Chapter 28: A Line Too Thin

The silence between them was suffocating.

Leila stood there—steady, unreadable, waiting.

Ariana hated that.

Hated the way Leila never broke first.

Hated that her own heartbeat was loud enough to drown out the music from inside.

She forced a smirk. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were jealous."

Leila exhaled a quiet laugh. "Jealous?"

She took a slow step forward, closing the space between them.

Ariana's breath hitched.

Leila tilted her head. "Do you really think I care who you play pretend with?"

Ariana clenched her jaw. "You sure act like you do."

Leila studied her, expression impossible to read. "You don't get it, do you?"

Ariana swallowed. "Get what?"

Leila leaned in, voice barely above a whisper.

"You could be in his arms, in anyone's arms… but the moment you turn your head, you're always looking for me."

Ariana's pulse spiked.

The air between them crackled.

Denial sat heavy on her tongue, but she couldn't force it out.

Because Leila was right.

And they both knew it.

Ariana licked her lips, suddenly aware of how close they were. "You sound so sure of yourself."

Leila's smirk was slow, dangerous. "Because I am."

Ariana's mind screamed at her to pull away.

To say something sharp. To regain the upper hand.

But she didn't.

Because Leila was too close.

Because the night was too quiet.

Because in this moment—it wasn't a game anymore.