor.
Immediately, panic set in.
My heart started pounding against my ribs like a trapped bird as I tried to make sense of where the hell I was.
The last thing I remembered was getting tricked by Soren outside the restaurant, getting a sweet-scented cloth shoved over my face, and being bundled into the back of a van.
What the hell was happening?
My vision was still slightly blurry, but my legs were moving on instinct, keeping me upright as I was guided forward.
Had Soren actually turned against me? What did he do, and why was I taken like this? Was Rhys losing his mind right now after realizing I was missing?
A hundred questions flooded my brain all at once, but one kept bothering me above all the rest: Why would Soren betray me? Why would my own friend have me kidnapped right before my wedding?
"I think he can walk on his own now," a familiar voice said.
My eyes widened.
That was Leo’s voice—the exact same voice I thought I had hallucinated back in the hallway.
Was the sweet scent messing with my brain, or was Leo actually here?
"Did we go overboard?" Soren’s anxious voice cut through the dark.
"Oh, please. Rhys is probably losing his mind right about now!" Leo replied, letting out a short, amused laugh.
Unable to take the confusion for another second, I planted my feet firmly on the floor, breaking away from their grip.
My head was clear enough now, and I snapped, "Who the hell are you guys, and what do you want from me?!"
"Oh, he’s fully conscious now. Perfect, let’s begin," Leo said smoothly.
Before I could demand an answer, I was pushed through a door into another pitch-black room.
Seriously, what was their obsession with dark rooms today?
My chest tightened as I stood in the silence, bracing myself for whatever nightmare was about to happen.
Then, the lights slammed on all at once.
"SURPRISE!"
The sudden brightness made me squint, my hands flying up to block the glare. But as my eyes adjusted, my jaw slowly dropped.
The room wasn’t a basement or a hideout—it was a stunning, high-end private lounge, beautifully decorated with floating lights, soft velvet seating, and elegant banners.
And standing right in the middle of it were all the familiar faces I never expected to see together.
"Leo! Soren!" I pointed an accusing finger at my two friends, who were waving at me with huge, guilty grins.
I looked past them, realizing they weren’t the only ones in the room. Raymond was standing near the lounge bar, holding a drink and laughing at my expression.
And right beside him, looking impossibly sharp in a tailored jacket, was Alaric De Villier himself.
The inner fanboy inside me nearly burst out right then and there.
Leo trotted over, winking at me as he lowered his voice. "I had to promise Nico the entire world just to get Alaric to show up here tonight."
Raymond walked over too, tossing an arm over my shoulder with a grin. "Brother, we got you so good! You should have seen your face!"
I let out a massive, heavy sigh of relief, bringing a hand up to press against my racing chest. "I literally thought... I thought Soren betrayed me and I was actually getting kidnapped!"
So there was no betrayal. No dangerous syndicate. It was just a bachelor’s night party.
I should have known Leo was behind the crazy setup, and of course Soren was more than happy to play along with it. They had genuinely terrified me for a few minutes.
"Are you alright, Kayden?" Alaric asked, stepping forward with an easy, dignified grace. He extended a hand toward me with a polite smile. "I know that entrance must have taken a toll on you."
Before I could even reach out to shake Alaric’s hand, Leo darted straight between us, throwing a sharp, warning glare back at me.
"He’s completely fine," Leo said quickly, blocking my view of Alaric. "We didn’t use any physical force. He only fainted because the sweet scent we used was a hundred percent natural and completely harmless."
I couldn’t help but laugh, remembering how Leo still had a massive crush on the guy.
I leaned over Leo’s shoulder, whispering into his ear so Alaric wouldn’t hear. "Careful, Doctor. You’re a married man now, remember?"
Leo shot me a deadpan look, whispering right back, "Look who’s talking. I bet you won’t say the same once you see Nico park.’’
"Hey, I am marrying the love of my life in two days," I whispered back with a playful smirk, "but Nico Park is still peak beauty. You can’t blame me."
The two of us burst into quiet laughter, trying to keep our fanboying strictly between us.
"Umm... what are you two whispering about over there?" Raymond interrupted, trying to shove his way into our small circle with a curious look. "I want in on the secret."
Leo raised a single hand, shaking his head sternly. "This is adult business, Raymond. Stand back."
Raymond groaned, rolling his eyes as he took a sip of his drink. "You guys are ridiculous."
I wiped a tear of laughter from my eye, then suddenly remembered my phone. "Wait... I really need to call Rhys. He’s probably tearing Oak City apart thinking I’ve been taken."
Soren immediately jumped forward, waving his hands frantically. "No! Absolutely not! No phones allowed while the party is officially running. Besides, don’t worry about Rhys—the guys have a little setup planned for his bachelor side too. Right now, we need to get you ready to celebrate!" He clapped his hands excitedly.
"Thank you, guys, seriously," I said, looking around the room before giving them a firm look. "But please, never pull a prank like that again. Whose idea was the fake kidnapping anyway?"
At the exact same time, both Soren and Leo pointed their index fingers directly at each other.
"It was his idea!" they said in unison.
I rolled my eyes, a warm smile breaking across my face as I stepped forward and wrapped both of them into a tight hug. "No wonder those voices sounded so familiar in the dark. I was genuinely terrified someone was using a voice changer to imitate Leo while Soren sold me out."
"See? I told you my plan would be completely convincing!" Leo declared proudly, turning to Soren with a triumphant look. "It worked perfectly, which means I won the bet."
Soren sighed in dramatic defeat, reaching into his pocket and handing Leo a fifty-dollar bill. "Fine, fine. You won, Doctor." Soren then turned back to the room, clapping his hands together to get everyone’s attention. "Alright, everyone! Let’s get this party started! Kayden will be reuniting with his groom soon enough, so let’s make tonight count!"
Leo immediately turned back to me, his medical brain kicking back into gear as he looked down at my stomach. "Speaking of the baby... do you need a quick physiological evaluation? I brought a portable heart monitor just in case the adrenaline spike caused—"
"Leo, shut up," I chuckled, cutting him off before he could go full doctor mode on me. "I am perfectly fine."
"He really doesn’t stop, does he?" Raymond joked from the bar, tossing a bag of chips toward Soren.
"Never," I laughed, taking a seat on one of the plush sofas as my friends gathered around to start the night.
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