Reborn at Eighteen The Billionaire's Second Chance novel Chapter 105

Reborn at Eighteen: The Billionaire’s Second

Chapter 105

I glanced at Raven. At her unfocused eyes, her slack posture. The

white residue at the bottom of one of the glasses on the table.

Think. Think.

“Because-” I lifted my chin. Met his eyes. “Because I wanted to meet

you.”

His eyebrows rose. “Meet me.”

“Yes.” I took a breath. Forced steadiness into my voice. “I’ve… I’ve

seen you. At Blackwood. At family dinners.” The lies flowed easier

now. Desperate lies. “I wanted to talk to you. But I didn’t know how.

When I heard you were here tonight-”

“You pretended to be Victoria Vane to get past my security.” His tone

was skeptical. But there was interest there too. Curiosity.

“I didn’t think you’d agree to see me otherwise.” I clasped my hands

together. Let them shake slightly–not hard to fake, given how

terrified I was. “I’m nobody. Just the girl they took in out of pity. But

you-”

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“What about me?”

“You’re ” I searched for words that would flatter his ego. “You’re not

like them. The Vanes. You’re… real. Powerful in your own right. Not

just because of your name.”

He studied me for a long moment. I could see him weighing my

words. Deciding whether to believe me.

Finally, he laughed. Low and dangerous. “You’re either very brave or

very stupid, little girl.”

“Maybe both.” I forced a small smile. “I just wanted to meet you. To

talk to you.”

His gaze slid to Raven. Back to me. “And what about her?”

“That girl?” I made my voice dismissive. Cold. Like Victoria talking

about someone beneath her. “Her service tonight is clearly….

inadequate.” I gestured at Raven’s drugged state. “I thought–I hoped

–maybe I could take her place. Spend the evening with you instead.”

Silence stretched between us. My heart hammered so hard I thought

he’d hear it.

Then Damien Kennedy smiled. Slow and sharp as a knife

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“Is that so?”

He moved closer. I forced myself not to step back. Not to run.

“You want to replace her?” His voice dropped lower. “Entertain me for

the evening?”

“Yes.” The word barely made it past my lips.

“Interesting.” He reached out. Caught my chin between his thumb and

forefinger, tilting my face up to the light. “Very interesting.”

My skin crawled where he touched me. But I didn’t pull away. Didn’t

flinch.

Behind him, Raven made a small sound. A whimper.

Damien’s grip tightened on my jaw. “You know what? I think I’ll take

you up on that offer.” He released me. Moved to the bar cart in the

corner. “But first, let’s have a drink. To celebrate this… unexpected

visit.”

He poured amber liquid into two tumblers. Brought one to me.

“To new acquaintances.”

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I took the glass. The crystal was cold and heavy in my hand.

If I could get him drunk–drunk enough to pass out–maybe I could

get Raven out of here. Get us both out.

It was a terrible plan. But it was all I had.

I raised the glass. “To new acquaintances.”

We both drank.

The whiskey burned down my throat like liquid fire. I forced myself

not to cough, not to show weakness. Just lifted my chin and met his

eyes.

“Another?” I tried to sound eager. Reckless.

“Why not.” He refilled both glasses. “Unless you can’t keep up.”

“I can keep up.” I drank again. Too fast. The room tilted slightly at the

edges.

We went through three more rounds. By the fourth glass, heat

crawled up my neck. Made my skin too tight. The edges of my

vision

blurred.

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Just the alcohol, I told myself. Just whiskey on an empty stomach.

But somewhere in the back of my mind, a small voice whispered:

“What if it’s not?”

When I reached for the fifth glass, Damien caught my wrist. Hard

enough to hurt.

“You know what?” His smile had changed. Sharper now. Crueler. “I

don’t think you came here to meet me at all.”