A Bold Move

Laina knew who it was immediately. She jolted in her spot as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Their bodies were touching, she could smell the smoky fragrance notes of teakwood and oak with light rose aromatics. 

"Dante?" Laina tilted her head to look up at him. 

Dante leaned in and kissed Laina gently on the tip of her nose, causing her to blush. Laina covered her agape mouth with her hand. She could feel the warmth on her cheeks. 

Kol was surprised by King Dante's sudden appearance too. He tried to hide his face, after witnessing their display of affection. Laina nudged Dante on the arm, taking a step away from him as she did so. 

But Dante was not about to let her out of his grasp. He pulled her back into his arms. He did everything with purpose. He wanted to show the other royals and nobility in the ballroom that Laina was his.