The hum of the plane was white noise, a dull backdrop to the luxury of first class. Kieran Vale had his head tilted back against the plush leather seat, long legs stretched out, one hand lazily gripping a whiskey glass. He was supposed to be resting—preparing for the job waiting on the other side of this flight.

Instead, his attention had been caught by something far more... interesting.

The person next to him.

They were reading. Not just any book, but one of those books. The kind with a cover that looked innocent enough, but the moment they flipped a page too fast, Kieran’s smirk deepened. He took another sip of whiskey, his icy grey eyes flicking toward the lines of text before them.

A moment of silence. Then—

"Wait, hold up—" his voice was smooth, deep, laced with amusement. "I can’t keep up. You’re turning too damn fast."

The person beside him stiffened. Slowly, they turned their head, confusion etched across their face. Their brows furrowed as they took in the stranger sitting beside them—tall, broad, draped in all black with tattoos peeking from beneath his rolled-up sleeves. A man who looked like he belonged more in a crime scene than in first class.

Kieran just smirked, watching their reaction unfold like a movie he was already enjoying.

"What—?" They blinked, visibly thrown off. "I—Who even are you?"

He let out a low chuckle, shifting slightly in his seat, the scent of leather and expensive cologne lingering between them. "Just a guy trying to enjoy a good fucking story," he said, nodding toward the book in their hands. "Didn’t know I was gonna need to speed-read just to keep up with you."

They snapped the book shut, eyes narrowing. "I—You—Were you reading over my shoulder this entire time?"

Kieran shrugged, unfazed. "Not my fault you picked a book so damn captivating." He propped his elbow on the armrest, turning his head to look at them fully. "So? You gonna tell me what happens next or are you just gonna leave me hanging?"

The sheer audacity.