F1: The Speed Legend

Pausing slightly, a smile crept onto Kai’s lips. He leaned in close to spare his vocal cords over the thumping bass. ”It seems my carefully crafted bad-boy image is a success.”

Ha!

The woman let out a bright, unrestrained laugh. She looked to be about twenty years old, exuding a vibrant, youthful energy that danced in her eyes. It felt like a single glance or a casual smile from her could move the earth.

She shook her head gently and rose on her tiptoes, leaning close to Kai’s ear. ”No, you look exactly like a good boy. If you want to be Dwayne Johnson, you’re probably going to have to wait patiently to be reincarnated in your next life.”

Kai blinked in surprise. ”Dwayne Johnson?”

The woman looked puzzled by his reaction.

Kai shook his head. ”I think I prefer how I look right now.”

Wait, was he actually throwing shade at The Rock?

”Hahaha!” The woman doubled over with laughter. Her eyes, the corners of her mouth, her entire expression was overflowing with amusement.

She leaned into Kai’s ear again. Her warm breath carried the faint, sweet scent of candy. ”I have to confess a secret. I actually don’t think he’s handsome either.”

Kai turned his head to look at her. He caught the brilliant, starlit sparkle in her large eyes, perfectly reflecting the neon lights of the club. She pressed her index finger to her lips.

”Shh.”

After a brief pause, her smile blossomed completely. In that fleeting fraction of a second, the entire world seemed to brighten. Even his heartbeat seemed to press pause.

The music roared and the lights flickered in the gloom as the woman closed the distance entirely. Just as Kai was studying her, she was studying him right back.

She didn’t miss the subtle exchange. A flash of mischievous cunning danced in her bright eyes. She let out a deliberate breath, seemingly watching Kai’s reaction, before a smirk slowly crept up her face. ”So, are you hiding a secret too? For example...”

She trailed off deliberately. ”Is the sparkling water not because you’re a good boy, but because you’re underage?”

In Abu Dhabi, the legal drinking age was twenty-one. Rules were rules, but at a private, ultra-exclusive party like this, no one was checking passports. She was clearly joking.

Kai studied her eyes carefully, his own smile gradually widening. He leaned forward, closing the gap to her ear, and raised his voice slightly.

”Actually, you don’t need to keep standing on your tiptoes. I’m just drinking this to save my vocal cords.”

It was a double-edged response. It effortlessly dismissed the sparkling water question while gently teasing her posture.

The woman froze. She hadn’t expected the dynamic to flip back so quickly with just a single sentence.

Her expression visibly stalled. The raw, unfiltered emotion in her eyes churned as she scrutinized Kai’s face, trying to read him. But it only lasted a microsecond. She broke into a radiant, breathtaking grin.

”And here I thought you were a player. Is this your usual bar routine? I imagine quite a few women fall for it.”

Kai raised an eyebrow. ”Thank you for the compliment. So, did you fall for it?”

The response was delivered with supreme confidence, hovering perfectly between truth and jest. That effortless, casual charm was dangerously magnetic. One second he was the well-behaved rookie; the next, a predator lurking in the nightlife.

The woman’s lips parted slightly in genuine interest. She took a half-step back, creating a sliver of distance, seemingly realizing she needed to properly evaluate the man standing in front of her.

Kai wasn’t the least bit flustered. He stood his ground casually, letting her look. But before she could speak, Michael B. Jordan materialized beside them.

”Hey, man, there you are! Congratulations! Absolutely unbelievable race. The greatest F1 race I’ve ever seen in my life. You deserve it! You deserve it!”

Jordan went in for a high-five and a shoulder bump, acting as warmly familiar as if they were old friends. After a brief, high-energy exchange, he offered one last parting shout of ”Champion!” before turning and disappearing into the crowd.

The woman’s mouth opened in undisguised surprise. ”Oh, formula racing!”

Kai looked down at his own physique. ”Sorry to disappoint. Looks like I really need to hit the gym this off-season. Do I not look like a racing driver?”

She blinked, feigning absolute, angelic innocence. ”But what does a driver even look like? It’s not like football or boxing. Isn’t everybody a driver?”

Kai paused. He knew she was teasing, so he didn’t rush to defend his sport. ”You’re not wrong. If you have a driver’s license, you’re a driver.”

Seeing his deadpan expression, she couldn’t hold it back any longer. The mischievous glint in her eyes flared as she burst into bright, chiming laughter.

”Having a license makes you a commuter, but formula racing is a completely different beast. I know people claim racing isn’t a sport, but trust me, not just anyone can be a racing driver.”

She took a breath, still giggling. ”Whenever I hit over a hundred and fifty kilometers an hour on the highway, my palms start sweating. I constantly feel like the steering wheel is going to snap right off.”

Hahaha! Kai pictured the scenario and couldn’t help but laugh out loud with her.

She took a deeper breath, composing herself. ”Honestly, I will never understand the male obsession with engines. Those cars sit lined up in the pit lane looking like literal toys. They look so... fragile. Especially considering how absurdly expensive they are.”

She shook her head. ”No comfortable seats, barely any protection, nothing. So, they really are just toys for boys, right?”

The playful rhyme wasn’t lost on him. It was a clever little jab, highlighting her quick wit.

Kai’s eyes crinkled with amusement. ”Don’t forget, they also come with a giant flip-flop.” He pointed to the space directly above his head, referencing the Halo device.

”Ha! Right, my mistake. I’m exposing my own ignorance. Obviously, I know nothing about racing.” She laughed wildly, entirely delighted by the flip-flop comparison.

Kai shrugged. ”No, you’re absolutely right. Let’s be honest, the cockpit is basically a tiny carbon-fiber coffin surrounded by highly combustible aviation fuel. It hits top speeds of three hundred and thirty kilometers an hour.”

He gestured to himself. ”Tall guys like me have to starve ourselves just to crumple our bodies up and squeeze inside. Every race is physical torture. Anyway you look at it, the thing is just a bomb strapped to four wheels.”

It was a brilliant mix of banter, self-deprecation, and brutal honesty.

She narrowed her eyes, studying his face. ”And yet you keep strapping yourself into it over and over again?”

Kai widened his eyes in mock exasperation. ”Oh, men.”

The perfectly timed, dry delivery sent them both spiraling into laughter again.

Once the laughter subsided, Kai continued. ”But that’s exactly why it’s so addicting. That’s the thrill. We build these machines, we master them, and we use them to push beyond the absolute limits of human capability.”

He gestured with his hands. ”We use engineering to shatter the ceiling. Airplanes, rockets, space exploration... taking the impossible and making it reality. That’s where the fun is.”

She tilted her chin up slightly. ”Ah, I see. For science, right?”

Kai spread his hands. ”If we’re using high EQ, yes, absolutely. You’ve got to know how to market it.”

Her smile brimmed over. ”And if we’re using low EQ?”

They exchanged a knowing glance. Kai paused for dramatic effect. ”Oh, men.”

”Haha!” She practically howled with laughter. The effortless comfort between them was palpable.

Her gaze finally settled softly on Kai’s face, studying him under the swirling neon lights and pale moonbeams. ”Kai, right?”

Kai raised an eyebrow. ”Hallelujah. I do have a name after all. That really takes the pressure off.”

She was highly amused by his self-deprecating tone. ”You match their description.”

The phrase carried a heavy dose of underlying meaning. Not just a name, but a description? Did that mean his reputation preceded him?

Kai hummed thoughtfully. ”Oh.” The short syllable made him sound genuinely caught off guard.

A look of playful intrigue sparked in her eyes. Her gaze drifted over him with casual intent.

Kai seemed to be debating whether he should embrace whatever ’reputation’ she had heard. Catching her stare, he looked back confidently. ”I’m debating whether we should just hit the reset button and start over.”

He was refusing to let her hold the cards.

Ha! She understood exactly what he was doing. Her smile broke into full bloom as she extended her right hand. ”Anya.”

Kai’s eyes betrayed a flicker of curiosity. ”Kai.” After the introduction, he repeated her name testingly. ”Anya?”

She didn’t mind his assessing gaze. In fact, she deliberately tilted her chin up. ”Anya Taylor-Joy. I’m an actress.”

She paused deliberately, catching the slight confusion still lingering in his eyes. He didn’t try to hide it, and that blunt honesty was remarkably refreshing. She vastly preferred this.

In elite Hollywood social circles, people constantly spouted fake pleasantries like ”I’ve heard so much about you” or ”I love your work,” when they actually had zero clue who she was. Compared to that suffocating hypocrisy, Kai’s sincerity was incredibly rare.

Anya offered a slight, mocking bow. ”Sorry to disappoint.”

Kai chuckled. ”I’m not surprised you’re an actress. I’m just genuinely disappointed I haven’t seen any of your work.”

”I’ll take that as a compliment!” Anya beamed, sharply catching the subtle praise in the first half of his sentence while entirely brushing off the second.

”Of course, compared to Will Smith, I’m practically a nobody,” she continued. ”To be honest, I’m not even sure how I got in here. Would you believe me if I told you I snuck in?”

Her utterly serious expression made it impossible to tell if she was lying. But as the club lights washed over her, Kai caught the fleeting, devious glint in her clear eyes. She was definitely a wildcard.

The smile on Kai’s lips reached his eyes. ”I believe you.”

The casual response made Anya gasp. She hadn’t expected him to play along so easily.

”Actually, I’m more curious about your methodology,” Kai pressed. ”Did you walk a pig right through the front door?”

Pfft! Anya burst into breathless laughter, doubling over. ”How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, right?”

It was a brilliant reference to the movie based on the entertainment journalist’s memoir, detailing exactly how nobodies crashed exclusive Hollywood parties. It was a complete surprise. Anya never expected an F1 driver to catch the reference.

”I’m a bit surprised by your taste in film,” Anya admitted. ”I pegged you as more of a Captain America kind of guy.”

”Oh.” Kai rolled his eyes dramatically. ”The good boy. The straight-A student. It seems I’m never shaking that label. I thought I’d at least qualify as Iron Man.”

Anya smirked. ”You didn’t say Thor.”

Kai obediently looked down at his own chest muscles in defeat.

The silent, self-deprecating gesture was priceless. Anya completely lost it, abandoning any pretense of ladylike poise. Her raw, uninhibited joy was so bright it was hard to look away.

As the laughter subsided, a smile lingered on her lips. She tilted her head. ”So, you are a Marvel fanboy.”

”You wound me.” Kai deadpanned, looking utterly grave. ”I am a cinephile. Marvel is merely a fraction of the cinematic universe, not the entirety of it.”

Anya’s eyes sparkled. ”My apologies. Let me correct myself. You are a film bro.”

Kai pondered this for a second, rubbing his chin. ”I’m fairly certain that’s an insult.”

”Haha!” Anya waved her hands frantically. ”No, no, no, I didn’t mean it like that. I really don’t want to become public enemy number one at this party.”

Clearly, the dynamic between Hollywood actors and hardcore cinephiles was a treacherous landscape.

”I was just thinking...” She paused, locking eyes with him. ”If you love movies so much, how have you never seen any of my work?”

A flash of understanding crossed Kai’s eyes. ”You can look at it two ways. You can assume I’m a terrible cinephile with massive blind spots. Or, you can view it as Hollywood’s tragic failure. It’s their loss for overlooking such a brilliant actress and failing to put you in front of a wider audience.”

Anya froze. A sudden, unexpected wave of emotion visibly caught in her eyes.

Kai gently added, ”There’s no need to feel regret or sadness, because it’s not your fault. The truth is, the audience is the one missing out.”

The club music throbbed around them, a chaotic wall of noise fracturing through the strobe lights. It hammered into their skulls from every direction.

Yet, in that fleeting moment, tucked against the crowded bar, Anya felt a profound stillness. It was as if the entire world had faded away, leaving only the two of them.

Thump. Thump. Her heart fluttered gently against her ribs. She tilted her head, unable to resist studying his face once more.

And then—

”Hey! Kai!”

The moment was violently shattered. It wasn’t just one voice. Three, four, maybe half a dozen people swarmed them, engulfing Kai in an instant. Completely forgotten, Anya was shoved to the side.

Her erratic heartbeat spiked. She took two deep breaths, forcing her brain to reboot. Glancing over, she caught Kai’s expression. He maintained his polite, gentlemanly facade, flashing a brilliant smile for the newcomers. But right in the middle of it, he rolled his eyes so hard it was almost comical.

Pfft! Anya caught it instantly and burst out laughing. Her mood, which hadn’t even had time to fully crash, soared right back up.

Amidst a flurry of cheers and backslapping, the mob didn’t linger long. They aggressively invited Kai over to their VIP booth to take shots and party till dawn, before drifting away like a loud, obnoxious storm.

Once they were gone, the world returned to silence. It wasn’t literal silence, of course. The bass was still rattling the floorboards. But remarkably, as Kai and Anya closed the distance between them again, that familiar, insulated quiet returned.

Kai rubbed his ear. ”I feel like we don’t even need to shout in each other’s ears anymore. Is that normal?” A second later, he waved his hand. ”Never mind. My mistake.”

Miraculously, Anya had heard every single word. Her smile bloomed uncontrollably.

Kai didn’t say anything else. He just watched her quietly. His gaze was remarkably clear. He hadn’t missed the emotional shift in her expression right before the mob interrupted them. That look carried a heavy story.

Hollywood and the F1 paddock actually shared a lot of DNA. Brutal competition, claustrophobically small social circles, and incredibly scarce opportunities. Everyone was ready to tear each other to shreds just to carve out a path. You entered thinking talent and skill were enough to break the mold. But once inside the fortress, you realized that against the crushing weight of capital and corporate interests, talent was merely a baseline requirement.

Tonight was no different. It looked glamorous, flooded with beautiful people and expensive champagne. Everyone was celebrating. But this entire roaring party was just fragile foam. One strong gust of wind, and it would all vanish without a trace.

Bathed in Kai’s quiet gaze, the usually bold and blunt Anya felt a rare wave of vulnerability. She hadn’t expected to expose her insecurities to a total stranger, let alone someone she had just met. She wasn’t prepared for this level of perception.

Desperate to break the tension and reclaim the high ground, Anya took the initiative. She rose on her tiptoes, leaned into his ear, and raised her voice over the music.

”A quarter for your thoughts.”

”A quarter?” Kai’s tone lilted upwards playfully. ”Isn’t that a little cheap? Shouldn’t my thoughts be worth at least a dollar?”

It was a completely unexpected comeback. Anya blinked, then broke into a brilliant grin. ”Sorry. I spent my entire life savings buying that pig to sneak in here. A quarter is my absolute limit.”

She tilted her chin up with an air of haughty arrogance. ”So, are you selling or not?”

”Selling. Absolutely selling.” Kai blinked rapidly, looking terrified that the offer might expire if he hesitated.

The expression made Anya’s eyes crinkle with delight.

Kai turned slightly toward her. ”So, how exactly did they describe me? And more importantly, who is ’they’?”

Anya was stunned. He was still thinking about that?

”Wait a second. I just paid a quarter for your thoughts, and your thoughts were literally just trying to figure out my thoughts? Did I just pay for my own secrets?” Anya narrowed her eyes. ”Mr. Kai, has anyone ever told you that you are an incredibly cunning lunatic?”

Kai looked completely unapologetic. ”Didn’t your little bird mention that in the description?”

”Ha.” Anya laughed. She tried to stop, but failed. ”Haha.” Her grin stretched wider. ”Well, regarding your looks, it was mostly positive.”

Kai lifted his chin, entirely serious. ”Facts. Pure facts. I survive entirely on my good looks.”

Anya didn’t skip a beat. ”It was only when they got to your personality that it turned vicious.”

Kai’s eyes lit up with genuine, fascinated curiosity.

”They warned me to stay as far away from you as possible. They said you’re a dangerous animal,” she revealed.

”Ha!” Kai let out a sharp laugh. ”So, which little bird has been spreading this slander?”

Anya stared at him quietly. Her lips, her eyes, her entire demeanor radiated amusement. She seemed to be weighing whether or not to drop the bomb.

Kai was equally patient. He met her gaze effortlessly. Their eyes locked, engaging in a silent tug-of-war where neither was willing to concede an inch.

Finally, she broke. ”Lewis.”

Kai’s eyes widened in genuine shock. He definitely hadn’t seen that coming. He had no idea Anya and Hamilton were friends. But thinking about it, it made perfect sense. The host, Will Smith, had flown to Abu Dhabi specifically for Hamilton.

”Well, then that’s a massive compliment, right?” Kai said. ”I will absolutely take Lewis Hamilton’s slander as high praise.”

Anya hadn’t expected that pivot. Her mouth fell open slightly. ”Are you implying that Lewis is a sore loser who talks trash behind your back?”

”No,” Kai shook his head. ”I’m not implying it. I’m stating it as a fact. But, I completely understand. If I had lost the championship today, I’d probably be sitting in the sand drawing circles and cursing his name right now.”

He flashed a grin. ”Trust me, I definitely wouldn’t be standing here charming you. Never trust a man’s words.”

Anya nodded slowly. ”Right... kind of like how you should never trust a woman when she says ’I’m fine’, right?”

Kai spread his hands helplessly. ”It seems humanity is just a collection of liars, permanently terrified of expressing our true feelings.”

”Oh no,” Anya gasped with exaggerated horror. ”It looks like we’re trapped in a matrix of lies. So, what’s the next step?”

Kai looked up toward the night sky. ”Blue pill, or red pill?”

Anya sucked in a sharp breath. It was a Matrix reference. The blue pill meant waking up in your bed and believing whatever you wanted to believe, remaining in comfortable illusion. The red pill meant staying in Wonderland and seeing how deep the rabbit hole went, facing the painful, terrifying truth.

It was a brilliant, delightful little surprise.

Just as Anya opened her mouth to reply, they were interrupted again. It was Kendall Jenner and Barbara Palvin, trailed by a flock of other models. They had come specifically to invite Kai to a private pool party in the back. Kai noticed they had already changed into bikinis, loosely covered by oversized white t-shirts. Even in the dim lighting, the silhouettes were unmistakable.

Taking the hint, Anya stepped back, giving them space.

It was wave after relentless wave. But that was to be expected. Kai was the main character tonight; the entire world revolved around him.

Just as she was fading into the background, she caught Kai looking over the models’ shoulders. He mouthed two words at her: ”Blue? Red?”

The strobe lights flashed, casting sharp shadows across his handsome features. Surrounded by the decadent nightlife, he looked impossibly dangerous.

Anya held her breath. One second. That was all it took. Her heart leaped into her throat as a wild, reckless grin broke across her face.

Throwing caution to the wind, she lunged forward. ”Excuse me, sorry, coming through,” she muttered, shoving past the supermodels without a second thought. She grabbed Kai’s wrist firmly and tilted her head up, locking onto his gaze.

”Red.”

Their eyes clashed.

Kai’s smile sharpened into something feral. ”Red.”

With a massive yank, Anya dragged Kai forward. They bolted. The supermodels were left standing in stunned silence, completely bewildered by the exchange and the sudden, chaotic escape.

Kai and Anya couldn’t have cared less. They sprinted across the beach, kicking up clouds of fine, soft sand. Bursting out of the party’s perimeter, they plunged into the dark night.

They kept running under the moonlight until they were completely out of breath, their lungs burning, lactic acid flooding their screaming muscles. At first, Anya had been dragging Kai. But within seconds, the elite athlete had effortlessly taken the lead, pulling her along.

Anya gritted her teeth, stubbornly refusing to yield, desperate to match his pace. It didn’t take long for her to realize that was biologically impossible.

Finally letting go of his hand, she skidded to a halt. She bent over, planting her hands on her knees. Her entire body was shaking. She couldn’t draw enough breath to speak, frantically waving her hand in surrender to communicate: I’m done.

Kai turned around. He wasn’t even breathing heavily. He looked like he hadn’t even finished his warm-up.

Seeing him standing there looking completely unbothered, Anya was speechless with indignation. But lacking the oxygen to hurl insults, she could only glare resentfully.

Catching her breath, she looked back. The party was entirely behind them. The thumping bass and neon strobes had been swallowed by the dark. It floated on the distant coastline like a glowing mirage, waiting to vanish without a trace the moment the sun rose.

Out here, the world was completely still.

Anya couldn’t believe they had actually just fled the party. Kai was the undisputed superstar of the night. His sudden disappearance had undoubtedly thrown the entire event into pure chaos. The mental image of Will Smith scrambling around, tearing his hair out in a panic, was undeniably hilarious.

Anya looked back at Kai. The laughter was already dancing in his eyes—a look of total, unadulterated liberation.

Ha!

They locked eyes and completely lost it, bursting into hysterical, breathless laughter.

Surrounded by the pristine silence of the beach, their laughter echoed freely. Stripped of the deafening club music, it was the first time they were truly hearing each other’s voices. Bathed in the pale moonlight, their vision was finally clear.

It was a bizarre, novel sensation. It felt like they were meeting for the very first time.

”It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you. For the first time, I’m Kai.”

”Anya Taylor-Joy.”

A gentle breeze swept off the ocean. The rhythmic crashing of the waves washed over the shore. Without the chaotic armor of the party, the intoxicating, flirtatious atmosphere vanished. Stripped of the neon lights, they both seemed to lose their effortless, lazy swagger, suddenly feeling a hint of awkward tension.

Then—

”Ah! Your sparkling water!”

The thought struck Anya like lightning. Hadn’t Kai said his throat was burning? They had bolted before he ever got his drink. How were they going to fix that?

It took Kai a second to remember. He hesitated, looking troubled. ”Drinking seawater just makes you thirstier, right? We’re literally surrounded by an ocean, and we’re going to die of dehydration. What kind of cruel, cosmic joke is this?”

Anya’s smile bloomed uncontrollably. ”You could try rubbing some sticks together to make a fire. We could boil some clean distilled water.”

Kai tilted his chin approvingly. ”Look at you. Someone stayed awake during chemistry class.”

Anya shook her head, deadpan. ”No, I zoned out the entire time fantasizing I was Julia Roberts. That’s literally the only scientific fact I know. I have zero concept of how to actually execute it. If you need me to construct a Wilson, I’m your girl. But distilled water is way above my paygrade.”

Wilson—the iconic volleyball companion from Cast Away.

Kai shrugged. ”Well, at least we won’t lack entertainment.”

He just rolled with it? And fired back with a joke? Anya’s smile grew even wider, but she couldn’t help glancing back toward the distant party.

”Are you sure this is okay? There’s literally a supermodel pool party waiting for you back there. Everyone showed up tonight specifically to celebrate your championship, and the man of the hour is out here in the sand.” She looked back at him. ”Aren’t you worried you’re missing out?”

Kai looked entirely unbothered. ”I’m not worried in the slightest. I have absolute faith in their ability to party without me. From what I hear, that’s what Hollywood does best.”

Pfft. Anya laughed. It was a brutally accurate observation.

”Well, if you’re not worried about them, you should probably worry about us,” she pointed out. ”What exactly is the plan? You don’t expect us to just sit in the sand and talk until sunrise, do you? Because there is absolutely nothing up here. It’s completely empty. Just a pile of hay.” She tapped the side of her head self-deprecatingly.

Kai looked enlightened. ”An honor. A true honor. So you survive purely on your good looks too! Just like me. I’ve finally found someone living my ultimate dream.”

Kai leaned forward, extending his right hand to formally ’re-introduce’ himself.

Anya bit her lip, failing to suppress her blossoming grin. She shook his hand with immense gravity. ”Let us hold onto this noble dream, and survive on our pretty faces together. I’m thrilled to meet you. It’s incredibly comforting to know there’s another comrade out there in the universe.”

Kai nodded solemnly. ”Indeed. Indeed. Now, I am preparing to embark on an adventure. And I mean a real adventure. Would you care to join me?”

”Of course!” Anya declared. ”Unconditional support for a fellow comrade. What exactly does this adventure entail?”

Kai paused. ”Do you know how to drive a yacht?”

They had been vigorously shaking hands the entire time. The moment the question dropped, Anya froze rigidly in place.

Kai was half-expecting her brain to short-circuit, but instead, a look of unhinged excitement sparked in her eyes. She could barely contain her hammering heart.

”No. Absolutely not. Never even tried. Why, are you going to try? Sir, are we embarking on a grand expedition?”

In truth, it was a completely spontaneous, borderline insane idea. Out of the corner of his eye, Kai had spotted a row of luxury yachts docked at the marina. It wasn’t quite Monaco, but the fleet was still magnificent. If tonight was about parting, exploring, and shattering boundaries, they needed to do something genuinely unhinged.

And so, Kai turned and jogged toward the docks. Miraculously, Anya, who had been completely out of breath moments prior, found a second wind. Hunched over like a cartoon burglar, she trailed right behind him. They crept onto the marina, weaving swiftly between the towering, multi-million-dollar vessels.

Scouting the options, they finally stopped in front of the largest yacht on the dock. Unhooking the boarding chain, Kai offered a sweeping, gentlemanly bow and extended his right hand. Anya grabbed the hem of her dress, offering an elegant curtsy before taking his hand and stepping onto the deck.

Ever the polite guest, Kai remembered to hook the chain back in place. They crept up the stairs in the pitch-black darkness, relying on the moonlight to locate the bridge.

Anya stood in front of the helm, wrapping her hands around the light brown leather wheel. She playfully pantomimed steering, making quiet engine noises with her mouth.

Kai stood beside her, carefully studying the dashboard. He had never driven one, but he’d spent enough time in Monaco to ride on a few. The dizzying array of buttons wasn’t actually that terrifying. They essentially boiled down to three categories: Navigation, Engine Monitoring, and the Entertainment System.

While operating a vessel officially required a maritime license, taking one out for a private joyride wasn’t nearly as complicated as people assumed.

Anya noticed Kai actively investigating the controls. ”Wait, are you seriously going to start this thing?”

A smirk pulled at Kai’s lips. ”Getting scared? Are you worried we’re going to sail into international waters, get hopelessly lost, and die of thirst because neither of us knows how to make distilled water?”

Anya stared blankly at him. He was completely calm and earnest, discussing grand theft yacht like he was deciding what to order for dinner. Her smile broke free. ”Now I finally understand what Lewis meant. You look like a perfectly normal human being, but you are an absolute psychopath.”

Kai shrugged easily. ”Scared? If you are, you still have time to jump ship. It’s too late to swap back to the blue pill, but at least you’ll survive.”

”Haha!” Anya laughed joyously. ”No, what I mean is, I’ve finally met someone as crazy as I am. You have no idea how exhausting it is pretending to be normal around humans.”

Hubert’s earlier comment immediately sprang to Kai’s mind. ”So we really are aliens. Where’s your home planet?”

”I just hope it’s not Krypton.”

”Why?”

”Those red briefs are a fashion tragedy.”

Between the rapid-fire banter, Kai hadn’t stopped searching the cabin. Finally, inside a small compartment, he found an ordinary leather glove. Under Anya’s bewildered gaze, Kai reached inside the glove and pulled out a key.

Anya slapped her hands over her mouth, but the sheer, unadulterated thrill in her eyes was impossible to hide.

Kai shrugged. ”It seems Abu Dhabi and Monaco are practically identical. Rich people all think exactly the same way. We should take notes, it’ll come in handy when we’re billionaires.”

Kai slid the key into the ignition. His heart was hammering violently against his ribs. He turned to look at Anya.

Bathed in the moonlight, their expressions were obscured, leaving only their locked gazes. The world was incredibly quiet, the silence broken only by the crashing waves and the thumping of their hearts.

A smile bloomed on Kai’s face. ”Last chance. If you’re going to regret this, bail now. In about five seconds, there’s no going back.”

Anya met his gaze head-on, unflinching. ”Be honest. You’re terrified, aren’t you? You’re secretly praying I run away so you have an excuse to chase after me. That way, whenever you tell this story, you can brag that you were totally ready to steal a yacht, but that cowardly girl backed out and ruined the expedition.”

Bold. Provocative. Kai wasn’t flustered in the slightest. The amusement in his eyes flared. ”They don’t install seatbelts on these things, so find something to hold onto.”

He twisted the key. The massive engine roared to life.

The yacht lurched instantly. Caught off guard, Anya lost her footing and instinctively grabbed Kai’s shoulders. Kai was already planted firmly at the helm, his hands gripping the leather wheel with absolute stability.

”Miss Anya Taylor-Joy, hold on tight. We are setting sail.”