"Ha ha ha ha!"
When Lila finished speaking, Ryan laughed loudly. "Well said, Lila. My hands aren't for holding things—they're for wrapping around you, heh."
With that, Ryan slung his own backpack over Grayson's shoulder, then casually looped his arm around Lila's waist. He buried his nose in her cascading hair and breathed in deeply. "It smells so good!"
"Hold your own bag!" Indie snapped. She already harbored suspicions about Ryan's character, and seeing him treat Grayson like that only fueled her anger. She yanked the backpack off Grayson's shoulders and flung it back at Ryan.
Lila and Indie were more than just friends—they were best friends. That bond meant Indie cared deeply about the kind of men Lila brought around. Her partner's character and reputation were very much on her radar.
"Grayson, come on—Lila was only teasing. Just pretend you're tagging along with us for some fun," Jace said.
Honestly, seeing Lila behave that way left Jace at a loss for words. Even if Lila was out of the picture, taking Grayson along for a day at the amusement park still sounded like a good idea. Jace knew Grayson came from a modest background; he rarely had a chance to go out and enjoy himself. So this was his chance to treat Grayson to a proper day of fun.
Grayson didn't protest. He followed the others out of the bar, figuring that if he ever took Jasmine to the park later, at least he'd have some idea of what to expect this time.
Just as the group reached the doorway, a cluster of four boys walked in from outside, brushing past Grayson, Jace, Indie, and the others. Grayson barely noticed them—he was about to step out—yet Lila's eyes locked onto someone among those new arrivals. Suddenly she shouted, "Jaxon Langston—stop right there!"
For an instant, one of the boys froze in his tracks. He was of medium height and clad head-to-toe in designer labels. His expression twisted into panic as he actually came to a halt.
Jace, Indie, and Grayson, already halfway out the door, sensed something was up and spun around. They couldn't imagine what Lila was about to do.
"Langston—come here right now!"
Lila pointed a long, slender finger at him, her tone commanding.
The other three boys were decked out in luxury brands as well, their smug glances suggesting privilege. They seemed ready to step in, but the boy by the door—Jaxon—hastily raised a hand to stop them. Then, with downcast eyes, he obediently separated from his friends and strode forward to stand directly in front of Lila.
His buddies gawked. They all knew Jaxon as someone brash and high-profile on campus—he feared no one. How was it that this girl, beautiful though she might be, had him trembling in his designer boots?
Word had already spread among the bar's regulars: Jaxon Langston, heir to the Sterling Gate conglomerate, was known to flash his wealth without restraint. Now here he was, solemnly approaching Lila, head bowed. Curiosity rippled through the onlookers as they all turned to see what would happen next.
"Get on your knees," Lila said, her voice as cool and unblinking as a judge passing sentence.
Jaxon's face flickered. He took a step back. "Are you insane?" he spat.
"Get down," Lila repeated, her tone soft yet sharp enough to pierce his conceit. "Not for me—for my parents. You humiliated my family last time, and I'll never forget that."
Jaxon's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "You think the guy who helped your family will help you again?"
Lila took an imperious step forward, her words clipped like a cocked pistol. "Wanna bet?"
Jaxon clenched his fists, veins bulging in his neck, but a moment later—he actually did kneel.
Lila glanced down at him and smiled faintly, her tone drifting back to casual indifference: "You may stand up now. I only wanted to see if a dog still obeys its master."
Jaxon's submission stunned everyone in the bar—including his own friends. They could not believe he'd truly knelt. Who was this girl, to command Jaxon Langston like that? Was her family background really that powerful?
Lila had every right to be furious. That very bar, some months ago, she had refused Jaxon's obnoxious advances. When he refused to take no for an answer, she slapped him across the face. In retaliation, Jaxon's father had sent a group of thugs to pressure Lila's family's business—SilverStream Enterprises—nearly driving it to bankruptcy. Then he'd threatened to force Lila into spending a night with his son—or else call down ruin on her entire family.
At the time, Lila had felt her world collapse. How could a girl, merely for defending her own dignity, be so totally at the mercy of a super-rich heir? But then, fortune smiled on her: Ryan's father had intervened, using his influence to bring in the head of the Tax Bureau, Daniel Prescott, to warn Jaxon's father. Jaxon's father, Victor Langston, humiliated and forced into an apology, backed down. In an instant, Lila 's family turned the tables on the Langstons.
Lila never forgot that feeling of desperation and humiliation. Now, with Jaxon kneeling before her, she felt vindicated. And she knew exactly whose power had saved her: Ryan's father. Even better, Ryan himself was now her boyfriend. He was on her side, the reason she could stand tall today.
The bar fell into a hush. Everyone stared at Lila. No one doubted that Jaxon dared not defy her—his earlier disgrace in this very bar, coupled with his father's ignominious apology, still stung.
Inside his mind, Jaxon recalled that night vividly. He had been furious when Lila slapped him. "I'll show that bitch a lesson," he'd sneered, reporting the incident to his father. Victor had ordered an investigation into Lila's family, he found that this family's network of relationships is not scary. SilverStream's downfall loomed. Then Victor resorted to every tactic—sleazy and underhanded—to bully SilverStream nearly into bankruptcy.
"Son, I want that filthy girl to spend a night with you," Victor had snarled into the phone. "Do whatever you want with her—you have my blessing."
Jaxon had been thrilled. Lila was undeniably beautiful—he imagined the thrill of having her. But after her slap, He can no longer sleep normally as usual; he wanted revenge. He'd stocked up on whips and ropes, certain he could assault her body and ego until she begged for mercy.
Yet everything backfired. Before he could carry out his scheme, Ryan's powerful allies intervened. The Tax Bureau, led by Prescott personally, hit Sterling Gate with a massive fine. Victor's empire trembled. Victor called Jaxon that very day.
"Son, that girl's family has connections far beyond ours. Prescott came down on us personally—slapped us with a ten-million-dollar fine. I've got to go grovel for an apology. From now on, if you ever cross her again, our entire family could be finished."
When Jaxon heard those words, his heart plummeted. He realized Lila's family was backed by forces even greater than the Langstons. In that moment, Lila ceased to be just a pampered girl—she was a power broker, shielded by a far mightier hand.
So now, when Lila barked orders, Jaxon dared not disobey. His kneeling wasn't an act of love; it was sheer terror.
"Who is he?" Ryan asked Lila, curiosity coloring his tone. He knew the broad strokes of Lila's ordeal but had never actually met Jaxon.
Lila chuckled, her eyes glittering. "Oh, him? Thanks to him, I can be with you." She blushed slightly before continuing, "He's Jaxon Langston, heir to the Sterling Gate empire—the very man who harassed me. His father crushed my family's company. But then your father stepped in, and our family was saved."
"Ah," Ryan finally understood.
"By the way, Ryan," Lila said with a mischievous smile, "why don't you teach him a lesson for me? Give him a beating, blow off some steam."
Suddenly Ryan froze. He knew in his heart: the person who had sheltered Lila's family wasn't his father. That meant Ryan's family wielded no direct power over the Langstons. In fact, Sterling Gate could probably crush Ryan's family in an instant if they wanted to.
If Ryan laid a finger on Jaxon, it would be nothing short of suicide. Jaxon's humiliation of Lila had nearly destroyed her family;—the moment Ryan dealt Jaxon a blow, Sterling Gate would strike back tenfold.
"Come on, sweetheart," Lila entreated, pushing Ryan toward Jaxon. "Aren't you gonna do it? What are you afraid of? Your father's influence toppled Jaxon's family! You're his son—why should you fear them?"
But Ryan froze in place, terror draining the color from his face. He glanced at Jaxon beside him, then shifted his gaze to Lila. He could feel thousands of eyes in the bar locked onto them.
In that frozen moment, Ryan realized the dangerous game Lila was urging him to play. If he swung at Jaxon, the consequences could ripple far beyond the walls of this bar. He swallowed hard, unsure whether to obey Lila's dare—or protect himself from a retribution he could never outrun.
The bar remained deathly silent as the three of them locked eyes: Lila, fierce and triumphant; Jaxon, humiliated but powerless; Ryan, torn between love and self-preservation. No one moved—everyone waited to see which path Ryan would choose.