Chapter 300: Fuck it

KATYA POV

The moment my eyes landed on him everything else blurred. The music didn’t stop. The lights didn’t dim. People were still dancing, laughing, moving around me like nothing had changed.

But for me? Everything single thing slowed.

Romeo. He was sitting in the far corner of the club like he had always been there. Like he belonged in the shadows more than the light.

I thought I was imagining it, that my mind had somehow dragged him into this place because he had been on my mind since he arrived Italy.

But no. He didn’t look away. Didn’t flinch. Didn’t even try to pretend to look as if he hasn’t been caught.

He just… sat there. One arm stretched along the back of the couch, the other holding a glass of whiskey he hadn’t even bothered to drink.

Like he had all the time in the world. Like he had been watching me the entire night. My heartbeat stuttered.

What was he doing here. A hundred thoughts rushed through my head at once.

Did he follow us? Was this a coincidence? Did Michael invite him too?

No.

That didn’t make sense. Micheal and Rome are two worlds apart. They could never have any type of relationship. My fingers curled slightly at my side.

I should look away. I knew I should. Pretend I hadn’t seen him. Pretend he wasn’t here. But I couldn’t.

There was something about the way he was looking at me that made it impossible to break eye contact first.

Like if I did, I would be the one backing down. And I didn’t even know what we were standing our ground for.

A flicker of irritation rose in my chest. He said he wouldn’t get involved in my life.

He made that very clear. So what was this What was he doing here?

Watching me like…..”Katya!” Chiara’s voice snapped sharply in my ear, dragging me out of it.

I blinked, my gaze breaking instantly as the world rushed back all at once. Music. Lights. People. Everything slammed into me again.

“What?” I said, a little too quickly as I turned to her.

Chiara was already looking at me suspiciously, her brows slightly pulled together.

“Where did you disappear to just now?” she asked, leaning closer so I could hear her over the music. “You literally froze.”

“I didn’t—” I stopped myself, exhaling softly. “It’s nothing.” Her eyes narrowed like she didn’t believe me but before she could question me further, she grabbed my wrist and spun me slightly.

“Forget that,” she said, already smiling again. “Come on, you were just starting to get into it!”

I let her pull me back into the rhythm of the music. Or at least, I tried to. My body moved. My feet followed the beat. But my mind… my mind stayed somewhere else entirely.

I swallowed, forcing myself to focus. Not there. Not him. I kept my gaze forward, deliberately avoiding the far corner of the room like it might pull me back in if I so much as glanced at it again.

Chiara spun once beside me, laughing at something someone nearby said, completely lost in the music. I tried to mirror her movements again—loosen my shoulders, shift with the rhythm—but it felt off now.

Distracted. Like half of me was still standing across the room, caught in that stare.

“Enjoying the night?”The voice came from my right again, closer this time.

I stiffened slightly before turning. Michael had stepped in properly now, moving closer into our space on the dance floor. I hadn’t even been facing him, but he adjusted easily, positioning himself in front of me so I didn’t have to turn fully.

Like he’d noticed. Like he’d decided to close that distance on purpose. A small, easy smile rested on his face, his posture relaxed despite the crowd brushing past him.

“You two look like you’re having fun,” he added, glancing briefly at Chiara.

“Oh, we are,” Chiara answered immediately, not missing a beat. “Well—I am. She’s still under training.”

“Hey,” I muttered under my breath, but there was no real energy behind it. Michael chuckled softly, his attention shifting back to me.

“You’re doing fine,” he said. “Better than most first-timers, actually.” I nodded slightly.

“Thanks.”

My voice came out quieter than I intended. Because even standing here, looking at Michael..I was still aware.

Still conscious. Still….watched. Chiara kept talking, filling the space easily.

“She was literally standing like a statue five minutes ago,” she said, demonstrating dramatically. “I had to intervene before it became embarrassing for both of us.”

Michael laughed again. “I’m sure she appreciates the help.”

“Oh, she does,” Chiara replied confidently. I barely registered half of what they were saying.

My thoughts kept drifting.

Back. There. I resisted the urge to glance over again, pressing my lips together slightly instead.

Focus. Stay here. “Anyway,” Michael said after a moment, his tone shifting just a little. “I’m going to head back up to my office for a bit. There’s something I need to take care of.”

Chiara waved a hand casually.

“Boss duties.”

“Unfortunately,” he said with a small smile. Then his gaze returned to me. “If you need anything,” he added, “you know where to find me.”

For a second, I wondered if that meant more than it sounded like. If he was asking something without actually saying it. But I didn’t have the energy to think about that right now.

So I just nodded. “Okay.” That seemed enough for him.

Michael gave a small nod in return before stepping back, already turning to move through the crowd with the same calm ease he had earlier.

And just like that…he was gone.

The space around us shifted again. The music filled in the gap. Chiara let out a long breath beside me, dramatically rolling her shoulders.

“Okay,” she said, reaching down to rub her leg briefly. “My feet are officially protesting.” I huffed a small laugh.

“Already?”

“I have been carrying this entire dance experience,” she said seriously. “It’s exhausting.”

I shook my head slightly.

“You’re dramatic.”

“And you’re welcome,” she shot back without missing a beat.

Then she hooked her arm through mine, already pulling me gently away from the center of the dance floor.

“Come on,” she said. “Let’s go to the bar. I need to sit before I collapse and embarrass myself in front of all these people.”

I didn’t argue.

Honestly, the idea of stepping away—even just for a moment—sounded like relief. So I let her lead me. Through the crowd. Away from the lights. Away from the center.

But even as we moved..even as I kept my eyes forward.. I could still feel it.

That gaze. Still there. Still following.

Fuck it! I looked at Chiara who was sitting down on a bar stool, “I’ll be back” I told her and spun around to Romeo direction.