Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Grace
I adjusted the earpiece in my ear, scanning the entrance of the high-end fashion venue, already regretting everything about tonight.
The invitation-only event was crawling with media, flashing lights bouncing off the luxury cars pulling up to the entrance.
Paparazzi lined the velvet ropes, ready to capture every moment of manufactured perfection.
Fans waited behind barricades, screaming at the top of their lungs, their voices blending into a constant, chaotic hum.
This wasn’t just an event. It was a spectacle. And I was stuck in the middle of it.
Dominic stepped out of the car first, effortlessly sliding into his public persona as if he had flipped a switch. The moment the cameras locked onto him, his usual smirk appeared, easy, charming, completely at ease. I followed behind, blending into the background, exactly where I preferred to be.
A host in an all-black designer suit greeted us, barely sparing me a glance before ushering Dominic inside.
The air smelled like expensive perfume and champagne, the chatter a mix of influencers, designers, and high-profile guests.
Everywhere I turned, there were photographers were capturingy curated moments of luxury. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
"Grace, try to look like you’re enjoying yourself," Dominic murmured, tilting his head toward me just enough that only I could hear. "You’re making the room colder."
"I’m not here to enjoy myself," I said flatly, keeping my eyes on the exits. "I’m here to do my job."
"And I appreciate that," he said smoothly, adjusting the cuff of his suit jacket. "But you could at least pretend. People are staring."
"Let them stare."
Before he could respond, a new voice cut in, smooth and amused. "Oh, Dom. You should’ve told me you were bringing a date."
I turned, already annoyed, and was met with a bright, easy grin and a pair of sharp brown eyes filled with mischief. Riley Bennett.
He was DreamCrest’s golden boy in a different way—flirty, effortlessly charming, the one who played up the playboy iPlayboye most. He was dressed in a sleek black suit, his hair styled in the way that looked intentionally messy, and he carried himself like he belonged to the spotlight.
The kind of guy who had never heard the word no in his entire life.
"She’s not a date," Dominic said, clearly entertained by whatever was about to happen.
Riley ignored him completely and turned to me, flashing a devastating smile. "Let me guess. You’re the famous Grace Dauntless."
I crossed my arms. "Famous?"
"Dom’s new shadow," Riley said, his grin widening. "I’ve heard all about you."
"Don’t believe everything you hear," I said dryly.
"That’s the thing," Riley mused, stepping just close enough to test my patience. "I like seeing things for myself."
I didn’t move, keeping my expression neutral. If he thought flirting would get a reaction out of me, he was mistaken.
"Careful, Riley," Dominic said, sounding thoroughly entertained. "She doesn’t like being played with."
Riley smirked. "Is that true, Grace? You don’t like to play?"
I met his gaze evenly. "Not with men who mistake their reflex for a personality."
Dominic burst out laughing.
Riley placed a hand over his heart. "Damn. That was good. You wound me. Him a pointed look. "You’ll survive."
Dominic clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, playboy. Let’s get inside before the media starts assuming things."
Riley shot me one last amused glance before falling into step with Dominic, the two of them walking further into the venue where a sea of models, actors, and influencers waited.
I followed at a distance, watching as the cameras ate them up.
Everywhere they turned, people gravitated toward them—laughing, leaning in, hanging onto their every word.
The group of women Riley had immediately charmed were all over him, touching his arm, giggling at whatever ridiculous thing he was saying.
He moved through the room effortlessly, never staying in one conversation too long, always keeping people wanting more.
Dominic wasn’t much different. He was less in your face than Riley, but he commanded attention in a quiemore quietlyed the role of the charismatic leader well—warm smiles, confident posture, an easy demeanor that made it impossible for people not to be drawn to him.
They made it look effortless. Like breathing.
And that was what bothered me the most.
They weren’t just selling music. They were selling themselves. This carefully crafted illusion of intimacy, this manufactured sense of connection that madeions of people believe they were special.
I hated it.
"Don’t look so disgusted," Dominic murmured when he returned to my side, holding a glass of champagne he probably had no intention of drinking.
"I’m just wondering how you all sleep at night," I muttered, scanning the exits again.
He smirked. "Comfortably. In very expensive sheets."
I shot him a dry look. "Not the answer I was looking for."
He took a slow sip from his glass. "You think it’s all fake, don’t you?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Isn’t it?"
He exhaled a quiet laugh. "Everything is real if people believe it."
I stared at him, half-annoyed, half-intrigued. "That’s a dangerous way of thinking."
"It’s a profitable way of thinking," he corrected. "And you can hate it all you want, Dauntless, but the truth is, this is what people want. They don’t care if it’s manufactured. They want the dream."
I shook my head, glancing at Riley again.
He was still in the center of it all, laughing, flirting, keeping everyone enchanted.
I watched as he whispered something into the ear of one of the models, making her blush, before seamlessly shifting his attention to another woman a second later.
It was all so effortless, so casual. Like it dItean anything at all.
Dominic followed my gaze, then smirked. "Let me guess. You think Riley is the worst of us."
I didn’t answer, but I didn’t have to.
Dominic chuckled. "He’s good, isn’t he? He makes it look fun. Makes people believe it’s all a game. That’s why they love him."
"Because they don’t see him for what he uttered.
"And what do you think he is?"
I kept my expression neutral. "Someone who likes being adored, but never lets anyone get close enough to know him."
Dominic tilted his head slightly, studying me. "You’re not wrong. But you’re not right, either."
I scoffed. "That’s vague."
He smiled, slow and knowing. "That’s Riley."
I didn’t respond. I just watched.
Watched the way the people around Riley looked at him like he was the most interesting thing in the room. Watched the way he gave them pieces of himself, but never too much.
Watched the way the world ate up the dream, never stopping to wonder if there was something underneath.
I turned back to Dominic, my voice calm, steady. "anAnd ifhis was the life you thrived in, I wanted no part of it."