He gently stroked her knuckles, a teasing, possessive glint in his narrow eyes. "You're a very busy woman, Ms. Panacea. Have you forgotten whose side you're supposed to be at?"
His tone was casual.
But the underlying edge in his words made Kaelen's heart jump straight into his throat.
If this titan refused to let her go... there was absolutely no way Kaelen could force her onto that stage.
Serena lowered her gaze to meet his eyes, then leaned down, lightly tapping a finger against his chest. "Is my Patron upset that I'm neglecting him?"
Nicholas tightened his hold on her hand. "I think you've decided my money just isn't enough for you."
Kaelen felt a violent twitch in his brow.
The Sterling Sovereign's money? Not enough?
What an absolute joke!
The Sterling Sovereign was the apex predator of Project Zero-Transit, an elite VIP who held the mythical black raven feather.
His personal wealth was enough to rival small nations!
No matter how wildly The Panacea spent, she could never drain a fortune of that magnitude!
But Serena just laughed at his words.
Her eyes crinkled into a breathtaking, wicked smile. "You just don't get it, do you? It's rare for the ship to be this generous. A hundred million dollars just to look at something."
"If I walked away from that kind of cash..."
She leaned in closer, her voice laced with a lazy, seductive purr. "I'd wake up in the
middle of the night just to slap you for making me miss out on it."
"It would be all your fault."
Kaelen: "..."
His chest tightened in terror.
This Panacea really had no filter.
That was The Sterling Sovereign she was talking to!
Yet Nicholas showed zero signs of anger. Instead, the genuine amusement in his eyes only deepened.
A low, magnetic chuckle vibrated in his chest.
"Alright, go make your money." Nicholas squeezed her fingers last
time before letting go. "
not get assaulted in my sleep.
"That's better." Serena straightened up, her er smile victorious as she playfully patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, be right back
Nicholas smirked, making no further move to stop her.
However, when his gaze shifted to Kaelen, the warmth vanished, replaced by an arctic chill. "I'm leaving her in your hands."
"Prep whatever she needs. Protect her with your life."
"I don't want her stepping up to solve your mess, only to encounter an accident on your stage."
Kaelen's spine snapped straight.
"Understood. Please rest assured,
sir. The medical and security teams are already locked in The
f.n
administration guarantees her absolute safety. She won't suffer a single scratch."
Nicholas leaned back into the sofa, the softness returning to his eyes as he looked back at Serena. "Go on."
Serena gave him a final smile before following Kaelen out of the suite.
Kaelen didn't dare breathe out until the heavy door clicked shut behind them.
As he walked beside the mesmerizingly aloof woman, he couldn't help but marvel at the situation.
If his intelligence was correct, these two... had only hooked up after boarding the ship, right?
How long had it been?
And The Sterling Sovereign was already indulging her to this terrifying degree.