The room is still filled with the hum of conversation and the lingering warmth of celebration when Cassian suddenly places a firm yet gentle hand around my waist. I barely have a moment to react before his deep voice fills the space.
"We'll be leaving now," he announces smoothly, his grip tightening slightly. "Celeste and I are heading off for our honeymoon. Thank you for witnessing this special day."
My breath catches. Honeymoon? My head snaps toward him, eyes wide with shock. This… this wasn't part of the plan.
I had come here expecting a simple birthday celebration, maybe a toast, maybe some dancing. But a wedding and now a honeymoon? This is Cassian making up for everything; every moment that was rushed, every emotion left unspoken the first time we were married.
"Cassian, I…" I begin, but before I can even form the words, Esther materializes at my side, a knowing smile on her face as she hands a sleek suitcase to Alexander.
"No need to worry, Your Highness," she whispers, her voice tinged with amusement. "I packed everything you'll need." Then, leaning in closer, she adds mischievously, "Enjoy your honeymoon, Princess."
I blink at her, momentarily speechless. They planned this. They all knew.
Cassian smirks, clearly reveling in my surprise. "Shall we, my love?" His voice is smooth, teasing, as he gestures toward the waiting car.
I exhale sharply, my pulse racing with excitement, nerves, and something else, something dangerously close to happiness.
With one last glance at our guests, a wave to my parents and Ray, I step into the car. Alexander shuts the door behind us and takes the wheel. As the engine roars to life, Cassian laces his fingers through mine.
"Next stop," he murmurs, his lips brushing my knuckles, "paradise."
We drive off toward the airport, my heart pounding in anticipation of what awaits.
***
The moment we step off the private jet, the air is thick with warmth, carrying the scent of the ocean and the distant hum of music. The island is alive, pulsing with an untamed energy. It's a place neither of us has been before, yet something about it feels oddly familiar, not the location itself, but the atmosphere, the spirit of it.
Cassian's grip on my hand tightens as we step onto a waiting speedboat. The water shimmers under the moonlight, the boat cutting through the waves with exhilarating speed. My heart pounds, not out of fear, but anticipation.
"You're going to love this," Cassian murmurs into my ear, his voice laced with excitement.
The island comes into view, glowing with golden lights. Laughter and deep bass rhythms echo from a beachside club, mixing with the crash of waves. People are dancing wildly under the open sky, their bodies moving in sync with the intoxicating beat.
A rush of something unexplainable washes over me, like a memory I can't quite grasp. It's not this place, not this moment, but the feeling of it. The pulse of the music, the reckless abandon in the air, the way the night seems endless and full of possibilities.
We arrive at a private villa perched on a cliff, overlooking the ocean. It's stunning floor-to-ceiling windows, a glowing infinity pool, and a terrace bathed in candlelight. Inside, the scent of tropical flowers mingles with the rich aroma of aged whiskey. A bottle sits on the table, two glasses beside it, waiting.
Cassian unbuttons the top of his shirt, smirking as he pours us a drink. "This place… it feels like something we've done before."
I take the glass from him, my fingers brushing his. My skin tingles, the energy between us crackling.
"Not the place," I murmur, looking around. "The night. The music. The way everything feels like… freedom."
He steps closer, his voice low. "Then let's make the most of it."
The music from the beach grows louder, the rhythm calling to us, pulling us into the night. And for the first time in a long time, I let go.
There's something electrifying about Cassian and me tonight. The way our energy collides, wild and untamed, like we're feeding off each other. Is it the music? The booze? Or the fact that, for the first time, I'm not seeing him as a prince, not as the man I once loathed but as the man I'm tripping hard for?
The moment we step onto the dance floor, the world around us blurs. The heat, the flashing lights, the rhythm pounding through my veins, it's intoxicating. Cassian pulls me close, his hand gripping my waist as he moves against me, matching my every step, every sway.
"You dance like a woman who's got no worries," he murmurs against my ear, his breath hot.
I tilt my head back, laughing, feeling the delicious burn of alcohol warming my insides. "Maybe I don't tonight," I tease, letting my hands trail over his shoulders, feeling the tension there, the power he's barely restraining.
He smirks, spinning me around before pulling me back into him. "You've never looked at me like this before."
"Like what?"
"Like you actually want me." His voice is husky, laced with something dangerous, something thrilling.
I bite my lip, my body betraying me, pressing closer. "What if I do?"
His eyes darken, his grip on my waist tightening. "Then we're in trouble."
The music shifts, the beat growing heavier, the air around us hotter. We move in sync, our bodies caught in a rhythm that has nothing to do with the song and everything to do with the fire between us.
I don't know if it's the alcohol, the music, or the fact that Cassian Lucien is finally looking at me like I'm the only woman in the room, but I don't care.
Tonight, I'm done holding back.
One minute, we're all over each other on the dance floor, our bodies tangled in a rhythm only we understand. The next, we're stumbling toward the pool, laughing breathlessly as Cassian pushes me in without warning.
"Cassian!" I shriek, the cold water shocking me for a second before I burst into laughter. He's grinning, his hair dripping, eyes dark and full of mischief.
"What?" he smirks as he jumped in. "I thought you needed to cool off."
I splash water at him, but he's faster. He moves closer, caging me in against the pool's edge, his wet skin pressing against mine. The air between us shifts - hotter than before, even with the cool water around us.
"Tell me you don't want this," he whispers, his fingers tracing my arm, leaving a trail of heat.
I don't. I can't.
So I don't answer. I just pull him closer.
The next moment, we're out of the pool, dripping wet, leaving a trail of water as we crash into the bedroom. Clothes peel away, tossed carelessly across the floor. His hands are everywhere, igniting a fire in me that I can't put out. My fingers dig into his skin, needing, wanting - completely lost in the storm that is Cassian.
Our energy is wild, electric - perfectly in sync, as if our bodies have always known this dance, always craved this moment. It's not just about passion. It's about something deeper, something unspoken that neither of us dares to voice.
Tonight, for the first time since our chaotic beginning, we aren't a prince and a commoner. We aren't enemies or forced partners.
We are just Cassian and Celeste, two souls lost in the night, between two marriages, claiming each other for the first time.