Alaric
"I have arrived and I am about to board the flight," I said into the phone as Marcus, my bodyguard, pulled up at the private terminal. "I truly hope I don't regret this."
In truth, regret was already curling tight in my chest. My heart refused to slow its frantic rhythm, pounding hard at the mere thought of seeing Nico again after that charged night in the hallway. The memory of his body pressed against mine in the darkness, the unwelcome heat that had stirred in me—it lingered like smoke I could not clear from my lungs.
Dorothy's laughter came through the line, breaking my spiraling thoughts. "Don't worry, Alaric. I am sure you will enjoy the campaign. It will be good for your image."
I rolled my eyes at her words. "Enjoy anything that involves Nico Park? You must be joking. Just hope we don't kill each other. Goodbye, Dorothy."
I ended the call before she could reply, slipping the phone into my pocket as I stepped out of the car. The afternoon sun glinted off the sleek private jet waiting on the tarmac and It made me silently prayed for a successful journey.
After bidding Marcus goodbye, one of the flight attendants approached me with a polite smile, offering to take my bag. Before I could respond, a man in a crisp navy suit stepped forward from the base of the stairs.
"Mr. De Villier, welcome aboard," he said smoothly, extending a hand. "I am Richard, the representative from Apex Sportswear. We'll be accompanying you and Mr. Park for the duration of the trip. Let me help with your luggage."
I nodded curtly and handed over the bag, following him up the stairs into the jet. The cabin unfolded before me like a private lounge—cream leather seats arranged for comfort, dark wood accents glowing under soft lighting, and a small bar at the rear that spoke of quiet luxury.
It should have felt spacious and calming, yet the moment I crossed the threshold, the air shifted into something heavier, almost electric.
Nico Park was already there.
He sat by the window in one of the wide armchairs, dressed in a simple black hoodie and joggers that somehow made him look both casual and dangerously composed. His dark hair fell slightly across his forehead, and he stared out at the runway with earbuds in his ears. He did not look up when I entered. He did not smirk. He did not offer even the smallest word of acknowledgment. He simply ignored me, as if I were invisible.
Jerk, I thought.
Richard gestured toward the seat across the aisle from Nico. "Please make yourself comfortable, Mr. De Villier. We'll be taking off shortly. If you need anything, let me know."
I dropped into the leather seat, the cool material pressing against my back. The cabin door sealed with a soft, final click, locking us inside as the plane prepared for takeoff.
The engines began their low whine as the plane taxied forward.
I buckled my seatbelt and glanced toward Nico. Still nothing. His gaze remained fixed on the window.
I hated how he refused to acknowledge my presence. After everything he had done since my comeback, I refused to let him pretend I did not exist. So I waited until the plane was finally in the air.
Once we were flying smoothly, I cleared my throat and spoke, my voice carrying a deliberate edge of mockery. "Nice to see you made it, Park. I half expected you to disappear and not show up today, considering how you ran off the other night like a startled child."
Nico did not flinch.
I thought he had not heard me until he slowly removed one earbud, though he still did not turn to face me fully. "Last time I checked, De Villier, I wasn't aware we had anything to discuss."
"Oh, we have plenty," I replied, keeping my voice low and smooth, laced with a tone I knew would irritate him. "It's rare to see you this silent. You're never quiet, which makes me wonder what you're plotting. What do you have up your sleeve this time? Did the dark scare you so badly that you finally learned to shut your mouth?"
The question slipped out wrong. I shouldn't have said it. Everyone had secrets they hid well, and as much as I disliked Nico and his annoyingly pretty face, the last thing I wanted was to weaponize what might be a real trauma against him.
Nico turned his head at last. His brown eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that sent a slow ripple of heat through my veins.
"You really want to do this here, De Villier?" he asked, his voice dropping to a dangerous murmur that vibrated through the confined space. "Trapped in this jet for hours with nowhere to run?"
A grin formed on my face as I leaned forward slightly, refusing to break the stare. "Why not? We have all the time in the world before we land on that island paradise, where we'll be forced to smile and pretend we don't want to tear each other apart. We might as well clear the air now."
Nico pulled out the second earbud and set it aside, fully facing me now. His expression remained cool on the surface, but something darker flickered in his eyes.
"You agreed to this campaign fast enough," I continued. "Are you that desperate to keep an eye on me? Or do you enjoy watching me need something from you? My management told me your precious popularity will help me gain public favor, but what about you? What do you hope to gain from all of this?"
Nico's lips curved into a slow, dangerous half-smile that made my pulse stutter. He leaned across the narrow aisle, close enough that I could catch the faint woody scent of his cologne.
"What will I gain?" he chuckled softly. "Seeing you helplessly leeching off my popularity just to survive is enough, De Villier. I like seeing you needing my help. Needing to stand next to me so the world remembers you existed two years ago. And all of this will happen for three days." He counted on his fingers. "Three days for me to ruin your comeback."
I clenched my fists tightly with every word he spoke. The urge to stand up, rush toward him, and grab him by the collar surged through me, but I stayed seated.
His gaze dropped for the briefest moment to my mouth before returning to my eyes.
My body reacted against my will. Heat pooled low in my stomach. What the hell? I thought as I shifted in my seat. Why the hell was I reacting this way toward him? I hated how easily he could do this to me. I hated how good it felt.
Nico saw how I was squirming and grinned at me. He knew the effect his gaze had on me.
"You…" I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to stay steady even as my hands tightened on the armrests. "You are delusional if you think I need anything from you, Park. This is business. Three days of playing nice for the cameras, and then I'm done with you. I can't wait for this farce to be over so I can get back to the track and remind everyone who actually belongs at the top."
Nico held my stare without blinking and grinned wickedly. "Oh, do you think you belong at the top, De Villier?" he said, his voice dropping into something filthy and teasing. "With that pretty face, you look so much better when you're on the bottom… taking it like you were made for it."
My eyes widened. The words hit like a spark to dry tinder. My cock twitched hard in my pants, swelling instantly against the fabric as unwanted heat flooded my groin. I could not stop the image he planted—me beneath him, pinned and breathless. Just the thought sent a rush of blood south so fast I had to shift in my seat to hide the growing bulge.
My face burned. I could feel myself hardening fully. This wasn't the first or even the second time I had felt this way toward him, and I wondered if he felt it too.
Before I could fire back, the plane suddenly jolted violently.
Turbulence.
The aircraft shuddered hard, dropping sharply before rising again with another sickening lurch.
The seatbelt sign flashed back on with an urgent chime, and the pilot's calm voice came over the intercom: "Ladies and gentlemen, we're experiencing some light turbulence. Please remain seated with your seatbelts fastened."
Richard, who had excused himself to the bathroom earlier, appeared immediately and rushed to his seat, buckling himself in.
Nico jumped in his seat. Without hesitation, he unbuckled and moved quickly across the aisle, dropping into the empty seat right beside me. His hand shot out and grabbed mine, fingers wrapping tightly around my palm.
The contact was sudden and sent a jolt through me. Nico's skin was warm but slightly clammy from the sudden fear, and he held on as if letting go would send him spiraling.
He was scared of turbulence. Yet again, I had uncovered another of Nico Park's secrets.
The plane continued to shake and dip, but all I could focus on was the firm press of his hand in mine, the way his thigh brushed against my leg in the narrow space, and the rapid rise and fall of his chest so close to mine.
The proximity made the bulge between my legs grow even bigger. I had to cross my legs to hide it.
I should have pulled away. I should have mocked him for yet another weakness. Instead, I found my fingers curling instinctively around his, holding him steady as another wave of turbulence rocked the jet.
Then I slowly whispered a word of comfort to him. "Relax. It's just turbulence. You'll be fine."