The heavy industrial exhaust fans in the ceiling kicked into high gear. The thick white smoke began to spiral upward, sucked through the vents.
The chaos in the hall slowly revealed itself. Guests were on their hands and knees, coughing up their lungs, their expensive clothes ruined.
Preston was holding Davina, who was sobbing beautifully into his chest. When Preston looked up and saw Charlize standing near the aisle, his face twisted into pure, unadulterated rage.
He marched toward her, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles were white. He raised his hand, ready to deliver a second, harder blow to her face.
A shadow moved.
Kavon stepped smoothly in front of Charlize. His broad shoulders completely shielded her from her father's view.
Preston's hand froze in mid-air. He looked up into Kavon's eyes and the blood drained from his face.
"Is this the standard of education in the Chen household?" Kavon's voice was dangerously low, carrying a weight that made the air in the room feel heavy. "Striking a woman in public?"
Preston swallowed hard. His arrogant posture crumbled instantly. He lowered his hand, a nervous, sweating smile stretching across his face. "Mr. Velasquez. I... I apologize you had to witness this. The girl is out of control."
Davina, sensing the shift in power, quickly stepped forward. She placed a gentle hand on Preston's arm, playing the perfect, forgiving wife. "Preston, please. Don't be angry with the child. It's my fault. I shouldn't have upset her."
Charlize peeked out from behind Kavon's solid frame. She let out a harsh, mocking laugh. "Save the Oscar-winning performance, Davina. It makes me want to vomit."
Before Preston could explode again, a young man in a tailored groomsman suit pushed his way through the coughing crowd.
Juan Castillo's eyes were red. He looked at Charlize with a mixture of deep pain and desperate anger. He lunged forward and grabbed her wrist, his fingers digging into her skin.
"Charlize, stop this!" Juan pleaded, trying to yank her away from the center of the room. "Come with me!"
Kavon's eyes dropped to where Juan's hand gripped Charlize's wrist. The temperature around Kavon seemed to drop ten degrees. His jaw clenched, a muscle ticking violently beneath his skin.
Charlize didn't want to be a spectacle for the media anymore. She used Juan's pull to break away from the suffocating heat of Kavon's protection.
She ripped her wrist out of Juan's grip. She turned on her heel and walked fast, heading straight for the staff exit that led to the underground parking garage.
Juan chased after her.
Kavon stood perfectly still. He watched her walk away. Slowly, he lifted his hand and rubbed his thumb over the cuff of his suit jacket, right where her back had pressed against him. It was still warm.
Down in the dim, concrete underground VIP garage, the air was cold and smelled of gasoline.
Juan caught up to her, grabbing her arm and spinning her around, pinning her against the side of a black SUV.
"Why are you doing this?" Juan yelled, his voice echoing off the concrete pillars. "Why can't you just let my mother be happy? Why can't you compromise?"
Charlize rubbed her red wrist. She looked at him like he was a stranger. "Are you brainwashed, Juan? Or just stupid?"
Juan stepped closer, his chest almost touching hers. "If you just apologize, we can go back to how we were. I still love you, Charlie."
Charlize shoved him hard in the chest with both hands. She pressed her back flat against the cold metal of the car door.
"We are done," Charlize said, her voice dripping with venom. "The second you stood by that gold-digging mother of yours, you became my enemy."
Juan's eyes filled with frantic tears. "You're just throwing a tantrum! You can't live without me!"
The steady, rhythmic click of expensive leather shoes against concrete echoed through the garage.
The sound cut through Juan's pathetic whining.
Kavon walked out of the shadows and into the pale fluorescent light. He had both hands in his pockets. His presence was so massive, so suffocating, it made the large garage feel like a small box.
Juan took a step back, his eyes darting to the dangerous man who had protected Charlize upstairs. "Who the hell are you?" Juan demanded, trying to sound brave.
Kavon didn't even blink at him. He didn't look at Juan at all. His dark, predatory gaze was locked entirely on Charlize's annoyed face.
Charlize looked at Juan's pathetic, entitled expression. A sudden, reckless idea flared in her mind.
She pushed off the car door. Her heels clicked sharply as she walked straight toward Kavon.
Juan watched in stunned silence as Charlize stopped right next to the towering man.
Without a second of hesitation, Charlize slid her hand through the crook of Kavon's arm, pressing her body against his side.
She tilted her chin up, flashing Juan a cruel, triumphant smile. "Meet my new boyfriend, Juan."
Kavon looked down at the pale hand resting on his dark sleeve. A pitch-black, dangerous amusement swirled in his eyes. He didn't pull away. He didn't say a word.
