Chapter 13: Ch 13 - No going Back
The air in Keita's apartment felt thick, charged with unspoken tensions and the lingering scent of Mika's perfume. It was a familiar scent now, one that brought relief and torment in equal measure to Keita. He stood in his meticulously organized drawing room, surrounded by half-finished sketches, unable to focus. His hands, usually steady and precise, trembled slightly as he held a pencil, the eraser end pressing into the pad of paper.
"Mika," he heard the word escape his lips before thinking, a plea caught in a nervous cough. He looked up to see her standing in the doorway, her figure silhouetted against the hallway light, more breathtaking than ever despite the turmoil radiating from her.
Her eyes scanned the room, landing on him, then flickering towards his desk. A predatory glint sparked within them. "Keita," she said softly, the sound like silk sliding over steel. "You're still here."
"Of course," he replied automatically, his voice tight. "I... I was just working."
Mika stepped further into the room, closing the distance between them. She didn't walk; she moved with a confidence that was almost feline, her high heels clicking softly on the polished floor. She stopped directly in front of him, tilting her head slightly as she examined his face. "Working on what?"
He instinctively glanced down at his desk, then back at her. "Just... some ideas." He tried to sound casual, but the words stuck in his throat.
Mika's smile was slow, deliberate. It didn't reach her eyes, which were dark pools reflecting his own nervousness. "Ideas? What kind of ideas, Keita?"
She leaned forward, her lips inches from his ear. Her breath smelled faintly of strawberries. "Maybe... artistic ones?" Her tongue licked delicately at her lower lip, a sensual gesture that sent a jolt through him. "Or maybe... dangerous ones?"
Keita swallowed hard. He knew she knew. He could feel it in the air crackling between them.
Before he could respond, another presence entered the room. Reina stood there, her expression cool and controlled, though her eyes held a possessive warning. She wore silk pajamas that hugged her curves perfectly, emphasizing the dangerous allure she wielded.
"Good evening, Keita," Reina said smoothly, her gaze sweeping over Mika with undisguised animosity. "Mika. What a surprise."