Chapter 208

"Damn! Alexander is putting on quite the show! I'm signing up for a platinum membership at Midnight Sapphire tonight!"

"Make that a five-year VIP renewal for me! Mr. Kingsley knows how to treat his guests right!"

The crowd buzzed with electric excitement, completely enthralled by the spectacle.

Olivia checked her phone and gasped. The sales team reported record-breaking revenue - the highest single night in club history.

Though Alexander Kingsley had more money than God, he wasn't some reckless playboy wasting cash.

Tonight's extravagant display served multiple purposes - boosting his public image, elevating the club's prestige, and stimulating customer spending all at once.

A masterstroke.

"You're being terribly extravagant, Isabella." She lowered her thick lashes, nibbling her lower lip nervously.

"Worried about my bank account?" His lips quirked in amusement, one aristocratic brow arching.

For her, he'd spent a small fortune without hesitation.

Yet he'd enjoyed every moment - more satisfaction than he'd felt in years.

He couldn't tell if he was trying to impress her or simply indulging himself.

Isabella blinked those luminous eyes, giving a hesitant nod.

"Fascinating. Most women can't wait to spend my money. Yet here you are, fretting over my finances." Alexander leaned against the balcony railing, studying her flushed cheeks with growing interest. "Perhaps you'd like to manage my accounts, little one?"

The whiskey lent his words a dangerous edge.

They stood dangerously close.

Though she missed the implication, she couldn't ignore how his warm breath teased her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

"I'm not a financial advisor."

"There are other ways to handle my assets, Isabella."

His fingers tangled in her silken hair, reluctant to let go.

"Why no more curls? I found them charming."

Her heart clenched. She turned away, eyes glistening.

"I never liked them."

"Really?" Genuine surprise colored his voice.

As her hair slipped through his fingers, an odd emptiness settled in his chest.

"The curls weren't me. But you can call me whatever you like." She lifted her chin, meeting his gaze with startling clarity. "After you saved me tonight - after finding Mr. Snuggles - I owe you. You've earned the right."

Earned the right?

Heat flooded Alexander's veins, his breath catching.

From another woman, this would be blatant seduction.

But from Isabella? It felt pure - like crystal clear water refreshing his jaded soul.

"Mr. Kingsley?"

A waiter entered with a silver tray bearing a dust-covered bottle and two crystal glasses. "Compliments of Mr. Delacroix - a 1998 Pinot Noir from his private cellar."

Alexander nodded dismissal. The moment the door closed, Isabella's eyes lit up like Christmas morning.

"Care for a drink?" He smirked, recognizing that gleam.

"May we?" Her eager expression could melt glaciers.

"Clearly you appreciate fine wine." He caught himself, remembering their first encounter in the gardens. Clearing his throat, he fought down rising heat.

Before he could finish, Isabella had expertly poured, swirling the ruby liquid with practiced ease. She inhaled deeply, examined the legs, then finally took a slow, appreciative sip.

"Tranquil Oasis '98. Deep violet hues. Notes of black cherry, mocha, and vanilla with perfect acidity."

Alexander stared. This girl could paint masterpieces and identify vintages blind?

He owned vineyards across three continents, yet her palate put his to shame. Isabella Sinclair continued to astonish him.

Meanwhile, Victoria and Natalia stewed in jealous rage, itching to drag Isabella out by her hair.

"I warned you!" Natalia sobbed in the restroom, her lash extensions half detached. "She's seducing your brother! Did you see how he mobilized the entire staff for a stuffed animal? When has he ever done that for you - his actual sister?"

She dabbed fake tears, stoking the flames.

Little did she know, Victoria already burned with resentment. "Jareth's never gone to such lengths for me!"

She'd lost countless designer items over the years. Alexander would simply replace them with something more expensive.

She'd believed herself uniquely privileged.

Until tonight.

Her brother - who couldn't be bothered to remember her birthday - had turned Midnight Sapphire upside down for some nobody's toy bear!

The injustice choked her.

"First Thaddeus spoils her rotten, now Alexander? If this continues, she'll eclipse us both!"

"Compete with me? That gutter rat?" Victoria's composure shattered. Stilettos clicking furiously, she stormed out.

The second the door closed, Natalia's tears vanished. Smirking, she reapplied her lashes.

Back in the lounge, Isabella and Alexander had finished their third bottle.

Both floated in that pleasant haze between tipsy and drunk.

Normally reserved, Isabella became remarkably chatty when intoxicated. Her liquor-glossed lips moved incessantly, words tumbling out.

Strangely, Alexander found her ramblings endearing. A rare comfort in his high-stakes world.

"Did you know? Women are biologically predisposed to appreciate color more than men." She took another generous sip. "Extra chromosome receptors for color perception."

"Is that so?"

His gaze darkened as it traveled from her plump lips down to her sneakered feet.

"And they say women are made of water? False! Men are sixty percent water. We have higher fat content!" Her gestures grew increasingly animated. It had been ages since she'd spoken so freely.

Suddenly - darkness.

"Huh?" She blinked owlishly. "Power outage?"

Then - heat. Musk. Racing pulse.

Alexander knelt before her, tilting her chin up. Their lips met in a whiskey-laced collision.

Music swelled as lights flickered back on.

In the strobe flashes, she saw his half-lidded eyes - glittering like cut gemstones.

Beautiful. Dangerous.