Prologue

Renia's POV

January 1st, 2030

"I am going home, Bella," I yelled in my friend's ear.

We were at a new year's party in one of her friend's places. I wasn't supposed to be here but she dragged me out of my house and insisted I followed her to the party. I agreed but I made her understand that I will take my leave after an hour and she agreed.

Now thirty minutes later, Bella was busy dancing with some guy(well, if you call what she is doing dancing) I was starting to regret ever allowing her to bring me here. Today wasn't the first time she has asked me to accompany her to her usual night parties and I have never agreed to it before until today and I must say that I regret it...a lot.

The people in the so-called party were so drunk that they couldn't see straight and I can't count the number of guys that had tried to grab my butt or my boobs. I managed to avoid a lot of them but some of them still managed to smack my ass and that shit was painful as fuck.

I wonder how people find joy in this kind of thing, loud music, low lights, sweaty bodies grinding against each other, drunks trying to grab your ass or boobs and the worst of all is the fact that some of them will downright walk up to you and ask if you are interested in well...having sex with them.

I walked out of the club when I didn't get any reply from Bella, I think she was just too wasted to think straight. And it would be hopeless trying to get her to come with me. That is just the way she is, she sleeps with anything and anybody. I am not calling her a whore but she isn't far from it anyway and she takes alcohol like she drinks water(far too often for my liking) I think she has some kind of addiction to it.

"Hey watch where you going." A huge guy shouted. I tried not to cower in fear and just stared him down and I continued walking without giving him a reply.

"Did she just...glare at me?" I barely heard him talking to his partner and I made the mistake of turning around to face them.

"Stop right there little girl." He said and started walking towards me. I panicked and tried to move my leg but it felt like a big boulder was holding it down because my legs wouldn't move no matter how much I tried.

I curse Ella for making me come here. I mean this wouldn't be happening if I was at home... I wouldn't be here if I was at home planning my next award-winning advertisement. I have never hated Ella more and she is not even here to get me out of this mess.

"How dare you glare at me, you little wench?..."

Wench? Who says that nowadays?

I opened my mouth to reply but I guess it wasn't just my leg that failed, even my mouth was failing me.

"I didn't glare at you," I murmured and he let out a humorless laugh.

"Are you calling me a liar?" He asked and it took a lot not to let out a scoff.

"I wouldn't know," I mumbled under my breathe but judging by the murderous look in his eyes... he heard what I said, and well... I don't think this is going to be good.

I know it won't end well.

"You little fucker, I ought to..." he raised his hand at me and I flinched and braced myself for the slap that was impending until I heard his voice.

"What is going on over there?" The voice asked. The big guy turned around and faced the direction of the voice.

He let out a chuckle "Knights." He murmured.

"Gareth. What is going on here?" The Knights guy asked. I couldn't see his face but I could be make out his build. He was really big, not as big as Gareth but he filled out his shirt and joggers very well and it was obvious that he takes his exercise seriously. If his very obvious biceps and abs are anything to go by.

"Just teaching this little fucker a lesson," Gareth replied and I had to bite my tongue to stop myself from giving him a befitting reply.

"Let her go." The Knights guy said and Gareth let out a loud grunt.

"But..." he started to reply.

"She is with me, Gareth. Please let her go. I apologize for whatever it is she might have done." The Knights guy said.

Why the fuck was he apologizing to him? I did nothing wrong.

I opened my mouth to tell him just that but I felt like the Knights guy sent me a glare. I don't know how that was possible, because I haven't even seen his face clearly, but somehow I knew that he was glaring at me as if to tell me to keep quiet.

"Okay okay, I will leave her alone...because of you," Gareth said.

"Thank you." Knights replied.

Gareth turned to face me and glared at him and I glared right back.

"The fuck. She is still glaring." He said and he looked like he was about to do something about the fact that I was still glaring at him- probably pluck my eyes out of its socket.

"Gareth." The Knights guy said so lowly that it almost sounded like a warning.

"Fine, I am leaving," Gareth said and walked away with his friends but not before hitting me with his shoulders. I glared at his retreating form and I felt my shoulders sag with relief when he was finally out of sight.

I turned around to thank the Knights guy but my breath got knocked out of me when I locked eyes with him. He was closer now...way too close for comfort. And he was staring at me like he knew everything going on in my head. His dark eyes looked so enticing and scary at the same time. Scary in the sense that I couldn't read him, I like to think that you can know whatever a person is thinking by looking into their eyes and it has always worked until now, his eyes are like a bottomless pit, the kind of eyes that would draw you in and you will end up drowning if you stared too much. His eye was fucking cold and emotionless and so unreadable and the fact that his eyes are so unreadable unnerved me.

"Umm...." I opened my mouth to say something but I couldn't form a sentence. It was his eyes...the fact that I couldn't read him made me nervous and maybe tongue-tied too.

"What I believe you were trying to say is thank you," He said his warm breath washing over my face and it sent shivers down my spine.

What the fuck is wrong with, Renia? Look away.

I finally managed to remove my eyes from his and I opted for staring at his chest instead.

"No, I could have handled that situation on my own," I said. I lied. If he didn't come to my rescue then Gareth would have beaten me to a pulp but I wasn't about to admit to this guy that he is my knight in shining armor. No pun intended.

He smiled. I wasn't looking at his face but I knew that he smiled. I don't know why but it was like my senses were in tune with him and that is scarier than his eyes.

"Yeah, I bet Gareth would have beaten you to pulp and sent you home with a broken leg." He said and I just grunted in reply.

"What is your name?" He asked me.

"Renia," I answered and he hummed and said the name under his breath. I was close enough to hear him.

"You have a unique name." He said and I just nodded in reply because well, because nothing.

"Why are you not looking at me?" He asked.

"Because you unnerve me. I can't seem to read those eyes of yours and you look like you can see everything going on in my head and it is just really scary." I said.

"Ohh..." He said and I chuckled at his reply. I guess I would have reacted the same way if someone were to make that kind of comment about my eyes too but unfortunately, no one has. 

"Look at me, Renia." He said or rather ordered and as if my head has a mind of its own, I looked at him but not his eyes. I took my time to study his face. He is good-looking. Starting from his black hair that has been styled to perfection and his sharp jawline, piercing eyes and well, I didn't think I would ever say this about a guy but he was perfect looking, and to think I haven't even seen his face.

He placed his finger under my chin and positioned my face in a way that I was staring into his eyes...those darn eyes.

"I like your eyes too, Renia. They are hazel and well, that is my favorite color." He said one side of his lips lifting and turning into a smirk. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Ohh...Thank you?" I said unsure and he nodded in reply.

"My name is Raphael by the way. Raphael Knights." He said. His name suits him and if I were a guy trying to hit on a girl I would have said something along the line of 'pretty name for a pretty girl.'  I have heard that sentence a lot and it never fails to make me cringe.

"Nice to meet you, Raphael," I said and he graced me with a smile.

"Let me get you a drink." He said and I shook my head quickly.

"I am sorry but I must leave. I was on my way out when I bumped into that huge guy." I said and some kind of emotion flashed in his eyes. Was that disappointment?

God, I hate not being able to read him.

"Why are you leaving so early?" He asked.

"I have some work to do," I replied. Honestly, I don't have any work to do but it was the first excuse that came to mind.

"On a Friday night?" He asked and I gave a jerky nod in reply.

"Okay then. But are you sure you can't stay for just one drink? We have barely spoken to each other and well, I want to get you better." He said.

That sounded tempting as fuck but I can't wait or so I am trying to tell myself.

"Raphael..." I started saying but he interrupted.

"Please."

"I..." I started but then he gave me a look. A look that for the life of me, I couldn't decipher and I just knew that I couldn't resist any longer.

"Please. Just one drink." He pleaded.

"Okay okay. One drink." I said firmly and he nodded in agreement.

"One drink."

But one drink turned to two then three we ended up exchanging numbers.

And that night to me was the beginning of something new.